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As I’d feared, I was the first one here. Adam closed the door behind me. His Washington Square West apartment had all the best finishes, nice furniture that felt brand new, and an amazing view. Something about the place didn’t feel lived in, though.
Did Davis’s apartment feel that way?
At least he had a houseplant. I couldn’t claim that anymore. As I’d suspected, Adam’s apartment had an appalling lack of greenery.
He led me to the kitchen and pulled out a seat at the bar, scooting a charcuterie board close. The cheeses, crackers, meats, grapes and blackberries looked tempting, but was this meant to serve all the fellows? “So,” he started, plucking up a slice of manchego. “The NIH. Excited?”
Adam did not seem like a man who would understand notfeelingright about moving forward with the next phase of your life. I hardly did myself. “Of course.” I popped a couple red grapes into my mouth so I wouldn’t have to say more.
“Are you all packed?”
“I have two weeks until I start.” Which actually meant I hadn’t gotten past procuring boxes. I glanced at the clock: nearly ten past and no one else had shown up.
“It’s overwhelming. At least you don’t have far to go.” He pondered that a few more minutes. “You know, it’s not easy to open yourself up to new opportunities. New people.”
That was more emotion than I’d expected from him. “Yeah, I guess it is.” Speaking of people, where were the rest of them?
Before I could ask, Adam continued. “I’ve struggled with that myself—it’s hard to find people you can trust and to open up to.” He met my eyes. I’d never noticed his eyes were green.
My stomach seemed to shrink. “Yeah, that is hard.”
“I thought you’d understand.”
Alarm bells and lights flashed in my brain: professional boundary crossing ahead. “This is such a great charcuterie board,” I gushed. “Where did you get it?”
“Oh, um, Downtown Cheese Shop, over in Reading Terminal.”
“Nice and close. This is a great location, convenient to work.”
He nodded. “That’s why I chose it.”
“Of course, right.” Not the amazing view, no, the walkable commute. Not that I had anything against walking. But the reasoning was so... sterile.
Adam leaned closer on his barstool. “I’ve always felt we were on the same wavelength.”
“Uh—huh,” I said, too stunned to make sense, but it sounded likeuh huh.
He beamed. “I feel like I can be myself with you.”
Everything Davis had ever told me about Adam came rushing back: he was into me, he thought we were dating, he was my date.
I’d never asked if Adam thought of the gala as a date.
I was getting my answer.
Adam seemed to steel himself with a deep breath. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”
The alarm bells in my brain turned to air raid sirens. “Um.” I hopped to my feet. “Um.”
Adam stood, too. And he reached for my hand.
I reached for more cheese—and a blackberry for my other hand. Professional boundaries were apparently passed the minute I agreed to come here. “Such good charcuterie.”
“Glad you like it. I hoped you would.”
My laugh sounded high around the cheese in my mouth. “So nice of you.”
“You remember my grandma’s condition?”
