Chapter 2

Mercifully, it was a busy couple weeks at work. Terrance had flagged a few last minute fellowship grants for which Ted and his team were rushing to submit. Writing those abstracts and research summaries was a good way to pull Ted out of the weeds. It was a nice reminder of what he liked about his job, but it made for long, hectic days. He'd only caught himself once walking the hallways of his building subconsciously searching for Alexis — like maybe she'd pop in to talk to Ruth and if he kept himself around he'd be lucky enough to see her. He wasn't.

Ted saw plenty of Ruth, though. Whenever he could find a few spare minutes between submissions he would stop by her office to hear more about her plans. Most of Ted's work focused around sequencing animal DNA for a variety of research needs, usually related to medicine, but Ruth's plans were a little different. She was interested in starting a new sub-department dedicated to researching evolution through animal DNA. It wasn't a groundbreaking field but would be new for the university, and it overlapped gloriously with Ted's work in the Galapagos. The program was in nascent stages, she said, but she promised to keep him updated as it developed. And Ted promised himself he was interested in the work for strictly academic reasons.

Ted's evenings were as full as his days. He had agreed to lend a hand to his coworker Ava and her boyfriend Ming with their move. The three of them played together on a community soccer team and got along well, so Ted was happy to get some face time in with his friends in either case, but there was a certain satisfaction in concrete tasks like moving apartments that energized him. It was Wednesday and he was at their place packing, pulling rows of books off shelves and stacking them neatly into boxes while Ming cooked the three of them dinner. It was a pretty good deal. He'd help them with the real move on Saturday.

"Ming," Ted called out, "Are you seriously keeping these old history textbooks? They're beat."

Ming stuck his head out from around the kitchen wall. "Dude, they make me happy. I flip through them sometimes when the doldrums of corporate life get me down. Makes me remember being a student. You know, with sparkle in my eyes and, what's it called? Hope?"

"All right, fine," Ted laughed, "into the box they go."

"Thanks man. Hey — dinner — soon. You hungry?"

"Starving. Ava?"

"In here!" A muffled voice came from the closet before she emerged. She stepped into the living area, pulling her hair up into a ponytail as she walked, and slumped into the dining chair between where Ted and Ming were standing. "Moving is exhausting," she sighed. "You never realize how much stuff you have. Ming - is dinner ready?"

"It's ready!" He strode out from the kitchen with a large bowl and serving utensils in hand. "It's steak salad," he announced, setting the bowl on the table.

"Wow," Ted raised an eyebrow. "I didn't realize it was a fine dining kind of evening. Thanks, Ming."

"Don't look too excited, Ted," laughed Ava. "It also happens to contain whatever leftovers are still lingering in our fridge. And we're eating on paper plates. I packed the bowls last night!"

The three sat eating quietly for several minutes when the screen of Ted's phone lit up where it was sitting, across the table and just in Ava's line of site.

"Ooh!" She cooed. "Who's Alexis?"

Ted set down his fork and met her gaze, "What?"

"Alexis Rose?"

He blinked.

"I don't know, she just texted you. Sorry Ted, you look like a dear in headlights. I didn't mean to pry. I just haven't heard you mention her."

"Girl's got a fancy name," piped Ming.

"No, no, it's okay," Ted said as Ava passed the phone his way. "I'm just surprised honestly."

"Who is she? Is it new?"

"Uh… one sec," he paused, scanning the text rapidly. Looking at her name in his messages felt like a time warp. Guess she still had the same number after all. "Uh, she's an old friend of mine. I ran into her last week coming out of our building, believe it or not. She says she's going to be around on Friday and was just wondering if I wanted to grab lunch."

"Old friend sounds loaded," prodded Ava.

"Oh come on, what do you mean? She's just a friend from that small town I worked in before the Darwin fellowship." Ted tried his best at a poker face.

"You're such a heart breaker, Ted," Ming wove his fork at Ted, despite the precarious piece of lettuce that threatened to fall off it.

"Ha," he laughed ironically, "you have no idea." Ted dug deeper into his salad.

"I've seen you break at least a half a dozen hearts in the two years I've known you." Ava smiled wryly out of the corner of her mouth. Now she was just trying to get a reaction out of him.

He shocked his head. "No way. None of those girls were serious and they knew it, too."

"Oh come on. I saw Margo text you literally yesterday. Haven't you guys been at it for months?"

"Well," Ava was not wrong. Margo was a particularly pretty girl he'd met on some dating app a couple months back that he'd see sometimes - mostly at night, if he was being honest. Actually as he glanced back down at the unread messages in his inbox he saw Margo's name bolded right below Alexis. She'd messaged him earlier about getting together this weekend and he hadn't decided yet if he was going to tell her he was busy. "I don't know exactly what's going on there."

"Well who would you rather get lunch with, Alexis or Margo?"

