He decides to convert the house into an anarchist community centre named after his father, hoping that it will lure Jazz back to him.

When Matt's direction of the centre hits problems, he abandons New Jersey to pursue Jazz in Hawaii, allowing the reunited couple of Penny and Rob to squat the freshly constructed penthouse suite.

[1][2] The house where Rob and Jazz live is called Nicotine since all the residents are smokers and they tell Penny that they are pro-smoking activists.

[5] Zink claims to have drafted Nicotine in one month and received an advance payment of $425,000 from Ecco Press for it.

[6][7] Zink based the character of Jazz on a real-life friend and for the housing co-operatives, she drew on her experiences of living in New Jersey as a young woman.