“It’s tough, I imagine… shared custody.”
“Well, it’s easier since we’re close to each other. My ex-wife fell for an artist in the area, and decided that she’d move in with him,” he tells me between bites. “I wanted to be close to my children, so I decided to move here too.”
“Well, good for you. Orchard Heights is great, isn’t it? I love it here. I mean the condo fees are a little high, and it could use some updating with the old fashioned keys and all. And those ear-splitting door buzzers, someone should really do something about that.”
He laughs. “I’ll make a mental note… replace door buzzers.”
I eye him dubiously, confused.
He smiles. “I not only bought the penthouse, I bought the whole place.”
“Uh…” I’m speechless. “You’re the owner?”
He shrugs. “It’s what I do. I own condo buildings. Usually I build them from the ground up, but I consider this one a passion project. I have a few plans for it.”
“Funny… I’ve always dealt with Freddy. I kind of thought he owned the place.”
He laughs. “No, Freddy is the building manager. He does an amazing job, which is why you never see me.”
“Well, I can’t wait to tell my friends about this.”
He raises a brow. “I seem to be a frequent subject of conversation amongst your little group.”
I blush. “You are. You always have been.”
“Well, if I had any friends, you’d definitely be a subject of conversation too.”
I smile, slightly ill-at-ease. “But seriously, this kitchen…” I say, attempting to change the subject, to cool the room. “It’s amazing. This whole place is fabulous. I mean, I’ve only seen a small part of it—”
“I could show you more.”
Yes. Yes. Yes.
“Really? You wouldn’t mind?” I ask. “I’d love to see it.”
My eyes are suddenly greedy, eager to discover all the hidden corners of this fabulous space.
“I’ll give you a tour after lunch.”
I can’t eat fast enough, eager as a kid on Christmas morning. I’m superwoman as we tidy the kitchen, and when I hang the dishtowel on the oven bar, I flash him an eager smile.
