Pouring noodles into the colander, Yael couldn't contain her smile. It amazed her how calm she felt after the shock of today. The building, and her panic, had taken its toll on her, but the evening was looking up. Slicing French bread to go with their pasta dinner, Wendy mocked the country station they happened to be listening to.

"Pass me my lasso," she teased.

"You'd be surprised how popular this is in California," Yael defended.

"It is everywhere these days. Doesn't mean it's right."

"Not all of us were raised by a world class jazz musician. How is your dad, by the way?"

"Still going strong. He plays that blues club in Harlem every Friday, just as he has as long as I can remember. I think he'll be there until the day he dies."

"I need to get over there and see him. God, it's so nice to be able to invite you over for dinner and it not involve a five hour flight," Yael said, studying her friend. Wendy's normally wild afro was tied up in a bright paisley scarf, giving her a more bohemian look. "I wish I had your style."

"Who are you kidding? I love this whole California thing you have going."

"Frayed cutoffs and t-shirt are not a statement, other than I just worked out and it was too hot for anything else."

"At least you don't wear those god-awful suits anymore."

"I agree with you there. I tried one on the other day when I was shopping. Way too confining and tight."

"I can't imagine." Wendy shuddered. "It's more than the clothes I'm referring to. You're really Zen and it looks good on you."

"Some days it takes more work than others, but thank you."

They finished preparing the meal in silence then moved to sit at the sleek table. Despite the level of comfort she felt with Wendy, Yael found herself glancing around self-consciously. The apartment was so bare; it contained no personal touches or pictures. In a way, she was still a stranger here.

"So, tell me about the crane."

"Off the record?" Yael teased, earning a mock glare. "I don't know much yet. No one was seriously injured, except a woman who was hit in the head by falling debris. She's out of danger now, though. We're lucky there were no deaths."

"How's Casey handling it?"

Yael shrugged. "Guess we'll see. Not sure he's dealt with a disaster of this level before."

"Are the wolves circling? A line of people frothing at the mouth to drag him over the coals?"

"No, a lot of employees I talked to today support him. It's nice, but some, like Peter, have made up their minds and refuse to see his dedication. I've been tempted to call him, but I'm sure he's got his hands full." She frowned, playing with the food on her plate. "I went down there with him."

"You don't sound too happy about it."

"Because I freaked." Wendy watched her with a sympathetic expression. "A demolished building is bad enough, add in rescue workers crawling all over and shocked bystanders. Bad news, to say the least. A moment of weakness Casey got to witness firsthand."

"Don't worry about him. Like you said, he has more important things on his mind." She nibbled her bread. "I heard the crane was uninsured."

"Is that already public knowledge?"

"Don't think so. Just a rumor at the magazine. I mean, I'm hoping it's a rumor."

"We don't know yet. That's what Casey told me, but I didn't stick around long enough to verify. I'm clinging to the hope it's an error."

Wendy wiped her mouth and leaned back in her chair. "Tell me more about the intriguing Casey Castañeda."

"What makes you think he's intriguing?"

"Because he seems to sneak into a lot of our conversations and, last I checked, he was a total dick to you. Piques my interest."

"It's not as scandalous as you're making it sound," she said, hating how her voice wavered. "He's different than I originally thought. Other than being a colossal ass to me the first day, he's been really supportive of my ideas."

"Not exactly what I'm talking about. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad he's supporting you and not being an dick, but give me the goods. Is he as hot as he looks in the papers?"

An image of Casey floated before her, and her heart stuttered in her chest. Her lips curled into a smile. "Unfortunately, he's probably hotter in person."

"I knew it!" Her friend clapped her hands once. "Any good vibes?"

"What? No." Heat flared in Yael's cheeks. "We work together. Bad idea."

"Mmmhmm."

Yael ignored her friend's smirk and cleared away the dishes, closing the subject. Today proved she still carried a ton of baggage. Casey, for lack of a better word, had a light inside him. She possessed too much dark.

After cleaning up, they sat on the terrace, sipping ice-cold lemonade from champagne glasses. The summer air held a touch of humidity, reminding her of trips to the beach with her parents and competing with her dad to see who built the best sandcastle. She sighed, letting the happy memory wash over her.

"I should find my own place," she said idly, giving voice to a notion that'd been picking up steam the last couple of days.

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Wendy asked, unsuccessful in masking her excitement.

"This place is fine, but it holds too many memories. If I want to truly start over, I should do it from scratch."

"What about California?"

"It became home to me." She sighed. "Despite the hard times, I'll always consider it a sanctuary. I miss all of it, even the parts I hated."

"This is going to sound bad, but even if you rent, you're not going to find anything as amazing as this. New York real estate has only gotten worse since you've been gone. And you forget, I had conservatorship over your trust fund for four years, I know you can't afford much."

"According to Miriam, I'm filthy rich." The knowledge still unnerved her, like a shirt three sizes too small.

"Spill!"

"I forgot to tell you earlier." Yael gathered her hair in a loose knot. "Miriam kept watch over my inheritance from Mom and Dad's will, claiming me mentally incompetent to avoid it being used for mountains of heroin, much like you and I did with my trust fund. She signed the papers last night, giving me complete control of the funds. It's more than I would have imagined in my wildest dreams. Too much."

"You weren't expecting it?"

"To be honest, I never gave it a second thought, more important things on my mind. A lawyer tracked me down two months after arriving in California. I sent him packing without giving him a chance to speak. Didn't want anything to do with it, wounds still too raw and all that. Figured Miriam gave it to a charity in their name or something. Not save it on the off chance I came home one day." She shot a smirk at Wendy. "I also have a house in the Hamptons and a condo in Aspen."

