Page 136 of Suite 7

Marcel is watching me. Reading every expression. He doesn’t look away, which is the most Marcel thing he could do.

“Do you want me to come over?” I offer.

“No, it’s okay. I don’t want to ruin your night.” A pause. “Where are you?”

“Just having drinks with Marcel.”

“Tell him I say hi.” Another shaky breath. “I’m sorry for dumping this on you. I needed to hear a friendly voice.”

“Sloane, you’re my sister. You can always call me.”

“I know. I love you. Thanks for picking up.”

“Love you too.”

I set the phone face-down on the table. A few seconds pass before Marcel speaks.

“She called her brother because her best friend is too busy with her brother to answer the phone. Do you understand what you’re doing to her?”

“Yes.”

“Then fix it. This week.”

My phone buzzes on the table. I flip it over.

Lisa.

Marcel reads my expression. “What?”

I show him the screen.

Lisa: Hello Kane. Can I call you for a minute? Want to ask you something about the whole Sloane situation.

He reads it. Sets the phone back down. “That’s not good.”

“No.”

Me: Sure. Now okay?

Lisa: Calling now.

I step outside, and the cold hits me the same moment my phone does.

“Lisa.”

“Kane. Thanks for taking this.” Professional. Careful. “I’ll be quick. But I’ve been meaning to reach out since the gala.”

“About what?”

“About coffee. About Sloane.” A pause. “She’s been texting me constantly about setting up dinner. The three of us. And I wanted to know if you were actually interested or if I should tell her to stop. I don’t want to waste your time or mine, and I definitely don’t want to make things weird with Sloane if you’re not interested.”

The directness catches me off guard. Something in my chest eases — because she named the thing, asked the question, and waited for an honest answer. The opposite of everything Vera and I have been doing.

“I appreciate that,” I say. “And I need to be equally direct: I’m seeing someone.”

Silence.

Then: “Oh.”