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Piper

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“Your class will be in the evening.” Bridget skims her fingertips over the screen of the tablet in her hands as she sits back down after helping the customer purchase a small sculpture. “We have three other teachers besides you and I. Most of them work Saturdays. I’ll introduce you to them at our next staff dinner.”

I’m surprised to hear there’s a gathering for staff. I’m excited too. I don’t know anyone in this city, so I’m eager to meet people who share the same interests that I do. If they are art teachers, I know that we’ll at least have that in common. “The staff dinner sounds fun.”

“It’s a potluck.” She looks up from the tablet at me. “We have it at my house on a Sunday afternoon every couple of months. It’s very casual. You can bring a plus one and hang out for as long as you want.”

I don’t bother to mention the fact that I don’t have anyone to bring. Bridget knows that I’m new to the city. On the phone when we were discussing the position I told her that I was eager for a new adventure.

I got that, and more, during the past twenty-four hours.

“I’ve set you up for Monday and Wednesday evenings.” She points out the dates on a calendar app on her tablet. “We’ve had a lot of interest in your class. It’s almost full already.”

“People are signing up to take my class?” The words sound foreign coming from my lips. “You’re sure they know that you’re not teaching the class?”

“I’m sure,” she answers with a laugh. “There’s a page on the studio website devoted to your work. Your students know what you’re creating, Piper. Your drawings are captivating. I’m tempted to sit in on a class or two for pointers.”

“You?” I raise both brows. “You’re not serious? You’re Bridget Grant.”

“Bridget Beckett.” She looks down at her wedding ring. “Grant is for professional purposes. The point is that I’ve always wanted to feel confident enough to draw nudes, but I don’t. If you can teach me how to do it, I’ll be in your debt.”

“This day has been surreal. I feel like I’m living someone else’s life.”

“Are you talking about more than just your job here at the gallery?” She brushes her hand over mine. “I’m not a stickler on time, but you were late getting here. I know the city can be complicated to navigate if you’re new here. I also noticed your cell phone’s screen is cracked. Did that happen today?”

I draw in a quick breath to steady my voice. “I was robbed last night.”

“What?” Her gaze darts over my face. “Are you okay? What happened?”

I’m not going to retell the tale of my one-night stand from hell. My boss doesn’t need to know about that. I shorten the story to only include the important details. “My wallet and phone were stolen. They were recovered this morning in midtown. My money was gone and my phone’s screen didn’t survive.”

“What a horrible introduction to New York.” Her voice is sympathetic. “If you need anything, let me know. I can advance you some money against your first paycheck if that helps and I have an old phone in my desk in the office. You’re welcome to use it if you need to.”

I’m touched that she’s so willing to help me out. “Thank you for the offer, but I have some savings and I’ll stop on my way home to get a new phone.”

“Don’t let that one bad experience taint you, Piper. This is an amazing city. I know you won’t regret moving here.”

I hope she’s right. I bet everything on this move and the last thing I want is to crawl back to my parents’ home in Denver to listen to a chorus of I-told-you-so from my dad.

***

“You’re 4B?” A woman’s voice cuts through the silence of the corridor. “I’m 4A.”

I turn to look at my neighbor. I rented this apartment because it’s cheap. I wanted to live closer to the gallery but I couldn’t afford anything within a twenty-block radius. I may have splurged on a cab to get me there today, but I walked home.

It took almost two hours but it gave me a much clearer picture of the city including the inside of a smartphone store and a police station where I filed a report. The officer on duty at the front desk told me that the chances of catching the jerk that robbed me are slim to none. I thanked him for his time and then stepped back onto the sidewalk of the city I’m now calling home.

Tomorrow I’ll purchase a metro card so I can ride the subway to work and save my feet for shorter trips to the bodega and the vintage bookstore down the street.

“I’m Piper.” I extend my hand to her even though it’s sweaty and clammy from my hike back here. “It’s good to meet you.”

“I’m Jo.” Her long brown hair bounces around her shoulders. “Welcome to the building.”

She’s older than me by at least two decades. I can tell by the subtle lines around her eyes and the few strands of gray hair that frame her face.

“Do you live alone?”

My eyebrows dart up at her question. I’ve already been lured into feeling safe by one criminal in the past twenty-four hours, I don’t want to willingly walk into another situation where I’ll end up losing not only money but my pride.

She giggles. “That was forward of me, wasn’t it? I was just asking because I live alone and sometimes it’s good for us singles to watch out for each other. Do you know what I mean?”

I relax my shoulders. “I’ll keep an eye out for you if you do the same for me.”

“You’ve got yourself a deal, Piper.” She holds out her hand in a fist.

I bump mine against it. “It’s a deal, Jo.”