Alex keeps stirring the pasta, feeling like she needs to be doing something. It's surprising how easy he makes it to feel like nothing incredibly awkward just happened, but she still wants to keep busy and have something to focus on.

"Nothing." It's not like she could produce coworkers or classmates if she lied, and she doesn't see any harm in admitting that particular truth. There are plenty of young people between jobs in the big city. "My parents left me some money and I wanted to get out of the States, so I came here. I had a marketing job, back in New York, but it..." She pauses, trying to figure out how best to phrase the next part of that sentence. "It didn't work out."

She finally stops stirring and smiles at him. "What about you? Are you a chef or something?" she asks, teasing.