"I'm not going to choose one, Ava."

"Who's prettier?"

"Oh leave me alone," he said, tossing a loose pumpkin seed from his salad in Ava's direction. She laughed, seeming to free her victim from her game.

"So… what are you going to tell her?" Ming finally asked.

"Huh? I'll tell her yes, of course. I haven't seen her in years. It'll be, uh, nice to catch up."

"Call me if you need backup while you're there," Ava offered.

"Oh you guys are hilarious," Ted rolled his eyes. "It's lunch."

Having made his point, he returned his attention to his salad.

— — —

Alexis sat at a table outside a dime-a-dozen cafe near Washington Square Park and watched as Ted walked up. The city had been good to Ted and he had a certain polish to him these days, but she smiled recognizing the same familiar nerd she'd known in Schitt's Creek. She noticed he had some expensive shades and carried a bespoke leather messenger, but those were just accessories to his familiar khakis and button down shirt. He had his hair cut much like she'd last seen him: short and styled slightly, with a little scruff to define his jawline. The sight of him warmed her with a familiar comfortable feeling.

"Ted!" She called out to capture his attention. A little wave motioned him over and soon she was standing pulling him into a hug. Her nostrils filled with the his clean scent - like laundry detergent and responsibility.

"Sit, sit!" She motioned to the little cafe table she'd snagged a few minutes earlier. "How are you?"

Alexis watched as Ted pulled up a chair and set his bag aside. "Wow, Alexis. It's so good to see you. I still can't believe you're here, just outside my office. It's so strange to see you in New York, in your uh, natural habitat."

"Ha! Natural habitat? Is that what you think?" She crossed her legs and leaned in towards him slightly.

"Of course I think that. I just always imaged you strutting down Fifth Avenue or something like you own the town."

"Excuse me, when are you imagining this?" She raised a playful eyebrow at Ted from across the table.

"You know," he ran his hand back through the top of his hair, "when we first met. I was this small town guy and you were this girl in from the city."

She smiled smuggly and uncrossed her legs under the table. "Well… I hope you hold onto that image of me just owning the town. It's so cute! But honestly sometimes I feel like I'm just trying not to get swallowed by the city, you know?"

"You and me both," he shrugged. "Hey, did you order?"

"No, no, I was waiting for you. Are you hungry?"

"I am," he flipped through the menu. "Have you been here before? What should I eat?"

"I have," said Alexis, "but honestly it was so long ago and who knows what I got. I just wanted to find somewhere we'd have a shot at a table so we could talk!"

"In that case it was a great pick. I think I'll just grab a sandwich. Oh hey," he said, handing her a slip of paper from between his menu, "drink menu for you — they have smoothies."

"Huh, thanks," she smirked, taking a look.

A server arrived moments later to take their order, leaving them in an awkward silence when he walked away.

Ted took a deep breath. "Alexis, I couldn't believe I ran into you the other day."

"You're telling me, Ted. I almost didn't believe it when I saw you there! This sounds so cheesy but it was like going back in time for a minute or something." She swallowed and furrowed her brow. "How long have you been in town? I had no idea you lived here…"

"I know what you mean," he smiled warmly. "I've actually been here for about two years now. I moved here pretty soon after… well, pretty soon after my work in the Galapagos ended. I went back to Schitt's Creek for a couple months and then got the offer at NYU and decided to take the leap. Alexis I didn't mean to keep it a secret. To be honest I sort of lost touch with everyone down in the Galapagos and didn't even know where you were when I got back. And I wasn't sure you'd want to hear from me anyway."

"No, I get it. I…" she started, but was interrupted by their server sliding two plates and one smoothie onto the cramped table. "Thanks," she nodded, picking up her fork. "Sorry, uhm. Anyway, Ted, what were you saying?"

"Uhm," he picked up his fork tentatively, checking to see if she was doing the same. "Well I moved here to the city, got a place with some roommates for a while but I live on my own now in Brooklyn. And I've been working with the lab on some animal research projects ever since."

"Aw, Ted, that's amazing!" She took a sip of her smoothie. "Do you like what you do?"

"Yeah… it's pretty good, huh? You know I haven't really thought about it much."

"Thought about what?"

"Just… I don't know exactly how to say it… where I am right now? Like, seeing you and thinking about where I was five years ago makes me reflect on all that's happened since then. I guess it's pretty good stuff."

Alexis took a bite of her food and nodded, swallowing. "I know what you mean. It's easy to lose track of the time. You get so focused on your every day that you forget to think about the bigger picture."

"Exactly," he said. "What I do each day doesn't seem that crazy, but when I tell you what I've been up to since we last saw each other I remember it's actually kind of cool."

"It's so cool, Ted."

"Yeah, I guess so. I don't know though. Some days I feel restless and think about looking for other jobs."

"Oh really? What would you want to do?"

