42. Victoria
42
VICTORIA
I watch Tanner grabbing his things from where I sit on his sofa overlooking Central Park. I love this view. I love this city, and I miss it. But I miss Whispers and the peacefulness it brings even more. We spent all night wrapped up in each other, then I spent all morning walking around his penthouse. It’s incredible. Whoever he had do the interiors certainly knew what they were doing.
“Are you ready?” he asks, coming to stand beside me.
“Well, am I dressed okay?” I ask as I stand, his hand coming to my hip like a magnet.
He is taking me out for lunch but won’t tell me where. I look down at myself. It’s a casual outfit, just a light sweater and jeans, with my thin scarf as my hint of pink.
“You’re always dressed okay,” he says with a smile, looking down at me like I am his everything. My stomach flutters.
“A few months ago, you would scold me for not having proper boots,” I tease as I narrow eyes playfully .
“A few months ago, you were my annoying new neighbor.”
“Mm-hmm. And now?” Lifting up on my toes, I press a kiss to his cheek.
“And now you are still my neighbor and still annoying,” he says with a smirk, tapping my ass and making me laugh. “You look beautiful. Let’s go.”
Taking my hand in his, we head down to a waiting town car and start our journey.
“Soooo, where are you taking me?” I ask, intrigued, as my body melts into the leather seats of the town car. Tanner reaches out and takes my hand in his, his palm warm against my skin, and I am not sure I have ever felt so content with a man.
“You’ll see.” Looking out the car window at the city landscape, he doesn’t give anything away.
“Is it more whiskey tasting?” I ask cheekily, and his head swivels to look at me, his eyes a molten brown.
To say last night took us to a whole other level is an understatement. I am not sure if it was the whiskey, the big night at the gala, the luxurious penthouse, or maybe just being away from Whispers, but we were explosive. I have never felt as connected to another person in my life, and I find myself falling even harder with every day that passes.
“No whiskey. Not yet. Did you like it?” he asks, watching me carefully.
“The whiskey or the tasting?” I clarify, my voice teasing. His thumb strums my hand as his other comes to his face, and he brushes them across his lips like he is remembering the taste of last night .
“Both,” he says, his eyes not wavering from mine.
“I am not a whiskey connoisseur, but I really liked the liquor last night. I haven’t had a tasting like it before, and I would like to do that again. It seemed easier to drink…” I say, and a small growl emits from his chest.
“Me too,” he agrees, and his smile is almost deadly as I feel the car pull up to the curb.
“We’re here.” Bringing my hand to his lips, he kisses it before jumping out and keeping the door open for me. I slide along the seat and take his hand again to step out, looking around and seeing the familiar street.
“Benny’s!” I shout so loud the people walking past turn to look at me.
“We need to eat, and you said they had the best burgers,” he says simply, and I look at him, wide-eyed. I mentioned it once, and he remembered.
“Oh my God, I am so happy!” My smile’s wide as I grip on to his hand and step toward him, giving him a kiss to show my gratitude. His other hand wraps around my waist, pulling me close. It isn’t just the burgers, although they are delicious. It is the fact that he remembers my little comments, the things I like, and wants to experience them with me. He listens.
“Come on, let’s go eat,” he says, pulling me along, and I follow him quickly, my stomach now rumbling.
We walk in and the place is busy, but they greet Tanner like they know exactly who he is, and we are taken to a table farther down the back. A few people look at us, and I know it isn’t because of me, but rather the tall, brooding man leading me to the back. It isn’t a posh place. Even though he is in jeans and a sweater, he looks more distinguished than anyone else here. Tanner probably won’t even like the burgers after the absolute smorgasbord of divine food we ate at the gala last night.
“About time you got here. I was about to eat my left arm!” a female voice says, and my breath catches.
“Fiona!” I scream and run the remaining few steps to her. She jumps up from her seat, and we hug for probably a full minute. It feels so good to see her.
“What are you doing here?” I ask. I told her we were coming, and I had plans to call her tomorrow to arrange to catch up.
“Oh, lover boy neighbor here wanted to make sure we got to see each other. He suggested Benny’s, and then I told him that I would marry him if you didn’t,” she says, smiling and I laugh, missing her.
“So you have already met?” I ask, looking between her and Tanner.
“Not officially. I’m lover boy neighbor, Tanner Whiteman,” Tanner says with a chuckle, holding out his hand.
“Fiona. Best friend, hurt her and you die. Pleased to meet you,” Fiona says, and as they shake, I smile. It feels good seeing my two favorite people together.
“She is more likely to hurt herself the way she climbs ladders and drives cars, but I will always be there to save her.”
Fiona laughs, and he winks my way, even as I roll my eyes.
“Let’s eat. I have heard all about these famous burgers, so they better live up to the hype,” Tanner says, pulling out my chair, and I catch Fiona looking at me with approval on her face .
“We should totally go to Maison Pickle for cake afterward. Give Tanner the cake experience too while you’re at it,” Fiona suggests, and my eyes widen in excitement.
“Already organized. They are expecting us,” Tanner says, and I sit in shock. He catches my surprised gaze and smiles, making my chest spread with warmth. Grabbing my hand under the table, he gives it a squeeze. “You’re staring and drooling…” he murmurs jokingly, and I huff a small laugh.
“Oh my, you two are so cute.” Her smile is giddy as she picks up the menu, looking at it like she has no idea what to order, when in reality, we always order the same thing every time.
My shoulders lower, and I feel so much gratitude sweep through me as I sit here taking in this moment. Tanner is amazing. Making such an effort to meet my friend and take me to the places he knows I miss the most. He hasn’t let go of my hand under the table, his thumb running over my skin, and I swallow roughly. The feelings I have for this man are coming in thick and fast. He couldn’t be more perfect if he tried.
