throat again.
He looked up, an amused expression on his face. “Yep. Still here.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure thing.”
She swallowed. “Well, I’m in town for just a couple of months, and I’ve made a long list of things I want to see . . . or do . . . while I’m here. But I’m learning that some of the best things about New York don’t necessarily appear in guidebooks, so, um, I was just wondering if you could offer any suggestions of other things I should see . . . or do.” She cringed at how awkward she sounded. By now he had to have noticed how socially inept she was.
He smiled. “What’s your name?”
She hesitated before responding, which made him chuckle.
“It’s not a trick question,” he said.
She took a quick breath. “Katrina . . . er . . . Kat . . . I mean . . . either is fine, I guess.”
He chuckled again. “You sure about that?”
She nodded weakly.
“Okay then, we’ll go with Kat. Kat from . . . ?”
“California. Silicon Valley, to be precise.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Really? I’d have pegged you as a Midwestern girl.”
She understood why he thought so. Silicon Valley was hardly known as a hotbed of reserved personalities. She shrugged and held up her palms. “Sorry.”
“Well, Kat from Silicon Valley, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Justin from Long Island.”
“It’s nice to meet you too.” She flinched at her faux pas. Why hadn’t she asked him his name back? She hoped she hadn’t offended him . . . again.
If she had, he didn’t let on. He placed his hands on the counter. “So, sightseeing . . . I assume you’ve already got the basics on your list.”
She nodded. “I think so. The Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Times Square, the 9/11 Memorial, a Broadway show. I’ll be sure to do all that stuff.”
“So you’re looking for cool things that aren’t on the first page of every guidebook? A little off the beaten path?”
She nodded. “I guess you could say that. I’m trying to be adventurous, but I’m thinking more along the lines of a hidden gem of a museum than a secret underground rave . I’m not much of a partier, if you couldn’t already tell.” She managed a weak smile.
“You? Never.” He picked up a wet rag and began wiping down the wooden counter. “Hmm. Just going off the top of my head here, I’d say some good ones up north are the Bronx Zoo and the Cloisters, but those are probably already on your list. And renting a bike in Central Park might sound a little touristy, but it’s definitely worth doing. Off the beaten path in Brooklyn, I’d suggest checking out Bedford Avenue over in Williamsburg, a stroll through the Fulton Mall downtown, and of course the Brooklyn Flea, a weekend market in Dumbo filled with all sorts of homemade everything. And while you’re over there, you’ve got to eat at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria—and check out the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, too. Oh, and since it’s right in this neighborhood, I highly recommend an afternoon of people-watching in Tompkins Square Park.” He pointed in the direction of the East Village. “And you must check out the—”
Katrina held up a finger to interrupt him, then glanced over at her table. “I’m so sorry, but would you mind repeating all that for me when I have a pen and paper in hand? It’s a fantastic list, but I’ll never remember it all.”
He smiled. “No problem, Kat. I’m happy to help.”
“Thanks, Justin.” She found herself smiling slightly as she went to retrieve her purse. That wasn’t so hard , she thought. She pulled out a notebook and was digging around for a pen when she heard her phone chime with a new text message. She took it out and looked at the screen.
It was from Reid.
How goes the adventuring? Any interest in grabbing a drink later?
She read the message again.
Today was Friday.
He wants to have a drink with me on a Friday night?
He couldn’t be suggesting a date because he was
He looked up, an amused expression on his face. “Yep. Still here.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure thing.”
She swallowed. “Well, I’m in town for just a couple of months, and I’ve made a long list of things I want to see . . . or do . . . while I’m here. But I’m learning that some of the best things about New York don’t necessarily appear in guidebooks, so, um, I was just wondering if you could offer any suggestions of other things I should see . . . or do.” She cringed at how awkward she sounded. By now he had to have noticed how socially inept she was.
He smiled. “What’s your name?”
She hesitated before responding, which made him chuckle.
“It’s not a trick question,” he said.
She took a quick breath. “Katrina . . . er . . . Kat . . . I mean . . . either is fine, I guess.”
He chuckled again. “You sure about that?”
She nodded weakly.
“Okay then, we’ll go with Kat. Kat from . . . ?”
“California. Silicon Valley, to be precise.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Really? I’d have pegged you as a Midwestern girl.”
She understood why he thought so. Silicon Valley was hardly known as a hotbed of reserved personalities. She shrugged and held up her palms. “Sorry.”
“Well, Kat from Silicon Valley, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Justin from Long Island.”
“It’s nice to meet you too.” She flinched at her faux pas. Why hadn’t she asked him his name back? She hoped she hadn’t offended him . . . again.
If she had, he didn’t let on. He placed his hands on the counter. “So, sightseeing . . . I assume you’ve already got the basics on your list.”
She nodded. “I think so. The Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, Times Square, the 9/11 Memorial, a Broadway show. I’ll be sure to do all that stuff.”
“So you’re looking for cool things that aren’t on the first page of every guidebook? A little off the beaten path?”
She nodded. “I guess you could say that. I’m trying to be adventurous, but I’m thinking more along the lines of a hidden gem of a museum than a secret underground rave . I’m not much of a partier, if you couldn’t already tell.” She managed a weak smile.
“You? Never.” He picked up a wet rag and began wiping down the wooden counter. “Hmm. Just going off the top of my head here, I’d say some good ones up north are the Bronx Zoo and the Cloisters, but those are probably already on your list. And renting a bike in Central Park might sound a little touristy, but it’s definitely worth doing. Off the beaten path in Brooklyn, I’d suggest checking out Bedford Avenue over in Williamsburg, a stroll through the Fulton Mall downtown, and of course the Brooklyn Flea, a weekend market in Dumbo filled with all sorts of homemade everything. And while you’re over there, you’ve got to eat at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria—and check out the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, too. Oh, and since it’s right in this neighborhood, I highly recommend an afternoon of people-watching in Tompkins Square Park.” He pointed in the direction of the East Village. “And you must check out the—”
Katrina held up a finger to interrupt him, then glanced over at her table. “I’m so sorry, but would you mind repeating all that for me when I have a pen and paper in hand? It’s a fantastic list, but I’ll never remember it all.”
He smiled. “No problem, Kat. I’m happy to help.”
“Thanks, Justin.” She found herself smiling slightly as she went to retrieve her purse. That wasn’t so hard , she thought. She pulled out a notebook and was digging around for a pen when she heard her phone chime with a new text message. She took it out and looked at the screen.
It was from Reid.
How goes the adventuring? Any interest in grabbing a drink later?
She read the message again.
Today was Friday.
He wants to have a drink with me on a Friday night?
He couldn’t be suggesting a date because he was
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