Page 70 of Absolute Certainty
Another message from Jay popped up.
JAY
P.S. You’ll have ep 8 in your inbox soon.
The most excellent news.
SAHAR
I CAN’T WAIT!
A smile curled at the corners of her lips, and this time, she didn’t fight it.
16
SAHAR
They’d reached that point in the summer where the heat was now unbearable. It was especially suffocating inside the cramped subway car where Sahar, Willa, Ethan, and Christian were pressed together like sardines, legs spread out for balance.
Willa was arguing that because they’d taken her out for her birthday, it was someone else’s turn to choose a post-workday activity. The car jerked, moving each of them a bit and opening up a vantage point for seated passengers. Sahar’s eyes immediately focused on an older woman in front of them, her gorgeous silver hair in some sort of elaborate coiffure, ruby red lipstick, with a black pin-up-looking dress. She looked like Mrs. White. The thought of what to do came to her at once.
“Ooh, what about a classicCluenight? It’s been a while since we’ve had one of those. What do you say, Wills, would you play?” Sahar asked excitedly.
Willa and board games were seldom a match, but Sahar knew that occasionally,Cluecould be an exception.
“Clue,yes,” she answered.
Christian took a big gulp from his water bottle. “Hold up, though, I just remembered that Miles and I have tickets forA Quiet Place: Day One.I’ll have to see if we can swap them for tomorrow instead.”
“Okay, yes. We also need one more person to make it a total of six. I refuse to play with less,” Sahar said. “Itneedsto be exciting. Is Clyde free?”
The car stopped, and the doors slid open. The four of them jumped out and power walked away. Christian nearly yelled his response. “Clyde’s on a work trip in Boston for the weekend.”
A person with a massive backpack bumped into Sahar’s shoulder while they ran by her. She massaged the spot as an infant sobbed uncontrollably in their stroller up ahead.Mood, kid.It wasn’t even noon yet, and the 42nd station was already roaring with tourists.
They stepped out into a bustling Times Square, a gorgeous day greeting them in spite of the muggy thickness and summer crowds. The faint breeze was, at the very least, helping her dress unstick from her body.
The four of them sprinted through the crowds silently until the sight of Amanda’s Coffee, nestled at the end of 45th Street, brought him back to the forefront of her mind again.Oh.He’d invited her out, couldn’t she do the same?
“Maybe I can ask Jay? Would that be cool with you lot? He might not even be able to come because his daughter’s with him,” Sahar suggested.
“Yes!” Willa answered too quickly.
Endearingly, Sahar rolled her eyes.
Ethan and Christian agreed with collectivesuresas they strode hurriedly through the busy crosswalk.
Christian swung open the door to the coffee shop, stepping aside to let everyone in first.
Jay’s eyes flung toward them.
Ethan and Willa stepped to the register Molly was at, while Sahar went straight for Jay.
“Usual?” he asked, fighting a grin.
Sahar nodded. “Quick question: any plans tonight?”
“None outside of writing. El’s staying at my mom’s again for another sleepover.”
