Page 22 of Only Lovers in the Building

The bar was nearly empty when Lily arrived, but even if that hadn’t been the case, she wouldn’t have had to compete for the

hot bartender’s attention. She took her regular seat, and within minutes, he placed a martini in front of her.

“Dirty enough?” he asked with a wink.

She brought the olive pick to her lips. “It’ll do.”

She now shared inside jokes with the man who’d so intimidated her only two weeks earlier. What a seismic change! Her reflection

in the smoky mirror glowed, the person she was striving to be staring back at her. Gone was the tense, awkward woman who’d

arrived at The Icon with a suitcase full of anxiety.

“Have you received any interesting text messages lately?” she asked.

“I didn’t hear from Allison, if that’s what you’re asking.”

Of course it was. She didn’t point out that Allison had requested that he reach out to her .

Ben was obviously pleased with the way it had played out, so she left it alone.

She couldn’t blame him. Yesterday, at this time, if anyone had suggested she host a podcast, she would’ve laughed in their face.

Allison must be incredible at her job because, as soon as she’d introduced the idea, Lily could think of nothing else.

It thrilled and terrified her in equal measure.

It could be fun, but her father could die of a stroke just at the thought of it.

“Any thoughts on our next read?” Ben asked.

“I polled our followers and...” Lily trailed off, feeling the weight of someone’s stare on her back. She glanced over her

shoulder and saw a frantic Kylie charging at them from across the terrace. Kylie was often frantic, so Lily thought nothing

of it. She waved. “Hey there!”

“Hey.” Kylie slid onto the seat beside hers. “I’ve got an axe to grind.”

“Grind away!”

“Or don’t,” Ben said, leaning forward on his elbows. “I don’t know what your complaint is, but can prosecco fix it?”

“Pour me a glass, but I won’t shut up,” Kylie said and held up her phone. “This is your take? Seriously?”

Lily was too distracted by the curve of Ben’s arms—and remembering how those arms had tightened around her—to pay attention.

This pushed Kylie over the edge.

“Lily, I’m talking to you!” she cried.

“Me? What did I do?” Lily asked.

“You did Clive so dirty!”

“Clive...? Is this about Spring Fever ?”

“The book you made me read,” Kylie said.

That was a stretch. Lily hadn’t made her do anything. If memory served, she’d recommended books set in Italy. However, she

was glad Kylie had read the novel and wanted to talk about it. Could this be the first meeting of the book club?

“So you liked it?”

“It was so good. I loved it.”

“That’s all that matters!” Lily said reassuringly. “It comes down to personal preference.”

“You were so tough on Clive, though!” Kylie cried. “Couldn’t you cut the guy some slack? He was just doing his job.”

Lily wasn’t having that. “Please! He killed her career.”

“Her boss was on Big Pharma’s payroll. She had to have known.”

“I stand by my review,” Lily said stubbornly.

Kylie turned on Ben. “What about you, Ben? Two and a half stars? Really?”

“I knocked off a half-star because Clive pissed Lily off,” Ben replied and uncorked the prosecco.

Lily beamed at him. How could she not love this man? As a reading buddy, obviously.

Kylie watched them like a cat. “You two are not beating the boning allegations.”

Ben placed a glass of sparkling wine before her. “We’re not boning.”

“Not yet! Who knows what the future holds?”

That was Noah, still in his navy work suit, a silk tie trailing out of his pants pocket. He took the seat next to Kylie and

seamlessly joined the conversation. Arriving late and blending in was his true talent.

“What are we talking about?” he asked.

Kylie got him up to speed between long sips. Noah absorbed the information, nodding. When she was done, he said, “I haven’t

read the book.”

“Don’t let a small detail like that keep you from speaking your mind,” Ben said.

“I never have,” Noah said. He looked Kylie in the eye. “You love toxic men, even in books.”

“I do not!” Kylie cried.

The few patrons at the bar on that slow Sunday evening startled, looking up from their martinis and mojitos. “Settle down,”

Ben said.

Noah doubled-down on his review of Kylie. “Admit it,” he said. “Clive sounds like a nightmare, and that’s the kind of man who turns you on.”

Lily reached out for Kylie’s hand. “Girl, you’re in good company. I can’t date a nice guy to save my life.”

“Nice guys are the fucking worst,” Noah said.

“Oh fuck no,” Ben said, but not in response to Noah. He was staring at his phone.

“Is something wrong?” Lily asked.

“Well, I’ve heard from Allison.”

Stunned, Lily asked, “What did she say?”

He showed her the message. The text was written in Allison Leigh’s signature style, to the point and all caps. I’M SERIOUS. CALL ME.

“Holy shit,” Lily whispered.

“What is it?” Kylie asked. “What’s going on?”

“Just someone who wants to discuss hosting a podcast,” Lily replied. “We didn’t think they were serious, but it looks like

they are.”

