CHLOE BAKER'S LOST DATE

Chapter Eighteen: Spin Class is the Worst

It's a week later, July swamping the city like only July in New York can. Sometimes it feels like there's no air. Other times, like the sun is licking my skin. I've taken to spending as long as I can at the office because of the air conditioning, waiting until it's almost dark to go home so I don't have to get on the sweaty subway. Instead, I take a city bike, enjoying the feel of the wind on my face, and the odd thrill I get almost dying every day as a car swerves unexpectedly.

My new, longer hours, come with benefits. Tabitha is happy with me, pushing me to come up with stunts for other months, watching our subscriber numbers climb as the Find Ben promo seems to have taken on a life of its own on TikTok, even though we've moved onto to other titles. I got a large bouquet of flowers from the author of Most Wanted after her book landed on the bestseller list.

But there are downsides, too. I'm still getting tonnes of mail, clues, questions, and stories about Ben—their version, anyway. And even though I posted that I found him, I've been barraged with questions about who he is.

I've kept his identity secret for several reasons. Mostly because I still don't have a real way to contact him to ask permission. But also because I don't want us like that in public. There's nothing in that for me but heartbreak.

My new office hours have also meant that I haven't had much time for Jack. Despite the rocky start, we had a nice time at the park after the run-in with Ben and Rachel. I did my best to be present, to focus on Jack, not to parse every word and look that had passed between me and Ben.

I forced myself to stay off Facebook in case there were new photos, ones that could pierce my heart and send me careening off somewhere that wasn't good for me. At the end of the afternoon, Jack tried to kiss me and I let him. It was a chaste peck, and all it did was remind me of what had happened with Ben on our date in the park. But that wasn't Jack's fault. I'm not in the business of taking advice from my absent mother, but I do feel like I need to give Jack a real chance. One untainted by Ben. So I make a plan to see him on Saturday night.

"Working late again?" Jameela asks. Addison left a while ago, and despite my attempts to apologize, Jameela and I haven't really been speaking since Bridgerton-gate.

"Can I tell you a secret?" I say.

"Sure."

"It's for the air conditioning. Mostly I find this place dreadfully boring."

She laughs. "You said it like Anthony."

"I know."

"Thank you."

"I really am sorry, Jameela. I shouldn't have taken my shit out on you."

"It's okay."

"It's not, though. Everything okay in the ton?"

"You really want to know?"

"Of course."

"It's been super quiet. It's depressing."

"They're filming, right? Season four?"

"Yeah, I think so. But there hasn't been any promo or anything. Why does the show hate them so much?"

I stifle my internal sigh. "Who knows. But maybe, in the meantime, we can find another 'ship?" I point to the stack of books on my desk. "I could use some help. I've got four books with the same plot again and I can't decide which one to pick. Would you mind reading them and telling me which couple gives you all the feels?"

"For real?"

"Totally."

I hand her the novels. They're all set at Thanksgiving and will be our October selections. A girl with a broken heart returns home for Thanksgiving to re-discover her first love. The girl always lives in New York, but is from a small town in the Midwest where, miraculously, no one ever talks politics. Two of those towns are named Madison, without saying which state. Two of them even have characters with the same name—both the woman and the guy are named Cassidy and Carter. "You'd be doing me a massive favor."