“Same. And I loved your movies. I heard you’re working on a new one.”
He flashed me a smile. “Thanks. We’re planning to shoot in the city now, so I get to spend time with Arden, even though he kicks me out of the apartment because he says I talk too much and won’t let him work.”
Carmen and Amy were busy chatting up Ezra, and I could only imagine what they were saying. I forced myself to tune them out.
“What do you do?” I asked Arden.
“I’m an author. Ezra is in the middle of negotiating a deal to make one of my books into a movie.”
“Which I plan to direct,” Ross said, linking his arm with Arden’s. “Keeping it all in the family.”
“Do I get any say in the matter?” Arden laughed.
Ross kissed his cheek. “We’ll see what we can do. Perks of sleeping with the director.”
“You’re a psychologist, right?” Arden tried to engage me, but with Ezra, Carmen, and Amy laughing on the opposite side of the table, it was hard to concentrate.
“What? I’m sorry, yes. I’m an adjunct at CUNY, and I run a support group—grief counseling.” I stopped short. “Ezra told me about your husband. I’m sorry.”
Ross didn’t seem disturbed by my talking about it. “It’s fine. We’ve both benefited from counseling. Arden and I have lost family, and nothing helped us more than talking about it with someone else who understood what we’d been through.”
“Yes, I agree. When people share the same life experience, it creates a bond.”
Ross’s smile broadened. “Exactly. Like you and Ezra.” I saw in the set of his lips and frank expression that Ross knew about our past and what happened.
“Well, it’s a little more complicated between us.”
The hostess interrupted. “Gentlemen, your table is ready.”
To my surprise, Ross took my arm and pulled me aside. “Look. I’m going to be honest, and you can take my advice or tell me to go to hell because you don’t know me from shit. But one thing I’ve learned is that life fucking sucks, and it’s too goddamn short. You blink, and suddenly you’re in your forties and alone. Sometimes you have to take the risk and don’t overthink things.” He squeezed my shoulder. “Follow your heart. It won’t let you down.”
I watched him walk away.
Ezra tapped me on the back. “Earth to Roe. What did Ross say? He can be a lot to handle if you don’t know him.”
“No. He—I’m fine.”
Not really, but in the middle of a restaurant wasn’t the time or place to break down and have a discussion two decades in the making.
Take the risk. Follow your heart.
“Okay.” His tawny gaze swept over me. “It was good to see you again. Enjoy your dinner. Your friends are really nice.”
“Thanks. Same for Ross and Arden.”
A glimmer of a smile came and went.
He’d only taken two steps, when I said, “Hey, Ezra?”
He stopped short and whipped around. “Yeah?”
“Can we talk later?”
“Yeah. Definitely. Want to come to my place? I’m on sixty-first off Riverside.” He rattled off the address.
“Okay.”
“I’ll be home around ten.”
