Big Apple Dreams (4 page)

Chapter Four

My feet
pounded against the treadmill, pouring all of my anxieties into the workout. Two days had passed, and I’d heard nothing about my audition. I had no idea if that was normal or not.

My ringtone came through my headphones, interrupting my thoughts. I picked it up out of the cup holder to see who was calling and stepped off the machine immediately.

“Hello?” I asked, trying not to sound like I’d just spent the last half hour sprinting.

“Hey.”

Chris’s voice flooded into my ears, its silkiness washing over every inch of me. Instantly, I was reminded of his perfect smile, strong jaw, and stunning blue eyes. I couldn’t help the swarm of butterflies that erupted in my stomach. I hadn’t even realized I’d been waiting for him to get in touch with me.

“How are things going?” he asked
nonchalantly.

“Pretty good, I guess.”

“Good enough that you wouldn’t mind meeting me for dinner tonight?”

“Wow, you don’t beat around the bush, do you?” I laughed, reaching over and switching the treadmill off.

“Not really,” he chortled. “I never saw the point.”

“Well, you’re in luck,” I said, packing up my things. “I happen to be off tonight. I worked the first shift this afternoon.”

“Perfect.”

I could hear the smile he was wearing when he spoke. My own grin grew as I thought about it.

“So, do you want me to meet you somewhere?” I asked, not sure what he wanted to do.

“No,” he laughed. “I’ll pick you up. What’s your address?”

“I live in Harlem,” I said quickly. “Is that too far?”

“A gentleman always picks his date up,” he laughed again. “It’ll be fine.”

“Okay.” I quickly told him where I lived, stopping in the stairwell outside the gym as I left so I could hear him better.

“I’ll see you in about three hours,” he said
, flirtation strong in his voice.

“All right,” I said, smiling.

“Oh, wear something nice,” he added as an afterthought. “We’re going somewhere a little more dressed up, if you know what I mean.”

“A dress then,” I said, mentally running through my closet.

“Exactly,” he laughed.

“Sounds great!”

“Awesome. See you soon.”

“Bye.”

I ended the call and realized with a start that I only had three hours to get home, find something to wear, and be ready for his arrival.

Jumping up from my spot on the stairs, I practically
floated down the steps and onto the street outside. Once I was back home, I stripped my sweaty clothes off and hopped in the shower, a smile on my face.

I’d dated some in my hometown, but nothing serious had ever come from it. Soul mates weren’t something I really believed in. With all the billions of people in the world, what were the odds of finding them if that were true? I did think there were people you were meant to have as part of your life,
several of whom would make you more than happy to spend every day with, but I couldn’t rationalize spending my existence looking for one perfect person. Unsure of what I really wanted, I’d had no problem dating all types. So far, I hadn’t met anyone I’d wanted to spend the rest of forever with, and that was fine.

Stepping out of the warmth that had helped relax my sore muscles, I grabbed a towel off the rack and wrapped it tightly around myself, tucking the corner between my breasts before grabbing another
and twisting my hair into it. A quick breeze over the mirror with my hairdryer left the glass ready for my preparations.

I pulled my makeup bag out from under the sink, the glittery, silver polka dots striking
against the red background. Thanks to makeup classes, I covered my face quickly and expertly, wearing a little more than usual, since I was going out.

The satchel in the cupboard once more, I untwisted the towe
r on top of my head, wet tresses falling onto my shoulders. I breathed in deeply, relishing in the fresh, cool feeling that came with ridding myself of the extra heat and weight. My phone, left by the rim of the sink, revealed how much time I had left. It was enough to sit down and work a pick through my hair instead of pulling a brush through it quickly.

I grabbed the
blue comb from the counter and walked into the main part of the apartment, checking to make sure the curtains were closed before letting my makeshift dress fall to the floor. A quick perusal through my now unpacked things revealed the black, lacy bra and underwear I wanted to wear. I slid them on, happy with how they made my body look. It seemed a shame I was the only one who’d ever seen it.

Settling onto the bed, still laid out from last night’s slumber, I began to untangle my locks, enjoying the soft pull on my scalp. I wasn’t overly sensitive about it—I didn’t feel the need to look like I’d just left the salon every day—but it was nice to give it a little extra attention today.

Once I was satisfied with my damp hair, I rose and walked over to the closet, an outfit already in mind. When I’d first arrived in the city, I’d bought a purple dress in celebration, wanting my first purchase to be something I could keep and use. It had nice short sleeves and a square neckline, with a tight skirt that came to just above my knees. I felt like I belonged here that much more when I wore it.

I slid the smooth fabric over my head and zipped
up the back, my curves accented perfectly. A quick check in the mirror on the door showed that none of my underthings were revealed. My bare feet padded across the floor as I went back to the bathroom, thinking about how to wear my hair and what jewelry I should pick.

Finally, the time for Chris to arrive had come. I checked my reflection once more, making sure my chic twist was still poised to hold up for the night. The faux pearls
I’d picked out glimmered in my ears and along my collar bone, little gold rings between each ball on the necklace.

There was a knock at the door
as I slid the lip gloss applicator over my lips once, smiling at myself before going to answer it.

Chris was much more handsome than I remembered. His brown hair was styled smooth, slicked down in perfection except for his bangs, which formed a soft wave on one side. I suddenly remembered him saying he had a good paycheck as I looked over his suit, certain it was designer.

“Wow,” he said.

