“...at least it will get us off the boat.”
I stared for another second, then placed my hand tentatively in his. A second later, we were racing across the dance floor toward our impromptu escape. We ducked beneath the spinning blades, plopped a trio of helmets on our heads, and began slowly lifting into the night sky—all to a screaming chorus of applause from the rest of the guests.
Having never flown in a helicopter before, I peered tentatively over Nick’s shoulder and looked down at the cheering crowd. They were growing smaller and smaller by the second, but I still managed to catch a glimpse of Mitchell Hunter as he raced over from the other side of the ship. His jaw fell open and he glared up vicious dismay, right as both Nick and James stuck their heads out the window as well and started waving. I joined in with a wide grin.
As if on cue, the fireworks that Harold had planned for the end of the evening started shooting off behind us—illuminating the night sky with flashes of crimson, purple, and gold. It was terrifying, being up so close. But at the same time, I had never seen anything more beautiful.
The colors continued to swirl all around them. Stars glittered like diamonds. My heart pounded as I realized how nice it was to be held by Nick. Our eyes connected, and silence filled the air. Yes, this was a charade, but now there was something more between us, something that sizzled as brightly as the stars on the horizon. I knew we could both feel it.
I felt a sudden, strong attraction to the person I’ve worked for all these years. Nick looked so good in black. His brilliant blue eyes echoed the illuminations of the cosmos in a most glorious way. I traced a fingertip across his lips, losing myself in those gorgeous eyes. To top it off, he had the most beautiful smile. I studied his handsome face. Could this love—be real? Was it right before my eyes?
Nick tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. His soft touch made my heart flutter. Time stood still; there was only that moment. As I leaned in, just a breath’s distance away from him, the entire world seemed to stop and hold its breath, waiting for the sparks. Shivering with emotion, I shut my eyes and pulled him closer. Nick cupped my face in his warm hands. His lips pressed against my mouth, and there was, indeed a spark; it shot right through me and felt so good, so natural, so right. All I’d ever wanted and needed was right there in my arms.
Nick stroked my cheek, and softer, gentle kisses followed, melting all our problems away.
“I can’t wait to hear this story,” James said.
Nick glanced at him. “We’ll tell you every single juicy detail, but first, can you turn off your microphone in your helmet? Just for a few minutes.”
“Sure. I’ll give you some privacy,” he responded.
Nick gazed into my eyes. “I’ve loved you for so long, Abby. Nobody even compares to you. I only want you. But I knew we couldn’t cross that line, so I went on with my life. But I always thought about you. All the time. I could never get you out of my mind. Not ever. There. I finally said. You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to tell you that.”
Tears welled up in my eyes. “I didn’t know. I wish I had.” I wondered why and regretted that he hadn’t said something sooner. Still, I blamed myself for not noticing. Nick was more subtle in his advances toward me, but all the signs were there all along. I felt like an idiot for not seeing what was right in front of my eyes.
He lowered his mouth to mine and captured it again in a tender kiss.
In the end, I merely lay my head down upon Nick’s shoulder. Gazing out at the sparkling lights with a soft smile, as we left the party behind us and flew off into the night.
Chapter 16
APPARENTLY, THE ‘BETTER suited place to finish out the party’ was James’ own lake house. It was in upstate New York and only a forty minute flight from Manhattan.
We finally touched down in the middle of the woods.
The entire way over had been like seeing some kind of existential awakening. Nick had slowly come back to life. With every mile we put between us and his father, you could see another layer of the stress and pressure fall away. By the time we yanked off the helmets and hopped out onto the landing pad, he was a whole new person.
“This,” he breathed in a gasp of the crisp forest air, visibly reinvigorating before my very eyes, “this was exactly what I needed.”
With a wild whoop, he scooped James off his feet with an undignified hug. A chorus of laughter ensued, and a second later, he dropped him and turned far more tenderly to me.
A soft kiss was planted on my lips. A kiss I was surprised he dared do, considering that his best friend was standing just a foot away.
“Thank you,” he said softly. “Thank you for agreeing to come.”
I stared up into his eyes. Still drunk from the party, and still completely unable to reconcile how we were suddenly standing on the shores of a beautiful lake in the middle of the woods. After a second or two, I simply smiled and nodded my head.
“And you...” Nick turned back to James, clapping him on the shoulder in that bro-ish way that men showed affection, “...I still can’t believe you poured your drink on my dad.”
The three of us burst out laughing again, each remembering. The astonished, soured look on Mitchell’s face could easily make each of our five top life moments.
“Well it’s been a long-standing dream of mine. That being said...” James ran a hand back through his hair, as the trio of us started walking up toward the house, “...I should probably stick to my side of the pond for a while. Hire a food-tester. That kind of thing.”
The ‘lake house’ was actually just a mini-mansion in disguise. Closer to the palace side of things, than a house. Sitting on a sprawling fifty acres of pristine New York countryside, a sum that didn’t even include the sparkling crystal lake, it was a hidden real estate gem.
On various occasions, it had been loaned out to movie studios to shoot feature films, and had once even been the location for a secret royal wedding. I myself had only been there one time before—looking for my missing client—and had never actually seen it in the light of day.
Warm light spilled beckoningly down the front porch from between the tall pillars, as the three of us hurried swiftly inside. We skidded to a drunken stop on the antique marble, only to be greeted by a wait staff that looked like something straight out of Downton Abbey.