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ChapterOne
LilyRandolphpulled the sandwiches out of the wicker basket and placed them on the blanket beneath her.Sheglanced up at her boyfriend. “Turkeyor tuna?”
Peterwas tapping furiously on his phone, his brow knitted in concentration.Shecould never figure out how he moved his thumbs so fast.
“Peter?”
“Hmm?”
“Liverpancakes or fried antelope?”
“K.”Heblinked, looked at her. “What?”
“Nothing.”Lilyset the blanket with two paper plates, cups and napkins.Itwas a perfectJuneSunday.Puffywhite clouds on a deep blue sky.Afterthree weekends of non-stop rain,Manhattaniteswere crawling out of their hidey holes, excited as she was to be outdoors.
Shehoped the warm weather would pull her out of her month-long rut.Herchestnut curls were pulled back into a high ponytail, her sparkling green eyes masked by her four-hundred-dollarRay-Bans.Theywere a thirtieth birthday gift fromPeterand she was happy to finally have the chance to wear them.
“Readyto eat?”
Fiveseconds passed beforePeterput down his phone.Shefelt lucky she’d managed to convince him to take a short excursion.Herboyfriend of five years,Peterwas kind, dependable and successful.Buthe was not the outdoorsy type.
Peterswatted away a mosquito. “I’mgoing to be all bitten up by the end of the day.”
“Ibrought some bug spray.”
“Ihate that stuff.Itstinks.I’drather deal with the bites.”
Peter’spale complexion was already a bright shade of red. “Howabout some sunscreen?”
Hetook the bottle and sprayed every inch of exposed flesh, bemoaning the unforgiving sun.
“Tryto enjoy this.Embracethe bugs and sunburns as part of the adventure.”
Petermust have heard the eagerness in her tone. “Okay,I’lltry,” he said, sounding like a grumpy five-year-old.
“Thankyou.”Shegestured to the bright green pasture, meandering trails, and gleeful kids climbing the park’s distinctive boulders. “It’sbeautiful out here and we didn’t have to go far.”Thepark was only two blocks east of their apartment.
“Isuppose you have a point,Lily, butI’llalways prefer the towering skyscrapers to these trees.”
Thoughhis words struck a chord of dissonance within her,Lilychose to overlook the momentary unease.Shewas lucky to have a man likePeterin her life, even if their preferences occasionally clashed.
Peterput his phone in his back pocket and held out a hand. “Friedantelope, please.”
Lilycouldn’t help but laugh.Theday was setting up to be just what she had hoped for.
* * *
Thenext morning,Lilypushed her way through the throngs of commuters, exiting the subway doors moments before they dinged closed.Thestation was an oven and she felt her hair puff up with the thick humidity.Itwas only 8:45 and everyone already seemed irritable.
Mondaycame fast.Anentire week of work lay ahead.
Atleast yesterday she andPeterenjoyed some outdoor time.Afterlunch, they had walked toStrawberryFieldsand listened to a college-aged hippie—beaded vest and all—playLennontunes.EvenwithPeter’sregular complaints (“I’llnever leave home again without a ball cap,” “Isit really so bad that bees are fading away?”),Lilywas determined to hold tight to the park day memory for the rest of the morning.
Shetook a deep breath, and ran up the stairs toLexingtonAvenue, relieved to be in the open air, even if it did feel sticky.Theday was going to be a scorcher.Nomatter.She’dbe inside her heavily air conditioned office for the next nine hours.
Wearingher favoriteNikes, she hurried to her office building, pushing through the turnstile trying hard to focus on the exceptional few hours she andPeterenjoyed in the park.Shetook the elevator up to the thirty-sixth floor, the enormousCartwrightPropertieslogo welcoming her.Itwas going to be a busy workday.
ChapterTwo
