by Gigi Marlowe
“Nowhere major. Alex keeps me too busy. I’ve fit in a few weekend trips, though, but all pretty local. Hartford. My parent’s house in Providence. A quick trip to a cabin up in the Adirondacks last weekend with friends to go snowshoeing.” She acknowledged his look of surprise. “What, I’m an adventurous soul!”
“So I see. You put me to shame. I went to Paris last month, but I spent most of my visit in my hotel room on the computer managing investments. But such is my lot in life.” He tried to look despairing, but he didn’t fool Kylie. He loved his work, and she knew it.
Their talk continued through dinner and as they walked one and a half blocks to reach Broadway. Kylie was so wrapped up in listening to Scott’s description of the latest rocket his company was designing that she didn’t realize she was cold until the heat at the entrance to the theater rushed over her body, and she gave a happy sigh.
“Having fun?” Scott misinterpreted the sigh. Or did he?
Kylie couldn’t argue. She was having a wonderful time. “I am. Thank you.”
Scott held his hand out toward the door that led toward the front mezzanine. “It’s not over yet.” His blue eyes twinkled, and Kylie couldn’t stop her own excited grin as she followed him to her seat. There was nothing she enjoyed quite as much as a Broadway musical, and she gleefully shimmied into her seat to listen to the orchestra warm up. When she glanced up, Scott was watching her face.
“You’re glowing,” he said softly, and he kept staring at her until Kylie looked away, blushing, thankful that the lights suddenly dimmed. She thoroughly enjoyed the show and the few times Scott leaned close to make a comment, his breath tickling her ear. When Christine and Raul hit their highest notes during “All I Ask of You,” Kylie’s heart thrilled with emotions that only music could flood into her being. She was still humming the tunes from her favorite musical moments as they exited the theater.
“Ahhhh,” she let out another big, happy sigh once they stepped outside into the crisp night-time air. “That was amazing.”
“Indeed.” Scott offered his arm again. “I’m afraid I’m too wired now to to sleep now. Music simply wakes me up inside.” She couldn’t agree more. “Want to walk around a bit?”
There was no hesitation this time. “Absolutely.” In spite of the pinched toes in her more-for-looks-than-comfort boots, Kylie walked arm-in-arm with Scott all the way to Times Square. They didn’t talk much and they didn’t need to.
“I think we better call it a night,” Scott said reluctantly after they had strolled the lit-up streets for two hours. It was almost midnight, but Kylie didn’t care.
“Can I offer you a ride? The idea of you taking public transit at this hour is appalling.”
Kylie had no doubt she would be fine taking a taxi to the Staten Island Ferry; she’d done it hundreds of times. But she wasn’t going to pass up any extra time with Scott before this magical night came to an end.
“Certainly.”
He made a call, and five minutes later a sleek limousine pulled up to the curb beside them. Scott himself opened the door and helped Kylie get in. In spite of the late hour, they talked the whole ride, discussing everything from space to Broadway to favorite foods. When the limo came to a stop in front of Kylie’s home, Scott got out with her. He faced her on the sidewalk. They were both silent.
He opened his mouth, closed it, then looked down. Kylie waited. Clearly, he was deciding something important.
When he looked at her again, his face was determined. “I’ll be back in New York in three weeks. Can I see you again?”
“Yes,” she almost whispered, her heart taking up a rapid pitter-patter.
“Good.” He offered her his hand, and then drew her closer to him and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. Kylie trembled at his nearness as he pulled back, and he looked shaken himself. “I guess I need your phone number, then.” Without warning, he laughed heartily. “I sound like a schoolboy. Please excuse me.”
Kylie joined him in his laughter as they exchanged numbers, and bid him a good night. She couldn’t wait to see him again.
“Do you think I should have agreed to see him again?” she asked Cass the next evening. Her friend had come over to make tacos together for dinner.
“Do you want to see him again?”
Kylie nodded.
