She rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll have a tiny bite from your crepe. Happy?”
“I’ll take it.” They headed inside. Chocolate éclairs, croissants, muffins, and more were artfully arranged in a glass display case at the counter. “What kind do you want?”
“It’s your crepe, remember?”
Caleb’s mouth quirked to one side. “Right.”
He indicated she should find a table and then headed to the counter to order. Megan located a booth in the corner, next to the window. As she waited for him to join her, the fading sunlight disappeared and the lights of the shops around them began to glow. Was this really the last night of her journey? She didn’t want it to end.
She didn’t want to return to real life. And she didn’t want to leave Caleb.
“Here you go.” Caleb slid into the booth across from Megan and placed a platter with a rolled crepe at the center. It was filled with sliced bananas and drizzled with chocolate and powdered sugar.
She picked up a fork and carefully slid it through the crepe, sure to snag a banana. One small bite wouldn’t hurt, right?
“What are you so afraid of?”
“Getting sick again.” The answer popped out so fast she didn’t have time to think about it. Her eyes met Caleb’s, and understanding gazed back at her.
“I get it. But one crepe won’t do that to you.”
“My doctor said I should maintain a healthy diet and exercise. I want to do everything in my power to never return to that hospital room, Caleb.”
“Hey.” He reached across the table and grabbed her hand, something he’d been doing a lot lately. He ran his thumb over her knuckles one by one. “If anyone understands, it’s me. But I decided several years ago not to let my condition rule my life. I eat healthy, because, yeah, it’s important. But if a bad heart didn’t kill us, the occasional indulgence certainly won’t.”
She paused. “I know it’s stupid to feel this way, but if there’s any way to prevent going through that again, I will.”
His calloused thumb continued over the ridges of her hand. “It’s not stupid at all. We’ve been through something others can’t understand. But what are you gaining by keeping such a tight hold? God chose to spare your life. Don’t waste it by not really living.”
What he said nearly matched her thoughts at Notre Dame word for word.
The tears built behind her eyes. But no. She wasn’t going to cry. This once, she’d stay strong. “It’s just a dumb crepe.”
But it wasn’t. It was a symbol. Just like exposing her scar. Just like leaving her notebook behind. Each one was a loosening, a flinging away of the old Megan.
With her free hand, she picked up the fork again and shoved a bite of the pastry into her mouth. And oh, the sweetness that popped on her tongue. The chocolate and banana blended together perfectly, and she might have moaned a little as she savored every moment until swallowing.
Caleb nodded and grinned. “Told you.”
“Hush.” She offered him a bite, and he pulled it off the fork with his teeth. Then she speared herself another piece and they ate, talked, and laughed until it was gone.
Megan stood. “Let’s go check off another item on this list.”
Caleb followed her out the door. He shoved his hands back into his pockets, and they continued toward the Eiffel Tower. The monument got closer and closer, until it loomed over them in all its grandeur. The white lights were striking against the black sky, and something about standing underneath this tower—well, she felt invincible.
As she lifted her face skyward, a drop of water hit her on the forehead. “Uh-oh.”
“What?”
“I think I felt—” The sky interrupted her with a release of rain. Megan shrieked and looked for cover.
Caleb pointed to a nearby restaurant and threw his arm around her, as if he could keep her dry. They took a few steps, but Megan halted. “Wait.” This was the perfect opportunity. Except for the fact that Caleb was here.
There was no perfect answer. She just had to finish the list.
Her eyes darted around, but she couldn’t find anyone nearby who wasn’t racing for shelter, much less a handsome stranger.
“What are you doing?”
Megan’s wet hair stuck to her face. “I have to find someone to kiss.”
Caleb stopped trying to drag her to dryness and warmth. He tilted his head. “Uh, what?”
