The waiter arrived, and they gave their selections-a no-brainer as they ordered the same thing every week.

"So, what else is going on?" Kate asked. "How's your social life?"

"You mean besides my weekly date with you? Nonexistent. What about you?" Her gaze flicked down to the two-carat sparkler adorning Kate's left hand. "Judging from that neon glow emanating from you, things are going well with Ben."

"Things are going very well with Ben. The wedding plans are progressing nicely. I highly recommend falling in love."

"Of course you do. That's because you managed to find the last decent, honest, financially secure, emotionally stable, unmarried, heterosexual man in New York."

"I found him because I was looking."

"Actually, you weren't looking at all. As I recall, you were totally focused on your career."

"I was only ninety percent focused on my career," Kate corrected, shifting into lawyer mode. "I kept ten percent of myself open to dating and searching for Mr. Right. Unlike you. You are one hundred percent work, one hundred percent of the time."

"That's not true. I've jumped on the relationship bandwagon more times than I care to remember. And I've fallen off that wagon every time-with varying degrees of injuries."

"Uh-huh. And when's the last time you took that leap?" Kate asked, moving in for the kill.

"Okay, okay, it's been a while." Yeah, like nine months, three weeks and seventeen days. "But I can sum up my lack of interest in two words: Aaron Winston."

"That was months ago. And just because your last boyfriend turned out to have major control issues, doesn't mean that would happen with your next boyfriend."

"Sure, Aaron was the last one, but what about his predecessors Carl, Mike, Kevin, Rob… the list goes on. It seems as if every man I date has control issues. It's like I'm this big magnet-" she spread her arms to demonstrate "-that only attracts men who want to smother, change and control me. Well, that type and gay men. Unfortunately neither one works for me." When Kate appeared about to argue, Jilly plunged on, "Look, I'll admit I'm paranoid, but given my track record with men can you blame me?"