“I’ve been designing dresses for drag queens. So, I guess you could say it’s fashion design.” My face heats at the admission. I poke at my food with my fork. “I design and make dresses.

Her brows lift. “Are you serious?”

I nod.

“No shit, Jane. I never would have figured, you’re always so . . .” Her eyes drift down to my sensible pink blouse.

“Drab?” I wave a hand. “It’s fine. You can say it.” I pluck at the offending garment. “My parents bought me these professional work clothes. I dress like this because it’s expected. Or I thought it was. I do a lot of things that are expected.” I get jobs I don’t want. I sleep with men because everyone else does. I wear my clothes like a costume. It’s my drag. But not the fun, colorful kind. It’s literally dragging me down.

I should design myself new work clothes. Something with a lot of color. Maybe that’s why Eloise is always wearing vibrant outfits, to be the antithesis of our staid parents.

She waves a hand. “Wear what you want. Look at Mark, he grows a beard and puts glitter in it for the holidays.”

“Oh, speaking of Mark, I should probably warn you.” I rub the cloth napkin between my fingers. “He mentioned to me that he might have a thing for you. I’m not sure if you’re into him or not, but if you are, he’s not the relationship type. If you’re looking for no strings attached, then go for it. But otherwise . . .” I shrug.

She snorts. “Yeah, not surprising. The office Casanova won’t be satisfied until he’s boinked the entire staff. Hannah is still hung up on him. You know that’s why she’s a bitch to you, right? She was pissed when he cut her loose and started pursuing you. Jealousy is not a good look on her.”

I snort. “It’s not much to be jealous of. We were never a real thing. And it’s over. He was a mistake.” I shove a bite of falafel in my mouth.

“Did you know his wife died?”

I almost spit the food out on the table, stopping myself and swallowing before speaking, trying to reconcile those words with my knowledge of Mark. “Wait. Mark was married?” How is that possible? How did I not know this?

“He doesn’t talk about it. They were young when they got married. Not even twenty, I think.”

Once again, the world shifts beneath my feet. Just when I thought nothing else about this day could surprise me, it goes and knees me right in the gut. “I had no idea.”

“There’s no reason you would. I only know it because we went to the same high school.”

“You did?”