by Raquel Belle
“You’re smiling. What are you thinking about?”
I glance up and collide with his ice blue orbs. “About us. I’ve gotten everything I’ve ever dreamed of...well, just about everything. I’m not sure if you want kids.” Maybe he won’t, considering his traumatic childhood. I await his response with bated breath.
“I want everything with you, Grace. Including children. I hope we have a girl first—another girl that I can spoil.”
Relief floods me and I start breathing again. “You do spoil me rotten. Don’t you dare stop.” I feel the vibration of his chuckle and snuggle closer. “Then, I’m going to have everything I’ve always wanted. But you won’t. I’m not your assistant anymore.”
“I guess I’ll survive,” he sighs dramatically. “After you gave Penny a little training she’s gotten better so I’ve decided to keep her on. Plus the kid has kind of grown on me.”
“You two will get along just fine. We really should put some clothes on and get something done. You have to get back to the office soon.” Of course, I chose the office space closest to DMP and Nick, so it’s only a short walk between our offices.
“How about we just forget about work and unpacking and go home so we can continue celebrating?”
“If I follow you, I’ll never get anything done,” I murmur, but I’m already searching for my clothes to get dressed and do just that—go back to his place, which is going to be ours soon. “Alright, let’s go.”
“You’re so easy,” he smirks.
“And proud of it,” I sniff, making him laugh.
He gets up to dress and just before I do the same, I glimpse my phone laying on the carpet and reach for it. I’ve been so caught up in my bliss—and with Nick—I failed to tell the girls that I’m engaged. That was two days ago, I hope they don’t kill me for holding out. Taking a snapshot of my ring, I send it to our group chat. No words are needed.
Immediately responses come in.
Cara: Get the fuck out! I knew it was going to happen soon! I’m so happy for you. There are a bunch of grinning emojis and a heart.
Beth: Love is alive! You and Nick give me hope. Congrats!
Jazz: A bunch of dancing emojis that make me giggle precedes: I couldn’t be happier for you. Celebratory drinks on Friday!
Grinning broadly, I tap out: Sounds great. I can tell you girls everything.
I hold the phone to my chest, still smiling like a fool, just for a moment…basking in my happiness.
The NYCE Girls continues in Book #2 – The Boston Wedding
The NYCE Girls
Book #2 – The Boston Wedding
Raquel Belle
Chapter One
Cara
“Okay, ladies, what are we ordering?” I smile as I watch Grace lunge eagerly at the cocktail menu in front of her.
“Thirsty?”
“Parched. Plus, we have reason to celebrate, as you well know.” She holds out her hand, the three giant yellow cushion diamonds on it sparkling fiercely in the light of the chandeliers hanging above us.
“Oh, Grace, it’s really gorgeous,” Beth says, leaning across the table and taking Grace’s hand in hers as she examines the ring.
“You look like a professional jeweler, Beth,” I can’t help joking. “Scoping out the cut and clarity of those rocks so you can take notes for yourself?”
“Oh, I don’t think any guy I land will top what Nick has gotten for our girl Grace here,” she grins, her eyes still fixed on the ring.
“Well, we all know she definitely deserves it,” Jazz says, twirling one of her caramel-colored curls around her finger as she—likewise—leans in to take a look. The butterfly tattoo on her shoulder hints at her experimental days from college—days that are well behind all of us.
“That may very well be true,” I agree as I lean forward to take another look at the sparkler that Grace’s fiancé Nick has gotten her. I survey the ring with a smile.
I also notice that Grace has a fresh manicure—which reminds me I need to get my own nails touched up. Her nude polish perfectly complements but doesn’t take away the focus from her gorgeous engagement ring. She usually nibbles on her fingernails when she’s nervous but she seems to have cut back on the habit recently… She and Nick are the real deal if she’s no longer biting!
“Would you all quit clustering around and staring at my hand like that, I feel like I’m surrounded by a group of…what’s that little guy from Lord of the Rings? The one always trying to steal the diamond?”
