Chapter 12
WHEN YOU SUGGESTED meeting up for coffee, I had kind of pictured a coffee shop, I say, as we overlook the vast city below us. Oh, and coffee. I take another sip of my hot chocolate and give Sebastian a grin.
That was definitely the plan until you mentioned you’d never been to the Empire State Building before, he replies with a wink. What kind of expat are you?
I feel blood rush to my cheeks as I mumble, The kind who hasn’t been to the Statue of Liberty yet either.
Sebastian stares at me, baffled. Wow, this is worse than I thought, he says, shaking his head. Most first-timers in New York make sure to check off all the major landmarks during their first weekend in the city. What made you decide not to?
Licking the whipped cream moustache from my top lip, I give him an intense stare. Well. There’s this law firm with all these last-minute demands . . . I reply. So I’m mostly keeping busy with work, really, I add with a shrug.
What a bunch of jerks.
That makes me laugh. I kind of like Sebastian.
When he messaged to see if I wanted to grab coffee during my lunch break, I had to say yes.
Even though our conversation so far has been mostly about the Christmas party—he wanted to discuss the possibility of ice sculptures—I’m having a great time.
I just can’t quite figure out what Sebastian thinks about me.
Sure, he’s been laughing at my jokes and he’s given me a few looks that stirred up butterflies in my stomach.
But maybe he’s just being nice because I’m the one in charge of making his extravagant vision come true.
Men tend to see me as more of a pal than a potential friend with benefits.
My first kiss was only memorable in the worst possible way.
I was fourteen and I’d had a crush on one of my best friends for years.
When I finally scraped up the nerve to kiss him, he let out a noise that sounded more like a choking otter than the passionate moans I’d been hoping for.
He tried—and failed—to push me away when he realized his orthodontic headgear had magically hooked itself to my braces.
Long story short—that smooching attempt was wildly unsuccessful and it took me at least another year before initiating any more makeouts.
The absence of braces made my second time a lot smoother, at least.
Sebastian’s blonde hair is windswept now that we’re up on the eighty-sixth floor of the Empire State Building. The view is farther and wider than I ever could have imagined. He moves a little closer and I take a long inhale of the refreshing scent of his aftershave.
Check it out, he says, pointing at a spot far off in the distance. If you look hard enough, you can see all the way to Pennsylvania.
I squint, but I’m not exactly sure what I’m looking for. Where?
Sebastian gently grabs me by the shoulders to shift me in the right direction and I feel his warm fingertips through the thin fabric of my fall jacket.
Over there! He’s pointing at something that’s only visible because of today’s impeccable weather.
Ooh! I nod. That looks beautiful. Which way is the Statue of Liberty?
We wander around to the other side of the tower as I finish my last few drops of hot chocolate.
The view is truly stunning and for the first time I can actually comprehend the enormity of this city I get to call home for a year.
I see the huge green patch of Central Park, the World Trade Center, the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge I drove across on my way into the city .
. . It’s everything I imagined and more.
The opportunities are endless and every single person here helps make this city what it is in their own unique way.
We’re joined by more sight-seers, here to marvel at the views. Cameras flash all around me. Judging by all the different languages I can pick up on, they’re visiting from places all over the world.
I pull my phone from my pocket to take some pictures of One World Trade Center.
I shift to a different angle in an effort to be as touristy as possible—and my heart skips a beat.
I notice a tall man with dirty-blonde hair and a burgundy coat.
Gazing through the fence, he takes in the sights of the city below.
I’m caught off guard by how much he looks like Fedde.
Fedde who always wore burgundy sweaters and shirts and who’s now having a baby with his wife.
What are the odds they would have booked themselves a New York getaway?
The man turns around slowly until he’s looking right at me.
He’s holding a massive hot dog. Sighing in relief, I notice his eyes are a rich brown instead of the steel grey ones I was expecting.
He raises his eyebrows before glancing down at his coat, probably wondering whether he spilled something on it.
Quickly realizing that’s not the case, his gaze turns flirty.
Just as he’s about to approach, Sebastian shows up next to me.
The man freezes in his tracks, completely perplexed at the sight of Sebastian’s hand on my shoulder.
Are you done gawking? Sebastian asks. It’s not entirely clear who his question is for.
I turn to face him and encounter a kind look in his eyes. I am, I reply. Let’s get out of here.