“Welcome to my humble abode.”
Chapter Six
I gasped as I walked through the entryway into an apartment that was anything but humble. The white palette made me feel like I was about to be in a carpet shampoo commercial.
Chris’s one bedroom home was probably four times as large as mine. I couldn’t even imagine how much it cost. The living room, with its pristine couches, was where I stood now. In front of me was a very nice, upgraded kitchen with all chrome appliances, a dining area off to the right. A small wall with a fireplace separated the two areas, open on both sides. To my left was the open door to the bedroom, and what I assumed was a coat closet. The wall on the other side of me was made entirely of glass, New York smiling through from outside. Fantastic paintings hung everywhere there was space.
“I’ll only be a minute,” Chris said, brushing past me. “Please, have a seat.”
“I’m afraid I’ll stain something,” I laughed, looking at the snowy seats with their black pillows.
He chuckled as he went into the bedroom, tossing his jacket over the corner of the comfy looking, dark bed I could see.
Instead of sitting, I walked over to the window, thinking of how nice it would be to wake up to a view like this every morning. I wanted a place like this in the future, where I could feel like I had space, but remained in the city.
“So, what do you want to eat?” Chris called.
“Uh,” I said, turning and catching a glimpse of his bare back as he crossed in front of the door again. “I’m good for anything, I guess.”
I moved my attention back to the outside, blushing slightly. Even just a second of looking was enough for me to tell that he was very well taken care of under his designer clothes.
“I’ll see what’s close and ask if they deliver,” he said.
“Sounds good.”
I stared out at the skyline for a few moments before he joined me.
“What do you think?” he asked with a smile.
“You look nice,” I said, appraising his jeans and white polo shirt.
“I meant the view,” he laughed. “But thank you for the compliment.”
“That one is a given,” I replied, my face burning red. “It’s fantastic.”
“I bought this place because of it,” he said, nodding.
“Did you ever think of moving somewhere else?” I asked, curious.
“What do you mean?”
“You grew up here. Did you ever want to go somewhere else?”
“No,” he said firmly. “I know this isn’t the place for everyone, but it’s my home. I don’t think I’d be happy anywhere else.”
“I wish I would have grown up here,” I shared with a smile of my own. “I’d probably already be working as an actress. I wasted so much time trying to get here.”
“It will happen,” he reassured me.
“When?” I laughed, turning back to the glass.
“That I don’t know,” he chuckled. “Perhaps it will come to me on the way to the loft.”
“If you say so.”
He tipped his head towards the door and we went to it, leaving his beautiful home behind.
I remained silent through our cab ride, listening to him call around to a few restaurants and ask what they served and if they delivered. By the time we pulled up to another high rise, he’d placed an order and given instructions on where to deliver it.
“Will we get in trouble for being here?” I asked, feeling like we were about to break into someone’s house.
“No,” he said, grinning. “The owner lives in Spain now. He told me to take good care of it until it was bought. I take that to mean I can lounge around and enjoy it before someone else snatches it up.”
“Do you think it will sell quickly?” I wanted to know more about how he worked. He seemed to really enjoy it, which was a good enough reason for me to familiarize myself.
“Absolutely,” he said with a nod. “I’m showing it to someone tomorrow, actually. I imagine it will be taken by the end of next week.”
“How long has it been on the market?” I asked in surprise.
“About two days,” he laughed. “No one’s lived here for several months. The owner finally decided he wanted to let it go.”
“Don’t places like these cost millions of dollars?”
“They do. That’s why he held onto it. If they ever decide to come back, they’ll have to pay for another apartment.”
“So if he’s selling then he’s probably decided not to come back,” I mused.
“Exactly.”
By that time we were already riding in the elevator to almost the top floor. I was excited to see this piece of prime, New York real estate. It was unlikely I’d ever get to again, unless I miraculously became a multi-millionaire.
The elevator doors finally dinged and opened, revealing a hall with only three doors. We walked down the royal blue carpet to the farthest one, Chris pulling a key out of his pocket.
He opened the entry and I gasped, looking into a true beauty of a living space. I walked through, almost able to see my face in the pristine wooden floors. There were no interior walls except for the one we’d just come through, the rest of them showing panoramic views of the city.
“I can see the Statue of Liberty!” I laughed, making a beeline for the glass. “This is amazing.”
“The upstairs is where all the bedrooms and kitchen are. I think this floor was used for parties and general meetings, or relaxing.”
I turned around and saw a staircase next to him and the door he leaned on.
“I can’t even imagine living somewhere like this.” I looked out the window again, the sunset shining gloriously.
“The terrace is upstairs as well,” Chris laughed.
“Right,” I said, blushing and turning to him again. “Lead the way.”
I returned to his side, and he took my hand, pulling me in the right direction. Butterflies erupted once more at his touch and I bit my lip, lowering my head so he wouldn’t see.
