Club Fantasy by Joan Elizabeth Lloyd

the administration’s handling of the trouble in the Middle East.
    Toby ordered an orange-sherbert dessert that arrived in hollowed-out oranges, and as she ate, Jenna found herself telling him about Chloe and her recent arrival in New York City. When she mentioned Marcy and her need to get away from her twin sister, he asked, “Are you two identical?”
    â€œOur genes say we are, but except for things that we can’t change, like our height and eye color, we’re really very different. She’s a planner and I’m a by-the-seat-of-the-pants kind of girl. She’s also more of a couch-potato type, like you.” She heard what she’d just said. “I didn’t mean that as an insult, you understand, it’s just different from the way I am. I like to stay in shape. I mean—” She swallowed. “I’m sorry. None of that came out right.”
    â€œI understood exactly what you meant. There’s no need to apologize. I gather that your sister is still back home in—?”
    â€œUpstate. Seneca Falls to be exact and, yes, she’s still there. She does document translation for the company I used to work for.”
    â€œYou’re both translators. Maybe you’re not as different as you might think.”
    Jenna thought for a moment. “Yeah, maybe.”
    As the waiter stopped at the table for the third time in five minutes, asking whether there would be anything else, Toby looked around, then at his watch. “I think they are giving us a hint.”
    Jenna glanced around and saw that they were the only ones left in the restaurant. “I think we’re overstaying our welcome.”
    â€œIt’s after ten and I guess they’re ready to close up.” He took out his credit card and handed it to the hovering waiter.
    Jenna felt incredibly awkward. She and Glen had always gone Dutch, but she didn’t know whether it would be an insult to mention it. Toby seemed to read her mind. “This is a business dinner to thank you for all your help with those Germans.”
    â€œI was only doing my job,” she said.
    â€œYou did quite a bit more. You’re bright and quick and you have a great people sense. You seemed to know exactly how to handle them, when to push a bit and when to back off. You were a real asset.”
    Glowing with the unexpected praise, Jenna said, “Thanks.”
    â€œI told the folks at the agency too.” He took her hand across the pink tablecloth and gazed into her eyes. “Now that we’re done with the business end of this, let me say that I really enjoyed our dinner and I’d love to see you again. I really mean that.”
    Jenna’s hand warmed at his touch and she felt her pulse speed. “I’d like that,” she said, realizing that she meant it. “Let me give you my cell-phone number. I don’t know whether I’ll bother getting my own phone, so I’ll use my cell for personal calls for now.” She gave him the number and he wrote it down on a piece of paper that he carefully put in his wallet. She wrote down his home number as well.
    He signed the credit-card slip, and then the two of them walked out into the warm, late-spring night. “I live in a converted loft not far from here,” Toby said, “but I’d like to see you home.”
    â€œDon’t be silly,” she said. “I’ll get a taxi.”
    He stood with her while they flagged down a passing taxi. As she climbed in, Toby said, “Take care and I’ll call you. Maybe we can get together one evening next week.”
    â€œThat would be wonderful,” she said, then gave the address of the brownstone to the taxi driver.
    Since she had no assignment for the following day, Jenna wandered around New York City doing tourist things while Chloe was at work. She took the elevator to the top of the Empire State Building and stared in awe in all directions. She took a subway to Ground