“Only a few months. I was in a dorm at NYU before this.”
“Oh. Did you graduate?” We reached the final flight.
“No. I only did one semester. I’m going to go back though.”
“Sounds like we’re in the same boat.” He held open the door for me at the bottom and I slipped out with him following.
“Yeah, I heard you were at Princeton.”
“You heard right.”
He turned left without saying anything. I followed behind him, stepping closer to his side when an ambulance went by. I loved the city, but I hated the constant noise.
“Do you have an aversion to burgers and fries?”
“Burgers and fries? I guess my jeans are okay.”
He laughed. It was light and sexy, and it fit him. He needed to do it more often. “I told you.”
“I love burgers. Sounds perfect.”
“Great. I thought I’d introduce you to my favorite burger joint. It’s just a little bit north of here. It’s down the block from my place.”
“Oh. Cool, but I could have met you there. Why didn’t you suggest that?”
“Because I wanted to come by and get you.”
“You’re all about the vague answers tonight.”
“Does that bother you?” He watched me carefully.
“I guess it’s better than you not answering at all.”
“Are you more straightforward? If I asked you a question, would you answer it head on?”
“Yes,” I answered confidently which was pretty brave considering I had no idea what he’d ask.
“Why are you living in that apartment? Why aren’t you at NYU?”
“My dad lost his job.”
“So he couldn’t pay?” He studied my face.
“No. My parents would have probably taken out loans, but I couldn’t do that to them.” I glanced toward the street. There wasn’t a chance I’d put more on their plate.
“So you made the decision to drop out?”
“Yeah, but it’s only temporary. I’ll go back to school eventually.”
“That’s really selfless of you.” He slipped off his jacket, folding it over his arm.
“They’ve done enough for me already. I can handle taking a semester off.”
“That’s a refreshing way of viewing things.”
We kept walking, and I was incredibly glad I’d worn my most comfortable boots. Toby’s idea of a little bit north was different from my own. I turned the questioning back on him. “So what’s your story? Why did you drop out?”
“I guess after your disclosure, I owe you mine?”
“Owe is a strong word, but it would be nice.” I smiled, hoping he felt he could trust me enough to tell me something. Anything. The more I talked to him, the more I wanted to know.
“My grandfather died unexpectedly, and I had to step up in the family business.”
That was not the answer I was expecting. “Oh. I’m sorry.”
His face turned hard, expressionless. “Don’t be.”
“Oh…you weren’t close?”
“Something like that.” His expression didn’t change, and I decided to drop it.
“Where do you live?” I steered the conversation back to safer territory.
“5th Avenue and 14th.”
“Oh, wow. Nice area.”
“My place kind of came with the job.”
“That’s nice. Mine didn’t.”
He laughed. “So any particular reason you chose to live there then?”
“My cousin offered me a closet.”
“A closet?”
“He calls it a bedroom, but it’s more of a closet. There’s just room enough for a twin bed and my alarm clock. My clothes and everything else are tucked in a corner of the living room.”
He half-laughed. “Seriously? That’s pretty crazy.”
“He only charges me a couple hundred a month, and it beat moving back in with my parents.”
“Where are you from?” He slowed down, probably realizing I was struggling to keep up with his brisk pace.
“Long Island.”
“What part?”
“Port Jeff.”
“That’s out east, right?” His hand brushed against mine.
“Not that far east, but eastern Long Island.”
“Cool. I went to high school in Westchester, but I spent most of my childhood upstate.”
“Oh, that must have been a big move.” I’d lived in the same house my whole life until leaving for college, and even then I was only an hour away.
“It was definitely different.”
“Which did you like better?” Did he prefer the ritzy burbs or the quiet rural life? I’d never known anything other than suburbia and just recently the city.
“They both had their perks, but I like the city better.”
“Do you have any roommates?” He was finally talking, and I wanted to keep it going.
“I live alone, and I like it that way.” He said it so simply, like it was the only possible answer. It was the first quasi-personal piece of information he’d given me. I took it eagerly.
“Are you an only child?”
“Digging for more, are you?” He steadied me as a dog ran between us. The owner chased after.
I recovered my footing. “Maybe a little.”
“To answer your question, yes. I’m an only child.”
“Maybe that’s why you like living alone.”
He smiled. “What about you? Any brothers or sisters?”
“I have a sister.”
“Older, younger?” He looked at me questioningly.
“Older. She’s twenty-one.”
“Is she still in school?”
“No. Not anymore.” Once again, I didn’t feel like talking about Vera. Hopefully, he’d get the hint.
“When did you start working at Coffee Heaven?”
Once he got started, the questions didn’t stop. “In September, but I only started working full time in January.”
“Cool.”
“I guess.” I smiled up at him as we walked. I checked out the store fronts, wishing I had the money to actually go shopping once in a while.
He held open the door to this hole in the wall looking place.
“You come here a lot?” The burger joint was a hundred and eighty degree change from the swanky coffee house the week before. I wondered why he was changing things up so much. I hoped it had nothing to do with me. I shook myself for even thinking it. He’d asked me out a second time, hadn’t he?