Sabrina laughs because she knows what I know. That’s a lie.
***
Meet me at Bow Bridge in Central Park tomorrow at 6 PM.
My gaze flits from the masculine handwriting on the small piece of paper I’m holding toward the closed door of the washroom.
As soon as Sabrina was out of her chair and on her way across the diner headed for the washroom, I bolted for the counter to pay for our dinner.
Sabrina rarely lets me treat her, so I wanted to beat her to the punch tonight.
Someone already did that.
Jo slipped me the note I’m holding when she told me that Roman covered the cost of our dinner.
She seemed smitten as she told me how often he randomly pays for the dinners of people he spots in the diner when he comes in to pick up take-out.
I hear my cousin’s shoes tap against the tile floor, so I shove the note in my purse.
Sabrina stops just short of the table. “You just put something in your bag. Are you going to tell me that dinner is already paid for?”
I’m not about to confess that Roman paid for our meal. Knowing Sabrina, she’ll feel the need to send him a handwritten note thanking him. That would put him one degree closer to my personal life, which is precisely one degree too close.
Standing, I nod. “It’s all taken care of.”
She reaches for my shoulder. “I wish I could hang out longer, but I want to get a jump on a meeting I have in the morning. I need to prepare for it.”
I know that feeling all too well, so I take her in for a hug. “It was great seeing you.”
She tugs me closer. “I’ve missed you. Let’s do this again soon, Bianca.”
When we break apart, I smile. “Maybe next time, Axel won’t mess up our reservation.”
“Everything turned out the way it was supposed to tonight,” she says with a hint of a smile playing on her ruby red lips. “I got to meet Mr. Intensity, and he got to see most of your tits. So it’s a win-win for the two of us.”
Laughing, I gaze down at my dress. “Remind me never to wear this again.”
“I’m accepting hand-me-downs.” She drops her hands to her hips. “I don’t have as much to work with as you do, but isn’t that what push-up bras are for?”
“I’ll have it dry cleaned and delivered to your apartment.” I gesture toward the door. “Are you ready to go?”
“I’m ready to see you happy.” She tilts her head. “Give Mr. Intensity a chance. I highly doubt he’d disappoint you.”
I sigh. “Sabrina…”
She winks. “If you know what I mean.”
My head falls back in laughter. “I know exactly what you mean.”
“Every woman should have sex at least once with a man like that.”
“Why?” I ask through my ongoing laughter.
“Do it, and you’ll have the answer to your question,” she states. “Report back once it’s over, or better yet, do it again and again before you give me all the juicy details.”
I nudge her in the side with my elbow. “Weren’t you in a rush to get back to your office?”
“I’m going.” She takes one step toward the diner’s door. “Kieran is part of your past. It’s time to start moving toward your future. Promise me you’ll do that.”
“I’ll do it,” I assure her.
I will do it. The future is waiting for me, and according to the note in my purse, Roman will be waiting for me at Bow Bridge tomorrow. I just need to decide if meeting him is the right move for me.
Chapter 13
Roman
Being stood up twice in one week doesn’t bode well for any man’s ego. Fortunately, I’m not just any man. I’m determined. I’m also giving Miss Marks some leeway in the form of a few extra minutes before I deem this attempt at a thoughtful gesture a complete and utter fucking failure.
I glance to the left and then to the right.
The only people on Bow Bridge are an older couple holding hands and a woman pushing a baby in a stroller. She’s cooing in a high-pitched voice to the infant who is oblivious to where they are.
The woman doing the cooing offers me a brisk “ hello ,” as she passes me. The way her gaze rakes me from head-to-toe isn’t surprising. It’s a warm evening in Manhattan, and I’m dressed in a gray three-piece suit.
I smile and extend a greeting in the form of a nod of my chin.
She darts past me at a hurried pace when the baby starts crying. The cooing morphs to repeated promises that the baby will be fed soon and everything will be all right.
I trail her with my gaze until I spot heaven in heels on the approach.
Jesus.
Bianca Marks is, without question, one of the most beautiful women on this planet.