Actually, I was afraid that much more time spent under the onslaught of artificial scents and distorted echoes of sound would reduce me to a quivering bundle of nerves, but I couldn’t tell Arden that. It was easier to focus on the people: grownups pushing strollers, ladies in work clothes, a noisy tangle of boys Jasper’s age, all clutching jumbo paper cups that seemed in imminent danger of spilling their lurid contents onto the floor.
That was probably why I noticed him, the young man sitting on a nearby plastic bench, eyes narrowed as he watched the junior hooligans tussle and guffaw. He was pale and sharp-featured, though part of that might have been the expression of distaste pulling his cheekbones into relief. I wasn’t exactly an expert on men’s fashion, but his clothes seemed to convey an air of sophistication, or at least expensiveness.
Arden’s hand tightened on my arm. “The people watching is pretty good around here, am I right?” As we drew even with the bench, she stole a glance at the well-groomed stranger. “Note to self,” she murmured. “Mary likes them clean-cut. Good to know.”
I worried she might be bold enough to drag us over and strike up a conversation. Then her phone buzzed, and we were triple-timing it away from the stranger, toward destinations unknown.
“Voilà,” Arden said, two escalator rides later. “The food court.”
Although there wasn’t so much as a fountain in sight, something about the humid, chemically perfumed air made me think I was standing near a pool.
“Are we eating?” Lydia asked, peering at a display of dried-out pizza slices.
“In a minute,” Arden replied, pulling me along beside her. She was scanning the mauve and turquoise seating area with methodical focus.
“There’s plenty of room,” Terry pointed out.
“Oh, I know.” Arden’s laugh was not entirely convincing. “I’m just looking for the perfect spot.”
Lydia squinted at her. “Something’s going on. What did you do?”
“I told you, we’re having the complete mall experience.” Arden avoided Lydia’s gaze.
“People used to do this in old books all the time,” I said. “Not the fast food, obviously, but promenading around so they could look at each other. At the park, or sometimes just in the drawing room after dinner.”
“They would wander in circles?” Lydia asked. “For fun?”
“It’s not like they had Netflix,” Arden reminded her. “Oh, look!”
The exclamation suggested relief as much as surprise. With rapid steps, she cut through a group of tables, heading for one occupied by a lone young man in khakis and a navy polo with an embroidered crest to one side of the buttons.
“Miles is here?” Lydia asked, though it was clear she meant,What is Miles doing here?
Arden didn’t reply. She was intent on reaching Miles, who had risen from his seat. Now that he was standing, I saw that he was several inches shorter than Arden and half again as wide, with wire-rimmed glasses and a gently rounded belly. Would they kiss? Fly into each other’s arms? I’d never seen Arden in girlfriend mode, but she definitely tended toward the touchy-feely.
“Where is everybody?” she asked Miles in an urgent undertone—not the most sentimental of greetings. “Did you guys drive separately?”
His cheeks puffed as he exhaled. “About that.”
“No.” Arden waited in vain for him to contradict her. “They didn’t. They wouldn’t.”
“It’s the first tournament of the year. We’re not where we need to be.” He put his hands in his pockets. “Especially me, trying to break in a new partner.”
Arden flinched. “Is it that big of a sacrifice, taking an hour off?”
“It’s the timing—” he started to say, breaking off at the sight of the three of us hovering nearby. “Hey, Lydia.” He held up a hand to me and Terry. “I’m Miles.”
Arden performed the introductions with a reasonable facsimile of her usual cheer, though I could tell she was making an effort.
“Are you guys getting something to eat?” Miles cast a hopeful glance at a burger restaurant.
Placing her hands on his cheeks, Arden gently turned his head away from temptation. “How’s your blood sugar?” He looked at his shoes. “That’s what I thought. You better go do your thing, because otherwise you’ll be stressed. And eat something healthy.”
He leaned in for a quick kiss. “I’ll call you later.”
“What was that about?” Lydia asked as soon as Miles was out of earshot.
Arden lifted one shoulder. “He was supposed to bring some guys from the debate team to hang out with us.”
