Read Last Chance for Free Online Page B

stroller. Her face was flushed, and her round belly strained at the fabric of her uniform.
    â€œDo you need help with that?” I asked.
    She shook her head. “I’m fine,” she said. “I live right there.” She gestured to an apartment building almost directly opposite the vegan restaurant. “But thanks, anyway.” Suddenly her face brightened, and she raised an arm and waved. She pushed her over-burdened stroller toward a guy with rust-colored hair who was about to enter the apartment building. He turned and started toward her. As I crossed the street, I heard her say, “Did you get the job?”
    The bad news: when I got back to the restaurant, Evan was still there. The good news: he stood up as soon as I sat down.
    â€œI’d better run,” he said. “Nothing worse than being a third wheel, right, Billy?” He winked at Billy and flashed him a big grin.
    I watched Evan walk out of the restaurant. “What just happened?” I said.
    Billy shrugged and looked down at the tablecloth.
    â€œEvan didn’t come here because of me, did he, Billy? Because I told you yesterday that I wasn’t interested in going out with him.”
    â€œAnd I told him that,” Billy said. “He called me right after I talked to you.”
    â€œAnd you said, ‘Robyn’s not interested in you, Evan’—those were your exact words?”
    Billy squirmed. “I think I might have said you were maybe interested in someone else—you know, so he wouldn’t keep pestering me about it. But I didn’t go into details,” he added quickly. “I didn’t think it was any of his business.”
    â€œNot to mention that it’s not true,” I said.
    Billy’s cheeks turned pink.
    â€œIt sounded to me like Evan knew you were going to be here today,” I said.
    â€œYeah,” Billy said. He looked around, as if he wished our food would hurry up and arrive.
    â€œYou told him, didn’t you?”
    â€œWe were just talking, you know, the way you talk to the people you work with.” He was slumped in his chair again. “I guess he just decided to take a shot.”
    â€œEven though you told him I was interested in someone else.” Which I wasn’t.
    â€œWell, you know Evan.”
    I did. He was self-righteous and overly zealous, bordering on dogmatic. Apparently, he was also arrogant enough to think he could win me away from my (nonexistent) boyfriend. I looked across the table at Billy. There was something else going on.
    â€œHe mentioned a third wheel,” I said.“And he winked at you, Billy.”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œEvan. He winked at you.”
    â€œHe did? I didn’t notice.”
    Billy is many things, but a good liar isn’t one of them.
    â€œWhat exactly did you say to make him leave, Billy?”
    â€œAh, um . . . ” Billy looked down at the tablecloth again. “I might have told him a sort of white lie,” he said.
    â€œSort of, huh?” I watched Billy squirm some more. “Such as?”
    â€œI might have given him the impression that maybe we were here together because you were maybe interested in . . . ” His voice faded away.
    â€œSay that again, Billy.”
    â€œMe,” Billy said in a whisper. “It’s possible that Evan has the impression that you’re interested in me.” He dared a glance at me. “I just wanted to get rid of him like you said, Robyn. I’d never be even remotely interested in you.”
    Of course not.
    â€œNot in a million years,” he said, for emphasis. “I mean, why would I be?”
    Why indeed?
    â€œThanks, Billy,” I said.
    Thanks a lot.
    Â 
    . . .
    I was in the staff kitchen at the animal shelter the next day, when Nick walked in. He waited until I was finished taking my lunch out of the fridge before getting his. At least, I assumed it was his lunch. It was in a brown paper bag.
    I went