“What’s up?” he asked.
She tucked a loose strand of her dark hair behind her ear. She had her hair up in a ponytail, but the hair around her face had fallen in soft tendrils that made her look very pretty. She was wearing a cute purple shirtdress that was a bit on the short side, giving Brad a good eyeful of her shapely legs.
She was gorgeous. But she probably would get mad if she saw the direction his thoughts were going, so he focused back on her face.
“I need some help.”
Really? “Interesting,” he said.
“It’s not interesting. It’s very mundane. This is not a prelude to anything.”
Ah, already on the defensive. He nodded. “What do you need help with?”
“Well, the short version is that theForumis having financial trouble, and there are rumors they will lay people off soon, so I am trying to make myself indispensable. I need a big scoop or some kind of story that will get me the kind of attention to make theForumkeep me on. Because I just got this job, I’ll probably be the first to go if there are layoffs, but not if they think I’m good for their bottom line. And I love this job, Brad. It’s fun and exciting, and it actually pays well, and I love the work I’m doing.”
“All right,” said Brad. He sensed where she was going, but he wanted to make her say it, to ask him formally. He would, of course, help her however she needed, but he needed her to do a little work here. If they were ever going to get back together, there would have to be some give and take.
“I was hoping, because you know everyone, that you might be able to point me toward a story.”
“You were hoping.”
She nodded. “Please can you help me, Brad? I’m only asking because you’re the best-connected person I could think of. You have a zillion contacts, you know the restaurant industry really well, and I thought you might know of some budding story I could go cover before theTimesor evenEat Out New Yorkgets to it.”
He wondered if he should ask her for something in return. Maybe use this as leverage to get her to go out with him. But, no, he didn’t want her to go out with him because he’d pressured her into it. He wanted her to go out with him because she wanted to go out with him.
“Okay. Let me think.”
“That’s it? Okay? You’ll help me without any conditions?”
“I mean, you’ll owe me. I’ll think of some way to have you return the favor. But yes, I will help you.”
“I’m grateful, Brad, really.”
“Okay. Um...”
He sat back on the sofa and looked at the mural on the opposite wall for a moment. It was a bright, colorful painting depicting cats sitting around a café table drinking coffee, and it had a cool, midcentury-modern retro aesthetic. Brad stared at the colors and tried to think of who he knew and how he could help Lindsay. Then an idea popped into his head.
“What about this? You remember Aaron Ramirez from culinary school? Of course you do; you asked about him last week.”
“Yeah, I remember him.”
Brad couldn’t read her tone. “What does that mean?”
“Nothing. I’m just saying I remember him. And what I remember is Aaron being your bro.”
Brad sighed. “Right. Well, as I mentioned, he works at the Food Channel now and is about to start filming a new show. I might be able to get you into a taping, or hell, maybe he wants theNew York Forum’s food editor as a judge.”
Lindsay’s whole face lit up. “Are you kidding?”
“I’m serious. I can call him right now and see if he’ll do it. He owes me a favor.”
She raised an eyebrow. “In return for what?”
“I introduced him to his current girlfriend. Hang on a sec.” Brad picked up his phone and dialed Aaron.
“Hey,” Aaron answered.
“I’m calling in my favor,” said Brad. “For Bianca.”
