RISK(33)

"Is this your family?" I look up at Nolan and smile. "Are you sailors?"

He takes a step forward, his expression pained. "This was taken a long time ago. It was a very long time ago."

I lick my lips. My throat is dry and my regret is high for bringing it up. "It looks fun. I've never been on a sailboat."

"It's exhilarating." He tilts his head as he studies my face. "I haven't been on one in years myself. You never forget the rush of the air or the feeling of freedom."

"They're beautiful pictures," I say slowly. "Are you one of those kids?"

It's a natural assumption. One of the men bears a striking resemblance to Nolan. His chin is set the same and the shape of his eyes is identical, but there are differences too. His hair is sun-streaked. It's a combination of golden brown with blonde streaks. The wrinkles around his eyes and mouth are more pronounced because of the bronze color of his skin. He's tall, but the other men in the photograph are taller, their shoulders broader.

The children's faces are shadowed with the wide brims of hats and their torsos covered with red and yellow trimmed life jackets. They look like pure sunshine, with smiles that reek of privilege and hope. I never smiled like that when I was their age. I'm not sure I've ever smiled like that.

"You're right. They are beautiful pictures." He skips past my question as he steps toward the washroom. "You can use this one. I'll use the one attached to the bedroom."

I nod as he hastily crosses the hall and disappears into the shadows of his bedroom.

***

I smooth back my hair as I listen to Adley's panicked voice in my ear.

Finally, I get my first chance to speak since calling her when I noticed she texted me more than a dozen times. "You locked yourself out? I thought the party you were having was inside our apartment, Ad."

"It was." Her voice trembles. "I drank too much and I have to work early tomorrow, so I went to the café around the corner to get a cup of coffee. I forgot my keys. I'm tired, Bean."

"We have coffee," I say even though it's a useless reminder at this point. "Did you call Tori to see if she could let you up?"

"She's in Oregon for a family thing," she replies quickly. "I called her first. She'd let me in if she weren't clear across the country."

Tori lives in the apartment above us. She and Adley used to be roommates before Tori fell in love on the elevator with a fireman who just moved into the building. It was a whirlwind romance that left Adley with an orange bridesmaid dress she hates and an empty bedroom.

The timing couldn't have been better for me, though. Tori moved out just over two months ago and since Adley was slow to start the search for a new roommate, I was able to move in.

"I'm still at the coffee shop, Ellie." Adley clears her throat. "I tried standing in front of the building for more than fifteen minutes but no one came home. Besides, even if I get inside the front door, I can't get into our apartment. It has that automatic lock on it."

I know exactly what she's talking about. When I left to get shampoo on my first night back, I realized I'd forgotten my wallet as soon as our apartment door closed behind me. It was locked tight when I turned back to open it. I had to pound on it loudly to steal Adley's attention away from the program she was watching on her laptop. It's a great security feature for hotel rooms, but for apartments it's more annoying than anything.

"I'm with Nolan," I whisper even though I haven't heard any movement at all in the hallway. "I don't want to leave yet."

"Can't you just come home for two minutes to let me in?" She sighs heavily. "You're not that far away, Bean."

I shake my head as I stare at my reflection in Nolan's bathroom mirror. My makeup held up better than I thought it would. Those free Matiz samples I get to take home from the store are worth it. "You should call the building manager to let you in, Ad. When Nolan called him about the air conditioner, he was at our place in no time. Nolan's place is across town."

"How is that possible?"

"How is what possible?" I press my free ear against the bathroom door, but still, I hear nothing.

"I distinctively recall you telling me that Nolan lives close to Cremza. That's four blocks from here, Bean. You could walk here, let me in, and be back there in less than twenty minutes."

I watch my smile give way to hesitation in the mirror's reflection. He did say that. He made a point of saying he was a regular because he lived near the ice cream shop, but the definition of near varies depending on who you're talking to.

Nolan has a private driver at his beck and call which means that everywhere in Manhattan is close to here. For those of us who depend on our own two feet and public transportation, it's far. When we were done eating our burger earlier, Nolan called the driver and he quickly pulled up next to the curb, by the street cart. We hopped in the air conditioned car and he brought us here. I know if we took the subway or the bus, it would have taken infinitely longer. "Give me ten minutes, Ad. I'll call you back."

"Are you coming to save me?" she asks overdramatically. "I can't sit in this coffee shop all night, Elinor."

I don't laugh the way I usually do when she uses my full name. Instead, I end the call and swing open the washroom door, intent on asking Nolan if I could borrow his driver so I can help out my friend before I crawl into bed with him.