Starlight (The Morgans of New York)

I manage a smile. I can’t be upset. It’s not his fault that he’s not attracted to me.

I watch as he makes his way toward our server. They exchange a few words, a laugh, and then he deposits some cash in her hand. After she glances down at it, her smile widens, and I can hear her thanking him because her voice suddenly drowns out the music streaming from the speakers hung near the ceiling.

Berk turns to look at me, and with a curl of his index finger, he lures me closer.

I go because the other choice is to rush out of here in shame. I won’t do that. I tossed a pitch in his direction, and he expertly stepped back to avoid it. No harm. No foul.

I approach him with steady steps.

Whatever buzz I was feeling is already starting to wear off. As soon as I’m home, I plan on eating something to counteract the alcohol. I know better than to drink on an empty stomach.

“We’re all set,” he says as soon as I’m next to him. “You lead the way, Astrid.”

I stop when he moves around me to push open the door to the bar.

If anything, he’s one of the last true gentlemen in this city.

A cool breeze hits me as soon as we step onto the sidewalk. I take a second to glance up at him. “I live above my store. You don’t need to walk me home.”

“You live above your store?”

“My apartment is in the same building as Vinyl Crush,” I explain. “I’ll be safe. You can go home.”

His gaze glides over my face. “I don’t want to go home. I want to walk with you.”

Of course, he does. He’s a kind man who wants to see that I make it home safe and sound. There might not be a goodnight kiss in my future, but maybe there’s a friendship.

We have the same taste in music. That’s a solid start to this budding friendship.

“I’d like that,” I say. “You can sing a few bars of your favorite Lulu Jenkins song on the way.”

Hearty laughter flows from him. “Every dog in the five boroughs will start howling if I do that.”

“Doubtful,” I state with a smile. “Why do I think you’re downplaying your talent?”

He buttons his suit jacket. “I assure you I’m not. If anyone is going to sing during our walk back to your place, it’s you, Astrid. Truth be told, I could listen to you sing for hours.”

My heart skips a beat. Maybe being friends with this man is exactly what I need.

“Let me get this straight,” Eloise says as she takes a bite of one of the bagels she brought to work with her. “You leaned in for a kiss, and he did nothing?”

The way she stresses the last word with all the fake sorrow she can muster is enough to make me laugh. “I explained what happened to you twice. Yes, he did nothing when I mentioned kissing.”

I had zero intention of sharing that with my cousin, but she showed up at my apartment last night moments after I got home.

She asked where I’d been. I confessed that I had a drink with Hot Dad, and she wanted more details.

I told her that he’s a widower with a nine-year-old daughter. After that, I launched into a detailed accounting of the time we spent at the bar.

Apparently, telling her all of that last night wasn’t enough because she showed up to Vinyl Crush this morning with coffee, bagels, and a million more questions about my non-date with Berk.

The only thing she doesn’t know at this point is Berk’s name. I haven’t shared that because I don’t need Eloise to go on an online fact finding mission.

“That doesn’t mean anything,” she spits out before she sips from her coffee.

I shake my head in disbelief. “It means he’s not interested in me.”

“Like hell it does.”

I laugh at that. “What?”

“You ordered a lemonade with gin, didn’t you?”

I nod.

“You downed that before you ate dinner, right?”

I nod again.

“I knew it.” She drops the bagel on a napkin on the checkout counter. “You were tipsy, and Hot Dad didn’t want to take advantage of you.”

“I wasn’t tipsy,” I argue, stomping my foot on the tiled floor.

“Liar,” she accuses with a wag of one of her fingers in front of my face. “You said he helped with your chair, opened the door for you, and he walked you home.”

Why in the hell did I tell her all of that?

“You had the pleasure of meeting a good man, Astrid.” She pushes her hair back behind her shoulders. “He’ll be back to kiss you when you’re sober.”

I let out a laugh. “What are you talking about?”

“Do you think he keeps showing up here because he loves records?” She tugs on a loose thread on the hem of her sweater. “Dammit, I need to fix this before it frays.”