“Then why not? You’ve got a good head on your shoulders. Trust your judgment. I know I do.”
That was all the encouragement Kylie needed as she counted down the days until Scott’s next visit. Alex asked her how the date went, and she gave a vague reply. Something about giving her ex details of a date she had really really enjoyed didn’t feel right. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings. Or make him jealous. Or something like that.
Scott rolled his shoulders to fit into his suit coat more comfortably and leaned forward to adjust his silver patterned tie in the mirror. He checked the time. Just enough to pass by the flower shop around the corner. He was nervous and excited. The last time he’d felt like this was when he’d met Megan in college. Life with her had been a dream come true, and he hadn’t expected to ever feel this way again after his world came crashing down with Megan’s death. It scared him senseless, but he knew from past experience not to throw such feelings away. Kylie was special. And he intended to make sure she knew it.
Kylie rode up to the 48th floor of the Marriott Marquis beside Scott. She’d never eaten before at The View with its impressive vistas from the revolving floor. This would be a night to remember.
She looked down at the huge bouquet clutched by her free hand. Two dozen dark red roses. Classy and beautiful, the scent of the flowers filled the entire elevator, and the other couple gliding up the building with them, obviously long-time married and oh-so-comfortable with each other glanced at her and Scott and then shared a smile, as if reflecting on their own history.
As Kylie started on her first course of kale salad, she soaked in the soft jazz filling the room and smiled at Scott.
“This is nice. Very nice.”
He reached across the table and touched her hand where it rested next to her entrée fork. “I’m glad you like it. I’ve been looking forward to this occasion since we last parted.”
“Me, too,” Kylie admitted, feeling almost shy. He wasn’t trying to hide his admiration for her at all this time. The thought made her a little giddy, but also very happy.
They talked away the evening, discussing the next exotic locations they hoped to visit. Scott was intent on seeing the Wall of China, but Kylie wanted to snorkel off the Australian coast. They debated long and hard and light-heartedly about which one was better and why.
“You have a master’s in engineering, right?” Kylie asked when the topic shifted to education.
He flickered his eyebrows up. “Somebody’s been reading up on me, has she?”
Kylie laughed and lowered her head bashfully. “Maybe.”
“Well, that part is true at least. I studied engineering in undergrad and completed my studies with a masters, but two years later I returned to get my MBA. The combination of degrees has proved extremely helpful.”
No doubt it would, Kylie mused.
“And you?” Scott indicated her with a tilt of his champagne glass as he raised it to his lips. “What field drew your attention?”
Kylie reflected back to high school and the choice of what degree to pursue in college. Painful times. “I had a lot of interests, but with time they narrowed, and I ended up with my bachelors in public relations. At first, I helped with political campaigns, but when I turned my attention to non-profit work, that’s where I really found meaning. The pay wasn’t great, but I enjoyed the reason behind it. That’s how I got pulled into organizing Alex’s first fundraising gala, and when he offered me a job as an administrative assistant, I took it in order to have something steady here in New York close to Cass.” She shrugged as she reached for her glass and took a sip. “It’s a good job, and I still use a lot of my PR skills.”
“What’s
it like working for Alex?”
She studied his face. No hint of jealousy, but he had a knack for keeping his face impressively neutral. “Like I’ve said before, he’s a good boss.”
When he nodded and said nothing more, Kylie felt compelled to continue.
“I’m sure you know we were a couple for some time. When that ended cordially, we decided to be mature enough to keep a professional relationship, and neither of us regrets that now. We are good friends, but nothing more.”
Now he cast a warm smile across the table at her. “That’s what I was hoping to hear. He’s not the type of man I would want to be competing with.”
Oh, no. He didn’t need to worry about that. There was probably no competition for Scott in existence!
When the night was drawing to a close, Scott led Kylie to a window in the restaurant lobby where they stood side by side to watch the incredible views of the city. Times Square was lit up like a spotlight. Red and white lights from snarling traffic fanned out below them in every direction, and the waters of the Hudson beckoned with its darkness like a forbidden forest. Kylie loved her city, she truly did, and never more than at this moment as she admired it standing beside Scott.
