Chapter 10
Ellie
I practically jogged home after work, eager to get as much primp time as possible. Harper was in the living room, as usual. For once, she was watching Netflix and not grading papers or doing a craft project.
"Hey, roommate," I said.
"Hey, do you want to grab dinner?"
"No, I’m going out with Ian, and I'm not sure, but I think it’s a date."
She straightened up. "Finally. You need to jump his bones. He’s too hot to be just a friend."
I grinned. “He really is hot. I'm not sure what to wear," I said honestly.
"When in doubt, dress for a date," Harper said with conviction.
I laughed. "I was thinking the same thing."
I chose to put on a red cashmere dress. It was warm and cozy—one of my favorite outfits.
It was a steal I bought in a thrift store this summer.
It was simple, but it molded to my curves in a way that sweaters never did.
I paired it with high- heeled ankle boots, and I also had tights underneath.
They were nude, so they weren’t super noticeable unless you were close.
But I needed them because October had rolled in with a bang—namely, a freezing wind.
I also put on a white coat. It wasn't water repellent, so I hoped we would get lucky with the weather or that we wouldn't have to walk much.
"You look stunning. I love your style," Harper said. "You look like a million bucks."
"Thanks. I buy everything on sale, and I go to thrift stores regularly."
"Really? I can never find anything there."
"I have lots of practice, and you can find so many gems. Sometimes I don’t understand the people who gave them away, because they are so beautiful. But hey, their loss is my gain."
The doorbell rang at seven o'clock on the dot.
"Just pretend I'm not here," Harper said before disappearing into her room.
I buttoned up my coat, opening the door.
Ian took a huge step back, looking me up and down.
I swear I felt as if he could see through my coat.
I'd arranged my hair in fluffy curls and put on long earrings.
They were sexy—just like my ankle boots.
I closed the front door, and he kissed me the next second, pressing me against it.
Oh my God, thank heavens I didn't have lipstick on.
He explored my mouth until I felt his kiss in every cell of my body, as if he was kissing me everywhere.
I pressed my thighs together and sucked in my tummy.
When he pulled back, I said, "That's the best way to say hello. "
“And make you wet.” He parted my legs with his knee, trapping my gaze with his.
“I will neither deny nor confirm that.” I infused my voice with as much sass as possible.
“I’ll check later. And I’ll be very thorough.”
“What are we doing?” I asked, needing to change the subject before I melted. “Where are you taking me?”
“Where do you want to go?”
“Hmm… why don’t you surprise me? Take me somewhere you like.”
He looked at me intently as if he was trying to figure something out.
“I know just the place.”
Half an hour later, we were sitting on one of the wooden benches in the Battery Park Overlook, watching the New York harbor. The air was humid, and seagulls circled above. I enjoyed the view immensely.
“I love this place,” I said.
“It grounds me.”
“I can understand that.” Ian bringing me to this special place of his made my heart happy.
He immediately pulled me into his lap, making me laugh.
“What?” he asked.
“It took you no time at all to do this.”
“It’s the best way to keep you warm,” he said seriously.
“I see. Very gallant of you.”
He rubbed his hands up and down my arms before undoing two buttons of my coat.
“You’re undressing me to keep me warm?” I challenged, fighting laughter.
“I’m not undressing you. Just undoing these two buttons so I can do this.” He rested his palms on my waist. I felt my body temperature rise the second he touched me, so maybe there was something to his theory.
“Ian… what are we doing exactly?” I asked.
His gaze turned serious. “I enjoy you, Ellie. When I’m not with you, I think about you. I’ll be honest. I have no clue what I’m doing. I’m not good at relationships. I haven’t even tried before. And I know you’re going to New Orleans soon, but until then… you’re all mine.”
I touched his lips, considering his words. I liked that he was so open. I didn’t want to think about further down the road any more than he did. Usually, I was excited about my next placement and would research the city thoroughly, but not this time.
“I like the sound of that.”
“What did you feel this weekend?”
"I was happy," I said honestly. "The way you took care of me, I'm not used to it..." His eyes clouded, and I wondered if I said too much and if I was scaring him away.
“What are we telling Henry?”
I considered this for a few seconds. “Not sure. I wouldn’t even know what to tell him.”
Ian nodded. “He’s my best friend, though. He might be able to read between the lines.”
I shimmied in his lap, putting his hands back on my waist. “Well, if he does, we’ll deal with it. I’m just not in the mood to hear a speech about how I’ll end up hurt and?—”
“Ellie!”
I startled at the urgency in his voice. He took one hand out of my coat, putting it on my cheek.
“I can’t promise you much, but know this. I won’t hurt you, okay? I won’t.”
“I believe you,” I said playfully, even as my chest filled with warmth. “But Henry might not.”
He groaned. “Yeah. He might not. But he’s a good brother. He’s just looking after you and wants the best for his sister—a guy who checks off all the boxes.”
I didn’t like him talking about another man in my life. I didn’t want to think too much about what was coming after New York. After Ian.
“How often do you come here?” I asked, looking to change the subject.
“Probably once or twice a month—whenever I have a stressful day and want to decompress. It reminds me of home a bit.”
“Montana?”
“Yes.”
“How come? It’s not green or anything.”
“It’s not too crowded. I love New York, but I like quiet and space too, and those aren’t easy to come by in the city.”
“You could move to Tarrytown, like Isabelle. I googled it after you told me about it. The pictures look amazing.”
“I might one day,” he said vaguely. “But right now, I like being in Manhattan.”
