Page 101 of My Real Love Affair

She kept looking around like she was trying to decide whether we were supposed to be roaming about. “This place is insane,” she whispered as we passed a sitting room with furniture that looked like it belonged in Versailles.

“Wait until you see where we’re going.” I took her down a quieter hallway, away from the gala noise, until we reached a set of French doors. I pushed them open, and Melody gasped.

The hotel gardens spread out before us like paradise. Thousands of tiny white lights were strung through the trees, creating a canopy of stars. They reflected off strategically placed mirrors and glass sculptures, multiplying the effect until it felt like we’d stepped into another dimension entirely.

It was hard to believe we were in the city but had just stepped into a magical land.

“Oh my god,” Melody breathed, stepping forward slowly like she was afraid the scene would disappear if she moved too fast.

Stone pathways wound through carefully manicured hedges and flower beds. Water features dotted the landscape, small fountains that trickled and burbled. It sounded like one of those noise machines you might hear in a spa.

But the centerpiece was the pool. It was lit by underwater lights that shifted through shades of blue and turquoise and aquamarine. Steam rose from the heated surface into the cool night air. Next to it, a hot tub bubbled invitingly, also lit from below with that same ethereal blue glow.

A couple sat at the pool’s edge, their feet dangling in the water, wine glasses in hand. They looked up as we entered but quickly went back to their conversation, giving us privacy. Another man floated on his back in the pool, completely relaxed, staring up at the fairy lights above.

“This is incredible.” Melody glanced around, still taking it all in. “I didn’t even know this was here.”

“Most people don’t. It’s for hotel guests only. Not part of the gala.” I led her toward a bench near the hot tub, positioned perfectly to take in the whole scene.

“You’ve been here?”

“Been to several galas, parties, and weddings here,” I said. “I found this one time when everything got to be too much.”

She sat beside me, her dress pooling around her like liquid gold. “To escape?”

“To breathe.” I kept her hand in mine, running my thumb over her knuckles. “It’s easy to forget you’re in the middle of Manhattan out here. With the lights and the water and the quiet.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“It is.” But I wasn’t looking at the gardens anymore. I was looking at her and the soft smile on her lips.

“It would be so nice to just slip into the water. Forget about everything for a while.”

“Let’s do it.”

She laughed. “Oh yes, let’s hop in fully clothed because I’m not wearing a swimsuit under this and I’m not about to go naked.”

“Come on.”

She sighed wistfully. “This dress definitely doesn’t go well with water or chlorine.”

An idea struck me. A terrible, impulsive, absolutely perfect idea. “So I’ll buy you a new one.”

She turned to look at me. “What?”

“I’ll buy you a new dress. Problem solved.” I started pulling off my bow tie. “Come on. Let’s do it.”

“Austin, you can’t be serious.”

“Why not? When is the last time you did something completely ridiculous just because it sounded fun?”

She frowned and appeared to be running through her memory banks. “I don’t know. I’m usually pretty responsible.”

“Exactly. So be irresponsible. Just this once. With me.” I kicked off my shoes. “Unless you’re scared.”

“I’m not scared.”

“Then prove it.”