We all burst out laughing. “Gollum,” Beth gasps next to me through tears.
“And he’s trying to steal the ring. That’s why it’s Lord of the Rings,” I add, grinning.
“Oh, sure, that makes sense,” Grace smiles with confidence, not rattled by her mistake, and joins in the laughter. Her forest-green eyes light up and her lips part into a huge smile as she runs her hand through her wavy coffee-colored hair, unfazed. She’s never been one to take herself too seriously and that’s part of the reason she’s the perfect fit to our group.
Us four girls have been hanging around New York City together for years. Through breakups and breakdowns, we’ve had each other’s backs. We might see less of one another than we used to now… That’s sort of what happens when people get older and get caught up in their careers and their romances and, eventually, their family lives… Not that any of us is at that point yet. Grace is the closest to starting a family of her own, now that she’s engaged to Nick. The rest of us still have some ground that needs covering…
“So, what will it be, ladies?” Grace calls our attention back to the drinks menu.
“I think champagne is in order, no?” Beth says.
“Absolutely,” I agree and raise my hand to beckon over one of the sleekly dressed waiters. “After all, this is an occasion to celebrate.”
“Definitely,” Jazz agrees. “Can we get a bottle of Tattinger please?” She asks the waiter with authority when he walks up.
“No Moët?” I ask.
“No, that’s just for bankers who want to show off,” she says. “Trust me, this stuff is really good.”
“I guess you would know,” I smile and elbow her playfully in the side. Jazz is a personal banker for high-end clients at a prestigious financial company on Wall Street. Although she’s often wheeling and dealing with fancy types, she’s super down-to-earth herself and lives in an apartment in Brooklyn.
I wish I lived in Brooklyn too, but I’m stuck in Manhattan—for work reasons. As a business owner with my own boutique law firm, having that Manhattan zip code is essential. People don’t take you as seriously when you’re in Brooklyn. And most of my big-money clients are located in the city. If I want to keep growing my business, I need to be in Manhattan. And I sure don’t want to make a daily commute between the boroughs of Brooklyn and Manhattan every day, especially not with the late nights I’m often working.
Beth nudges me in the side, apparently having noticed my mind drifting away. “Earth to Cara! All good?” I notice my three friends staring at me with concern.
“Yes! Sorry, just getting caught up in work thoughts.”
“No way, missy, not today,” Grace says. “Leave all work stuff at the door. We are here celebrating and we are going to make the most of it!” As she finishes speaking, the waiter—a tall young guy in his early twenties—returns with a bottle of champagne and an ice bucket. Another young guy follows with the glasses. They’re both tall, blonde, and broad-shouldered, clad in black pants and button-down shirts, undone just enough to give us a peek at their hairless chests. They look barely old enough to drink themselves.
POP! With a grin, one of the waiters uncorks the bottle. Grace squeals next to me, her face shining, as Jazz, Beth and I clap.
“What are you ladies celebrating tonight?” The waiter asks as he pours the drinks.
“Our fabulous, dear friend Grace here has gotten engaged,” I smile and nod towards her.
“Congrats,” the waiter nods at her. “An
d the rest of you? Are you also off the market or still available?” He locks eyes with me as he’s talking and gives me a friendly smile.
“These ladies are all available,” Grace gives him a wink. “In case you see anything you like.”
Jazz gives a small gasp while Beth collapses into giggles.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” the waiter says before topping off the last of our glasses. “Let me know if you need… anything.” He pauses before giving me a wink and walks off.
“Oh my god, Cara, he was completely flirting with you,” Beth says.
“He’s got to be at least ten years younger than me!” I protest.
“So! You don’t have to marry the guy,” Jazz retorts.
“Maybe she’s looking for a guy she can marry,” Beth interjects.
