The Love Triangle. Nic Tatano

      The director moved behind the camera. “Okay, extras, eyes off the stars and on each other. Nice, looking good. And… action!”

      Lexi started mouthing words as Kasey did the same. Not actually speaking forced more eye contact than normal.

      And she felt it again. A shiver of … something.

      A few seconds later she caught movement in her peripheral vision and saw the star get down on one knee. All the extras turned to watch the proposal, then applauded as the woman accepted.

      “And cut! That was terrific. Let’s do a few more takes.”

      Jimbo thanked them as the production team wrapped for the night. “I appreciate you coming by. It’s not easy to get people to commit late on a Saturday night, even with the chance to be in a movie.”

      “Oh, thank you,” said Lexi. “That was a really unique experience. And I guess we’ll be memorialized on film.”

      “Yeah, this is one scene that absolutely won’t get cut and you two were both in the shot. Well, I gotta go and lock things up. You can pick up your pay at the check-in table.”

      “We get paid?”

      “Of course, this is a major production.” Jimbo disappeared as her date led her toward the table where a woman was handing out cash to the extras.

      Lexi’s eyes went wide as the woman handed her a crisp hundred-dollar bill and did the same to her date. She turned to him. “So, we’re actually making a profit on this evening?”

      He shrugged. “Hey, what can I say? It pays to date me.”

      “You’re amazing. This has really been an incredible evening.”

      “Oh, the date’s not over yet. One more stop.”

      “You said that last time.”

      “Maybe there’s more than one, maybe not. But there’s at least one.”

      The full moon seemed to set her hair on fire as the boat moved through the water. They leaned against the rail and looked at the spectacular view of Manhattan. Kyle thought she looked like a little girl, wide-eyed with all the freckles. “So, you’ve never been on the Staten Island Ferry?”

      “Nope. Never had any reason to go to Staten Island. This has to be the best free thing to do in New York. I mean, look at the view.”

      “I grew up on the island and our house didn’t have air conditioning. So on really hot days we’d take the ferry to cool off.” He noticed her hunch up her shoulders a bit. “Speaking of cooling off, are you cold?”

      “Just a little chilly, I’ll be fine.”

      He took off his suit jacket and draped it around her shoulders. “Better?”

      “Now you’ll be cold.”

      “I’m wearing a vest, I’m very comfortable.”

      “Well, thanks. Very chivalrous of you.”

      “My sister trained me well.”

      “Speaking of being comfortable, I wanted to ask you something. Are you shy around women?”

      “Not really. Why?”

      “You were very much a gentleman putting that garter on my leg. But you were blushing.”

      He smiled and looked to the side for a moment. “Well, I barely know you and you don’t run your hands up a girl’s thigh on the first date.”

      “Obviously you were raised right.”

      “You can thank my older sister again. She’d smack the hell out of me if I treated a woman badly.”

      “Sounds like I need to meet this sister of yours. By the way, what were you talking about during our movie scene? I couldn’t read your lips.”

      “Ah, nuclear physics. And you?”

      “Brain surgery. But that’s a discussion for another day. She patted his hand. “Now I can’t wait for the movie. Fifty years from now I can watch it and see myself. And you.”

      He looked at his watch as the ferry pulled into the Manhattan dock. “Listen, I get that you’re being careful with someone you just met, but I’m not going to drop you off in front of the gym at this hour. It’s not safe.”

      She smiled as she looked at him. “I think you’ve proven yourself enough to see where I live.”

      Lexi stared at the moon through the windshield as he found a space about a block from her building. He opened the door for her and she stepped out onto the sidewalk, still fairly busy at this hour. They started walking toward her apartment, passing a sidewalk fruit and flower stand, which was still doing business.