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“I’ll call Reginald when we leave. It will be no problem.”

I should have been irritated by this turn of events, but instead I was pathetically happy to have an excuse to see Levi again. I bowed my head and turned my back to him so he couldn’t read my traitorous emotions. And to prevent myself from trying to read his.

We left as we’d come, in a water taxi that took us back to the train station. We didn’t talk much; the sun was setting and buildings were a rainbow of pastels against the pinkening sky. It was breathtaking, and we both sat in silence with it. As we neared the dock, Levi asked, “Wanna get something to eat?”

“Already thinking about food?”

“Do you know how many calories we just burned?” he argued as he helped me out.

“No, I need to get back. I have some work to do on my dissertation,” I said as we stood there awkwardly.

“You want me to drive you home?” Levi suggested.

I hesitated. The idea of riding in Francine again filled me with anxiety. She held too many memories—mostly good, but then there were some that I just didn’t want to face today.

“No, I already have my train ticket.” I needed to get out of there before I did something stupid like let my guard down.

“See you tomorrow then.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked off, looking so much like a lost little boy that I almost caved. But no, I had to keep my distance.

Get a hold of yourself, Diana. Don’t get attached.

As if the universe had heard me, my phone vibrated in my purse and I pulled it out. Ten missed messages! All from Ashleigh. I dialed her back.

“Deedee!” she cried into the phone and immediately burst into tears. My stomach clenched. Something horrible must have happened.

“What’s wrong?” I cried, not able to keep the anxiety from my voice. Urgent phone calls always gave me PTSD. I glanced back at Levi, afraid he had heard me, but he was already halfway across the parking lot.

“It’s Carlton! Diana, he’s cheating on me. I’m sure of it!” She blew her nose and I waited for her to catch her breath as I headed for my train.

“How do you know?” I asked as calmly as possible. The news wasn’t that surprising. Carlton was constantly on business trips, and to be quite honest, he just seemed like a cheater. I’d never told Ashleigh that, of course.

“A pair of panties fell out of his suit jacket when I took it to the dry cleaners.” She huffed. “He had the nerve to argue that they were mine. As if I’d wear a bright red thong from Victoria’s Secret!”

“God, Ashleigh. I’m so sorry,” I said as I stepped onto the platform and paused when I thought I heard my name.

“Diana!” My breath caught as Levi ran down the quai toward me.

“Uh, hold on, Ash.” I pressed the phone to my chest. “What is it?”

“You dropped this.” Levi held Nonna’s silk scarf in his hand. I’d wrapped my hair in it earlier, but the wind most have blown it away.

“Okay, thanks.” I grabbed it from him, heart pounding, praying that Ashleigh couldn’t hear his voice.

“You want me to pick you up tomorrow?”

“No, no. I gotta go . . . get a seat,” I whispered. “Bye.” I waved him off and dashed inside, putting the phone back against my ear. “Sorry about that.”

“Who was that?” Ashleigh asked suspiciously.

“A co-worker,” I lied, sliding down into my seat. “So, tell me the whole story.”

My racing pulse slowed as we finally pulled out of the station. I let her tell me the entire story—from Carlton arriving at the last minute to her big party, already buzzed and smelling of someone else’s perfume, to her finding the red thong in the pocket of his suit jacket.

By the time the train pulled up at my stop, I’d gotten the whole rundown. “What are you going to do now?”

Ashleigh sniffed. “Well, I thought I might go away for a while. You know, let him realize how awful life is without me.”

I didn’t like where this was going. Whenever Ashleigh and Carlton fought, she always ended up on my doorstep. And now wasn’t exactly the best time for her to show up. I had too much going on—she didn’t know about the documentary or my failed discovery. I’d been too embarrassed to tell her about that. And there was the weekend . . . and Levi.