Page 281 of Call Me Baby: Side


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My eyes cut back to him, mouth falling open.

I pitch the nearest blueberry at him.

“Kiddin’,” he says, blocking it. “I’ve never?—”

“Hooked up in the basement at Type before?” I finish.

He points at me. “Exactly. That was new.”

“Felt vintage,” I say.

“Box-set worthy,” he replies.

Our smiles chase each other.

I lift the glass, hiding the grin, when?—

“Sonny, we got company. Behind you.”

I pause, glass halfway up. “What?”

He jerks his chin past my shoulder.

I turn.

It’s him.

Same beady, judgmental glare. Same pigeon,

now perched on the ledge

like he’s about to deliver the hit.

“Oh, I know him.”

Andrew raises a brow,

eyes bouncing between me and the pigeon.

“You… know that pigeon?”

“Yeah,” I tip my champagne at the bird. “Showed up when it took you a full twenty-four hours to text me. Sat on my bench in Washington Square, talons on my thigh like—‘you good, sweetheart?’and... I dunno—I might’ve thrown out somethin’ vague like,‘take care of it.’”

My gaze swings to him.

“Swear, thought I was venting.

“Guess I greenlit a hit.”

Andrew’s eyes narrow at the pigeon.“Take care of it?Yeah, sounds real vague, Sonny.” He tips his head, giving the pigeon a once-over. “Bird’s over there twitchin' to float my body down the East River.”

The bird blinks, watching.

Andrew leans in, side-eyeing the pigeon.

“Guy got a name, or what?”

I lift my glass. “Who, Two-winged Tony?”