He must not have seen the full list she’d posted online. “For Amanda’s bucket list. The last item—I have to kiss a stranger in the rain.” The rain pounded on the sidewalk, and she felt like she was shouting. “I thought I’d have to wait until I got home, but it’s raining, and it’s the last night, almost like it’s a sign. Maybe I’m supposed to get the whole thing done now.”
“You have to kiss a stranger?” A shadow passed over his eyes, that same look he got whenever Megan’s nurse had made him return to his room during one of their late-night visits in the hospital.
She shrugged. “Forget it. There’s no one around anyway. Come on.” Megan started walking toward the restaurant, the water squishing between her toes inside her shoes.
“Megan, wait.”
She turned. The rain ran down his cheeks and drenched his white shirt and jacket, defining the muscles in his broad chest. His hair was plastered to his forehead. He was a mess.
An achingly handsome mess.
She rejoined him. “What?” Her teeth chattered.
He pulled her into his arms. “You’re freezing.”
She laid her head on his chest, soaking in his warmth. “I know.”
“And you’re supposed to kiss a stranger in the rain.” Despite the din of honking cars and the onslaught of rain, she could hear his heartbeat beneath his chest—rapid, like hers.
“Yes.”
“What about me?”
She pulled her head up and gazed up at him. “Did you miss the part where I said a stranger? You’re not a stranger.”
“I sort of am. We both have new hearts, so that makes us different people than we were when we first met. And this journey has changed you—you aren’t the same girl I knew in the hospital. And I’m not the same guy.”
Megan couldn’t peel her eyes away from him. “You want to kiss me?”
“Do I have a pulse?” Caleb stared down at her. “Any man would be crazy not to.”
Oh.
At the moment she didn’t really care if it counted for the list or not. But maybe it could. The heart she’d heard beating only moments ago, it was new to her. This Caleb—he meant more to her than he ever had before. Together, they were strangers, on the edge of embarking on a new journey.
She held his steady gaze, the rain clinging to his eyelashes. Every nerve in her body was on fire despite the cold. And then she felt that inner nudging again, toward bravery, toward life. Toward Caleb.
“Meg? Say something.”
“Shut up and kiss me.”
Caleb grinned and bent his face toward her. His lips covered hers, and suddenly she wasn’t standing still but flying. Caleb’s arms traveled from her waist up her arms, up her neck, to her cheeks. He held her face delicately in his hands and pulled away to look down into her eyes. “Hi. I’m Caleb. It’s nice to meet you.”
“I’m Megan.” She placed her hands on top of his. “And that was the best greeting of my life.”
Crystal straightened the stack of proposal copies on the conference table for the fifth time. The room was empty, but in just a few minutes, the twelve seats in front of her would be filled by Jeff Lerner and his associates, not to mention Tony and at least one other partner.
She paced the room and picked a stray piece of lint off her black blazer. Her heels clicked on the tile floor as she walked to the window. The room could use some more light. With a flick of her wrist, Crystal pushed a button and the blinds opened, revealing a hazy New York summer day. The skyline always took her breath away, but today it lacked a little something. Perhaps that was a natural resul
t of traveling. She’d now be comparing Manhattan to Rome, Paris, and London—the other great cities of the world.
In the window’s reflection she could see herself. The humidity in the room and outside was enough to make even her straight hair frizz a bit, but she’d done her best to ensure a professional appearance. There would be no repeat of her last presentation in this room. Today she was refreshed, ulcer-free, and ready to tackle the next stage of her career.
On the table, her phone buzzed. Crystal darted to see who had texted her. It was from Brian:
Good luck on your presentation today. I love you and am proud of you, no matter what the result. Dinner at Le Chalet at six? Then maybe afterward we can relive Edinburgh.
Her heart fluttered at the memory of their last night together. She hadn’t seen him since arriving home, as he’d been starting a twenty-four-hour shift when she landed. Though she’d swung by the station on her way into the office, he’d been out on a call. She’d eaten a late dinner at the office with Tony and Meredith instead. Her arms ached to be wrapped around Brian again. They still had plenty to discuss, but her heart was feeling more ready than ever to move forward.