“I love it too. It’s an exciting place to be. And the gastronomy scene is hands down the best in the country.”
“Then why enroll in a program with a rotation? Why not just apply for a permanent job here?”
“Several reasons. It’s incredibly hard to get a job in New York even though it has a ton of Michelin-starred restaurants.”
“And the other reason?” he asked.
“Oh, yeah. Well, a rotation helps me get more experience. Typically, if you work with one chef for many years, you sort of learn their style. I want to develop my own, so that’s why I looked for a rotational program.”
Ian looked at me intently but didn’t say anything else for a few seconds.
“So after you finish the rotation, you’re going to search for another one?”
“I haven’t thought that far yet. I’ll see. I have seen a few programs that are on different continents—one even had a one-year placement in Tokyo.”
“Tokyo?” He frowned as if he wasn’t sure he understood me.
“Yes. Did you know that it has the highest density of Michelin restaurants in the world?”
“No, I didn’t know.”
“It’s everyone’s dream, but I’m not sure if I want to travel that far. I’ll see. The downside to all these rotational programs is the pay, to be honest. It’s a fraction of a normal salary, and I’m not sure how long I’ll want to have roommates and be super frugal.”
He was silent for a few beats. I wondered what he was thinking about.
“I’ve never been passionate about what I do the way you are,” he said after a while.
“Really?” That was surprising. “I assumed you went into software because you liked it.”
“I do like it—mostly because I’m very skilled at it. I’m just not passionate about it. But a few years ago, Dylan wanted to start a business, and I didn’t want him to shoulder all that risk by himself. We came up with Gallagher Solutions.”
Oh, wow. This man was incredible.
“What’s with that look?” he asked.
I tried to school my features. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yes, you do.”
Shrugging one shoulder, I brought my mouth to his ear. “You can’t know all my secrets.”
He pulled back a few inches, looking me straight in the eyes. He cupped my jaw, touching my lips with his fingers. “I’ll learn them. One by one. I’m patient.”
His voice was so deliciously sensual that I wasn’t even sure what to do with myself. I needed a distraction. I curled up in a position that made it easier to look around us.
“It’s so peaceful here,” I murmured. “I’ve always liked being outdoors.
Back home, I spent hours in the backyard, reading.
When Dad was still at home, that’s where I went when they started fighting.
Henry was lucky. Being older, he spent a lot of time at his friends’ houses, but I didn’t.
” I’d felt lonely without my brother, especially once he left for college.
“Did it get better once they divorced?”
“Sort of. There wasn’t much fighting anymore, but Mom was very sad. I’m not sure if it was actual depression or not, but she wasn’t herself. Sometimes we’d even drive to where the other woman lived so that we could check if Dad’s car was there.”
My stomach clenched at the memories. I remembered clutching the seat, and my heart beating so fast that I could hear it in my ears.
Ian frowned. “And you never told her it bothered you?”
“No, I didn’t want to hurt her feelings, and she had no one else to talk to. I think she felt ashamed—like other people might judge her or something. I’m not sure.”
“And your dad?”
“I didn’t see him much. Mostly weekends or vacations.
I used to wait in front of the house for him to pick me up so Mom didn’t see him.
She got in a frenzy every time. I think she was also a bit mad that I still wanted to spend time with him despite the stuff she told me.
Part of her was hoping I’d be too angry to want to see him again. ”
Thinking back on those rough years always made me sad, but sharing it with Ian somehow made me feel lighter.
“That’s harsh.”
“It was a very difficult time for her. I don’t blame her. She did the best she could, and she’s changed a lot since then.”
“Did your dad marry the woman he was with after the divorce?”
“No, they broke up. He met his current wife shortly after that. Everyone found their balance eventually. But let’s not talk about them anymore. We’re here in this amazing place. Let’s enjoy it.”
A buzzing sound caught my attention. Ian took the phone out of his pocket. I didn’t mean to look, but the screen was right there next to me.
Up for some drinks and fun in bed?
I froze. Ian groaned. He looked from the screen to me. I was trying to put on a poker face, but I felt a knot in my throat.
“You saw that?”
I nodded, unsure what to say. My heart was pounding in my ribcage.
“She’s someone I hooked up with months ago a couple of times, nothing more.”
“Okay.” My heart rate intensified yet again. It felt like it was about to jump out of my chest. “So, what are you going to tell her?”
“No, obviously.”
Relief rushed through me. My whole body felt lighter. Ian must have noticed the change in me, because he turned to me, bringing both hands on my face. “Ellie, you thought I’d sleep with someone else?”
“No, I mean… I don’t have experience with this, and we never talked about it.” I spoke quickly. My voice was a bit uneven.
“Let me make this clear: I’m not even thinking about anyone else. Only you. Do you understand that?”
I nodded again. A smile popped up on my face of its own accord, and it just kept spreading until my face was literally hurting.
“I like the sound of that,” I confessed, feeling a bit silly. “Let’s talk about something else. Does Dylan also like to come here?”
“I always come here by myself,” he said.
“Thank you for sharing this place with me.”
“It’s our secret.”
I made a zipping gesture over my lips. “I’m not telling anyone.”
Butterflies roamed in my belly. I couldn’t believe I was the first one he brought here.
Still, unease gnawed at me because of that text.
With the way he looked, I imagined he got lots of them.
What if he tired of waiting for me? I bit my lip, snapping myself out of that train of thought.
He’d shared this place—and a part of himself with me.
That meant something, and it filled me with immense joy.
I was usually always on the lookout for the next phase of my life, but for once, I was happy right where I was.