Sophia

 

 

"You look a little green." I push on his shoulder. "Did you get seasick?"

He shakes his head. "I think I was a sailor in a past life."

"Maybe a pirate," I joke. "Most likely you were forced to walk the plank."

He scratches his whisker covered jaw. "And you were a fair maiden back then too."

He's been like this all evening; completely attentive, protective and happy. I met him in front of Bartlett's Bar at six and we took an Uber to the Whitehall Terminal. He hesitated only briefly when we boarded the ferry, but once we were on the water, he relaxed.

"Are you hungry, Sophia?"

I am. I hadn't eaten after I left work. I rushed home to change into jeans and a white sweater before I pulled on my coat, gloves, and a wool cap to help ward off the cool winds that I knew would whip at us from the water.

"I could go for a ham sandwich."

"I'll ignore that." He glances down the street. We're back in mid-town Manhattan now after Nicholas ordered an Uber to pick us up from the Terminal. "I know a burger place less than a block from here."

"I know a place where the chef makes one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I've ever had," I say quietly." There's even a baby grand piano there. I could play it while he cooks for me."

He traces his lower lip with his index finger. "You're sure?"

I am. I thought about this a lot at work today. I want to feel close to him again and although I don't know if I'll sleep with him tonight, I want to be at his apartment with him. "Absolutely."

"I'll call for another car."

"No." I stop his hand as he reaches for his phone. "Let's take the subway. It will be like the night we first met."

He swallows hard. "The best night of my life you mean."

"Play your cards right, Mark Twain, and tonight may be the best night of your life."

"I have a feeling you're right." He leans down to press his lips to my forehead. "This is already a night I'll never forget."

 

***

 

"You really do make an excellent grilled cheese sandwich." I run my finger over the last few toasted crumbs on my plate.

He eyes my lips. "I can make you another if you want."

"I'm full." I rub my stomach through the sweater I'm wearing. "I'll take another glass of sparkling water though."

"You're sure you don't want to sample the bottle of wine I bought?"

I glance at the still corked bottle sitting between us. "I have to work on one of the designs for the Ella Kara collection when I get home tonight. I need to be stone cold sober to do that."

He gets up from his chair to retrieve the sparkling water from the refrigerator. "Gabriel thinks this line may be Foster's most successful yet."

"He told you that?" I question as I watch him fill the elegant wine glass with water. "Tell me exactly what he said to you."

He smiles as he lowers himself back into his chair. "He said that he couldn't remember a designer with as much raw talent as you and he kicks himself every day that he didn't realize that sooner."

"He didn't know." I sigh. "I never told Gabriel that I was a designer."

"I know." He picks up my glass and takes a sip of the water. "Why did you keep that a secret?"

"It's simple." I close my eyes briefly and draw a deep breath. "I was scared that he wouldn't be impressed. I was worried that I'd show him and he'd tell me to focus on being an administrative assistant."

"You doubted your ability?"

"I've always known that I have an eye for fashion." I take a swallow of water. "I was confident in what I was doing but when I went to work for Gabriel, something changed."

"What changed?" He rests his elbow on the table.

"I knew that I had one chance to impress him and every time I created a new outfit, I felt I could do better. I wanted the piece I showed him to be perfect so I kept putting it off so I wouldn't be forced to face disappointment if he rejected my work."

"You blew him away." His tone is soft. "I suppose that's obvious in the offer he made to you."

"You know the details of my contract?" I suck in a deep breath.

"No," he answers quickly; decisively. "All I know is that you're running the collection for Ella Kara and Gabriel couldn't be happier."

"I'm happy too. In the fall everyone will finally see what I have to offer. I can't wait for that to happen."