A smile flit across her lips as she wrote her reply:
I’ll be there. Be prepared for the night of your life.
His response came swift:
Can’t wait.
“What are you so happy about?” Tony walked into the room, glasses lowered to the tip of his nose.
“I’m just prepared for a great presentation, that’s all.”
“Good.” Tony checked his watch. “Where is Meredith? She should be getting—”
“Right here, boss.” Meredith careened into the room, her arms stacked high with presentations bound in the same folders as Crystal’s. Crystal hadn’t had a chance to look at Meredith’s design in detail, but she couldn’t help overhearing the whispers of adoration some of the first-year associates had spouted in the break room earlier this morning.
At six feet tall, Meredith didn’t need the three-inch heels she wore, but coupled with her fresh new suit, they gave her a commanding presence. She flashed Crystal a smile, as if to say, “May the best woman win.”
“Excuse me, sir?” Jamie, the intern, stuck her head into the conference room. “Your one o’clock is here.”
“Perfect.” Tony rose. “I’ll be back, ladies.”
In the moments while he was gone, Crystal and Meredith double- and triple-checked that the projector and computer were functioning properly. Then Tony led in a group of men and one woman. “Mr. Lerner, I’m pleased to introduce two of my architects, Crystal Ballinger and Meredith Wilson.”
Jeff Lerner was younger and much more casual than Crystal had imagined, given his amount of success and his net worth. He looked to be in his late thirties, early forties, wearing jeans, a Beatles T-shirt, and a blazer. He came forward and shook both of their hands, his wide grin evidence of his good will. “It’s so nice to meet you all. Let me introduce my associates.” He rattled off the names of his six male associates and then turned to the woman. “And this lovely lady is my wife, Jenny.”
The shy woman bowed her head toward them and held out her dainty hand. She seemed younger than Mr. Lerner, closer to Crystal’s age. It was highly unusual for a business meeting to include a wife, but perhaps she worked on Lerner’s team.
“Now that introductions are complete, why don’t you all take a seat and get comfortable?” Tony motioned toward the chairs, and everyone did as he asked. At the last moment Steven Perretti, another partner, slipped in and stood in the back of the room. “We know how valuable your time is, Mr. Lerner, so we prepared two separate pitches to give you a taste of the different designs our firm can support.”
“That sounds wonderful. Pitch away.”
Tony nodded and turned to Meredith. “Meredith, why don’t you start us off?”
Meredith grinned a thousand-watt smile and picked up her stack of proposals. She passed them around and launched into her pitch to convert the James Lawrence building and surrounding area into a highly modern community, one with the feel of IKEA on steroids. It was very well designed, and Meredith had thought of everything, even a state-of-the-art indoor park where children could simultaneously play and learn. Throughout the presentation, Crystal peeked at the client to gauge his reaction. He seemed to be tracking with Meredith and her design.
After Meredith finished her spiel, Lerner and his associates asked numerous questions. Crystal’s pants began to cling to the back of her sweaty legs. She had to remain calm, something that was a whole lot easier before she’d gotten in touch with her emotions.
At long last, her turn arrived. She popped out of her chair and threw everyone a practiced smile. “Thank you for that amazing presentation, Meredith.” She passed Lerner’s team her own proposal. “When I thought about this community, I considered where I would want to live. I thought about what made something a home—because if you don’t feel at home in your community, where can you?”
The smiles and nods gave her courage to continue. “Then I thought about where I currently live, and how unaccommodating it is to that idea of community. Not because people are unfriendly but because there aren’t many places to gather and foster the community people crave. I live in a typical flat in New York City, after all.”
She flipped to the next slide of her presentation, which included a map of the proposed property. “One thing you’ll notice about my design is that I took great care to incorporate several opportunities for true community, especially spaces that people can make their own. For example, mural walls where they can claim their place in the community permanently. Within the houses themselves, big gathering spaces instead of tiny nooks no one ever uses. Et cetera.”