He turned then and took her by both hands, pulling her toward him. She went willingly, tipping her face up. Dropping one of her hands, he cupped one side of her face and touched his lips softly to hers. Her heart and stomach both performed a small flip at the same time, leaving her feeling weak and breathless. He drew back, his blue eyes roaming her face, and she smiled. So did he, then lowered his face again to kiss her deeply, longingly, and she happily returned the kiss, tugging the lapels on his suit coat to bring him as close as possible. This. This felt right.
When he backed up the next time, he took a slow, steadying breath, his blue eyes shining with all sorts of emotions Kylie couldn’t even begin to unpack. She had to deal with her own first, and they were getting just a bit overwhelming right now. In the best way.
“I have a question for you.” Scott’s voice filled the small air between them. He still stood close, holding one of her hands, twining his fingers through hers.
“Anything.”
He didn’t smile, looking serious. Kylie shifted nervously.
“Would you come to Philadelphia next weekend? I’d love to show you my city and take you around to my favorite spots. Maybe introduce you to my closest friends.”
Kylie knew she’d vowed to write off the billionaire beau scene. But now she found herself squeezing his hand and reaching with her other hand to touch his face.
“I’d love to.”
Chapter Five
Kylie had a window seat on the short flight from New York to Philadelphia after work on Friday, and she enjoyed the lights below her. Scott was waiting with a limo and took her straight to dinner, then dropped her off at the Rittenhouse Hotel, promising a day of fun tomorrow. And he knew how to deliver.
In the morning after a delicious breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant, Scott escorted her around Philadelphia. She’d only been there once before for a public relations conference, and she hadn’t had the time to see the sites. Having enjoyed history classes in college, she soaked up the rich history of her nation that surrounded her in this historic and beautiful city. The sight of the Liberty Bell with its iconic crack and the message it bore about proclaiming liberty brought tears to her eyes until Scott teased her, and she laughed at herself. She enjoyed viewing all the features of Independence Hall, and when Scott pulled her into a vacant hallway for a kiss‒and then another and another‒she didn’t protest.
They meandered the expanse of Reading Terminal Market where Kylie filled up several shopping totes that Scott insisted on paying for and enjoyed the best falafels and shawarma she’d ever had. After lunch, Scott took her to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Kylie was excited to find a special exhibit featuring women’s fashion throughout time. Scott was more of a sculpture man, and they spent more than an hour outside in the sculpture garden, the afternoon sun allowing them to unbutton their coats. For dinner, they enjoyed delicious seafood at XIX Nineteen, an upscale American seafood restaurant in the heart of the city, and then Scott took her to the One Liberty Observation Deck to watch the city lights and sights. By the time Scott returned her to her hotel, Kylie couldn’t remember a happier day.
“I’ll pick you up at nine tomorrow morning,” he promised. “We’ve been invited to my friends Olivia and Oscar’s for brunch before I have to get you to the airport again.”
A small tremor passed through Kylie at the mention of meeting Scott’s friends. “Okay.”
He pressed her hand gently. “Don’t worry. They’ll love you.”
Scott hadn’t been this nervous on their first date. Somehow introducing Kylie to his best friends was the most intimidating thing he’d done in a long time. He shouldn’t have worried, though. Olivia was waiting at the door with her arms wide open to greet Kylie like a long-lost friend.
“Uncle Scottie!” A boy-sized lightning bolt shot across the living room the second Scott stepped foot into it, and Joseph launched himself into Scott’s arms. Scott swallowed down the lump that always clogged up his throat around the little boy.
“And how’s my little man doing today?”
“New train! Come see!” The boy beamed up at him, and the lump only got bigger. He hadn’t been around for a while.
“He’s learning new words,” he mentioned as he let Joseph drag him past where Olivia was hanging Kylie’s jacket on the coat rack. She regarded Joseph with a proud smile.
