Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

ONE WEEK LATER

Emily

Evelyn and I were in the back, looking over the rack of clothes she had designed when Katie came in with a wide grin across her face.

“Excuse me, Miss Wade. There is a gentleman here to see you.”

“Who?”

“I do believe his name is Mr. Jackson Caine.” She spoke in a fake Southern accent.

A flip in my belly caught me off guard as I stood there for a moment. Following her out of the backroom, I smiled when I saw him standing in front of the counter, dark blue designer suit and all.

“Hello there, Mr. Caine. What can I do for you?”

“Hello, Emily. It’s good to see you again.” The smile on his face widened.

“Good to see you too.”

He placed his arm on the counter and slightly leaned over it so his face was inches from mine.

“I was thinking that maybe we could have dinner tonight.”

“Is that so?” I smiled.

“Yes. Very so. What do you say?”

“I’d like that. What time?”

“What time works for you?” he asked.

“Six thirty?”

“Six thirty it is.”

“Where would you like to meet?” I asked.

“425 West 50th Street, Penthouse A.”

“We’re having dinner in a penthouse?”

“Not just any penthouse. My penthouse.” He smirked. “Just take the elevator all the way up to the top. I’ll make sure it’s unlocked.”

“All right. I’ll see you at six thirty.”

“I’ll be waiting.” He tapped his fist on the counter and began to walk away.

“You could have just called and asked me. You didn’t have to come here.”

He stopped and turned around.

“And become man drama? No thanks.” He winked as he walked out the door.

Evelyn emerged from the back and stood beside Katie as they watched Jackson leave the shop.

“He’s so dreamy.” Katie stared straight ahead.

“He sure is,” Evelyn replied.

“Another date. That’s great.” Katie smiled as she glanced over at me. “I’m thinking he might be the one.”

Rolling my eyes, I grabbed a piece of chocolate from under the counter and popped it in my mouth.

“There is no ‘the one,’ dear friend. He’s a nice guy and fun to hang with. That’s it.”

“You’re so having sex with him tonight,” Evelyn spoke.

Biting down on my bottom lip at the thought, I couldn’t deny it.

“I sure am.” I grinned, and we all laughed like a bunch of teenagers.

As I was leaving the shop around four thirty, my phone dinged with a text message from Jackson.

“By the way, dinner might run a little late, so you may want to pack a small overnight bag in case it’s too late to go home.”

I smiled as I typed my reply.

“I was already going to.”

As the cab driver pulled up to 425 West 50th Street, I reached into my wallet, handed him some cash, and climbed out with my purse and small bag. When I approached the door, a hot young guy, who I presumed was the doorman, held the door open for me.

“Thank you.”

“May I ask who you’re here to see?”

“Jackson Caine. He’s expecting me. He told me to take the elevator up to the top.” I smiled.

“Ah yes, Mr. Caine did say he was expecting you, Emily. You are Emily, correct?”

“Yes.” I grinned. “I’m Emily. Wouldn’t that have been awkward if I wasn’t?” I winked.

“Very awkward.” He smiled. “Enjoy your evening.”

When the elevator doors opened, I stepped into a small hallway, which forced me to turn right into the kitchen.

“Hello,” I spoke to the older man standing at the island.

“Good evening, miss.”

“Is Jackson here?”

“He told me to tell you that if he weren’t down when you arrived, he would be shortly.”

“Thank you.” I smiled.

Looking around his kitchen, it was amazing. White cabinets filled the walls with a light gray granite backsplash and matching countertops. The floor was also a light gray Italian marble that perfectly fit the décor and the high-end stainless-steel appliances.

“Welcome to my home.” Jackson smiled as he stepped into the kitchen and took my bag from me.

“Your kitchen is amazing, and I’m very jealous of your double oven.”

He let out a light chuckle. “Why?”

“Because I think they’re cool, and I always wanted one.”

“If you behave, maybe I’ll let you use it.” He winked. “Follow me, and I’ll give you a tour of the place. Maybe I have something else you can be jealous of.” He grinned.

He looked sexy as all fuck in his tan-colored khaki pants and dark blue button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. My lower half could barely contain the excitement.

“Here’s the living and dining area. And my office, bathroom, and guest bedroom are down that hallway over to your left.”

“Very nice,” I spoke as I looked over the space with beige walls, floor-to-ceiling windows, dark solid oak wood floors, and neutral-colored furniture made up of beige and red.

Following him up the stairs, we stepped into another living area with a wet bar, more floor-to-ceiling windows, and French double doors that led out to a huge terrace.

“Wow. " What a view,” I said as I stared into the breathtaking view of Manhattan.

“I love it out there on warm nights. It’s relaxing and a great way to unwind after a long work day.”

“I bet. I think I’m jealous of your terrace.” I laughed.

“And this is the room of all rooms.” He smirked as we stepped into his over-sized bedroom.

“I like it.” I bit my bottom lip as he set my bag down on his king-sized bed covered in a satin and ribbed-frame-patterned dark gray comforter with matching shams and decorative pillows.

“Thank you. Now that you’ve had the grand tour, how about some dinner?”

“Sounds great. I’m starving. By the way, who is that man in your kitchen?” I asked as I followed him downstairs.

“That’s Terrance, and he’s my personal chef.”

“You have your own chef?”

“Yes, and a housekeeper that comes and cleans twice a week.”

“Do you think that I could borrow them sometime?”

He laughed. “We’ll see.”

We took our seats in the dining room, and Terrance brought out delicious-looking salads made up of mixed greens, cucumbers, walnuts, dried cherries, and tomatoes drizzled with a rose champagne dressing. After pouring us each a glass of wine, he retreated back into the kitchen.

“Did you have a good week since we last saw each other?” I asked.

“I did. It was busy with back-to-back meetings every day, but overall, it was good. How about yours?”

“It was okay. I’m developing an online fashion boutique. I pretty much have everything squared away except a warehouse. I’ve been looking all week and finally found one, but I’m afraid the rent is too high.”

“How much is it per square foot?” he asked.

“Twenty dollars for the first year.”

“What’s the square footage?”

“Twenty thousand square feet.”

“That does seem awfully high. He really should only be charging about fifteen dollars a square foot.”

“I’ll find the right place. It may take a while, but I’ll find it. I don’t give up on something I want.”

“I like your confidence.” He grinned.

“How was your dinner that night at Gramercy Tavern?” I asked as Terrance set my plate down in front of me.

“It was good.”

“Your date was very pretty.”

“She wasn’t my date. She’s my sister’s best friend, and I asked her for help in planning a surprise birthday party for her.”

“Oh. Wait a minute. You and your sister already had your birthdays.”

“I know. She’s worked so hard over the past couple of years getting her Ph.D., and she had to work a double shift on our birthday. So, as far as I’m concerned, she deserves a party.”

A warm feeling grew inside me at the sweetness of this man.

“That’s really sweet of you, Jackson.”

“By the way, I know you weren’t on a date with that guy.”

“Yes, I was.” I took a sip of wine.

“No, you weren’t. I saw you when I walked into the restaurant and saw him and the other girl kiss each other. Why did you lie?”

Shit.

“To be honest, I don’t know why I said it. Maybe because I felt odd being there without a date. Then I saw you had a date, and I just wanted you to think I was cool and had a date.”

“Just for the record, I already think you’re cool.” He smirked.

After dinner, we took the bottle of wine and our glasses, went out on the terrace, and took seats in the lounge chairs facing Manhattan. It was getting dark, and the city was brightly lit up.

“I can see why you love it out here. It’s beautiful and relaxing.” I lay back in the chair with my glass of wine.

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