I carefully glanced over my shoulder and spotted her at the register, pink pantsuit and all. My stomach spun, knowing I had to act fast so she wouldn’t catch me. The obvious route was to just split, to leave my coffee behind and make a run for it. Was there a back door? I would happily brave a dumpster-diving alley. Just say the word.
But truthfully, I also wanted my latte.
Decisions, decisions.
Once Unger had disappeared into the masses, I made my move—slipping between people until I’d reached the coffee bar. “Hey, hi,” I said to a male barista working the assembly line. “Can you do me a favor?”
He didn’t even look at me. “Drinks are made in the orderthey were purchased,” he said flatly, sprinkling white chocolate shavings over some green milkshake-looking concoction topped with whipped cream. “There’s no cutting.”
“I wasn’t going to ask to cut,” I said, then lowered my voice a little. “I need…an identity change.”
That got his attention. “An identity change?” he asked.
“Yeah, I need my name switched.”
Granted, “James” wasn’t a unique name, but I knew for a fact Unger’s ears would prick up when it was called. Thanks to me, she probably had trust issues with every James she met.
The barista gestured to the line of empty to-go cups, all waiting to be filled. “Which one’s yours?”
A little while later, I gasped in relief when a third barista called out, “Venti iced vanilla latte for Barnaby!”
Now I just had to get out without Unger noticing me…because I had no disguise options whatsoever. I’d left my sweatshirt in the car, so there was no hood to pull up to hide my face, and Everett was the one with all the baseball caps.
Jeez,I thought, holding back a laugh.If he’s wearing his Mets hat right now, people are probably eating him alive.
I wouldn’t put it past someone to challenge him to a fight, because this wasPhiladelphia.Go Birds! Flyers! Phillies! And whatever the basketball team was called! Our sports were our religion!
I mean, I couldn’t care less, but…
Cautiously, I collected my drink with stooped shoulders (hey, I could at least alter my posture). Was Unger looking at me? I knew I couldn’t chance leaving through the frontentrance, so I headed to the restrooms and hoped for the best. Sure enough, there was a back exit.
“Not bad,” I said after taking a sip of my latte among a foul-smelling dumpster and the spotted street-cat guarding it. It hissed at me. “Not bad at all, Mrs.Flamporis.”
Then I walked up the alley and turned right toward Rittenhouse Square. My sister was due to arrive soon.
Chapter 25
Grace
Rittenhouse Square had history behind it. It was one of the five original squares planned by William Penn, Philadelphia’s founder (you didn’t think it was good old Benjamin Franklin, did you?), and was named after clockmaker and astronomer David Rittenhouse. And I don’t know if this was the case in the late seventeenth century, but these days Rittenhouse Square was, as the redcoats would say, quite “posh.” The neighborhood was full of fabulous high-rise apartments, fine dining restaurants, and of course luxury stores for shopping sprees. It was one of the most expensive and exclusive areas in Philly.
But today, it was for everyone. The Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival took place every May, an insanely popular street fair. The roads were blocked off so we could leisurely stroll up and down the streets, which were lined with everything from foodtrucks to art galleries to mini fashion shows to live music. One of Isa’s favorite hobbies was scouring every realty website from Zillow to Sotheby’s for her ultimate dream home, so I know she’d love seeing the heavenly apartments in person.
Plus, the girl just loved to shop.
So I was surprised, and actually a little bummed, when she didn’t comment as we weaved our way through the crowds. “How did you find out about this?” was all she said.
“Research,” I said, “with a dash of serendipity.”
Because what were the odds? What were the odds that this festival was happening the very same day I’d planned for us to take off together?
Kismet.
The three of us were pretty quiet while visiting various vendors. A man handing out beer samples didn’t card us, so we each downed a splash before wandering into a jewelry booth. Isa began admiring the intricately beaded necklaces and bracelets, but I glanced over my shoulder. “Are you okay?” Ev asked as I scanned the thronged street, thinking maybe I’d miscalculated with the street fair. It was so popular, and so out in the open. What if someone we knew was here? What if they spotted us?
“Not really,” I told him. “I suddenly feel weird.”
He nodded. “I know, I messed everything up,” he whispered, running a nervous hand through his hair. “I shouldn’t have—”
