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‘Hey, are you done for the day? I thought we could grab a drink, since I’ve heard on the grapevine that Malcolm Eddy is likely to side with us over Patrick.’
‘As a matter of fact, I am done.’ I push back my chair and stand. ‘Give me two minutes. I’ll meet you at the elevator.’
I grab my wallet and pull on my jacket over my shirt. While I’m shutting down my computer, my cell chimes. Expecting it to be my sister sending some kind of abuse, I read while on the move. But what shows on my screen stops me dead in my tracks.
A picture of Becky loads. What I notice first is her intentionally sad face. Her bottom lip sticks out beyond the top. But she doesn’t have sad eyes. Her blue irises betray her happiness. That’s when I notice the background of the image. She’s standing at the top of the Empire State Building. The Chrysler Building is lit up like Christmas behind her. And she’s holding… yes… she’s holding a cheesecake and a spoon.
The phone bleeps again. Words follow the image:
You were being friendly. I panicked. I’m an idiot. I’m sorry. For what it’s worth, I’m punishing myself by eating until I become the size of a house.
I let out an amused breath. Even the size of a house, I think she’d still be attractive.
‘You coming?’ I hear Marty call.
I’m watching the bubbles on my screen that tell me she’s typing. ‘Just a sec.’
P.S. you were so right. The view from up here at night is breathtaking. I never want to come down.
She’s still there.
I get to the elevator as the doors are opening to our floor. ‘Sorry, Marty, change of plan. There’s something I need to take care of.’
‘Take care of what? Work?’ Marty is asking as we step into the car.
‘Just something,’ I tell him, as I scroll through the contacts in my phone.
* * *
I’m met at the eighty-sixth floor of the Empire State Building by Alicia. One good thing about being a true New Yorker and a well-known city attorney is that you get familiar with all the best people to know.
Alicia tucks her blonde hair behind her ear and bats her eyelids at me. It worked once, but I won’t be visiting her bed again. ‘Hey, Drew.’
‘Hey. How are you, Alicia? You look good.’
She rolls her eyes, pretending she doesn’t know how to take a compliment. She does.
‘Thanks for doing this; I owe you one.’
‘No problem. It’s quiet out on the deck right now. The bottle of champagne is in a bucket, and this is your glass.’ I take a flute full of golden bubbles from her. ‘She’s right out there.’
I follow the direction of Alicia’s hand toward the observatory deck. As I step outside, Becky is being handed a glass of champagne by a waiter. She looks completely confused and downright adorable.
When she’s alone, staring at the glass in her hand and looking around her, I approach from behind. ‘I received a call from the district attorney’s office. Apparently, some tourist smuggled a cheesecake to the top of the Empire State Building.’
The chug of her shoulders tells me she’s laughing before I reach her side. I stand next to her, both of us looking out at the view of Manhattan against the night sky.
‘I forget how beautiful it is up here,’ I tell her. She glances at me. ‘It’s criminal not to enjoy a good bottle of champagne with a view like this.’
She looks to her feet, then lifts her head to show me that mind-blowing smile. ‘I thought I was the one supposed to be apologizing.’
‘Well, since I’ve developed a sweet tooth, I couldn’t resist that cheesecake.’
‘You seem to make all my experiences just a little bit more special, don’t you, Drew Harrington?’
Suddenly feeling nervous for absolutely no reason, I put my free hand in the pocket of my pants and look away from her to the horizon. ‘Well, don’t tell anyone, or you’ll ruin my reputation for being a hardass.’
‘Your secret’s safe with me. Hold this for me?’