“There’s a living area up here as well,” he explained as we reached the pinnacle. “This was probably two separate apartments that were redone.”
There was more wood flooring and huge windows, but I noticed the door to the outside like he’d mentioned. There was also a hall leading away to the rest of the house.
“Whoever gets this place is lucky,” I said appreciatively. “I understand why you think it will sell so fast.”
Chris tightened his grip on my hand, pulling me towards the glass door on the right. I could see a wrought iron table and chairs through it, several overgrown plants creating a closed in effect.
Within seconds, I was seated across from him, wishing he was still holding my hand.
“So I take it you like the place,” he said with a grin.
“I do, I laughed.
“I’ll be sad when I don’t get to come look at it anymore,” he sighed, leaning back and folding his arms.
The phone in his pocket rang and he excused himself to answer it, stepping back inside. I pulled my own out of my pocket, snapping a quick picture and sending it to Lizzy.
A picture of her and Evan returned. It looked like they had gone out for pizza and were smashed in with lots of tourists.
“Our food will be up momentarily,” Chris said, coming back outside.
“What are we having?” I asked as I slid the device back into my pocket.
“I didn’t get anything too fancy,” he said defensively.
“That’s fine,” I giggled, grinning as he scooted his chair right next to mine and took my hand.
“There’s a burger joint a few blocks away. I figured, what’s more American than a good burger and soda?”
“A hot dog and a baseball game,” I laughed. “But I’ll take it.”
The doorbell sounded inside. Chris rose again, squeezing my hand quickly before letting go. I could smell the food before he returned, my mouth watering over the delectable fumes wafting through th
e house.
“So, the fireworks should start a little after the sun has finished setting,” he said, placing the bag on the table and sitting down again. “I actually thought we’d watch those from inside. The view is better, if you ask me.”
“I agree.” I couldn’t get the smile off my face. It was nice to feel like I’d finally met someone who knew how to treat a lady.
Be careful, my inner voice of reason warned. Don’t forget, your career comes first. Dating is fine, seriously is not.
A carton was pulled out of the bag and set in front of me. Chris smiled huge as he opened it and watched my eyes bug out of my head.
“It’s huge! I won’t even be able to fit my mouth around it!”
“That’s part of the fun,” he laughed.
“I can’t eat all of that,” I laughed. “I couldn’t do it even if I wanted to.”
The burger looked delectable and like it could feed a village for a week. My mouth watered just thinking about how yummy it probably tasted. I was positive I would be taking leftovers home. Maybe Lizzy liked burgers, too?
Chris pulled his own carton out of the bag and popped it open, making the delicious fumes even stronger. In the time it took me to figure out how to pick up my food without it falling apart, he had already devoured half of what was in front of him.
“So, how have you been since we last saw each other?” I asked after I’d swallowed my first bite.
“The same,” he said, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “I work a lot.” He laughed easily, his eyes twinkling as he smiled at me.
“At least you like your job. It could be a lot worse,” I mused.
“Do you not like yours?”
“Well, obviously I’d rather be working as an actress, but you have to do what you can to survive. I don’t mind being a waitress. It pays the bills, but that’s all it is really.”
“What would you do if you didn’t want to be an actress?”
“Um . . .” I took another bite as I thought about it, trying to settle on one specific thing. “You know, acting is such a huge part of who I am. I don’t even know what I would do. I don’t think I’d be the same person at all.”
Chris nodded as he looked at his watch, chewing his last bite. A quick look at the sky seemed to confirm his thoughts.
“The show will be starting soon. Are you ready to move this party inside?”
“Absolutely,” I laughed.
I wrapped my food back up, placing it in the carton and sliding it back into the takeout bag.
Following him inside, I marveled as I took in the view once more. The lights of the city were like stars in space, glittering out their own stories and lives.
Chris opened a closet I hadn’t noticed before and pulled out a blanket, along with a bottle of wine and some glasses.
“I stopped by earlier to drop this off,” he laughed. “I was hoping you’d agree to go out on such short notice.”
He laid the cover on the floor, close to the window, and sat on it, motioning for me to join him.
A bright explosion took over the sky in front of us as I did, the fireworks beginning.
“This is beautiful,” I said, excepting the glass of wine he’d poured for me.
“It is,” he agreed. “I always feel so patriotic, watching them with Lady Liberty in the frame.”
“In all of the time I spent wanting to live here, I never even thought of things like this. It was always about the theatres and the music. I somehow managed to let other special and important things slip by.”
“You went on that sight-seeing weekend,” he said, defending me. “I think you have your eye on the prize, that’s all. There’s nothing wrong with running right for your dreams.”
“Thanks,” I laughed.
The display in front of us continued on majestically, the very picture of an American celebration. We both fell silent as we watched, only commenting on the colors occasionally.
“You know,” Chris said after a long pause. “I’ve never asked a girl out for a second date so quickly before.”