“Ladies, please, tonight…the only marriage we are discussing is Grace’s impending nuptials.” I raise my glass to Grace and the others follow suit. “To our dear friend, who is finally getting all the happiness she deserves.”
We clink glasses and I take a sip, hoping the cool bubbles will soothe my warm cheeks.
“Thank you so much for being here, girls,” Grace says as she puts her glass back down. “I know it’s getting harder and harder to find time to all get together now that everybody is busy ‘adulting’… I just want to say, I’m so grateful to have all of you in my life. And I really want to make sure we keep up our regular meetings, no matter how busy we get as we grow up.”
“You’re one to talk,” Beth says with a grin, “you’re the busiest of all of us.”
“Nah, I doubt that. I think Cara takes the cake in terms of busting her ass at work. But business has been good lately,” Grace acknowledges. She recently left her job as a personal assistant to start her own PR firm, finally putting her Master’s in Communications to use. Looking at her now, I couldn’t be prouder. Although I haven’t seen her much lately, thanks to her whirlwind romance with Nick and the fact that she’s just getting her business off the ground, she’s still one of my best friends.
“Well, one thing is for sure, we have to keep these meetings up,” Beth says. “Being able to laugh about the trials and tribulations of dating in this crazy city with you girls is the only thing that keeps me sane sometimes, I swear.”
“At least you’re on track with work, if not with Mr. Right,” Jazz points out.
“I hope so,” Beth murmurs. She’s working as a journalist and doing amazingly, but it’s undoubtedly a cut-throat field.
“You’ll get there, Beth,” I tell her with confidence. “And Mr. Right is out there, too. For all of us,” I add with a grim chuckle.
“At least Grace found hers,” Jazz smiles.
“This cocktail bar is the perfect place to celebrate,” Grace says. “But it’s not quite as cozy as our usual spot, is it?” We survey the room, looking at the Wall Street guys in suits and the beautiful women in cocktail dresses and heels milling around us. Normally we’d all be at our favorite Manhattan coffee shop, sipping the best lattes in town as we gab and catch up. It’s nothing fancy but it’s our regular spot. We’ve sat there together to celebrate promotions and dish about hot dates. We’ve also sat there together to cry about work and wail about awful dates.
I survey the faces around me and smile happily. Without these three girls—women—I don’t know what I’d do. As I look at our small group, I realize with a start…we’re all grown up.
Here we are, four adult women, seated at a high-top table, champagne glasses in hand. It’s a Friday evening and we’ve all come straight from our respective jobs. I’m in a dark pencil skirt and light blue blouse. Jazz is likewise clad in a business chic look but has removed her blouse to reveal a lacy camisole underneath. Grace is in a bold green shift dress that perfectly matches her eyes, while Beth looks more laid back in perfectly tailored slacks and a low-cut top—her job as a journalist keeps her on the run and she has to be practical as well as stylish.
When I look around the room at the other young professionals there, I feel out of place. But I realize that I actually fit right in. The chandeliers above illuminate the faces around us and reflect their light off of the sleek, black marble-topped tables. The bar at the far end of the room is stocked with glittering bottles of only top-shelf alcohol—this is a far cry from the dive bars of my early twenties.
I’m thirty-one now, I was the first of our group to leave her twenties behind. Grace, at thirty, is the first to get engaged. Beth and Jazz are both twenty-eight. I know I’m only a few years older but something about being thirty-one makes me feel…well…old. At thirty you can feel like you used to be twenty-nine but at thirty-one you know that you’re now in your thirties and that’s the way it’s going to be. Too old to be chasing after cute waiters who wink at me as they pour champagne—cute waiters who barely look old enough to be allowed to legally drink the champagne. I want a man. I sigh involuntarily.
A burst of laughter from my friends brings me back to earth. Beth has clearly been regaling Jazz and Grace with one of her latest dating horror stories.
