"Got it. On my way," she replied, straightening her headset. God, it was probably some old friend from high school trying to get inside, Eliza thought. She'd already let Taylor and Lindsay in, just to show that there were no hard feelings from last summer. Plus, how much fun was it to be the one who held their evening in her hands?
She walked to the front door and saw Jeremy--all six-four of him, looking a bit rumpled in a gray pinstriped suit an
d a loosened necktie. She'd forgotten how gorgeous he was. His chestnut hair was combed back high from his forehead and curled underneath his ears. He'd told her he would stop by the club that night, but a part of her hadn't believed that he would actually show up. He looked so handsome and businesslike in his suit, and the sight of his red tie askew made her love him even more.
"I told them you asked me to meet you here, but they wouldn't let me in." He grinned.
"It's good, Rudolph," Eliza said to the burly bouncer, smiling at Jeremy.
"Lotsa people say they know Eliza tonight," Rudolph said menacingly to Jeremy, even as he unhooked the velvet rope.
"Rudolph--I'm taking a five-minute break. If Ondine arrives, beep me on the headset."
84
Eliza led Jeremy by the hand to the back garden, where patrons who'd had enough of the pounding techno beat and relentless posing went for a smoke.
"What's with the suit?" she asked playfully. She didn't want to appear overly excited to see him, even though she was bursting with happiness.
"I'm interning at Morgan Stanley. I-banking," he said.
"Wow. That's awesome!" she said, impressed. Only last summer, Eliza had hated twenty something investment banker types who rented share-houses in the Hamptons and thought they were entitled to everything. But looking at Jeremy in his suit, I-banking suddenly seemed a lot sexier.
"Yeah, it is. They work me like a dog, though. I'm there until three, four A.M. every night. I didn't think I could get away this weekend, but thankfully we closed on the RFP," he said, talking in financial jargon.
Eliza smiled admiringly at him. This was so not the Jeremy from last summer, who had worked as a gardener on the Perry estate. Last year all Jeremy had cared about were dwarf Japanese elm trees and American Beauty roses.
"Where are you staying?" she asked.
"My parents' place, but I'm in the city all week, staying at an apartment the firm rents for us."
"So," Eliza said, taking Jeremy's hand.
"So," replied Jeremy, rubbing his thumb over her Sheer-Bliss-manicured nails.
85
They stared at each other, feeling suddenly shy to be so near one other again. Eliza hadn't realized she was inching toward him, until she was standing so close that she could feel his breath on her cheek and they were hugging. She had never experienced anything like this before. She and Jeremy belonged together. Even though the year apart had been hard--she'd tried not to ask if he was dating anyone in the many e-mails she sent him, and he'd never mentioned any other girls in the e-mails he sent her--it was just like the first time they'd met, when they couldn't keep their hands off each other.
Before Eliza knew it, he was kissing her, and it was just as sweet as she remembered. "It's been too long," he murmured into her hair. "I thought about you all the time."
"Me too," she said, liking how her head fit snugly under his chin. "My parents are in Westhampton this summer. We got a house," she said, a little proudly. "Do you maybe want to have dinner with us next week?" Eliza wouldn't have invited Jeremy to meet her parents in the past, fearing they would suss out his working-class background immediately and their disapproval would come between her and Jeremy. But looking at him in his suit and hearing him talk about his internship, she couldn't imagine how her parents wouldn't approve of him.
"If I can get out of work. We have a big presentation next week. But I'll try."
Her headset buzzed. "Eliza! Ondine just walked into the VIP room! There are no tables! And she's about to spot Chauncey and Daryl!"
86
"I've got to go," she said reluctantly pulling away from his embrace.
"Right. I'm beat anyway. It's been a long week."
"I'll call you," she said, fading back inside the club.
"Not if I call you first." He smiled.
Eliza ordered a table brought out from the back kitchen and set up in the far corner of the VIP room for Ondine, so that the happy newlyweds could drink their free cocktails in peace.