“Really?” I turned to look at him, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. “Why not?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugged, his gaze noticeably falling to my lips. “There’s something about you that I really like and want to know more about. I can’t seem to pinpoint it, though.”
“Oh.”
My breath caught, my body guessing at what was about to happen and waiting eagerly to be proven right.
Chris set his glass down and scooted closer to me, taking my own glass and setting it next to his. I couldn’t read any emotion on his face as his eyes flicked from my mouth back up to my eyes, searching for something in my own face.
Butterflies filled my stomach as his hand raised and caressed my face, his thumb rubbing the corner of my mouth. I leaned in instinctively, melting under his touch as his hot breath washed over my face.
When our lips touched, it was hesitant, scared almost. As we both realized the other really wanted this level of intimacy, it seemed our walls crumbled around us, leaving the emotions free to be expressed.
I scooted myself closer, laying my hand over the top of his where it held my face. He broke away for a second, a smile on his features, before moving back in and kissing me with more strength.
His other hand took hold of my face, as well, and I could feel the pounding of his heart under my timid fingertips.
I had never been kissed like I was now. It could have been because I hadn’t been kissed all that much, but something told me that Chris was just excellent at doing it. My own heart pounded and my breath escaped me as his lips met with mine over and over again.
After a few minutes, he broke away again, light laughter accompanying his sparkling eyes.
“Wow.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, reveling in the touch of our hands joining once more.
“I didn’t mean to get so carried away,” he said, embarrassed.
“I didn’t mind.” I smiled, squeezing his hand.
The fireworks outside slowly stopped and faded away, much like the pounding of my heart as we sat in silence once more, admiring the view still laid out before us.
Chapter Seven
“Big day, right?” Lizzy said as she poured herself a cup of coffee.
“Auditions,” I acknowledged with a laugh. “They lead up to the big days. Today is . . . practice.”
“How do you do it?” she chortled.
“Do what?”
“How do you go out and give it your all at these auditions, knowing that you could never hear a word back from anyone about it? I mean, you could have given the best performance of your life and only three people saw it. Doesn’t that make you frustrated?”
“It’s part of the job. I’d get the part if I gave the performance of my life, though.”
I smiled at her and pulled my blue shirt down over my tank top, flipping my hair over my shoulder as I finished.
Despite what I’d said, it still felt like a game changer day. I had two auditions for small, off Broadway shows today. The air hummed with an energy that pushed me forward eagerly, promising positive outcomes to my goals.
“Well, I’d better get going,” I said, turning away from the mirror above the hooks by the door.
Lizzy smiled from the spot on the couch she’d settled into after leaving the kitchen.
“Good lu—I mean, break a leg!”
“Thanks,” I laughed.
I walked out the door, my messenger bag hanging off one shoulder and a banana in one hand. My sneakers padded down the carpeted hall and I slid my phone into the pocket of my jeans, the excitement of another audition pulsing through my veins.
Surely there won’t be so many people this time, I thought as I exited the building and headed down the street.
As usual, people crowded the sidewalks, each lost in their own world. I soon became absorbed in peeling and eating my breakfast, the words to my monologue skipping through my mind at different bea
ts.
The subway ride was much the same, but I still loved everything around me. The city was like a fine wine, only getting better with time. The only thing I regretted was not getting there sooner. Every morning I woke up and felt like jumping for joy because my life’s dreams and ambitions were coming true all around me.
Then there was Chris. He was handsome, sweet, well off, and so not what I needed right now. Our last date had been the stuff that people make movies about and it terrified me. He was quickly becoming the brightest and darkest spot on my recollections of my time here so far. I needed something else to distract myself with before I fell off a cliff I wasn’t ready for. It didn’t seem very fair to him, but I had to focus on why I was here.
I realized I was unprepared for the audition location when I finally arrived. The last one had been at a nice studio building, created specifically for the purpose of theatre work. This one looked like it had been everything from a whore house to a law firm.
“Auditions three floors up, red door,” I read off the paper taped to the glass window in the entrance.
With a sigh and a nod, I pushed the door open and walked through the threshold, eyeing the worn staircase in front of me.
Something is better than nothing, I reasoned. If they ask you to take your clothes off, just leave. Better safe than sorry.
In a few moments, I found myself before the red, paint peeled door. Another sign read “Auditions here.” I didn’t know if I should knock, or just walk in.
A muffled male voice pressed through the wood and before I could move, the entrance swung open.
“Evan?”
Lizzy’s brother stared at me blankly for a second before breaking out into a huge smile.
“Mara! What are you doing here?”
“I came for the audition.”
Confusion jolted my brain as I tried to make sense of why Evan, the techie for big Broadway shows, was at an audition being held in the birth place of syphilis.
“Of course, you did,” he laughed, not noticing my questioning look. “My friend Steph wrote the show. I told her I’d come help out with stuff throughout the day. I’m on a coffee run, now. Do you want anything?”
Taking Chances: A Sweet Contemporary Romance (Dreams) Page 6