New York Billionaires Series

“Exactly,” she says, smiling. “I think I put it in my purse…”

She disappears into her bedroom. Ace gives a soft whine and flips over on his couch. The two of us, both obsessed with her. Both following her everywhere.

I shake my head and rise from the couch, stretching. Glance at the printed bucket list with her goals still proudly pinned to her wall.

With the lights on, it’s easy enough for me to read it this time. She’s ticked off windsurfing. Skinny-dipping, too.

But so many of the goals remain unfinished.

My eyes scan down the list, at the plans for a full, rich life, one with travel and experiences. A few years from now, and most of these things won’t be possible for me anymore. I stop at goal twenty-seven. Become a mother.

Something I can’t be a part of, either.

Just like my fucking vision, Summer’s presence in my life has an expiration date. She might not realize it yet, but she will. The life she’s dreaming of can’t include me.

“You really love looking at that list, don’t you?” she says, yesterday’s paper tucked under her arm.

I reach out and wrap mine around her shoulders, giving the list a final glance over the top of her head. “Just looking for more things I can help make happen,” I say.

Before I have to leave you.

Anthony is waiting for me outside the bar. He’s leaning against the building, glancing left and right, hands in the pockets of his gray slacks. I can make out his clenched jaw, even from this distance.

It mirrors the butterflies in my own stomach. I pull my handbag up higher on my shoulder and step straight into his arms. “Hi.”

His hands settle on the low of my back. “Hi.”

“Did you have to wait long?”

“You worked from home today?”

He nods, tipping my head back. “Yes.”

“Will I ever get to see your place?”

“One day, perhaps. If you behave.”

“What if I misbehave in the way you like?”

“Then we’ll go there first thing tomorrow.” He bends his head and kisses me, a greeting and a promise. “How was work?”

“It was great. I met with two new clients all day, and I’m really excited about these two. They’d probably work well together.”

His lip curls. “Romantic.”

“Oh, yes. Definitely. Should we go inside?”

“We won’t stay long,” I promise again.

“We can stay for as long as you want,” he reminds me. I don’t doubt he means it, but I also suspect he won’t enjoy himself very much.

But he’s here. For me.

The warmth in my chest as I slide my hand into his threatens to consume me. I want to be back in my apartment, have him lying beside me in bed or on my couch, and run my fingers through his hair. Or kiss him until he groans beneath me and begs, in that raspy voice, to touch me.

I’m so head-over-heels with this man.

He presses a kiss to my temple. “You look unbelievable in this dress, by the way.”

“Thank you,” I murmur.

A waitress leads us to the table Posie’s booked. Or more accurately, tables. Raucous laughter rises from the group of people crowded around them.

My gaze snags on Posie’s willowy shape. Her red hair is up in a messy bun, the same shade she’s dyed it since college, the one that wouldn’t look good on anyone else.

“Summer,” she says, eyes lighting up. “You made it.”

“Of course I did. Happy birthday!” I pull her in for a hug.

“Oh, thank you. I’m half-tempted to stop counting, really, but it might be too early. Is that when we hit thirty?”

“Yes, we’re not quite there yet.”

Her arm drops to my waist, effortlessly, the way it’s always been with her. “And who’s this?” she asks.

“This is Anthony.”

He extends a hand. “A pleasure.”

“A friend of Summer’s is a friend of mine,” Posie says, with a not-so-subtle glance in my direction. It says tell me everything!

I give a little shrug. It’s new, but yeah… he’s amazing.

Anthony sees it too. There’s a curl to his lips as he tells us he’s getting us something to drink. “Glass of white?” he asks me.

I nod, and watch him disappear toward the bar. Posie wiggles her eyebrows. “Who is this, Summer? I didn’t know you’d met someone!”

“It’s new. Really new, actually. But it’s going great.”

She glances toward the bar. “He looks intense.”Content © NôvelDrama.Org 2024.

I chuckle. “Yeah, he can be intense. In a good way, though.”

“How’d you meet him?”

“At work.” I shake my head before she can finish the thought. “He wasn’t one of my clients. He’s more on the business side of things.”

Which is certainly true. He owns the business.