“It wasn’t a big deal.”Jay kept his focus on his plate, avoiding Rob’s eyes.
“Your poker face is shit.Of course it was a big deal.Let's start with the obvious.Does she have a name?"
"She does, and it’s Claire.No last name—just Claire."
It was the first time Jay said her name aloud.He instantly liked the way it rolled off his tongue.His smile grew wider as he recalled a number of clever exchanges they'd made in the bar.
"Is it that woman we saw at the airport?The one who kept giving you the eye?You know, the one who looked like a model?"
Jay took a bite of toast and mumbled, "Nope."
"Where's she from?"
"No idea.She’s American.Has a bit of a southern drawl."
"What does she do?"Rob asked.
Jay shrugged."Not a clue."
"What did y’all do?"
"We sat by the piano and talked."
Rob’s expression turned from excited to disappointed."That's it?"
"That's it."Jay nodded firmly.
"What'd you talk about?"Rob pressed after a long pause.
"I don't know, Rob.What do strangers in bars talk about?She sat down and we started talking about singers and composers and movies and basketball and it just sorta went from there."
“Let me guess.Long dark hair.Big brown eyes.On the petite side.”
“Nope.She’s a dead ringer for Kate Winslet—face and body-wise.I did a double take when she sat down.She's not rail thin either.She has curves.And she's tall.Like maybe five-feet-ten.She reads.She travels.She can talk sports like no woman I've ever known.And she's smart—probably Mensa level,” Jay rattled off without as much as a blink.
"That makes two of you."
"She's funny and she has a really great laugh.Oh, and the most incredible green eyes you've ever seen."
"You found all this out in one night, but got no last name?"Rob asked.
"I asked, but she didn't offer.It doesn't matter anyway."
"Why is that?"
"Because she's married."Jay said, tapping his ring finger.
"Married?"Rob’s eyes widened.
"Now hold on before you start in on me."His hand went up again, silencing further judgment."She was coming on to me, not the other way around.”
"Where was her husband?"
"No idea.Asleep, I suppose.Or maybe he was trying to score elsewhere."
Rob shot him a look."You, of all people, I would think, would not find that the least bit funny."
Jay looked away, his mind on a bullet train back to the night he and Hope had almost called it quits after a New Year’s Eve party.Jay had watched Dr.Brett Monroe all evening, tipsy and circling his wife like a hawk.He stood a little too close to Hope during small-group conversations.When he refilled her champagne, his hand lingered on hers a few seconds too long as he returned the flute.Other partygoers might not have noticed, but Jay did.