“So, how is the house coming along?” Fiona asks as she sets the menu down.
“It’s looking great. I only have the kitchen and laundry to do, really. I’m just waiting on the builder to come,” I tell her, not able to contain my broad smile.
“I knew you would do it. You’re stubborn like that,” Fiona quips.
“Tell me about it,” Tanner murmurs, and I turn my head to look at him .
“What? Are you two ganging up on me already?” I say in jest, smiling as they both share a look of amusement.
“I just mean that you always push yourself. When you set your mind to something, you do it. I knew that house would be the perfect project for you, and I knew that no matter what it took, you would make it into something really beautiful,” she says, and it fills me with pride. It was a big job, and now it is almost complete. But the fear of failing, the fear of setting out to do this mammoth project and not succeeding, that was a scenario I didn’t want to deal with.
“Push herself is right. You have a strong work ethic, Victoria. The property has never looked as good as it does now, and that is all due to your commitment and hard work,” Tanner says, squeezing my hand, and I feel my cheeks heat at his compliment.
“It just needed a bit of love, that is all,” I say to them both, playing down my achievements a little.
“So, have you been to your apartment yet?” Fiona asks, just as the waitress comes to take our order.
“Apartment?” Tanner asks, looking at me with a frown, his soft eyes now wrinkled in confusion.
“Yeah, I still have my apartment here,” I say sheepishly. We haven’t really talked too much about logistics, but I know Whispers is now home.
“I didn’t know,” he says, quietly watching me. I feel like I have done something wrong, but I push the feeling down.
“I kept it just in case Whispers didn’t work out. You know, a safety net,” I try to explain with a small shrug, because it really isn’t that big of a deal. Tanner’s face is deep set before he nods, and then his cell rings. Pulling it out, he looks at the screen.
“It’s Connor. I need to take this. Excuse me,” he says, standing and pressing a kiss to my head. I watch the back of him as he walks outside before Fiona kicks me under the table.
“Oh my God, he is sooooo into you. He has been staring at you in awe from the moment you arrived,” she says, and I smile, feeling giddy. “Plus, wow, he’s a good-looking man.”
“I know. He really is perfect,” I say as those familiar flutters return to my belly.
“Perfect is right. He flew you here, brings you to your favorite burger place, then is also taking us to grab cake. From everything you’ve told me already, too, I mean, seriously, he is a keeper.” She takes a sip of her cola, smiling around her straw as she looks at me.
“I think I am really falling for him, Fi,” I tell her honestly, and her face turns serious.
“Are you in love with him?” she asks me point-blank. I am quiet for a moment, thinking about her question. I moved to Whispers only a few months ago, and the whole thing has been such a blur. But I’m nodding before I even get the words out.
“Yes. I am in love with him,” I say, breathing out, my chest feeling hot and heart beating faster at the realization.
I am in love with my billionaire neighbor.
Tanner and I have been in New York for a few days. He agreed that Benny’s did, indeed, have the best burgers. So much so, we also went back the next day. After we enjoyed some delicious cake, Fiona and I took him to our favorite little bar, the one where she met Tyler. But he was nowhere to be seen.
Although the city was home for me for so long, it does feel strange coming back. It has been months since I was here last, and even though I grew up in this city, there is nothing familiar about his lifestyle. A penthouse in the sky, looking like it is straight out of a magazine, does nothing but spark creativity in my design thoughts, the city luxury now ingrained in my brain.
“Well, here it is,” I say, stopping at the door of my apartment while I fish out the keys. It was a nice morning, so we walked here through Central Park, holding hands and people watching like old lovers. Now I watch Tanner looking around the hallway. It is nothing like his, but it is neat, safe, and in New York, that is luxury to me.
“I finally get to see your before,” he murmurs, smiling at me. His hand stays firmly around my waist, always keeping me close. We haven’t talked any more about me keeping this apartment. But as a single girl moving to a small town, I knew I needed a safety net and had to look after myself.
“Hmm, well, it’s not as luxurious as your place, so keep your expectations low,” I laugh, opening the door and stepping inside, then turning on the lights to brighten up the place. “Home sweet home,” I say, but the words feel foreign. Picking up the mail from the floor, I place it on the kitchen counter as Tanner walks in slowly behind me, taking it all in, a small smile on his face.
“It’s cute and has personality. Like you,” he says, looking way too big in this small apartment.
I sigh, almost shuddering as I take it in myself. It truly doesn’t feel like home anymore. There is a slight stale smell, it feels cold and claustrophobic, and memories of Josh fill the space, making me feel like I am stepping back in time.
“I’ll just go and grab some things.” I’m already itching to leave and thinking I will pack up everything permanently at some point soon. A few days here is not long enough, and this trip was about the two of us having some time away from the craziness of Whispers.
“Sure, take your time,” Tanner says, walking into the living room and looking at the photos on the wall. I watch him for a moment, taking his time like he is memorizing each photo. My heart warms having him here with me. Watching him take in my former life and not balk at it. I see him smirk as he picks up a photo of my mom and me, an old one from Halloween.
I have one more month left on my current lease until I need to renew, but with paying money on this apartment, plus the money I need to live and renovate in Whispers, my bank balance is taking a beating, and it isn’t sustainable. But I can’t move permanently without long-term job prospects. The work I am doing with Griffin is great, but it could be a one-time thing. It may not lead to anything.
Like everything else in my life, though, I will figure it out. When I want something enough, I always do. With that thought lodging in my brain and in my heart, I head to my bedroom and pack two bags with as much as I can fit, knowing that my time living in this apartment is most likely coming to an end.
Because in Whispers and with Tanner is where I want to be.