The Very Rich Man (The Very Manly Series Book 3) Read online

  He kissed the top of her forehead. “Come on. You have more to see before we go home.”

  She followed him out, amazed at how he knew where to go without a map. They walked along with her mind still on the museum. Soon, the mélange of people, smells, and sights distracted her. When Darian held open the door to a well known coffee shop, she laughed and went inside. The comforting smell of fresh brew warmed her body and heart. She let him order for her, grinning when he waved away her credit card. They waited for their drinks a moment before she said, “I need to visit the ladies room.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  Chloe made her way through the slight crowd to the restroom. Her face looked a little puffy from the crying. She winced at the reflection. Nothing could change it now, so she wetted a paper towel and pressed it against the bags under her eyes for a few seconds. She moved over to let someone wash her hands. After a couple more dabs, she tossed the paper and left.

  She stepped out to see him at the far wall and staring out of the large window. Her breath caught at how attractive he was. He’d been perfectly tall enough for hugging, and last night? It felt wrong, somehow, to feel desire so soon after sorrow. Chloe pushed aside the thought for later.

  He held both of their drinks and something had his attention. This wasn’t the first time she’d admired his profile and probably wouldn’t be the last. When she reached his side, she tapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks for getting my coffee. It’s cool you know what I like.”

  “You know my preferences. It’s only fair I know yours.” He handed over her drink and started for the door. “More efficient to remember than to call or text and ask over and over again.”

  “True.” She held the door for him and they continued down the street. Her coffee was still half full by the time they reached the park. Even in the cold, people jogged, biked, or otherwise walked the trails.

  “We’ll need to be there by one. There’s security and I can’t remember if it’s before or after we board the ferry.” He paused to toss his empty cup into the trash.

  “I can look.” She took out her cell and searched. “Before.”

  “Thanks. Every place has its own safety measures.” He reached out to take her hand.

  She smiled, allowing him and enjoying his warmth. Soon enough, they were at security, letting go of each other to show id. They went to the front of the ferry to watch as the Statue of Liberty approached. The wind off the water chilled her to the bone. She smiled at Darian. “So much for the exercise and coffee.”

  He grinned at her. “Cold already? Me, too. Let’s go in and grab a quick lunch.”

  While they waited in line, she asked, “Will we get to go inside the statue itself?”

  “I’d planned on it. Our tickets allow for the crown, but not the torch.” He handed her a bill. “Order for me, would you?” At her questioning look, he explained, “I took over at the coffee shop, now it’s your turn to boss me around.”

  Chloe laughed. “All right! I might never get another chance.”

  Soon, they found a place facing Liberty Island and sat down to eat. Darian handed her a napkin. “You have cheese on your face.”

  “Oh, thanks.” She wiped, and asked, “When is our flight out this evening?”

  “I had it set for five so we’d get home around seven.”

  She opened her mouth to say something about the speedy flight before remembering time zones. The ferry’s velocity shifted and she drank the last bit of her coffee. “We’re here!”

  “It’ll take a bit before the gangplank is lowered.” He took their trash and she followed him to the large window. Manhattan shimmered in the afternoon sun. “Nice day despite the cold.”

  Chloe settled for nodding instead of gushing about today being great because of him. She wanted to talk about last night. While she didn’t want to hear the word “No” about a repeat, it’d be understandable considering their work relationship.

  The boat hit against the dock with a soft bump and her adrenalin jumped. She couldn’t wait to see the Statue of Liberty up close. What was next? Walking on the moon? So many people crowded around the exit, helping her to decide on waiting a little longer despite her eagerness to get started on the tour.

  At last, they hit soil and she stared at the monument. What had seemed small last night by helicopter now loomed huge in front of her. The torch went up to forever and the pedestal was bigger than she’d ever imagined. The green patina led her to wonder how brilliant Lady Liberty must have been when first erected, coppery in the sunlight. Had it ever been shined to a gleam? She couldn’t wait to find out for sure. “I feel so small now.”

