‘Yup. First and last name. He knew who he was looking for.’
Evie’s mouth felt like sandpaper. ‘What else do you remember about him?’ She’d told Lizzy nothing of her past.
‘Fairly tall, thinning dark hair, kind of one of those office faces like he should be sitting behind a big banking desk.’
It was possible it was someone from the shelter. She’d befriended so many lovely people, men and women included, and maybe somehow they knew where she lived. But deep down, Evie knew this was wishful thinking.
‘Well, I’d better go.’ Lizzy rubbed her arms, bracing herself for the cold again. ‘Time for my hot date!’
‘Watch out for the icy steps,’ Evie called, watching her friend trot up the steps from the basement, turn around the railing and take the other set of steps to her own front door.
‘See you, Evie! Dinner next week, okay?’ Lizzy yelled when she was already out of sight.
Evie shut the door behind her, locked it and drew the chain across. She did the same thing every night, but this evening she didn’t want to wait. She leant against the door, listened to the sounds of New York City still wide awake around her, sounds of people calling out into the night air, cars whipping past, a group of women giggling as they passed by the top of the steps at street level.
Evie huddled up on the comfy poppy-red couch, pulled her knees in tight and looked deep into the branches of the Christmas tree, but even the fairy lights with their magical sparkle could do little to lift her spirits.
If this man was who she thought he was … she could be about to lose everything.