“Oh no, Beth, I’m sorry for laughing so hard but that sounds horrendous. You have me giggling so much, I have to pee.” Grace hops up and struts off to the bathroom. Men turn their heads after her as she goes but she doesn't give them a glance. The happiness she’s radiating after her engagement seems to have made her more attractive than ever.
“She seems really happy,” I remark to Beth and Jazz as we watch her walk off.
“She’s positively glowing,” Jazz agrees.
“I’m glad for her,” I say, smiling. But I can feel a tiny prick of sadness as I watch her disappear into the bathroom at the back of the bar. Grace will be a married woman soon, moving on to a different kind of life, a kind of life I can only imagine and am nowhere near attaining, as much as I want to.
As if reading my mind, Beth says, “You’ll find someone, too, Cara.” She reaches across the table and gives my arm a sympathetic squeeze.
“I know,” I tell her quickly, but I can hear the note of uncertainty in my own voice. “I think I’m just a bit out of it because of Laura…”
“It must be weird seeing your little sister getting married,” Beth says, nodding.
“Oh, right, when do you fly over for the wedding?” Jazz asks.
“This coming Sunday,” I tell her. “I still have tomorrow to pack and get ready. Then I’m off.”
“At least you’ll get to spend some time at home back in Boston with your family,” Jazz says reassuringly.
“Boston barely feels like home anymore to be honest,” I say, surveying the two sympathetic faces in front of me. “I’ve been in New York long enough that this feels more like home—here, with you girls.” I smile at them.
“I know what you mean,” Jazz says. “I’m already feeling weird about going to see my family for the holidays this year… I haven’t been back in a long while!”
“I’m sure it will be absolutely lovely,” I assure her. “And hey, maybe you’ll meet some hunky guy from your past back home…”
“I doubt that,” she grins. “Maybe you’ll meet someone at your sister’s wedding,” she shoots back slyly.
“True! Weddings are supposed to be great for meeting people,” Beth agrees eagerly.
“I doubt it,” I smile ruefully. “But I appreciate the vote of confidence. Anyway, I want to focus on my family when I’m there. I want my little sister Laura to have her dream wedding. As the maid of honor, it’s definitely my duty to make sure she has the perfect day. That’s why I’m headed to Boston two weeks before the actual wedding date.”
“Sure, that will give you plenty of time to prepare and support her in the run-up to the actual big day,” Jazz, practical as always, agrees. “And I’m sure you’ll have a fantastic time.”
“I know how you feel though,” Beth says with a little smile. “I can’t imagine seeing a younger sibling walking down the aisle… When it comes to romance, sometimes I feel like I’m falling behin
d in life.”
“It’s not a race,” I point out, even though I know exactly what she means.
“I know…” Beth pauses and takes a sip of her champagne. “I guess I’m just not where I thought I’d be at this age. When I was twenty-one, I naively thought I’d be married and working my dream job by now. Maybe even getting ready to have a baby.”
“You’re both nuts,” Jazz interjects with a laugh. “You’re both gorgeous and successful, and you have plenty of time to find Mr. Right. In the meantime—” She nods at the cute waiter who winked at me earlier. “Cara, if you’re looking for Mr. Right Now, I still think our waiter would happily take your number.” As if he heard her talking about him, he looks over directly at us—and, making eye contact with me, flashes a huge smile.
We all three burst out laughing as if we were middle-school girls. This is why I treasure these women so much. No matter how weird life gets…they can always get me giggling.
“What joke did I miss?” Grace asks as she walks up.
“We were just debating whether Cara should give the cute waiter her number,” Beth smirks.
“You all are the worst,” I squeal, but my sides are aching from laughter. I push any negative thoughts out of my mind and put a smile back on my face. This night is all about Grace and I refuse to drag the mood down with my own sad thoughts of being single. I’ve known that Nick and Grace were destined for each other for years and I couldn’t be happier for both of them…really…it’s just that…I don’t know—seeing how happy someone can be when they finally take that next step in life…it’s just got me thinking about my own life.
