New York City
April 19
Twitch pulled the cork on the second bottle of wine. There was still some left in the first bottle, but she and Calliope would polish it off soon enough.
“You followed him?”
“James Bond-style.”
“You honestly believe Tox, a trained Teamguy, didn’t know?” Twitch cocked a brow.
Tox was more than just a “trained Teamguy.” He was a living legend in the SEALs after his single-handed rescue of his swim buddy, Finn McIntyre, from a group of insurgents, but Twitch didn’t elaborate. For one thing, Tox would kill her.
“I was very slinky.”
“Oh, I’m sure about that. So, what intelligence did you gather?”
Calliope stalled her response with a sip of wine. Attending a support group was personal, private.
“Nothing exciting. He was just meeting a friend.”
If Twitch sensed there was more to the story, she didn’t acknowledge it.
“So…” Twitch stared into her wine glass.
“So…” Calliope echoed.
“Tox seems smitten. I mean I don’t think he’s following you around New York or anything…”
“Hardy har har.” Calliope fake-laughed.
“It’s refreshing. I’ve never heard him talk about a woman, other than trying to remember her name.”
“He’s the first guy I’ve met in New York, anywhere really, who gives me the flip.”
“The flip?”
“You know.” Calliope put her hand on her stomach. “That feeling in your stomach? The flip.”
Twitch nodded, looking desolate. “Yeah.” She said on a sigh. “I know it.”
Calliope polished off her glass. She poured more for both of them and took another hefty gulp.
“I’m never in any one place long enough to have any kind of serious relationship. I can barely make friends. You and Emily are the first friends I’ve made in New York. And before that…”
Twitch squeezed her hand. The ever-cheerful ginger had had her own challenges making friends.
“I’ve lived in ten cities in seven years,” Calliope confessed.
“Why?”
Calliope ran her finger around the rim of her wine glass.
“I get bored, or another city strikes my fancy. I stay until I lose interest. I was in Istanbul for two months, Budapest for a year.” She lifted one shoulder in a careless gesture.
“That must get exhausting.”
“For me, it’s the opposite. I get exhausted staying in the same place. Adventure is invigorating.”