Page 13 of Waiting on You

I laugh. “I’m here. I was thinking we could go to Chinatown. It’s a bit of a ride, but they have delicious food. I don’t know how much time you havethough or if you have somewhere you need to be.”

“I have all the time in the world and no place to be but right here with you. And I’m starved. So, point the way.”

The ride to Chinatown doesn’t take too long, and we spend it getting to know each other on a surface level. Nate’s favorite color is black even though I insist black is not a color. He went to college and majored in business. He has two younger brothers, who are both married, one with kids, so he feels like the odd one out.

I tell him I can empathize since my two closest friends, Ana and Kira, are both in relationships and have adorable children.

Nate reads fiction when he has time to read, so I tell him about the book club Ana started and that he should check out some romance books since they’re the best escape.

Surprisingly, instead of him scoffing or making a comment about him being a man, he pulls out his phone and asks for my top recommendations.

“If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?” Nate asks as we walk down the street toward the Chinese restaurant I haven’t been to in over a year.

“I don’t know,” I say with a laugh. “We lived in Finland, Japan, Ireland, the UK, Rome, Türkiye, Germany, and too many states to name. My mom made it a point to explore everywhere we lived. I was young, but our trips were still memorable, and wewould make a scrapbook for everywhere we went, a new page for every adventure. I guess maybe I’d want to go snowboarding. My mom hated the snow, so we never went.”

“Really? Well, it might be fate because I have a place in Aspen,” Nate says, waggling his brows.

“Too bad, after today, I’ll never see you again,” I say, bumping his shoulder playfully and making him chuckle.

“You know”—Nate slides his arm across my shoulders and pulls me into his side—“I have been told that I’m extremely irresistible. Maybe after spending time with me, you’ll have fallen so hard that you’ll be begging me for my number.”

I snort out a laugh and glance up at him. “Who told you that? Your mom? She lied to make you feel good about yourself.”

Nate barks out a laugh. “We’ll see.”

“Mmhmm.” I roll my eyes, playing it off, while, deep down, I have no doubt that Nate is telling the truth.

I’ve only spent a short time with him, and I can already tell it would be way too easy to fall for him. Which is why I’m keeping my guard up. It’s nice, spending time with someone in London as opposed to being alone to wallow in my self-pity, but after today, we’re going our separate ways, no matter how irresistible he thinks he is.

We enjoy our lunch, ordering a little bit of everything, and Nate admits it’s the best Chinese he’sever eaten. Once we’re done, we check out Big Ben and Westminster Abbey—the royal church where Prince William and his wife were married. On the way back, we stop at several bookstores, and Nate even buys a romance novel. By the time we get back to the hotel, it’s late, and we’re both exhausted and starved—again.

“We could order room service,” he offers.

“You and me in a hotel room?” I shake my head. “Not happening.”

“Okay.” He chuckles, lifting his hands in a placating manner. “How about we eat at the bar?”

“That’s definitely the safer option.”

Since it’s after dinner hours, the bar isn’t too packed, and we’re able to find two seats at the end.

“Good evening,” the bartender says. “What can I get you to drink?”

“I’ll have a Maker’s Mark old-fashioned,” Nate says.

The bartender nods and then glances at me. “And for you, ma’am?”

“Hmm.” I glance up at the bottles along the shelves, and after a few seconds, I spot the one I’m looking for. “I’ll have the same, but with Kingston’s Yellow Label and extra bitter, please.”

The bartender grins. “You got it.”

“You know your liquor,” Nate notes once the bartender goes to the other end to make our drinks.

“I work for Kingston, so naturally, I’m loyal.”

It’s a response I’ve given a million times without thought, but one I shouldn’t have given to Nate sinceit was my idea not to scratch below the surface, and where we work is definitely deeper than surface level.

My hope of him not catching what I said flies out the window when he says, “And what is it you do for Kingston…since you brought it up?” He smirks, knowing he’s got me.

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