Across the room, I hear Lucky laugh, but I don’t look.I can’t.I’m afraid if I do, Sterling and this moment will disappear.
“Sterling!There you are.Hiding, as always.”Out of the crowd appears a beautiful woman.Her thick blonde hair is cut into a very flattering bob, and the silky silver dress she’s wearing is making me question my sexuality.
I smile.This industry is too small to not start off on the right foot.“Hi.We haven’t met.You must be …”
She finally notices that there’s someone standing beside Sterling and holds her hand out.“Alexis.”
Over the next fifteen minutes, I learn a lot of things.Alexis York is the new me atThe Observer.She’s sick of servers recommending tiramisu at every Italian restaurant—which … what?She’s single, she’s clearly interested in Sterling, she doesn’t ask either of us a thing—I’m pretty sure I’m invisible to her—and she will not stop talking about herself.
One glance tells me Sterling is in hell.
“Oh my God,” I say, touching Alexis’s elbow mid-sentence and turning her away from Sterling.“I can’t believe he did that.”
“I know!Unbelievable, right?”
Her attention successfully diverted, Sterling makes his escape, taking off in the direction of the balcony.
“I know!And then I said?—”
“Would you excuse me?”I cut in.“I just remembered I left my cat by himself, and I need to go check on him.”
It’s not acompletelie.Sterling’s about as friendly as a leopard.Silent.Solitary.Mysterious.
Thick curtains block the bulk of the chill from outside, and I slip through, eager to escape the cloying fog of aftershave for a breath of fresh air.The balcony is empty, save for one man.His broad back to me, one hand shoved in a pocket, Sterling looks out over the city like a dark protector.
“Don’t worry,” I say, coming to stand beside him.We don’t touch, but we’re close enough that we could.“She’ll learn how antisocial you are.”
He huffs a laugh.“I’m not so sure.”
“I did.”
“Alexis is not you.”
I don’t think I’ve ever heard him so gruff before.I’ll take that as a compliment?
The city glitters before us, reflecting off glass and steel like fireflies in spring.From here, the party is muffled, leaving us encased in quiet.Sterling’s natural state.
“In a weird way, this reminds me of home,” I say softly.
He shifts, and I feel his gaze on me like a caress.“You’ve come a long way since the front page of theFerntree Gazette.”
God, how does he even know that?
“You should be proud of yourself.”
What’s that supposed to mean?
“I am.”It comes out defiant, but I’m not about to apologize for it.Not to him or anyone.
When I finally look at him, I see the hint of a smile.
Jeez, he’s confusing.
“Do you ever regret the choices you’ve made?”I ask him, turning back to the view.
Four million lives occur simultaneously around us, unique from each other.How many are happy right now?
“Some,” he says.“It’s hard for me to trust people.To let them see me.”
