“You sure you’re doing okay?” Howie asked, reaching across the table and placing his hand on top of hers. She nodded and took a sip of her coffee. He could tell she was lying because her eyes were slightly red. She had been crying earlier. “What happened?”

Kassy sighed. There was no point in lying to Howie. He knew something was wrong. She might as well get it out into the open.

“Brian stopped by today,” she said, faintly. Howie’s wide-eyed response determined that this was new information.

“I didn’t even realize he was gone this morning,” he said. He looked at her concerned. “Kas, I haven’t seen you in three days. Are you alright?” She bit her bottom lip.

“To be honest, no, I’m not,” she said. “I’m not even . . . well, this . . . damn, the article I handed into my boss was, well, short. He didn’t like it. Hell, it wasn’t even my best work. I got fired.” Squeezing her hand, Howie got off his chair and scooted into the booth next to her.

“Kas, I’m so sorry,” he said, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. For the third time that day, tears began streaming down her face, but her breath and manor remained unusually calm. “Is there anything I can do? Can I talk to him? Maybe it will-“

“There’s nothing you can do, Howie,” she said, regretfully. “This was my job, not yours. I did the crime, I pay the time, or somethin' like that.”

“But you didn’t do anything!” Howie argued. “If I explain to him-“

“That’s the whole point!” Kassy let out a loud sigh. “I was so caught up in my personal life that I neglected my job. My feelings for Brian got in the way of my work. That’s unprofessional and not allowed. I got what I deserve.”

“You deserve a medal for what Brian’s put you through,” he muttered. Sighing, he leaned against the cushioning on the back of the seat and pulled her so she was leaning across his chest. “What’re we gonna do with you, Kas?”

“Beat me over the head with a stick?” she suggested, smiling. He smiled down at her and kissed the top of her head.

“Not this pretty little head of yours,” he said, tightening his grip on her. They sat there in silence for a while, both off in though, when he decided to speak up again. “Come with me.”

“Where?” she asked. “To Florida.” Kassy’s eyes widened and she looked up at him to see if he was joking. His expression was serious and his eyes had a sincere look in them. She looked down at her hand, which were covering his.

“I dunno, D,” she said, loosening her grip on them. He noticed the slight change.

“Just as a guest,” he amended. “I’ll show you around and I’ll even give you a backstage image of making our music. After a while, when you’re all relaxed, I’ll come with you back here to Philly and help you find a job. If you like it down there, we can find you a job down there and if you do that, you can stay with me in the guest room and we can fix it up a little to make it more permanent.” She was still hesitant. “I’m sure Kevin would help you, too.”

“It’s not that,” Kassy said, slowly. “I’d love to come down to Florida with you. I’m definitely in the mood for a vacation, but . . .”

“But, what?”

“How am I going to keep my house if I have no way to pay for it?”

“I’ll pay for it.”

“Howie, I couldn’t ask you to-“

“You didn’t ask. I offered and I won’t take no for an answer.” She was still hesitant. “That’s not the reason, is it?” Sadly, she shook her head. “Brian.” Her silence was enough of an answer. “Kassy, don’t let him keep you from having fun. I know you’re hurt, but you have to try and keep your spirits up.” She snorted.

“It’s a little hard to do that when I just lost my job, Howie.” He shrugged.

“Rolling Stone’s isn’t good enough for you.” She sat up straight and looked at him as if he were crazy.

“They’re the best and most exclusive music magazine in the country,” she said. “How can they not be good enough for me?”

“You’re extremely talented, Kassy,” Howie said, truthfully, “and if they don’t see that, the screw them! You’ll find another place that has a much better use of your talents.” Silently, Kassy looked down at her hands. “So, what do you say? Come with us back to Florida. I bet it’ll make you feel a lot better.” When she didn’t respond, he tried a joke. “I bet just Nick’s pool can make you feel better.” She smiled slightly. “There’s my smile.” He put a hand under her chin and tilted it up so she was looking him in the eye. “Come with me?”

Kassy gazed into his eyes for a moment before answering. He was so sincere that her heart almost melted. His genuine concern made tears form in her eyes. Her lips twitching slightly into a smile, she nodded. Howie’s smile grew from ear to ear, making Kassy laugh at the goofy look on his face.