She linked her arm with mine. “How was Dr. Jane?”
“Good. I can already bend it a little more than I could this morning.”
“Lovely. Shall we brunch?”
Brunch turned into Connor dragging us to a Murray Hill pub to watch Chelsea versus Manchester United. Emilie immediately ditched us to catch up on reality TV. Gillian arrived ten minutes later, dressed in head-to-toe Lululemon and looking just as out of place as I felt.
I was nursing a watered-down iced tea when Charlie texted a picture of his desk.
Hope you’re somewhere more fun than this.
I felt an unfamiliar current at the sight of his name.
I sent a frown emoji.
Not really. Stuck at some pub that plays English soccer games.
He tapped my response with a black heart emoji.
Connor slid into the empty chair next to me. “How’s Jim Halpert?”
I put my phone away. “I knew I’d regret asking for your advice.”
He grinned. “Why don’t you invite him to come watch?”
“Are you trying to tell me I’m no good as a third wheel?”
“Yes.”
“Oh my god.Youinvitedme. I hate soccer.”
“But that was before I knew Gillian was going to meet us.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well anyway, he’s stuck at the office.”
Connor nodded knowingly. “Definitely thinking about his next move to get you out of the office and into bed.”
I could feel my face turning red. “I’m going to the bathroom. And then I’m going to finish my iced tea, like a responsible person who listens to their acupuncturist, and you lovebirds can cozy up.”
It was four o’clock and somehow almost dark. I paid for the tea and hugged them goodbye.
I was on the subway platform downtown when he texted that he was done working and needed fresh air.
Quick walk in CP?
I really wanted to take a walk in Central Park with Charlie.
Without thinking about it, I crossed over to the uptown line and got off at Fifty-Ninth Street/Columbus Circle.
Ten minutes later, I exited the subway and immediately spotted him, his left shoulder weighed down by a heavy laptop bag. “Figured you might need some air, too, after that dank bar,” he said.
“You’re in slacks,” I observed.
“Don’t know if you’ve noticed, but there’s nothing relaxed about being a lawyer. Not even on Saturdays.”
“It’s brighter than I thought it would be at night,” I said, self-conscious of my robotic commentary. Maybe our banter only extended to the office and basement sushi bars. “I’ve just never walked through the park after dark,” I added.
“Isn’t it cool how the building lights shine through the trees? I always walked to class through the park after work. It was the best way to switch headspace.”