  He laughed. “Just wait until you look out of the crown. Everyone will look like ants running around down here.” He took her hand. “Come on, there’s a lot of steps. Climbing them will keep us warm.”

  She let him lead her to the monument. Both of them stopped every so often to take photos looking up at Liberty. Inside found more lines and crowds of people, noisy and chatting. Chloe liked his habit of looking back at her every so often. His concern gave her warm fuzzys every time.

  At long last, they entered the statue proper. All the support beams amazed her as she followed him, inching their way upward inside the monument. During a longer wait, she searched on her phone for facts about where they were. A few moments of reading and several stairs later, Chloe marveled even more at how much work had gone into the gift from France. She forwarded the link to Darian.

  He frowned at his cell phone’s beep and activated the screen. With a grin when seeing who had texted him, he turned to her. “You couldn’t just tell me?”

  “I could, but figured your reading it meant you could skip the parts you already knew.” She shrugged. “My mouth doesn’t have a skip or scroll down capability.”

  Darian leaned in to where only she heard him. “Too bad. I’d hoped to compare scrolling down abilities between us later.”

  A newly familiar heat spread through Chloe. More later? A smart part of her disagreed with a repeat performance, while the crazy half wanted to high five everyone around her. Not knowing how to respond, she kept quiet, settling for a smile.

  At the top, the view made the crush of bodies and claustrophobia worth every second. Boats sailed or motored between them and the horizon. She could almost smell the sea air, the sight was so intense.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” asked Darian, his breath ruffling her hair.

  “Amazing.”

  “We’re not as high up as this morning, but it’s still worthwhile.” He leaned away a little and retrieved his cell phone. “When we get back down, I’ll take photos of you and us at the base to prove you were here.”

  She chuckled at the idea of proof. “Sure. Get me, you, and her in the photo like we’re best friends.” He laughed, which reminded her how much she loved the sound. On impulse, she kissed his cheek. Darian stared at her for a moment before returning the peck.

  Before it disintegrated into a crown top make out session, Chloe eased back from the windows. “There’s a lot of history to read downstairs. Should we get started in that direction?”

  “Sure.”

  She led the way, looking over her shoulder to ask, “Will we have time to hit Ellis Island?”

  He checked his watch. “I’d like to say yes, but can’t unless we move back the flight. Did you have any family come through there?”

  “No, not that I’m aware of.”

  “Me neither.” He shrugged. “It’s whatever you want to do. I can make a phone call.”

  “What is the likelihood of it not being there, like the twin towers?”

  “Not likely. New security and it’s not a big target.”

  “Maybe later?” she asked as her foot slipped on the step a little, unsettling her. Darian held her shoulder to steady her. She patted his hand, happy for the help, and said, “You did say I’d play tour guide at some point. I could lead a crowd there.”

  “Good point.” He shrugged. “All ri
ght. We’ll put Ellis on top of the next time list.”

  “Great.” She wanted to ignore the idea of showing people a sight she’d be seeing for the first time, too. Better to just rely on Google for now and fake it, then. If she had to at all. “Darian? Are you serious about me being here by myself?”

  “Sure. There might be times I can’t be here for meetings like yesterday’s. Your coming here, sitting in and gauging reactions even while I’m back in Denver would help.”

  “How would that segue into my hosting people here? Wouldn’t they be hosting me?”

  “Sorry, I’m thinking ahead to your future with the company. Nothing’s decided yet, so we’ll just take it as it comes.” They reached the main museum and he gave her a quick hug. “We’ll talk seriously about this later when we’re alone and it’s quieter. Deal?”

  “Deal.”

  She tried concentrating on the history and facts for the next hour, but his words wouldn’t leave her mind. Did he mean a promotion? Darian hadn’t said anything about moving from Denver to Manhattan for either or both of them. Maybe he’d just meant her and wanted her here to keep an honest eye on the people here. Chloe shook her head. He couldn’t mean that. She was just a glorified secretary, not someone who could oversee anything significant.