His appreciative comment brought my eyes back to his face, a sigh fighting to break free from my own mouth at his sparkling blue eyes and dazzling white smile. He’d shaved the stubble from his face, unlike the last time I’d seen him. It suited him better this way.

“Hi,” I laughed, realized he caught me staring.

“You look amazing,” he said, his teeth shining out at me.

“So do you,” I said, blushing slightly.

“These are for you,” he said, pulling three long stemmed roses from behind him.

“Thank you! You shouldn’t have,” I said, taking them excitedly.

“Every girl deserves flowers on a first date,” he said, his hands going into his pockets.

I laid the flowers on the desk, turning back to him quickly, a grin of my own plastered to my face.

“Shall we?” he asked, stepping out of the way, so I could exit into the hall.

“Sure,” I said, picking up my small, black purse and pulling my keys from it.

He closed the door for me and I locked it, butterflies fluttering in my stomach as he remained close, hand on the knob.

I’d never felt so excited about going out with someone. He’d already topped the chivalry I’d experienced on every other date. Even my senior prom had found me in the corner by myself while Adam
McCarthy danced with every other girl in the room.

“I hope you like Italian,” he said as we walked away.

“I do,” I said, readjust the chain link strap on my shoulder.

“We’re going to one of my favorite restaurants,” he said as we descended the stairs.

We walked side by side, fortunate that no one came up to separate us. Shock mingled in my mind, unsure why I was suddenly so excited to be going out on a date. I let everything slip away as we left the building, traveling down the steps to the cab waiting by the curb.

“Allow me,” he said, opening the door and ushering me inside.

He slid in next to me, close enough for our thighs to touch, but not creepily. He had seemed nice the other times I’d been with him, so I didn’t even mind his obvious lack of personal space awareness. It made me excited, heightening my interest in the outcome of our date.

“So,” he said, after giving the cabbie directions. “Have you been to any other shows since you arrived?”

“I haven’t,” I said mournfully. “I haven’t had the time, or the money.”

“
They have cheap tickets,” he laughed, wrinkles forming around his eyes.

“I know,” I giggled back. “But those seats aren’t the good ones.”

“They aren’t bad,” he said, lifting his arm and laying it on the seat behind me.

“But they aren’t what the director pictured,” I said with a grin, adjusting myself
, so I could better look at him.

“I don’t follow,” he said, eyes sparkling.

“When you sit in front of the stage, you see everything the way the director imagined,” I said, closing my eyes and picturing the inside of the only theatre I’d been in here. “There are no trap doors to give the tricks away, no lights shining where they shouldn’t be, and everything is clear, like if you’d been watching a movie.” I opened my eyes to find him staring at me, transfixed. “If you’re up above the stage, the show loses its magic. Things that should have remained a mystery are instantly given away.”

“I’ve never heard anyone explain it like that,” he said, leaning in slightly.

“Of course, not every show is that way,” I said with a soft smile. “But the great ones are. I wouldn’t want to see them from anywhere but the floor.”

“You really love it,” he laughed, leaning back and pulling his arm from behind me, resting his hands in his lap.

“I do.”

“That’s awesome, if you ask me,” he laughed. “It’s nice to see someone with a passion for something.”

“Lots of people have passion,” I argued. “They just aren’t as open about it as I am.”

“That’s actors for you,” he laughed.

“Tell me about your job,” I asked, interested in learning more about him.

“There’s not really much more than what I told you before,” he said, glancing over at me again.

“Why did you go into that field?” I pressed. “What made you want to put up with . . . what did you call them? Snooty?”

“And snobby,” he laughed, nodding.
“They aren’t all bad. I had a complicated day when I said that.”

“Really
, though,” I pressed. “What made you want to go into real estate?”

“I love the architecture of this city,” he said simply. “I wanted to see every space of it and experience what it had to offer. You know, except for the ones I could end up dead in,” he laughed. “When I was younger
, I actually wanted to be an architect, but it didn’t play out.”

“Why not?”

“As it turns out, I’m terrible at designing my own stuff,” he said with a grin.

“I don’t think that’s true,” I laughed. “You didn’t chicken out, did you?”

“No!” He laughed again, adjusting his position and turning towards me once more.

The car rolled to a stop and whatever he was about to say was cut short as the driver told us our total.
Chris paid him, leaving a generous tip, and slid out of the car, holding his hand out for me as I followed.

The restaurant lights glittered through the windows in front of us, patrons seated close to the glass. The valet opened the door for us as we approached him, nodding his head as Chris thanked him.

There was a pretty blonde at the hostess station, a smile and menus ready. Within seconds, we were seated at a table next to the street, the panes revealing the scenery outside.

“Could I interest you in any of our evening wines?” the hostess asked.

“Why don’t you bring us something sweet,” Chris said, smiling brightly.

“Could I have some water as well?” I asked politely.

“I’ll be right out with those,” she said graciously before leaving us with our pamphlets.

“I didn’t even ask,” Chris said, a slight redness to his face. “Do you drink?”

“Every now and then,” I said with a smile. “Not very much, though. We didn’t have it at home unless we were celebrating something.” 

“Home,” he said thoughtfully.
“Where are you from again? Our flight was from Denver, right?”

“It was,” I said, nodding. “I flew in from Phoenix
, though.”

“Ah. Hot,” he said with a laugh.

“Actually, I lived in the mountains. It snows there and everything.”

I settled back in my chair, crossing my legs and folding my arms, a smile on my lips.