She continued explaining her ideas, referring less to her presentation and speaking more from her heart. Megan would be proud of her. “The James Lawrence building has held a special place in my heart for a long time, and I would consider it an honor to help realize its full potential.”
“This is all extremely interesting.” Mr. Lerner leaned forward, elbows on the table and chin in his hands. “Tell me, what inspired this design?”
“I just returned from a fabulous trip to Europe with my sister.” Crystal couldn’t help using her hands to emphasize her emotions. She could literally feel the passion bursting from her fingertips. “There I was struck by the idea of the old and new mingled together, how there was a perfect harmony to it. How the new kept things interesting but the old provided the lasting effect that we want for our lives. And that’s the essence of this community.” She tapped the proposal. “I would want to live here.”
“And so would I.” Mrs. Lerner—Jenny, was it?—straightened in her chair, and her eyes shone with something indescribable. She turned to her husband. “Jeff, this is it.”
Mr. Lerner patted his wife’s hands where they were folded on the table. He turned back to Meredith, Tony, and Crystal. “I didn’t tell you this, but we are planning to be the first residents of this new community. I know it’s often not smart to mix business and pleasure, but we haven’t found a community that holds all the values we want. We longed for something fresh, but as Jenny likes to remind me, not everything new and modern is always a good thing.”
Meredith shifted in her chair.
“With that said, we would like to partner with you to get the design finalized and get the building of this community under way.” Lerner smiled wide as he looked at Crystal. “The second design, that is.”
“I’m so pleased to hear that.” Crystal could barely say the words without her voice cracking.
She’d done it.
They all shook hands. Tony would send the contract that afternoon, and Mr. Lerner would sign it once his lawyers looked it over. Then Crystal would work closely with his team to get a final design approved before construction began.
Jenny Lerner approached Crystal. A tear skimmed down her cheek. “Thank you. I couldn’t have envisioned a more pe
rfect place to raise my children.”
“You are so welcome.” Crystal tilted her head. “How many do you have?”
“Oh, none yet.” Jenny’s cheeks tinged pink. “But hopefully soon. How about you?”
“Kids?” Her conversation with Brian in the Edinburgh park rose to her mind. They hadn’t broached the subject again, hadn’t come to any conclusions yet—just exposed her fears for what they were and left them writhing on the floor of her heart. “No. We haven’t . . . I’m not sure . . .”
“I’m sorry. It wasn’t my place to ask.” Jenny squeezed Crystal’s arm. “Thank you again.” She turned and joined her husband and his entourage.
Jenny’s presence had brought a certain lightness to the room, but as soon as she left, it was stuffy again. But why should it be? Crystal should be on cloud nine. Everything she’d wanted to achieve, she had. The reality settled in. She turned to Tony. “Well?”
He glanced at Perretti, who nodded. He grinned and stuck out a hand. “I’m pleased to offer you the position of senior architect, complete with a new office, salary raise, and some new responsibilities.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
A thrill raced through her, strong and sure. She took Tony’s hand and pumped it up and down, then threw her arms around him in a fierce bear hug.
Tony pulled back and threw another grin downward. “Since when are you a hugger?”
“I’ve changed, Tony. Haven’t you noticed?”
“I have.” Her boss stroked his beard. “Hopefully enough to get out of here early to celebrate?”
“Sure. That’d be fun. I have dinner plans at six, but we can hang out until then.”
“Perfect. I’ve got to get that contract sent off, and then I’ll round up the troops. Let’s aim for four.” At her agreement, he headed back out the door and down the hallway toward his office.
The rest of the room had already cleared. She snatched her phone and called Brian—voice mail. He must be at the gym or something. Crystal walked back to her cubicle and sat down. Though her head was racing with all the possibilities, she should probably tackle any e-mails that awaited her attention.
The Heart Between Us Page 23
