He realized that his spoon was halfway between his bowl and mouth. He did not know how long he'd been sitting there like that. He set it down and poured himself more wine. He looked at her over the rim of his glass, and felt as if he were seeing her for the first time. It was an agreeable feeling, and that in turn made it an adverse feeling. Thin ice ahead, if he didn't watch himself. Friends, he repeated to himself, and don't forget it.
"Did you hear me?"
Had she said something? "I'm sorry - you were saying?"
"I said, that's what the course was about. I dropped it."
"But you sound like an expert. Why the change of heart?"
"Nah. Music. This speech stuff. That's what I told you when I met you, don't you remember?"
In fact, he did not remember. What's more, he realized, was that he didn't know her last name either. Before he was aware of what he was doing, he asked her, "What's your last name?"
She was pouring herself more wine. She stopped. Was she hurt?
She grinned. "You got me."
His expression betrayed his confusion.