She spun, surprised to see the man she’d said goodbye to that morning standing near the base of the statue. “What are you doing here?”
“I mentioned bringing you here this morning, remember?”
Yes, she remembered. “I said no, thanks.”
“Yet we’re both here.” He gave a whimsical look, as if he couldn’t believe she was there. “I decided to go for a walk to clear my head. I ended up buying a ticket, riding in the top of one of those tour-bus things and taking a ferry here.”
“You rode on top of one of those tour buses?” She couldn’t picture him having done so.
“Yep.” He reached in his pocket and pulled out a receipt. “I even have proof.”
“Why?”
“Someone accused me of having educational gaps. I filled in quite a few as the tour guide informed me where all the celebs live in Manhattan.”
“I’m not sure riding in one of those tour buses counts as filling in educational gaps.”
“Believe me, gaps were filled during that experience.”
She narrowed her gaze. He was smiling, looked more relaxed and rested than she’d seen him look in days.
“Maybe I need to take a ride, too.”
“I’d buy you a ticket.”
“I can buy my own ticket,” she immediately said.
“I know, but sometimes I’d like to buy you things, Emily, and surely a bus ticket isn’t something you’d find offensive.”
“Fine.” She pressed her lips tightly together and smiled. “Let’s go ride on top of a bus.”
* * *
The ferry ride back to Battery Park was uneventful. They stood outside and the mist of the bay probably kinked Emily’s hair, but she didn’t care.
When they arrived, Lucas bought her a bus tour ticket, and they took seats at the back. It wasn’t crowded, so it was only the two of them on the back row of five seats. They took the middle ones and Lucas immediately took her hand into his.
Emily was tempted to pull away but didn’t want him to question why she did so when it was just holding hands and they’d done so much more over the past few weeks.
Yet his big strong hand laced with hers seemed to signify so much that wasn’t real. Would never be real.
The more she didn’t acknowledge that, didn’t deal with that, the harder all this became.
A half hour later, Lucas squeezed her hand and grinned. “Admit it. This is fun.”
“Exhilarating,” she said halfheartedly. Actually, she was enjoying the tour but kept battling that she’d ended up spending the day with him anyway.
He laughed. “Tell me what you really think.”
She rolled her eyes. “Fine, the weather is great.”
It was. Not too cool. Not too hot.
“The company is great, too.”
“And so modest.”
“I meant that you were great company, Emily. Not me.”