"The same Hamptons behemoth we went to the summer after our freshman year?" Yael nodded. "I don't see how this is a hardship. Oh, let's go! Next month or maybe August or both."

She couldn't help but smile at her friend's excitement. "Sounds good. I do miss the ocean. We'll plan a trip towards the end of July or beginning of August. That should give me a chance to get Dad's project off the ground."

They fell into a comfortable silence until Wendy spoke again.

"I remember sitting here arguing politics with your dad."

A laugh burst from Yael's lips. "Me too! That was what, the first time I brought you home? You gained his respect that night."

"They were wonderful people," Wendy said with a trace of sadness. "You are lucky to have had them."

"I know. In prep school I used to listen to other kids complaining about their parents and the epic battles they had over practically everything. It baffled me. I guess I got my rebellion in after mine were gone, thank God."

"They would have loved you either way." Her hand reached out and rubbed Yael's.

"And I tell myself that, but I can't help feeling like I betrayed them. It's part of the guilt that won't go away." She had never given herself a real opportunity to grieve. Even before the drugs, she stayed occupied with hiking and exploring the local beaches. "My sorrow wasn't a smart thing to keep locked up."

"Have you been there yet?"

She knew exactly where Wendy meant and sighed. "I haven't. I will. It's where my parents are buried, not in a cemetery. They are part of that place. Basically, it comes down to when I'm ready."

"I went once. Wrote a story documenting the start of construction on the Freedom Tower. It's eerie. Even with all the work being done and the constant activity, there's this emptiness in the air. A hush hangs over the entire area. You won't recognize it."

Especially considering how it looked when I last saw it, Yael added silently. "It'll be weird to have a new tower there. I saw pictures of what it'll be like, but I can't judge how I'll feel until I'm staring up at the thing."

She paused. "I can't believe it's been so long."

"Feels like yesterday, but I can't be sure if it's because of the raging blackouts or what. I hate thinking about the years I've lost, literally vanished forever."

Wendy fixed her with a hard stare. "You're stronger now, Yael. Don't forget I witnessed you at your lowest and know how far you've come. I remember the dump you were living in on Ventura. You didn't even recognize me at first." She shuddered. "The image of you laying there like a wasted corpse is burned into my brain. There was no life in your expression and the mattress was filthy. You're you again. You've got a full life ahead of you."

"It's strange because, in a sense, the time in California was a different existence, and yet, I'll forever be a breath away from using, from falling into that abyss. I thought if I came home, to New York, it would destroy me, but I feel stronger here. I can imagine a future and it feels amazing."

"Well, it looks good on you, too. I love seeing you healthy and happy." Wendy drained the rest of her lemonade and turned in her chair, tucking a long leg under her. "Speaking of looking good, have you heard from Haustin?"

"Not a peep." Yael scowled. "I feel like a teenager again. I've been checking my phone more than I should, demanding it to ring. I thought we really connected, despite his little tirade. I don't get it."

"I tried to pump Alex for information about whether Haustin's said anything around the station, but he deflects, can't give me a straight answer. It annoys me. Like Alex is part of some frat and they have a code to keep their mouth shut, a new version of Fight Club with the rule to not talk about what happens in the firehouse. He has told me Haustin is one of those hard guys to read, all stoic and tough."

It made sense. In the short amount of time Yael spent with him, he'd told her a lot but managed to keep the deepest stuff to himself. It was a common trait of addicts. They weren't able to deal with the emotion and guilt fighting inside them. She got it; she fell into that category herself.

"Maybe he's dating someone?"

"Not that I know of," Wendy said.

"Lost my number?"

"No. Maybe he really is hung up on the whole 'we come from different worlds' thing and thinks you're out of his league. What else could it be?"

"Me?"

Wendy rolled her eyes. "Do not go there."

"Well, look at my past. Who can deal with that? Only a saint and Haustin is far from being a saint."

"Bullshit. If you want to know why he hasn't called, ask."

"I'm not sure I do want to know."

"Not buying it. Come on, there was something there the other night. I saw it. Be bold."

Wendy had a point. "What do you think of me popping in on him? Too presumptuous?"

"It's a great idea. Wear something sexy and make him wish he had picked up the damn phone."

"Is it okay to just show up there, at his work?"

"Yeah, I do it every now and then. If they're not on a job, they're doing chores or hanging out. It'll be fine."

Yael settled deeper in her chair, liking the idea more and more. She'd do it. First thing tomorrow, she was taking matters into her own hands. She waited a decade to meet him and wasn't going to let a little issue like her family or address get in the way. If he really was a first-class jerk, then she could forget it and move on.

"Does he work on Saturday?"

"Alex does, and they're on the same rotation, so yes."

"I'll do it. Come on, let's go inside. I made black forest cupcakes with cherry filling."

Wendy groaned. "While I love this new side of you, you're going to derail my diet."

They padded into the kitchen. "Did I mention they are organic and vegan? I think your diet's somewhat safe."

Biting into the treat, Wendy moaned ecstatically. "When you visit Haustin, take him something sweet. Trust me, he'll forget all about whatever silly reason he hasn't called. You know what they say, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

Good, old-fashioned jitters swept through Yael, causing her skin to tighten and flush. Already her mind sorted through recipes and outfits, searching for the best one. She didn't plan on letting Haustin walk away so easily this time.