"Honestly I'm not sure yet. I shouldn't have said that out loud, so close to my office," he chuckled. "Anyway, what have you been up to, Alexis?"

"Uhm, well, actually I run my own strategy and marketing firm," she said into her salad.

"You're kidding. How long have you been doing that?"

"Well… maybe about a year now? It's sort of new, at least officially. I used to work for a larger company when I first got to the city… which was like… three years ago? Four? But I kept seeing opportunities to bring in clients of my own so I just decided to open my own company, you know?"

Ted nodded slowly as he took in her accolades. "Sure, sure," he said. "Wow. Honestly Alexis that's amazing. Is it just you?"

Alex met his eyes and smiled sheepishly, "It was at first, but I hired two employees recently because I was getting pretty busy."

"That's incredible, Alexis. Seriously. It's pretty gutsy to go out on your own. How is it going? I mean, do you like it?"

Alexis took a deep breath in through her nose and paused a moment, fiddling with her straw. "Mostly," she said finally. Ted cocked his head, encouraging her to say more. "It's hard, actually. It's a lot to keep track of and some days I feel a little overwhelmed. But I like it." She put her hands in her lap. "I really like it, actually."

"I'm really happy to hear that. If I can pry, what exactly are you doing for Ruth?" He asked, despite already kind of knowing the answer.

"Well, maybe you've heard already or not, but she's interested in getting a new area of study, or uh, a new department off the ground in your lab. It sounds pretty interesting and honestly, when she first told me about it you're the first person I thought of — all this Darwin and evolution stuff. She obviously already has a big network in the academic community that she can lean on, but she was hoping to connect with the public a little more to get some press and maybe some more public funding."

"That's wild. How did you even connect with her?"

"Well I ran into her at a marketing event one time and we just started talking. I said I'd try to help her get her idea out there and she was on board. It's just a little advertising, honestly. One of my smaller projects."

"Well still," said Ted, "it's a pretty unexpected coincidence. I can't believe you're working with her. She's a pretty big deal in the lab."

"Yeah, I can imagine."

"Are you going to be around the labs much?"

"I don't think so," she said. "Mostly we chat by email, but when it gets closer to go time I might stop by a little more."

"Oh," he breathed. "Well, uh, if you do find yourself down here you'll have to let me know, okay?"

"Sure. Of course, Ted."

"Hey, was your smoothie any good?" he asked her after a brief pause.

"You know, it was actually really good. I'll admit I did not have high expectations."

Ted laughed. "I know what you mean. These places don't have to be that great to make a killing on this corner. I've got to be honest, though. The sandwich was just okay."

"Darn," Alexis smirked. "I'll pick a better spot next time we do this."

"Alexis, I've got to run to the restroom before we leave. I'll be back in a moment, okay?"

"Yeah, no worries, Ted."

As Ted stepped away Alexis leaned back in her chair, smiling. She was happy to see Ted doing so well, although she was not at all surprised. After a moment she flagged down the waiter and handed him her credit card, then let her mind wander back to her own work worries.

Ted stepped back out from inside the restaurant and slid into the metal seat.

"Hey, I meant to ask you about your family," he said. "How is everyone doing?"

Alexis laughed. "Oh my gosh. I'm glad you asked. Actually, everyone is doing great. David and Patrick are still running the apothecary and it's honestly doing so well. They're thinking about expanding to a second location but haven't found the right spot yet. They're coming to the city soon and I can't wait to see them! It's been ages since I've been back to Schitt's Creek."

"And what about your parents? Are they still in town?"

"Believe it or not, yes. Well, just outside of it anyway. They're building a house."

"Jeez, talk about putting down roots."

"Who would have thought, right?"

"Well I don't know," Ted leaned in towards her. "I think I might have had a hunch."

"Maybe…" she said as the waiter dropped down her receipt and two plastic-wrapped mints on the table.

"Alexis!" Ted scoffed. "What's this? I was planning on buying you lunch."

"Oh no. Seriously, Ted, it's my pleasure."

He furrowed his brow but shrugged. "Well thanks. You didn't have to do that, but I appreciate it." He leaned in a little closer and felt his knee gently rest against hers.

"Don't worry, Ted. I wanted to." She smiled but held very still. "You covered me a few times along the way and I would love to return the favor." It was several moments before she slid her chair back and reached for her purse. "Well listen, uhm, I should probably get going."

Ted was a little startled. "Right, of course. Me too, actually. I have a meeting at two."

"This was fun, Ted. I'm so glad I know you're in town."

"It really was," he said standing up from their cafe table. "It was so good to see you. Hey, Alexis, could we do this again some time?"

"Of course, Ted. I'd love that." She stood as well and motioned for them to leave. "Which direction are you heading? Back to the office?" He nodded. "I'll walk with you so I can hit the bus stop on that corner."

