Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 90899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90899 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
She gives my arm a playful slap. “Oh, hush. It is wicked. And I’ve never told anyone about it before, not even my best friends.”
I sober, my smile fading as I assure her, “Your secret is safe with me. Thanks for sharing it. I appreciate the trust.”
“You’re welcome,” she mutters. “I just think it’s a shame no one ever gets to see the inside of those old mansions except rich out-of-towners who don’t even live there most of the year.”
An idea forms, so perfect I know the ice-skating I had planned can wait for another day. “Have you been to The Met?”
She nods. “Yeah, I love it. The impressionist paintings are my favorite.”
“So, you’ve been to the period rooms?”
Her brow furrows. “Period rooms?”
“There’s an entire section near the American wing, where they’ve recreated historic interiors, from the bedrooms of kings and queens to old hotel lobbies and fancy French drawing rooms.”
Her eyes light up like she’s just found buried treasure. “No, way! How could I have missed those? That sounds amazing.”
“It’s an enormous museum. It’s easy to miss things. But I’ve been a member for years and know all The Met’s secrets. Want to head up there?” I glance at my phone. “We’ll only have a couple hours before they close, but that should be enough to see the period rooms and grab tea in the Patrons Lounge. I can text the concierge and ask them to reserve a table for us at four if you like tiny sandwiches and even tinier desserts.”
“Yes, let’s!” She practically bounces through the crowd toward the elevators. “I love tiny sandwiches and even tinier desserts. And tea! And museums.” She grabs my hand, squeezing it tight. “This is seriously the best day ever. No other day will ever be able to compare.”
Not if I have anything to say about it, I think as we slide into the elevator, taking advantage of the fact that we’re the only ones in the car to make out in the corner as we rocket toward street level.
Yes, today has been wonderful, but I haven’t begun to woo this woman. I have dozens of tricks still up my sleeve, cards waiting to be played when I want to make her jaw drop and her pretty blue eyes dance.
And yes, I probably shouldn’t be thinking about “wooing” a woman I’m supposed to say goodbye to in a week, but fuck that. I can’t bring myself to care about “should” when Maya’s cuddled against me in a car whizzing uptown, grinning from ear to ear.
She’s beautiful when she’s happy.
And I’m happier than I can remember being in years when she’s happy.
And that’s enough to push all my worries aside as we emerge from the cab and start up the grand steps to the museum, hand in hand.
chapter 12
MAYA
Best day ever.
Best. Day. Ever!
The words dance through my head as Anthony and I make our way through security and into the museum, which is every bit as jaw-droppingly beautiful as I remember from my last visit.
Like the observation deck, the museum is busy but not packed—I suspect a lot of the tourists are still sleeping off their Christmas festivities—and I’m grateful for the space to breath as we make our way through the lobby. The Great Hall echoes with footsteps and voices as Anthony flashes his membership card and we enter the Egyptian Wing.
A part of me wants to linger by the giant ebony sarcophagus and the ancient temple in the glass-walled room we pass through on our way to the Sculpture Patio. But I settle for a quick picture of the peaceful pool of water surrounding the temple, with the monument fuzzy in the background, before letting Anthony lead me onward.
We don’t have time for a lengthy visit today, but I promise myself I’ll come back again. Heck, maybe I’ll become a member when I move to the city. I love the idea of supporting the museum, assuming it isn’t too pricey.
I’m living large now, but once I start repairs to my building, money will be tight. But I plan on getting a part-time job to supplement my rental income. I have six years of property management experience, after all. Hopefully, the fact that my references will all be coming from family members won’t make that much of a difference.
I may have spent my entire career thus far working with my family, but I’ve grown our business and revenue by fifteen percent since I took over control of the portfolio three years ago. I’m a natural with rental property stuff, and I’m sure there are tons of owners in the city who would like to turn the day-to-day management of their investments over to a capable young woman willing to work for slightly less than their current company.
After all, I can live on forty dollars a week in groceries when I have to, and I’ve had to for most of the recent past in order to save up my down payment.