Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 85608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85608 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Not that I could do anything right in their eyes. Plastic surgery had worked out. They’d been right about my voice. The dream was too far-fetched. I didn’t sing in front of anyone anymore. But I hadn’t gotten that MRS degree either.
I was better for it now that I was looking at a Central Park–facing apartment.
Lark introduced me to Cassie, and we toured the home. Lark shot me a look and shook her head. The one that I’d missed earlier that morning was nicer. We skipped to the next one and the next and the next.
They were all wonderful in their own way. Much nicer than where I’d lived last time I was in the city. I’d been making good money. But good money didn’t buy you much in the city. Only legacy money or stupid money did that. And now, I—who was far, far from the trust funds of my peers—was making stupid money. So, I would hold out for the apartment.
“Oh,” I whispered as we stepped into the last one on our list.
“Now, this one is a little higher than your initial price point. The building fees are double, which I understand is a sticking point,” Cassie said, walking me through the apartment. “But it has a doorman and bell service. There’s a whole list of amenities, including twenty-four-hour-a-day security, a courtyard, a gym, and a rooftop pool.”
I tuned out the rest of the sales pitch as I walked through the apartment in a daze. It was perfect. Modern and sleek. Everything was updated and fresh. It smelled like a new home.
Lark came to my side in the master bedroom, which had a view overlooking the park, and arched an eyebrow. “You like this one?”
“Yeah.”
“Me too.”
I glanced at her. She was hiding something. “What?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all.”
“Lark, I can read you. It’s been three years, but I’m not stupid.”
Lark laughed. “Most people can’t see my tells.”
“I’m not most people.”
“I suppose not.” She ran a hand back through her red hair and smirked at me. “Gavin lives in this building.”
I froze at those words. They hadn’t been what I was expecting at all. “What? I thought he lived by Court.”
“He did. He moved last year.”
“Oh.”
Lark grinned. “Is that a problem?”
“Why would it be?”
“Well, you were all over each other last night.”
I blinked. “Uh … we were?”
“God, how drunk were you?”
“I don’t know. Katherine and I started drinking in the afternoon. I was pretty gone when everyone showed up.”
“Did you hook up?”
I shook my head. “I would have remembered that.”
Lark snorted. “God, let’s hope so.”
“Well?” Cassie said with a kind smile. “This is my favorite. What about you?”
I nodded. “Mine too.”
“When you said it was more, how much more?” Lark asked.
“Let me pull up the information for you.”
Lark followed her into the kitchen. I took my phone out and snapped a picture of the bedroom with the view. I bit my lip and then sent the picture to Gavin.
What do you think?
I didn’t expect a response right away, but my phone dinged almost immediately.
Is that an invitation?
I snorted. Typical Gavin.
It’s an apartment I’m looking at.
That’s quite a view, Bowen.
I grinned.
I thought so too.
Moving up in the world.
Lark tells me this is your building.
The ellipses that said he was typing was visible for a minute before disappearing. I frowned. What had he been planning to say?
It’s a great building. The people are nice, and the rooms are soundproof, so you can’t hear your neighbors. You’d like it.
I reread the text. He was pitching the building to me. As if everything was totally normal and being in each other’s orbit like this wouldn’t be difficult for him. Maybe I’d read everything wrong about him.
That’s good to know. Anything else?
Well … as your friend, I have to tell you … the coffee downstairs sucks. I go out of my way every morning to get the good stuff.
Friend. As his friend.
Words I’d never heard Gavin utter. We were friends. Of course we were. I’d been his wingman long before things changed. But there had always been some kind of undercurrent between us. He would only say we were friends if there was no chance that this was going to happen.
“Whit?” Lark called from the kitchen.
I shook myself out of that train of thought and headed toward her. “Hey, sorry.”
“What do you think?”
I glanced down at the text again. Well, there was no reason to be worried about seeing Gavin King on the regular if we were just friends. Wasn’t that what I wanted anyway?
Just because I had feelings for him didn’t mean that I had to act on them. It would be better if I didn’t. Things had been terrible after Robert found out and I bailed. I didn’t want to ruin anything. I didn’t want to run again.
“This is the one,” I told them both.