I was downright shocked when he told me the price range. The shock quickly turned to gratitude when I realized spending that kind of money not only affords us an amazing view. It also means I can walk to work when the trains are delayed.
I sigh as I lean back in my lounge chair, a cold bottle of beer clutched in one hand. You can take the girl out of Brooklyn, and all that. Ethan has yet to find a varietal of wine consistent enough for my palate.
The softly lit Washington Square Arch stands solemnly on my right. The city lights shimmer against a backdrop of dark sky, wrapping around me like a cozy duvet. My Manhattan security blanket.
I spend a few minutes on the rooftop every night, taking in the views to remind myself how lucky I am; how thankful I am to be home. How grateful I am that Ethan rescued me from the internship in Paris.
But the view is bittersweet today. Why? Because it’s nearly ten p.m., and Ethan seems to have forgotten the two-year anniversary of the day he saved me from the miserable life of a low-paid intern. Or, as he lovingly refers to it, the day he spared the citizens of France from my underdeveloped wine palate.
I wonder sometimes if we’re just in a rut. We’ve been together two years. The sex is still phenomenal, but we’ve started frequenting the same restaurants instead of venturing out of our comfort zone. And we’re spending less time together. This is mostly because Ethan has been spending so much time helping my dad open a new family restaurant.
This time, Ethan is the one funding the project. The experience has been humbling for my father, but it’s brought the two most important men in my life to become more than just business partners. In fact, I’ve concluded recently that Ethan and my dad are becoming BFFs.
“Getting an early start,” Ethan says as he watches me place my empty beer bottle on the table next to my lounge chair.
I shrug, not really in the mood to joke about my drinking habits.
“I brought you something,” he says, placing a plate on the table next to my empty bottle.
I smile when I see the layers of flaky puff pastry stacked between layers of whipped cream and fresh raspberries. “Did Judy make that?”
He takes a seat on the lounge chair on the other side of the table. “I made the raspberries.”
I shake my head. “You grew them on your nonexistent farm or you made them in your pretend lab?”
“I made them magically appear using my powers of seduction.”
I chuckle as I sit up to get a better look at my Napoleon framboise. “What’s that for?” I ask, pointing at the tiny porcelain cup full of silky, dark chocolate sauce.
“I thought you might want to try something different.”
I look at him like he’s crazy. “Why would I want to do that? Napoleon framboise is perfect exactly the way it is. It’s the perfect dessert. We’ve had this discussion many times before.”
He laughs at my passionate frustration. “Well, sometimes it’s good to go outside your comfort zone. You don’t want to get in a rut.”
I sigh as I realize I can’t keep quiet any longer. “Are you forgetting something?”
His eyebrows shoot up questioningly. “Am I?”
I stare at him for a moment, searching for a sign that he’s really forgotten our anniversary and isn’t just torturing me. But the clueless expression on his gorgeous face looks genuine.
I shake my head as I dip my index finger into the whipped cream. “Never mind.”
He watches me as my lips close around my fingertip. “I can’t believe I forgot,” he says, and my ears prick up as he reaches into his pocket. “Your dad asked me to ask you if you can help him with the Mise en Place app tomorrow. He’s having a problem syncing it with the inventory.”
My stomach drops as he pulls his phone out of his pocket, and I realize I got my hopes up for nothing. “Tomorrow’s Friday. I can’t be in two places at once. I have to be at Forked for family meal.”
He taps a few times and swipes his finger across the screen. “You can skip that. Your dad needs you.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “Send Mike to help him,” I say, referring to the IT guy we use at Forked. “Why does it have to be me? I have a life, you know. My life doesn’t revolve around you and my dad. You know what? I just came up with the perfect name for his restaurant: Bromance. I hope you two live happily ever after.”
He chuckles, completely nonplussed by my annoyance. “That would be a strange name for your restaurant.”
As I reach for the cup of chocolate sauce, his words click into place in my mind. “What did you say?”
He smiles as he turns his screen toward me. “Happy anniversary, love.”
I lean forward to read the words on the document displayed on his phone. Squinting at the bright screen, my eyes instantly well up as I read the key phrases: Commercial Real Estate Purchase Agreement… Ethan Thorne (Seller)… Alice Lopez (Buyer)… Purchase Price: $1.00.
“What the… I thought…”
Ethan places his phone down on the table and takes my hand in his. “This was the only way your father would work with me. He refused to let me buy the restaurant unless it was for you.”
I wince as I remember how just a moment ago I was resenting Ethan for forgetting our anniversary. How could I ever resent this beautiful man who has brought nothing but joy and love into my life?
“I thought you forgot our anniversary,” I say, clutching my chest at the thought.
He shakes his head. “As if I could forget the day I almost bowled over three pedestrians in the valet zone at JFK.”
“The day you saved the beautiful people of France from my bad taste in wine?”
“The day you made me
