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“Do you miss Vegas?” he asks.
“I miss my friends, but I knew I wanted to leave after college.” My eyes fall onto a tall building in the distance. “What’s that tall, skinny building blocking the view?”
Hunter chuckles. “That’s one of Premier’s new builds. In addition to our redevelopment projects, we’re expanding into new development. It’s going to be luxury condos with park views.”
“Of course, it’s yours.” I bite back a smile. I’m starting to realize this city has the Cartwright name and influence all over it.
“There’s a new technology that allows for buildings to be constructed on a smaller base—one city block for instance—yet still achieve a twenty-eight-story height.” He talks about it excitedly, when he looks back at me, I can tell he’s embarrassed. “You don’t want to hear this, do you?”
“Yes, I do.” I shake my head. “Sorry I was staring. You got excited and it was really cute.”
“Cute, huh?” He slides his hand under the hem of my sweatshirt and I jump with the contact of his fingers across my bare skin. I take a breath to relax and finally, my body melts back into Hunter.
“I can’t wait for autumn leaves. And snow. I’ve been dreaming about seeing the city decked out for the holidays. I want to see the Rockefeller tree and ice skate with hot cocoa.”
“Horse and carriage ride through Central Park?” he asks.
“God, no. I feel horrible for those horses.”
“No carriage rides. Noted.”
I laugh. “You’re taking notes? For holiday sightseeing? That’s six months away.” With brows arched, I turn to look at him.
“You think my sister will turn into a Bridezilla and you’ll hate me by association?”
I shake my head. “She doesn’t seem the type. That’s why I felt awful for her when I thought you were her fiancé. I wanted her to like me and I was certain I was going to ruin her life by telling her about us.”
Hunter shakes his head, a smile pulling at his lips. “She likes you. She’s the one who insisted I send you flowers.”
“Oh, really?” I push down the disappointment I feel knowing Hunter wouldn’t have sent me flowers without Hannah’s influence.
“She’s far wiser than me when it comes to relationships. That’s why she’s the one getting married and I’m content with being secret fuck buddies. My parents have given up hope that I’ll be passing on the Cartwright name. They’ve asked Hannah to hyphenate her and James’s last name to keep the lineage.”
He smiles ruefully.
“Do you want those things, Sophie? A husband? A family?”
I look back out over the city. “Someday. As we’ve established, I’m only twenty-two. I’ve got lots of goals I want to accomplish.”
“Like?”
I shrug. “Being self-sufficient for starters.”
“I don’t know many twenty-two-year-olds who are. I wasn’t at that age.”
“It’s in the five-year plan.”
“What else is in the five-year plan?” he asks.
“Get my own apartment. Travel. Maybe start my own business.”
“Wedding planning?” he asks.
“While the luxury and all out weddings of New York City’s elite are fabulous, I want to offer a unique service to brides where you can share wedding supplies to cut costs. I love making sustainable centerpieces and other decorations that can be reused. And a lot of people don’t know what to do with their decorations once the wedding is done, or they don’t want to deal with selling them, so they trash them. My business would take the guess work out of that. And help reduce waste.”
He smiles down at me. “That’s clever.”
Our discussion about my job serves to remind me that while this weekend has been nice, going forward, most of my weekends will be booked up.
