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“Please. I am enjoying this lovely lunch my friend prepared.” Zoe smirked. “I don’t want to get indigestion.”
“Okay. But this is the second time you’ve alluded to something bothering you, so you are going to have to come clean with me or we are not leaving.” Izzie was firm but kind.
“Yes. I know.” Zoe nodded. “Now let me finish this delicious assortment of gastronomical delights.”
Izzie changed the subject back to relationships. She knew Zoe had no problem discussing her lack thereof. “You mean to tell me in all the places you’ve been you haven’t met one interesting man?”
“I didn’t say that, now did I?” Zoe gave her a sly smile.
“Oh, you stinker. Do tell.” Izzie stopped herself mid-nudge, remembering the ice cream fiasco with Yoko.
“There was one guy in London. Mason Chapman. Quite British,” she said with an English accent. “I thought it ironic his name was Mason and I work in masonry. I think that’s what got us started. And I’m from the county of Mason.”
“That’s kind of funny, actually. A bit of synchronicity.” Izzie leaned in closer. “So?”
“Geographically undesirable.” Zoe pouted between bites.
“What? Now? In this day and age?” Izzie was perplexed.
“Sure, there’s Facetime, Zoom, and a bunch of other options for ‘staying connected.’” She used air quotes. “But they’re two-dimensional. And he’s too far away. Boston, maybe. London? Not a good sitch,” she replied with the British slang for situation.
“Was it serious? Did you like him, as in really-really?” Izzie thought if she could get Zoe to talk about it, Zoe might be a bit less tense. “And why didn’t you tell me?”
“Oh, I wasn’t sure if it would go anywhere.” She shrugged. “He was a good mate.” Zoe raised her eyebrows. “I had to spend a month in Old Windsor. Refurbishing a few buildings. He worked at Frogmore House and Gardens. He managed the property. That’s how we met.” Zoe sipped the sparkling water. “I had to do an evaluation and work with the local authorities. Protocol.” She snorted. “They are so full of protocol.”
“And?” Izzie egged her on.
“And we had several lovely weekends in London.” Zoe winked. “But it’s a long way from New York.” She sighed.
“So, when did all of this happen?”
“A few months ago. I was being very Zen about it. Taking each day and weekend as it came along.” Zoe’s face softened. “I didn’t know what to call it. Label it. I just went with the flow.”
Izzie leaned in closer. “And then what happened?”
“And then they took me off the job.”
“Do you think it had anything to do with Mason?”
“Doubtful.” She took a sip. “It’s all quite convoluted. Came from upper management.” She took a breath. “Transferred me to a different department. Said the job got sidelined. Canceled. End of story.”
Izzie didn’t like the sound of that. “Did they blame you for it?”
“Oh no. Not at all.” She winced. “At least I don’t think so.” Zoe’s mind went to her suspicions, but she kept the romantic side of the conversation going. “Anyway, it was nice while it lasted.”
“Are you still in touch with each other?” Izzie pushed a little harder. “How did it end? Or did it?”
“We email once or twice a week. Jokes. International politics. What we’re up to. Pretty banal stuff.”
“Well, that shows he wants to maintain the connection.”
“I suppose. But you know me. I’m a bit of a loner.”
“Only when you’re up to your neck in books, blueprints, and cement.” Izzie chuckled.
Zoe almost choked on the word cement.
“You okay?” Izzie gently tapped Zoe on the back.
