Sitting on the front stoop, feeling drunker than I’d been in a very long time, I hazily tried to think of what to do. I couldn’t even get through the entrance door without my key, much less my apartment. The idea of climbing up the fire escape and trying my bedroom window occurred to me, but even I wasn’t drunk enough to think that might be a good idea in my condition. I wasn’t the most coordinated person while sober.

This was probably the worst day of my life in years, and it was only getting worse. I was dangerously close to crossing the line from fun drunk into depressed drunk—actually, no, I was actively stepping over the line at that point.

I leaned against the stone banister with a sigh. Why me?

Should I call Megan and ask to crash with her? I dreaded the thought of the cab journey all the way to her place. I should call the building supervisor, I decided. Only I couldn’t remember his number and wasn’t sure I could make sense of my contact list just then. I was sure the Universe was watching me as the subject of an intergalactic prank show. My episode had finally come up.

“Hello?”

I opened my eyes, squinting to focus on the figure standing at the foot of the steps. When he came into focus, my stomach sank. Yep. A bunch of unseen beings were laughing their butts off at me just then. Because it was him. My neighbor. Mr. My Shit Doesn’t Stink.

Of course, he looked just as yummy as he had that morning, only he’d lost the tie at some point. His shirt was open at the collar—in other words, just when I thought he couldn’t get more ridiculously handsome, he showed me how little I knew.

“Hello,” I said, sitting up and gathering my dignity.

He looked back and forth, then up at me. “Do you need help with something?”

“Does it look like I need help?”

“Are you really asking me that question?” I thought I saw a smile on his face. I knew I heard it in his voice. Still, I couldn’t tell if he was laughing at me to be mean, or just because I looked like a hot mess. He hadn’t exactly proven himself to be a nice guy up to that point.

“I thought I would sit outside for a while,” I explained.

“To clear your head a little? It usually helps me after I’ve had too much to drink.”

“Wow,” I said, eyes wide. “Judgmental much?”

“Excuse me?”

“You just assumed I’ve had too much to drink.”

“It wasn’t an assumption. You’re slurring all over the place.”

“I’m not slurring. I’m talking in cursive.”

“I can smell the alcohol from up here.”

“You so cannot.” I held a hand in front of my mouth and breathed on it, then breathed in. “Yep. You probably can.”

“And I’m not judging. I’ve seen some pretty wasted chicks in my time, and you don’t even rank.”

“Oh, I’m sure you have,” I said, rolling my eyes. I leaned against the banister again, deciding what the hell. He knew I was drunk. I didn’t care anymore.

“Haven’t you?” He started up the steps, slowly. “It’s New York. All you have to do is hang out in front of a club on a Saturday night. Any club.” He sat down beside me, forearms on his knees. “I’d give you a hundred bucks for every girl who walks out with her shoes on her feet instead of in her hands.”

I didn’t mean to laugh. I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction. But I did, snorting loudly for good measure. That made him laugh, too. He had a nice laugh. It made my toes curl.

“I’ll have to take you up on that,” I said.

“You should. I don’t expect to lose much money.” He looked around again. “So, you’re locked out?”

I nodded. “I left my keys at work.”

“And then you sucked down a few bottles of wine.”

I lifted my forefinger and pointed it at him. “That sounds pretty judgmental for a person who’s not judging me.”

“But it’s also probably a fact.” He slid a sleek phone from his pants pocket. “I’ll call the Super for you.”

“You will?” I couldn’t have explained why that touched me the way it did, but I felt all fluttery at the offer. There are some kind people left in the world.

“No problem.” He looked over at me. “By the way, I’m Max.”

Max, short for Maximus. “I’m Mimi Young”

He reached the Super. I listened to him ask him to come by. Then he nodded a few times and hung up. “Mimi Young, this is not your night. I’m sorry to tell you that.”

I groaned, throwing my head back. “Why?”

“Because the Super’s at his kid’s school show, and it doesn’t let out until ten.” Max shook his head, then muttered, “I really didn’t need his whole life story.”

“Three hours?”

“It’s a good sign that you can still do basic math.”

“Ugh.” I couldn’t believe my luck. I truly couldn’t.

“No chance in getting back to work to pick up the keys, huh?”

I frowned as I thought about it. My passkey was on that keychain and the building was completely secure at night. “No. Like the guard wouldn’t even let me in without it.”

Max blew out a long breath. “Well, there’s only one thing to do.”

“What?”

“You can wait in my place if you want. It’s only three hours. Not a tragedy.”

I side-eyed him. “You don’t have anything better to do?”

“Would I offer if I had anything better to do?”

“So, if you had something better to do you would leave me sitting out here.”

He smirked. “Probably. Come on.”