“Although,” she adds, too chicken to look at me while she speaks, “I’m glad I made an impression. I was worried since you disappeared right after. To be honest, I kind of had a crush on you in college.”
It’s like the worst and best thing I’ve ever heard.
Now her eyes meet mine. “Cece, my best friend, will die when I tell her I saw you again. I can’t lie, we’ve wondered where you ended up over the years.”
I wince. “Yeah, today wasn’t the best representation.”
She chuckles. “So give me the headlines ...”
I let out a whoosh of breath before saying it all aloud.
“Kid from a small town gets a dream audition, comes to the big city, and lands that once-in-a-lifetime job. He has a good run, secures a Broadway show—”
“Okay,” she cuts in. “This sounds amazing ...”
I shrug. “Show gets canceled. He’s reminded that your last job could, in fact, be the last. Has an existential crisis, because maybe the dream isn’t what it’s been cracked up to be?”
She nods. “Ah ... the starving artist part is only romantic in theory.”
I laugh. “Yeah, something like that. And possibly only romantic to the people it should belong to. I like acting. I’m good at it, but what I loved about it was the community, the collaboration ...”
“You sound like our old professor,” she jokes, but the thought sticks with me.
I huff a laugh.Okay, universe. I get it.
“Enough about me ...” I shoot out. “Let’s talk more about how you used to stay up late pasting my picture on your wall.”
She laughs, tossing her head back, showing off her incredible neck.
“Ugh,” she groans. “It sucks that I’m leaving tomorrow. It would’ve been cool to run into you sooner.” I tap her mug with my cup in agreement as she continues. “At the very least, I have a feeling if we’d connected, I would’ve been able to have some more fun. I feel like I never got the full New York experience. I was too busy working.”
Maybe it’s the sparkle in her eyes or the wistful way she talks about the city, but an idea springs to mind and falls from my lips before I think it through.
“So spend today with me ... Let me help you say goodbye to New York.” She blinks back at me, not saying anything, so I add, “I’ll even let you revisit your crush. No strings attached.”
Rory’s eyes search mine, and I take another sip of liquid courage because I’m so far out of my depth with this girl. She reaches for a bar napkin, stealing a pen as well, and starts scribbling on it.
I can’t make out what she’s writing. My brows draw together, full of curiosity, before our eyes meet again.
She slaps the napkin down in front of me. “Okay, Romeo. Here’s a list of all the things I’ve wanted to do or see but never did. Take a look and see if you’re up to it.”
I chuckle and look down.
In serial killer handwriting, it says:
Empire State Building. Ice-skating in Central Park. See a pizza rat. The Rockettes. Stardust Diner ... maybe Oliver.
I grin, nodding my head, and look back at her. “In order?”
“Yeah, give or take one or two ... we’ll see how the day goes.”
We stand at the same time, staring at each other as I yell to Patty to put the drinks on my tab.
Rory bats those long lashes at me, and I sigh. “Man ...”
“What?” she whispers back innocently.
“Nothing. I just always knew you’d eat me alive ...”
