"Hey, thanks for meeting me," Chloe mutters.

I can tell something is wrong because Chloe is abnormally subdued. Hoping I'm just reading into things that aren't there, I smile. "Of course!" I set my purse down on the table. "I'm glad you could get away from work for a quick lunch."

She doesn't smile. "Me, too." In fact, she avoids eye contact.

We slide into opposite sides of the booth near a window that overlooks the busy street. Cars and people race past. A waitress ...