"Of course," he started, following her out. Ted's stomach was in his throat as they strode silently down the street a few paces before he collected himself. "I was thinking, uhm, next Saturday night. There's a band I like playing in Bryant Park that I think you might like. Any interest in joining me?"

Alexis, who had been walking half a pace ahead of Ted since the restaurant, slowed her stride and looked back at him inquisitively. She opened her mouth slightly, once, before speaking. "Uhm, actually I have plans with my boyfriend on Saturday. He has a work event I promised I'd go to. Do they have any other events on their calendar?"

Ted swallowed hard and resisted any visible reaction. "Oh, uh, you know I'm sure they do. I'll check."

Alexis nodded, slowing her pace to walk side-by-side with him. They both locked their gaze on the sidewalk in front of them as they walked.

"What does your boyfriend do? I'm sorry - I forgot to even ask if you were seeing someone. That's great."

"Oh," she smiled a little awkwardly, "he's in finance - nothing super interesting. But a lot of the events are pretty fun so I like coming along. His name is Jack."

"That's great, Alexis. I'm happy to hear it."

"Yeah," she said, slowing her pay even further as they approached the corner. "Are you seeing anyone?"

"Uh… no. Well, nothing serious anyway."

As they reached the bus stop and she turned back to him smiling genuinely. "Well I'm glad we got to do this. Text me about this band, okay?"

"Of course," he said, and she pulled him into a tight and burningly familiar hug.

"Have a great afternoon in the lab, Ted! I'll see you soon, okay?"

"See you soon, Alexis," Ted affirmed before turning to walk back down the hill towards the lab door.

He climbed the three flights of stairs up to his office and slid slowly into his desk chair, computer screen flashing on as he wiggled the mouse on its pad. For some reason he did not feel much in the mood for working.

— — —

"Jack?" Alexis called as she strode into his apartment later that night. "Jack?" She called again as she rounded the corner into the main room to find him chopping vegetables on the kitchen island with his headphones in.

He looked up as she entered, smiling and set the knife on the board. "Hey chickadee!" He pulled out his earbuds and came around to greet her, kissing her lightly on the cheek and then playfully on her neck, making her giggle. "How was your day?"

"Good!" She dropped her leather purse on the console table and slid into a stool across from Jack's prep station. "Work was busy."

Jack passed her a few slices of the zucchini he was chopping. "Yeah? You're coming in pretty late tonight."

"I know," she managed, between bites. "Actually I took a long lunch, so it took me a little longer to finish up today. I was catching up with an old friend from Schitt's Creek who I just found out lives in town. You remember Ted?"

Jack raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Uh, Ted like your ex-fiance Ted? Yeah, Alexis, I definitely remember him."

She stole another round of zucchini from his board and cocked her head. "Oh don't say it like that. It wasn't anything. I ran into him the other day and it was such a weird coincidence. We just got lunch and caught up!"

"No, no, it's fine. Don't worry, I'm not… jealous… or anything. If anything I feel sorry for the dude."

"What? Why?"

"Must be hard for him to see you doing so well without him, spending all this time with your sexy boyfriend who makes you laugh, cooks you dinner, gives you the best—"

"All right, I get it!" She laughed. "I'm glad you're not jealous, because it wasn't like that! Don't get me wrong, Ted is amazing. It was so nice to see him doing well. But I feel like… I don't know… like he was so good for me when we dated, but I think I've grown up a lot since then, you know?" She paused and chewed for a moment. "And you're right. He should be jealous." She gave Jack a playful wink.

"And now you have this man of a boyfriend instead of this boy." Jack contributed wryly.

"Right," Alexis rolled her eyes and leaned across the counter to kiss him. "Anyway, how was your day?"

"It was good stuff, A. Made the big man some big money and just got home about an hour ago. Oh, and I bought a new pair of sneakers - they're so cool - I'll show you in a little bit."

"Sounds like quite the day, Jack." Alexis moved around the counter and picked up the knife he'd abandoned to continue chopping. "Now when's dinner? I'm starved."

Ted was just pulling on a fresh t-shirt when he heard a knock on the door. He heard the second knock as he walked barefooted down the entry corridor and unlatched the door, pulling it open to reveal the company he was anticipating.

"Margo," he grinned.

"Hey Ted," said the exceptionally pretty girl at the door. She smiled slyly as she stepped into the apartment and Ted closed the door behind her.

"It's been a minute, stranger. I wasn't sure if I'd hear back from you. Where have you been?" She reached to remove her shoes but Ted got to her first, pushing her softly up against the corridor wall and dipping down to kiss her eagerly. One hand at her waist and one in her shiny brown hair.

Margo relaxed into his kiss and returned it, grinning against his lips. She pulled away to catch her breath, still pinned flush against the wall. "I missed you," she cooed, and he leaned down to kiss her again.