  Mulling over maybes and possibilities kept her quiet and thinking while they took pictures of each other and got a stranger to take theirs. “We’ll share photos, right?”

  “Hope so.” He stared down at his phone, tapped a few times, and said, “Done.”

  “Speedy! I’m impressed.” She took a little longer to send his, enjoying his face next to hers as he peeked over her shoulder at the image.

  They boarded the ferry back to Battery Park, watching the sun start to set behind the City. Lights already illuminated the buildings and streets. The sky lent a warm glow to everything. When he put his arm around her, she smiled and leaned into him. “This really is romantic.”

  “Even more than this time of day in the Rockies?”

  “That’s beautiful, too, but it’s not romantic.”

  “It’s work, isn’t it?”

  She didn’t want to spoil the mood, but had to be honest. “Yes it is, even if I’m not sure how the office can be the same, now.” Chloe glanced at him and saw his expression. He had the same look when giving someone bad news or chewing out an inept employee. In an effort to distract him, she added, “I’ll forever be comparing the mountain valleys to the city valleys I’ve seen this weekend.”

  The ferry bumped up to the dock and he grabbed her shoulder to steady her. “The mountains win me over every time.”

  “They must, for you to live there and not here.”

  He punched the number for the car service into his phone and said, “Yes, Battery Park, by the construction.” Darian laughed. “I know. The Hudson River side. Thanks” He turned to her. “Don’t get me wrong. I love it here. The energy of the city, the people, the variety.” He took her hand and they began walking. “But home? I grew up in Denver, have tried to live everywhere else, but keep coming back.”

  “I understand. Sometimes, I miss the wide open spaces of home. So I look east and voila! Lots of flat land to cheer me up.” She smiled at his chuckle. “So we go home tonight and then what?”

  “I’m not sure. For me, some dinner, sleep, and hit the slopes with some friends tomorrow.”

  “Oh, ok. You’re fine with me waiting until Monday to send my notes about yesterday’s meeting?”

  “Yes, sounds good. That afternoon is fine.”

  She nodded instead of replying. The expressions on his face bothered her. He’d seemed at first scared, angry, then relieved. Chloe lifted her chin when they reached the sedan. All the talk about home seemed to have reminded him of their real relationship while she’d not forgotten. After digging around in her pocket, she retrieved her cell phone and tapped on emails. She wanted to seem lost in concentration until sorting out her hurt feelings.

  “You’re missing the last of the city.”

  She looked up at him. “True, and I don’t want to.” Chloe stared out at the passing buildings, not really seeing them. She had been pushing away this awareness of how last night had been giving into desire at best or satisfying his curiosity at worst. She almost shook her head. No, worst would be him using sex to gain a notch on his bedpost.

  They reached the small airport and boarded his plane with Darian still unsure of Chloe’s quiet. Most of their quiet times during the day had been spent in a more comfortable silence. Not like now. He buckled in as required, staring out at the city lights as they lifted off. He couldn’t pinpoint when the air had changed between them. Which made taking back whatever he’d said wrong a lot more difficult.

  Every time he wanted to start a conversation, words failed him. He glanced over to see her busy with her tablet. Her legs stretched out in front and she’d already removed her shoes. A slight shudder went through him as he remembered how her heels had felt on his butt, pressing against him, forcing him deeper. He shifted in his seat now that his pants were too tight. If she were the least bit friendly, he’d be seducing her into the mile high club. Unless she was already a member. He frowned at the thought. He wasn’t, she couldn’t be. “Is this your second time in a plane? I never thought to ask before now.”