“Sure is. He never stops talking. He’s a brainiac, like someone else we know.”
“Yeah. That Oscar is too smart for this world.” So was Olivia. Both were software engineers and did very well for themselves. They didn’t make billions, but they were okay with that.
“I was talking about you,” her amused words followed him down the hallway to Joseph’s room. He hoped Kylie wouldn’t mind if he disappeared for a while. He couldn’t resist this boy for anything in the world. He enjoyed Joseph’s childish prattling as he showed Scott his new train set, then plastic dinosaurs, and finally a brand new set of wooden building blocks that Joseph cleverly coerced Scott into carrying to the living room for him, where he built a palace for the boy.
Later on, after lunch, Olivia cornered him in the kitchen.
“Where did you find that sweet girl, Scott? She’s a keeper!”
“I know.” He sighed, letting worry furrow deep lines in his forehead.
“You haven’t told her? About either of them?” Olivia’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Don’t you think you’d better?”
He nodded. Yeah, he’d better. But he didn’t want to.
Kylie laughed at something Oscar said, then turned her attention back to the large-screen TV where the weatherman was predicting rain all up the Atlantic coast the next few days. At any rate, it was better than snow. It wasn’t unheard of to get a blizzard in April, but she was so tired of the fluffy white version of precipitation.
Scott’s friends were very nice, which was good since her companion kept disappearing with their son. It looked like he had a real soft spot for Joseph, so she wouldn’t begrudge him some quality time with the tyke. It seemed apparent that Scott would make an excellent father one day, and that was a surprisingly appealing thought to someone who had never considered a future with kids before.
“I’m so glad you could come over.” Olivia settled onto the couch beside Kylie, tucking her blonde hair behind one ear. “Scott has mentioned you to us a few times recently, but we didn’t realize things were getting serious.”
Were they serious? Kylie hoped so. Scott hadn’t actually said, but he’d brought her to Philadelphia, so that must indicate something, right?
“I’m really enjoying my time,” she finally said in reply. “You have a lovely home.” They really did. A huge sprawling ranch-style house on several acres with a small pond in the backyard and tasteful landscaping in the front. They had b
een nothing but hospitable and welcoming to her, and Kylie took that as a credit to Scott’s good name.
Olivia followed Kylie’s gaze to the window. “It’s a nice day. Would you like to go outside? There is always a variety of birds down by the pond.”
The whole group soon trekked across the spongy yard toward the pond. Kylie was glad she wasn’t wearing heeled boots, since the ground was still soft from the long winter. A boyish shriek filled the air, and Kylie looked up to find Scott swinging Joseph up high in his arms, pretending to dump the little boy into the pond.
“Be careful, Scott,” Olivia warned laughingly. “He’ll want to go home with you, and if you drop him in there, I’ll make you take him!”
By the time three o’clock rolled around, Kylie was certain Olivia and Oscar were some of the nicest people she had ever met. Many hugs escorted her out the door and into Scott’s waiting Tesla. She was surprised when he parked at the airport and insisted on coming in with her.
“We’re early.” He checked his watch. “Let’s sit for a while before you check in. I‒I’d like to talk to you about something.”
Fear shivered up Kylie’s spine, but she followed his gesture and led the way to a settee in a secluded spot below an escalator.
They sat in silence a moment before Scott pressed the end of his fist against his lips and cleared his throat. “There’s something you should know. About me. Before our relationship goes any further.”
Kylie stilled, her breathing going so shallow she wasn’t sure she was breathing at all.
Scott examined his hands. “I was married before.”
Air left Kylie’s mouth in a small puff at the unexpected news. When Scott didn’t continue, she asked gently, “What happened?”
He took a deep breath, the kind that made his shoulders rise and fall as if he carried a mountain’s weight on them. When he met her eyes, a deep sorrow etched his normally impassive face. “Megan died almost two years ago.”
