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They stood there looking at each other. The little maid girl ran to Meg’s side to clean up the wine that had spilled on the floor.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, it must have just slipped out of my hands,” Meg said leaning down to help her clean it up.

“Oh, don’t worry about it, it brings good luck to spill wine,” the maid said winking at Meg.

“Do you two know each other?” The producer asked looking at them suspiciously.

Meg was about to say something when AJ interrupted, “No, No she just reminded me of someone.” he said reaching for Meg’s hand to shake. “It’s very nice to meet you,” he said shaking her hand softly.

“Yes, it’s very nice meeting you too, Mr. McLean,” Meg said smiling.

“Well now that we’re all here, let’s eat,” the producer said leading the way to his dining room.

They all had place settings, the producer sat at the head of the table, and Meg was to sit next to him, Lenny on her other side, and AJ sat across.

There was talk and laughter going on, and every once in awhile Meg and AJ would join in. but most of the time they spent looking at each other. After everyone had eaten Meg asked to be excused. She needed a little time to practice before she performed for them, she said.

It had stopped raining so she went out on the porch to have a cigarette. AJ watched her get up from the table; she had left her coat on the chair in the sitting room.

“Excuse me, she seemed to forget her coat, she’ll need that,” he said as he stood from the table and walked into the sitting room. He grabbed her leather coat, and then checked his reflection in the mirror above the fireplace.

He stepped outside and closed the door silently behind him so not to startle her. He walked over to her and saw that she was already wearing a coat.

“Oh, I guess you won’t need this,” he said gesturing to her coat.

“What?” she said turning to face him, “Oh no, Lenny’s is a little warmer, mine is basically just for pretty… Thank you though,” she said smiling at him. She tried striking a match but it wouldn’t light.

“Here let me help you,” he said as he reached into his pocket and pulling out a lighter. He leaned down and lit her cigarette.

“Thank you,” she said exhaling smoke. “I’m trying to quit,” she said gesturing to her cigarette.

“Oh, don’t worry I’ve been saying I’m quitting sense I started,” he said as he lit his own.

“The bad habits we get into, we try to console ourselves by saying ‘we’re not addicted’ or that ‘we’re quitting’, I think we just say it so we don’t have to deal with the fact of what we’re doing,” she said looking at her cigarette.

“That’s probably the best way anyone has ever explained it.”

“Oh, I’m sorry; I tend to get philosophical when I’m nervous, but thank you.” She said laughing.

“Don’t be nervous, I’m sure you’re going to be great!” he said leaning over the railing.

“Thanks, but I’m not nervous about singing.” She said looking over her shoulder at him. “You were the man on the subway weren’t you? I thought you looked familiar.”

“What?” he said startled, “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said coldly as he turning away from her.

“Oh.” She said startled, “Well I’m sorry, just ignore that, I must have gotten you confused with someone else,” she said turning red with embarrassment. “Well I better get back in,” she said turning around and walking to the door.

“Wait,” AJ said turning fast on his heels.

Meg stopped and turned around to look at him.

“Good luck Meg,” he said smiling at her

“Thank you,” she said opening the door.
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Meg had put on a good performance, they had all seemed to like her, and they told her they’d call her in a few days. The guys invited her to go into the studio with them for a demo. They said it would be fun and totally on them. Meg accepted with enthusiasm. And then they all retired around midnight.

On the way back to the city, Meg thought about AJ, how she could have sworn he was the man on the subway. And why had he said, “oh my god,” if he didn’t recognize her. Maybe it wasn’t him, maybe he was telling the truth. About how she just reminding him of someone else, maybe she just wanted to believe it was him. Because then it would be easier, easier to put a name to a face. To learn about the person, maybe he looked nothing like the man on the subway; maybe it was just her imagination.

“Meg,” Lenny said tapping me on the shoulder. “Meg, are you alright?”

“What? Oh yeah, I’m fine, just tired I guess,” I said trying to smile at him.

“You were fabulous tonight,” he said kissing me on top of the head.

“Thanks Lenny… thanks for everything!” I said kissing him on the lips.

“I’d bring down the sun and the moon for you,” he said returning my kiss.

“How about you spend the night with me, huh?”

“I thought you said you were tired?” he said kissing my neck.

“Um, that was before,” I said closing my eyes.

“Look we’re here,” he said opening the cab door.

He paid the taxi driver and we went in, Guss was leaned back in his chair fast asleep while the soccer game bleared on the TV.

“Shh… You don’t want to wake an Irishman,” Lenny whispered into my ear.

We got to my apartment, and before we were in the door Lenny had slowly unzipped my dress and it fell to the floor; and then he took me to bed.

“Meg,” Lenny said while kissing my neck.

“Yeah,” I said memorized by the touch of his hands across my body.

“Why’d you drop your wine glass and say, “it’s you” when AJ walked in?”

“It had slipped out of my hand, and I said “it’s you” because we were expecting him… now do you want to talk, or get to business,” I said pulling him down on top of me with the chain that he wore around his neck.
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I got back to my hotel room. I had hidden my two lovers in the drawer by my bed, and asked that the room serves come and clean my room while I was gone. There were clean towels in the bathroom and a mint on my pillow. I kicked off my shoes and crawled into bed. I had had a long day. I had tried to keep it from my mind on the way home, or back to my hotel room I should say. Why I had a told Meg I wasn’t the man on the subway? She obviously remembered me, I could have told her, the opportunity was right there! But I had decided to lie, why? What was there to loose? God there probably would have been more to gain!

“You’re such a fucking idiot!” I said to myself. The thinks you do Alex, the things you do. What a coincidence though, in New York City with the population of 8,008,278 Million, and the one girl that took my breath away this afternoon I had dinner with tonight. It was almost better when she was a fantasy, at least then I knew I’d never be with her, never see her. But now, it’s all changed. I needed to stop thinking about it all. I needed to get it out of my head. I pulled open the drawer next to my bed and pored myself a drink…