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“Oh, they were. We’ll tell you all about them the next time we see you over here. Which probably will be soon, I’d think, right? I see the way you look at our Rachel.”
Zander shoved his hands in his pockets, not really sure what to say. He couldn’t help but like the two pushy, nosy, but fun women. “You never know,” he added, figuring it was noncommittal.
“But sometimes you do,” Gigi said, winking. “You kids have fun.”
“We will. Nice meeting you,” Zander added, and Frank left out a little bark as if to remind them all he was still there.
Zander and Rachel made their way outside.
“So sorry about that. Gigi and Beatrice are amazing, but they can be a little much if you’re not used to them,” Rachel apologized.
“I think they’re awesome. Have you known them for a long time?”
“Since I moved into my apartment years ago. They’ve been like mentors for me, which has been amazing.”
“And it sounds like they’re probably good to have around in an alcohol shortage.”
“Oh, yes. They do enjoy their liquor and wine. I’ve had quite a few nights where I was glad I could walk back to my place.”
“It’s good to have neighbors like that. And friends.”
“It is,” Rachel added, looking at Zander warmly. And he couldn’t help but think back to what Rachel had said to Gigi and Beatrice about how they were just friends.
Which was perfect. It was what Zander wanted and needed right now. He loved spending time with Rachel. It was good to have another friend in the city.
But as he walked on, savoring the sight of Rachel beside him, her face animated as she told him a story about Gigi, he couldn’t shove away the thought that he was fooling himself.
From that first moment she walked into his life, he had known he’d never be the same. He’d known his “just friends” mentality he’d managed to cling to with every woman he met was going to be much, much harder with Rachel.
They made their way to Central Park, Zander insisting they take a cab to rest Rachel’s leg. She certainly didn’t need to mess things up with it this close to being cleared.
Once they were settled on a bench overlooking the serene setting and he’d purchased two coffees for them, they sat soaking in the morning sunshine.
“Beautiful,” he said, looking at Rachel. “The view, I mean.”
She grinned back. “It is.” She warmed her hands on the cup of coffee, holding it close to her face as the steam escaped from the cup.
“I have a confession,” she said after a long moment, and Zander felt a lump grow in his throat. It had been less than two weeks since Rachel had walked into his world, or fell into it, whichever way you wanted to look at it. Still, in the short amount of time she had somehow managed to navigate around his shattered heart and plant herself firmly in the midst of it.
A little over a week in, and he was already falling for the woman he, in many ways, barely knew. It was ludicrous, Zander knew. But it didn’t make it any less real or honest.
He cleared his throat, trying to shove down the hopes and fears of what confession she was about to make. Rachel reached into the tiny purse she had with her, coffee still in the other hand precariously balancing. She pulled out an envelope and handed it to Zander.
“I have something for you. I wanted to give it to you last night, but I just didn’t find the right time to bring it up, and I was worried maybe it was weird. But this morning, I thought about it, and realized I needed to give this to you. It’s just a thank you for what you’ve done.”
Zander raised an eyebrow, wondering what she could possibly be giving him—and also glad she hadn’t given it to him last night. He wondered if it had been an excuse to see him again, which was something he was completely fine with. More than fine with.
“What is it?” he asked, taking the envelope.
“Well, open it.”
He did and pulled out two tickets for an evening show the following week.
“Rachel, you didn’t have to do this,” he said, looking at two front row tickets, which would cost a fortune.
“But I did. You missed the show the first time around because you were sitting with me drinking stale hospital coffee. The least I could do is make it up to you. I didn’t want you to feel pressured to go. I didn’t want to make it seem like I was just giving them to you because I’m in the show. But next week was the soonest Michael could get you a front row seat. Don’t feel like you have to go. You can totally give them away or just toss them if you don’t want to go. But, well, I’ve just always felt bad that you missed the show because of me.”
Zander stared at the tickets, smiling. He had wanted to see the show as he was a true lover of Broadway. Now he had the chance. And, if all things went well, he’d get to see Rachel on stage. That was enough reason for him to go to the play in and of itself.
