Josh pulls out a stool and gestures for me to sit. I perch on the rickety seat, slightly concerned by the wobble.
“So, Josh.” Elena turns back to him, a forced smile plastered on her face. “Do you own your own home or rent?”
Josh’s beautiful dark-whiskey eyes flick to mine before answering. “I own.”
“Mortgage?”
“No.” He doesn’t elaborate. The bartender slides a glass in front of me.
“I also own,” Syd cuts into the conversation, grinning. “But the bank says I’ve got a few years left to pay it off.”
“Is it an apartment or townhouse?” Elena completely ignores Syd, her grin now sharp and brittle.
“Well, I have an apartment on the east side of town, but it’s being rented since I spend most of my time in?—”
“Oh, that’s a shame.” She sits back, shaking her head. “Apartments just aren’t good for raising a family. No room to run around.” She fiddles with her straw. “Have you thought about selling? Maybe moving to a townhouse or somewhere with more space?”
“Leaving the ci—? No.” Josh shakes his head firmly.
“I have a townhouse,” Syd interjects again, leaning closer to Elena. “Even has a car spot—not that I use it—and a little courtyard garden. Picked it up for a song, flipped it. Three bedrooms, one and a half baths. I’m not planning to stay there long-term, though. Once I get married, I’ll sell it, move to the suburbs, settle down, have three kids. Want ’em to have a yard, a dog. Good, clean air.”
Elena slowly turns her head toward Syd, her eyebrows lifting. “And what do you do exactly to make the kind of money required for three kids?”
Syd grins. “IT, baby. The military paid for my education, but I’ve been out for a while now. Set up my own company. We build apps.” He shrugs. “I can build them from anywhere. I figured Chars was a good place to start before moving on.”
“Ever thought about moving to Silicon Valley?” Josh asks, leaning casually against the bar.
“Nah. No one needs to be over there these days. Besides, most of my clients are based in Astipia.”
Josh nods. “Makes sense.”
“You own your own business?” Elena asks, her posture shifting as she leans closer to Syd.
I glance at Josh, catching the grin tugging at his lips.
“I do.” Syd reaches into his pocket and pulls out a business card. “See?”
He hands one to Elena and then passes one to Josh and me. Elena lifts the slick black card to the light, clearly impressed. Syd jerks his head at Josh, silently asking for permission. Josh shifts, making room for Syd at the bar. He slides into the seat beside Elena.
“You didn’t put that on your questionnaire,” Elena says, frowning as she tucks the business card into her handbag.
Josh’s hand settles lightly on my back. I glance up, catching the playful wiggle of his eyebrows. He tilts his head toward the door. I nod, quietly grabbing my purse and slipping off the stool.
“The questionnaires are bullshit. Who writes what they’rereallylike on there?” Syd answers as Josh and I start creeping away.
“I do,” Elena says.
“Of course you do, baby. You’re transparent. You lay it all out. It’s what I like most about you.”
Elena’s response gets swallowed by the bar’s noise as Josh and I shuffle toward the exit. He reaches the door first, holding it open with a chuckle at our sneaky escape.
“Well, that was the weirdest evening I’ve had in a while,” I laugh, pulling on my coat. My breath mists in the cool night air, and I shiver, tugging mittens from my pocket.
“Really? It’s spring. It’s notthatcold.”
I shush him, grinning as I pull the mittens on. “You know I’m really a cold-blooded lizard person, and this cold front that just rolled in isreallyhitting me. Actually, I think there was a movie you made once that explored my origins.”
Josh groans, slinging an arm around my shoulders and pulling me close. I tense, surprised by the intimate touch.