  “You assumed I’d been all over, huh? My worldly air, I guess.” She tapped out a few more times on her device before putting it away. “I’d flown a few times to see Dad at his new home. I was too young to be sent on the bus for a long way.” She glanced at him before staring back out at the landscape below. “He was in Florida for a long while. Might still be. We lost touch after he moved without a forwarding address.”

  His heart hurt for her. “You know, private investigators are good for finding people when the internet can’t.” She turned to him with a wry smile and he added, “I could help you.”

  Chloe unbuckled her seat belt and came over to sit beside him. “If we weren’t in a professional setting, I’d hug you right now.”

  “You can hug me any time.”

  “Thank you, but seriously. You’ve made a wonderful offer that I don’t need. When my letter to Dad came back as a return to sender, I cried for the last time. Mostly.” She shrugged. “Ok, last time ever for him. Anyway, it’s been a good fifteen years. I’ve had a lot of time to mourn and am over him.”

  The number snagged at his mind. “He left around the same time as 9/11?”

  She shook her head. “No, they divorced before that.” Chloe stared past him, thinking. “It was…you’re right. He had moved without telling me in spring. I didn’t see him that summer, school started and the attack happened.” Chloe crossed her armed and leaned back into the chair. “I’d never thought about all that before. It happened and we moved on.”

  Darian couldn’t understand the concept of never seeing his father again, never mind getting over losing him. She seemed so calm and together about it. “I’m glad you haven’t let his bad decisions affect you.” He had no idea of what to say next. Comforting words felt trite to even think, never mind say.

  He bit his lip, not wanting to open up a can of worms. He wanted to ask more about her life. The timing of her parents’ divorce correlated with Chloe’s first job at eight years old. A sudden need to find the guy who ditched his family hit Darian like a punch to the gut. Some little girl needing a job, thanks to her deadbeat dad infuriated him. He’d caught how she insisted she never cried, like the tears earlier this morning had been an anomaly for her. He wondered how much of her childhood she’d missed by working instead of playing. How had her mother felt, abandoned with a child to look after alone. “Your mom’s ok?”

  “Yes, she is. Thanks for asking. We ended up being a team, calling ourselves the dynamic duo.” Chloe put away her cell phone. “She remarried while I was in college, so I know my stepdad, but never lived with him.”

  “You don’t like him?”

  “I do. Stew has been really good for mom. We�
�re lucky there’s no blended family drama with us.”

  “Is he Stew as in Stewart?”

  She laughed. “Yeah, and we tease him about it, too. Every so often, he goes on a health kick, at the gym all the time, and we call him Beef Stew. When it’s hunting? Rabbit Stew.”

  “That’s cold.”

  “But funny, right?”

  “Very.” He liked seeing the smile return to her face. “Do me a favor and just relax tonight. No working on the report for Monday.”

  “That’ll be easy since I have it done already.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yep. We had four hours of having to just sit. I figured might as well knock it out now.”

  “All right, sounds perfect. Email it to me whenever…” He looked down when his tablet dinged. “Now is good, too. Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome. Despite all the fun, this is work.”

  “Fun, huh?” He grinned at her, hoping to encourage a compliment or two.

  Chloe patted his hand, letting it linger for a moment. “Very, thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He tried to ignore that flutter in his stomach telling him too much too fast. It also said something about keep it professional, but Darian couldn’t listen. She kept him entranced with her smile.

  “What sort of philanthropy do you do?” She added, “If you feel comfortable telling me.”

  “No problem. You’ve signed a nondisclosure agreement.” He’d meant it as a joke, sort of, and the firm set of her mouth told him she didn’t find it funny. “Seriously, I don’t mind telling you anything about what I do. I give around ten percent of my salary before taxes to various groups in our state. Part of Betty’s job, now yours, is to bring worthy causes to my attention.”

  “She’d mentioned something about that and how the year end goal was met. I’m to worry about it next year. Which I suppose is this year, now.” She gave him a slight smile. “Stew would want me to tell you that I’m the chairman of the Anders Charity Group. To say that they always need funds.”