“It looks good on you.” She smiled warmly. “What on earth are you doing here?”
“I’m meeting an old friend.”
“I mean in New York. Don’t tell me you live here.”
“Unfortunately, no. Just visiting. I’m back in California now.”
“Near your mother?”
There was a slight hesitation before he said, “Yes.”
“She must be happy about that.”
Stevie smiled but said nothing.
“What are the chances we’d run into each other?” Sara chuckled, then remembered she wasn’t alone. “Where are my manners? Everyone, this is my friend Stevie. Stevie, these are Tamlyn, Stone, Dino, and Ash.”
They exchanged greetings.
“Here on vacation or business?” Stone asked. There was something about the guy’s name poking at the back of his mind, but he couldn’t figure out why.
“A little bit of both,” Stevie said.
“You said you’re waiting for a friend?”
“Yes.”
“You’re both welcome to join us for dinner, if you’d like.”
Stone saw a flash of panic in Stevie’s eyes, then the guy smiled again. “That’s very kind. Thank you, but as soon as my friend gets here, we’re off to a show.”
“What are you seeing?” Sara asked.
After a slight hesitation, Stevie said, “No idea. My friend said it was a surprise.”
“I hate to break up the reunion,” Dino said, “but my stomach is reminding me that we haven’t ordered our food yet.”
“I’ll leave you to your dinner,” Stevie said. “So good to meet all of you.” He took Sara’s hands. “And I’m so happy to see you again.”
She gave him another hug. “We should exchange contact info. Do you have a card?”
“Not on me.”
“Ash, may I impose on you for one of yours and a pen?”
“Of course.”
As he pulled them out, Sara said to Stone, Tamlyn, and Dino, “Go ahead. We’ll be right there.”
Once at the table, Stone purposely sat in a chair from which he could see both the bar and the restaurant entrance.
“Am I the only one who got a creepy vibe from Sara’s friend?” Tamlyn asked.
“No,” Stone said, his gaze on Sara, Ash, and Stevie. “There’s definitely something off about him.”
Stefan took the business cardfrom Sara. On the back, she’d written her name, phone number, and email address.
None of the information was new to him, but he smiled as if it was and said, “Thank you.”