“Pas un autre putin de podcast,” Noah moaned.

“Hold on,” Kylie said. “It’s not a bad thing. I love a podcast. What’s it about?”

“Love and romance,” Lily replied.

Kylie gave her a skeptical look. “Would you be giving advice?”

“What would qualify us to give advice?” Lily asked.

“Absolutely nothing,” Kylie said. “You told me to quit my job, and that was terrible advice.”

“That’s sound advice,” Ben said. “You need a fresh start.”

“Hold on!” Lily confronted Ben. “How do you know about Kylie’s... situation?”

“Is that what we’re calling it?” Ben asked, amused. “How do you think I know? She told me.”

Lily confronted Kylie. “I thought you two didn’t talk.”

“All I meant is that he doesn’t hang out,” Kylie said. “Of course we talk at the bar.”

“All this time, I didn’t say a word because I didn’t want to spread gossip!”

“You’d be the only one,” Noah said, cutting in. “A glass of red,” he said to Ben. “Whatever you have.”

“I told you, Lily,” Ben said, pouring Noah’s wine. “Listening to stories and giving advice is half the job.”

“Then, you might as well start that podcast,” Kylie said. “You’re already doing it for free. Might as well get paid.”

Lily let out a nervous laugh. “I don’t know about that. This building is our jurisdiction.”

“I can’t believe Allison is serious,” Ben said. “I thought it was a joke.”

“Why a joke?” Lily asked.

“Because we both have careers and reputations to uphold,” he said.

Now he sounded like her father. “Who knew you were a snob, Ben?” she said. “I bet you’d be all for it if the podcast were

about Proust.”

“Leave Proust out of it.” He left to serve two newcomers.

Lily swiveled in her seat and bumped against Noah and Kylie’s hard disapproval. “What?”

“He’s standoffish,” Kylie said, “but he’s not a snob.”

“You can’t blame the man if he doesn’t want to be a podcast bro,” Noah added. “I don’t fuck them, and I don’t fuck with them.”

“That’s smart,” Kylie said. “They’re the actual worst.”

Who could argue with that? Although, in her heart of hearts, Lily knew she was right.

Ben was a literary snob. Reading romance and posting reviews on social was just a bit of fun for him, something to mention at galas to ruffle a few feathers.

It wasn’t meant to go any further than that.

On the other hand, he wasn’t one hundred percent wrong.

Her professional reputation was at stake.

She was a lawyer, and lawyers were limited to hosting true crime podcasts.

“Hey, gang! What’s up?”

Sierra, in her finest athleisure, thick hair held in place with a claw clip, popped up out of nowhere, startling them all.

It was rare to spot her on the rooftop. Of everyone, excluding Noah, she had the liveliest social life. On any given night,

she could be seen sailing through the lobby in the most extravagant of looks, heading out with friends or on a date.

“Ben and Lily may start a podcast. Or not. It’s still up in the air,” Kylie said.

“Nice.” Sierra banged a straw cup on the bar to get Ben’s attention. “Hey, hottie, could I get some of that free rosé? I’m

binge-watching a show tonight. I’ve got snacks, but no wine.”

“We’re out of rosé,” Ben said. He held up the bottle of prosecco that he’d opened for Kylie. “How about this?”

“You’re really pushing that stuff,” Kylie commented.

“We received a shit ton of it,” Ben explained. “It’s a promotional thing.”

Kylie shrugged. “It’s not bad.”

Sierra tapped her cup for ASMR. “Fill her up, baby.”

Ben obliged her, filling the cup to the brim.

“So, Lily,” Sierra said. “Remember that book you let me use as a prop? The engagement I got from that post was insane. People

lost their minds. Some magazines reached out for a quote. It was crazy!”

“Good for you!” Lily said.

“Celebrities pay people to curate books for them,” Sierra said. “You guys could do that for me.”

“I have an idea,” Ben said. “Go to a library and go to a local bookstore, wander the aisles, and see what speaks to you.”

“Who has time for that?”

“You do, Sierra. I’m willing to bet money on it.”

“Stay out of my business, Ben,” Sierra shot back.

“You made it my business,” Ben said. “That was my book you used as a prop.”

“Lily, I know you don’t gatekeep,” Sierra said. “What are you reading next?”

“Our followers recommended Around Midnight by Charlotte Mitchel,” Lily replied. “It’s set in Italy, so that works for Kylie. Ben, does that sound good to you?”

“Whatever you’d like. I’ll order our copies tonight.”

“Oh, really?” Sierra said. “She picks your books? What happened to going to the library and seeing what speaks to you, Ben?”

“Shut up, Sierra,” Kylie said. “They’ve got something going on. Why are you trying to mess with that?”

“I’m not, I promise. I’m a big fan!”

To bolster her defense, Sierra showed everyone the photo she’d taken the day Lily had first met her. She and Ben were hanging