He chuckles. "You're far too friendly to be a native."
I smile. "I'll take that as a compliment. But I actually AM from Manhattan, just not the one in New York."
Aiden waits for me to explain.
"I'm from Manhattan, Kansas. It's a small college town. I liked growing up there but I always dreamed of going to the other Manhattan so when I heard about this job opportunity, I took it."
"And how do you like it?"
"The job isn't great but I'm learning a lot."
"I meant the city."
"Oh, it's good. I mean, it's not what I imagined. I only knew what I saw in movies and on TV. When I actually got to New York, I realized how much money it takes just to survive there. I'm basically living in a closet. Like literally, my mom's walk-in closet back home is about the same size of my apartment."
He nods. "Been there. Luckily, my job pays well so I've been able to afford a bigger place but yeah, the early days were rough."
"You're not a New Yorker either?"
"I lived there as a kid, then we moved to Boston, which is where I went to college. My parents are still there. I moved back to New York for this job. I don't mind living there, but then I come to a town like this and think it'd be nice to live in a place that wasn't so crowded."
"I like it here too. I just wish I could relax and not have to work." I sip my drink, noticing it's even stronger than the first one.
"You two sticking around for dinner?" Charlie asks.
Aiden looks at me. "What do you think?"
"Oh, um, we don't need to have dinner. I can just take something back to my room."
"Or we could continue to talk business, which means dinner's on me."
That does sound appealing. The restaurant's expensive and I'd rather not add to my credit card bill. And I have to admit, I'm kind of enjoying Aiden's company.
"I guess I could have dinner."
"We don't start serving until five," Charlie says. "But feel free to hang out here until then." He walks off, going through the door to the kitchen.
Aiden swigs back his bourbon, then sets the glass down. "So tell me about yourself. What's life like in Kansas? All I know about it is what I saw in The Wizard of Oz."
I smile. "It's nothing like that. The houses don't lift off the ground and fall on witches."
He laughs.
"It's actually really nice there. Peaceful. Quiet. Clean air. Kind of like here, although Vermont's prettier with all the trees and the mountains."
"It is beautiful here. You really should consider going on that hike with me tomorrow. Let's just call it a walk. Less intimidating that way."
"I would, but my mom taught me never to go into the woods with strangers." I say it like I'm joking but it's true.
"Then let's make sure we're not strangers by tomorrow." He flashes that smile before finishing his drink.
Was he flirting with me or just making a comment? I can't tell with this guy. I'm tempted to ask if he has a girlfriend but if I do, he'll think I'm interested in him, which I'm not. Well, I might be if things weren't so dire right now. I don't have time for a boyfriend. I have to focus on work and getting that promotion. If I don't, I'll be kicked out on the streets and forced to leave New York, proving to everyone back home that I couldn't make it in the big city. There's no way I'm letting that happen. I said I could do this and I will, but it'll only happen if I get a raise.
"So tell me," Aiden says, his forearm casually resting on the bar, his body turned toward me. "Why event planning? Is that something you always wanted to do?"
"Not really. I didn't even know it was a job until one of my friends from college was getting married and hired someone to help her plan it. I was working in retail at the time and needed some extra cash. The wedding planner asked if I wanted to work for her on weekends, which I did, and ended up loving it. She was friends with Bianca, which is how I got the job in New York."
"Bianca owns the business?"
"No, she's my boss. She works constantly and expects me to do the same. This is the first day I've had off since I started a year ago."
"I work a lot too. I technically don't work weekends but I have to attend events for our clients so it's basically work, just a different kind."
"Are you married?" I blurt out, instantly regretting it. Why did I ask him that? We were talking about work, not our personal lives. But the thought keeps popping in my head and the words just slipped out.
"No, although my mother wishes I was," he says with a laugh. "Every time we talk she mentions how all her friends' sons are already married and having children. She makes sure to emphasize that they're younger than me."
"How old are you?"
"Thirty-three."
"Huh." I eye him. "You look younger. I would've guessed you were in your late twenties."
He smiles. "I'll tell my mother that. Maybe that'll get her to stop pushing me to get married."
"What's the rush? She wants a grandchild?"
"More than one. At least three."
"Wow. You better hurry up or you'll be a really old dad," I kid.
He chuckles. "I'm not worried about it. I keep myself in shape."
I glance down at his body, at his sweater that's pulled taut over his broad chest. It clings to the muscles in his arms, enough that I can see them flex as he picks up his drink.
I'm starting to rethink my rule about not dating. This guy is really hot and easy to talk to, and we live in the same city. Maybe we could go out sometime, just as friends, and see how it goes.
"Do you
