Kate heaved out a sigh. "I suppose not."

"Believe me, I'd love to have the sort of relationship that you share with Ben."

"And if the right guy came along…?"

"I'd grab him like that." She snapped her fingers. "But I'm not holding my breath for Mr. Fabulous to walk by. And besides, I'm way too busy at work to spend time looking for this fictitious man."

"Excellent. That means you'll find him soon. The right guy always comes along when you're not looking."

"Sure. If you say so."

"I do. Believe me, when you least anticipate it, something unexpected will happen and-poof!-your world will be turned upside down."

Their waiter delivered their food, and having skipped lunch, Jilly immediately applied her chopsticks to her sautéed shrimp and broccoli.

"I wish there was someone at my office I could introduce you to," Kate said, filling their small, white, porcelain teacups with fragrant brew, "but they're all either married, gay, nearing retirement age or as mature as preschoolers."

"Hmmm. I thought all men fell into one of those categories."

Kate laughed. "Only ninety-nine percent. It's trying to find that elusive one percent that's the challenge. But Ben is proof that they're out there."

"Well, I don't have the time right now to devote to searching out the one remaining good apple in the barrel. Men require too much time and attention, both of which I'm currently out of." She shook her head. "Whoever said women were high maintenance was definitely a man. Where are all the guys I read about in Cosmo who like independent women who don't cling to them like vines? I certainly haven't met any." She stabbed a shrimp with the end of her chopstick. "Sure, they say that's what they want, but after a few dates, it seems as if guys develop expectations-like that I'll be at their beck and call, and that they can take charge of my life. Then they get testy if I need to cancel plans because of work."