Page 1

Chapter One

Hadley frowned as the display flashed at her.

“Do you have another card, ma'am?” asked the young man behind the cash desk.

She took the card out, reversed it and tried again.

“Um, I'm not sure that putting it in upside down is going to help,” the clerk said.

“Huh. Well, is the machine working?” asked Hadley.

“I'm pretty sure it is. I mean, the lady right before you paid by card. Do you have another card?”

Hadley sighed. She rummaged around in her bag and eventually came up with enough cash to cover the cost of her smoothie. But she hated paying cash for things, hated even thinking about money.

The clerk handed her a grand total of two cents in change. She looked at the minuscule coins and wondered why people bothered.

“You might want to call your bank about that card,” he said, leaning on the counter with his elbow.

Another sigh. Not how she'd planned to spend her afternoon. “Right, thanks.”

“Or I could spot you a few bucks if you need it?”

His eyebrow was raised and she grinned back at him. “You know I'm at least a decade older than you, right? Not that I don't admire your balls for trying.”

“Seriously? You're twenty six?” He made it sound as if twenty six was the new fifty.

“Twenty seven,” she corrected. “And gay as all hell, so there's that too.”

“Ah, got it. You must get mad women.” He looked quite approving at this and Hadley laughed.

“I get my fair share.”

Which was true. She wasn't exactly celibate. Nor, on the other hand, was she exactly attached. A few years ago she might have taken the clerk up on his offer, but that was an experiment long over. Not that she minded trying new things.

Her taste-buds shriveled up as she sucked at her smoothie. Kale and pomegranate. Perhaps some new things were best left untried.

She bade the clerk goodbye and stepped back out onto the street, holding her smoothie in one hand and wriggling her phone out of her jacket pocket with the other.

It was a pleasant day, summer finally starting to peek around the corner. The city was more cheerful on days like today, even if it was a Monday. The sun was shining, a warm breeze swept up from the river, and Hadley could purr in delight.

Except purring probably wasn't the best way to greet her personal banker. The phone dialed and connected and she asked for her banker by name, then meandered down the street window-shopping until he picked up.

“Sam!”

“Hadley, how's it going?”

She'd known Sam for years now. He was as old as her father but definitely cooler. Or at least he dressed slightly better. No cardigans for Sam, he was all sharp suits and silk ties.

“Ugh, I've got a million things on the go.”

“Like always,” he chuckled.

“Trips planned, classes to take, it's not my fault that there's so much to try in the world. Unfortunately, it's tough to try new things when you don't have the cash to pay for them.”

“Wise words, Had.”

“I'm not trying to make a philanthropic point here, Sam. My card doesn't seem to be working. Is there a problem over there?”