Last-Minute Love (from 2nd book in the Year of the Chick series)

Chapter Four

After a tour of the CEO’s office as well as some mammoth board rooms (with more spectacular views in each one), Erik led us back to his office.

“I hope you liked the tour Romi,” he said, quickly turning to Laura and Dave. “And I hope you two didn’t mind it for a second time.”

Laura smiled. “Are you kidding? I didn’t get to use the CEO’s bathroom last time!”

Erik looked slightly uncomfortable. “Let’s keep that one to ourselves.”

“I loved the tour,” I said. “Thank you for that! Plus now I can share all the confidential documents I stole with my spies.” I smiled sweetly.

“Security will be on you in a heartbeat,” he said.

I laughed as I thought of the senile guard in the corridor.

“Don’t laugh, Jim might be old but he’s a very nice man. He’s also very good at tripping people.” I once again felt exposed, only now because he’d read my mind. Meanwhile those pale blue eyes were stabbing me deep again. I quickly pulled out my phone, which was luckily a real distraction.Half past three? Our itinerary is getting screwed!

“Laura…library soon? Pleeease? I need to be inspired.” The New York Public Library was so important to me, not because it had been featured in the “Sex and the City” movie, but because it was like a pilgrimage for every writer. The exquisite architecture, the endless halls of books…I need to be there.

Erik seemed curious. “The library is your inspiration? Tell me---”

“Laur, you guys go,” Dave suddenly said. He was scrolling his BlackBerry and looking perplexed. “I have to check on some things before I meet the VPs for dinner. Let me know what bar you guys end up at.” He put away his phone and gave Laura a goodbye kiss. It was definitely more romantic than a peck.

Erik elbowed me as their kiss lingered on. “What do you think of that?” he said.

I frowned. “It’s quite disgusting.”

“And very unprofessional,” he added.

We looked at each other and smiled, which for some reason made me think of James yet again.

I quickly looked away.

***

The elevator door closed shut and I didn’t waste a second.

“So how old is he? And is he gay?”

Laura almost choked on her saliva. “Why would you think he’s gay?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “He’s really nice, he’s fit…you just never know with Europeans. They like to experiment, don’t they?”

She laughed. “Well he definitely isn’t gay. Let’s see he’s thirty-three, he’s on a work visa, and he has a serious girlfriend in Denmark.” She turned to me. “Which is where he’s from. And where he’ll return some day. In other words: off limits.”

I rolled my eyes. “As if I care? This is a NO-MAN trip.”

“Good, then we’re agreed.”

“We’re SO agreed!” I scoffed and shook my head, as I tried not to think about those probing pale blue eyes.

***

I wanted to cry.

That’s how beautiful the New York Public Library was. If a library in New York could do this to me, I could only imagine what Paris would do. Like what would happen if I ever got to step into the “Café de la Rotonde,” with its hundred-year-old walls still haunted by artistic icons like Picasso and Hemingway? That place was at the top of my “to see in Paris” list, both for its early history of letting starving artists pay in drawings, and for its ability to maintain its bohemian charm even a hundred years later.Sigh.