Page 27 of Near Miss

“Oh, no,” Carly said. “Not even close. Would you like an exact number?”

Matilda chuckled as if Carly were joking.

“She’s not joking,” Stone said, then turned to Carly. “Perhaps you should save that information for another time.”

“If you think that’s best.”

“I do.”

Dino joined them.

“Hi, Dino,” Carly said.

“Hey, Carly. Congrats on your graduation, your new job, and whatever you got on the bar exam.”

“I can see that Stone is keeping you up to date.”

“It’s his job,” Dino said, “on those rare occasions when he knows more than I do about something—in this case, you.”

“Where are you living?” Stone asked her.

“On a leather sofa in Murray Hill,” she replied.

“I can do better than that. I’ve got an empty flat next door to my house, where my staff lives. There’s even room for your BMW convertible.”

“Oh, I negotiated for twenty-four-hour parking with Woodman & Weld,” she said.

“Smart move.”

“So, when can I make the smart move to your place?”

“Anytime you like.”

“My suitcase is in the cloakroom, as I was about to jump couches this evening,” she said. “How about after dinner?”

“That will be convenient.”

“Then my life will be complete.”

“You’re even more generous than I thought,” Matilda said to Stone. Though she smiled, there was no hiding her discomfort with the turn the conversation had taken.

“Only to those who’ve earned my generosity.”

“Like me?” She wrapped her arm through his, staking her claim.

“That goes without saying.”

“Please, do say it.”

“Like you.”

Bill Eggers walked in, and they used his arrival as an excuse to sit down at their table.

“What’s new, Bill?” Stone asked.

Eggers looked uncomfortable. “This can’t get out,” Eggers said. “I mean, it’ll be published next week, but it can’t get out until then.”

Stone thought Eggers looked about to bust. “You’ll have to trust us,” Stone said. “Otherwise, you’ll explode.”

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