Page 19 of Long Story Short

‘Freya.’

I turned to see Jake at a table for two having his breakfast. He gestured to the empty chair. I knew this could be awkward but we still had to get through the rest of the conference together so I nodded, took a breath and went over to sit opposite him.

‘Morning,’ I said as I put my plate and coffee down, and sank into the spare chair.

‘Sleep at all?’ he asked, watching as I took a long sip of my coffee, hoping it would give me some much-needed energy. Jake looked a little bit tired too, but his hair and stubble were perfect as usual. He wore a crisp, blue shirt and a pair of navy trousers. It was a pleasant view across the table, that was for sure.

‘Not great, no.’

‘Same. Listen, we have a few hours before the reader session; why don’t we leave this hotel and see a bit of New York? I feel like we both could do with it.’

I raised an eyebrow. ‘You want to hang out with me?’

‘You haven’t seen anything of the city yet and I know how excited you were to be in New York; it doesn’t feel right. Let’s get out of here.’

I hesitated. ‘But I thought you were over New York…’ I remembered Jake’s reaction to me looking out of the yellow cab from the airport. I was desperate to get out of hotels and see New York but not with someone who wasn’t interested in enjoying it with me. Plus, things felt so awkward between us after him warning me about Davis last night and me questioning who Jake was as a person. And whether I would like him or not.

‘Well, seeing it through your eyes might change my mind. I know the place like the back of my hand; I’m happy to take you anywhere you want to go.’ He saw me still hesitating. ‘Come on, what have you got to lose?’ he challenged me, a twinkle in his eyes that surprised me.

I couldn’t deny the fact that I liked it when I saw a different side of Jake than I had the past six months before this trip. A side that wasn’t the cold, reserved, business-like author but a glimpse of who he was as a man. A side that I wondered whether I could really like. A side that was at odds with him lying about Kelly Shepperd’s article. Which side was the true Jake? Maybe getting out of a work setting with him might help me to find out. So, I nodded finally.

‘Well, okay then, if you’re sure.’

He smiled. ‘Where in New York have you most wanted to go?’

A thrill ran through me at being able to go somewhere that I had wanted to see. ‘I’d love to go to the library,’ I said eagerly. I remembered seeing it inSex and the City, and I had vowed to see it for myself one day.

‘Of course. Finished your breakfast?’

I drained the remaining drops of my coffee. ‘All done.’

‘Need to get anything from your room or to get changed?’

‘You think I need to change?’ I looked down at my dress and boots, knowing Jake was dressed far smarter than me.

‘Of course not. That outfit is… you,’ Jake replied. ‘Let’s go.’

It took me a second to get up and follow him after he said that. I thought about how startled he was when I was dressed up on the first night here. I assumed it was because he didn’t think I was capable of looking elegant but he had just been surprised because it hadn’t seemed like… me.

Which was exactly the way I had felt.

* * *

Stepping out of the hotel lobby, we both blinked as the New York morning sunshine beamed down upon us. The quiet, air-conditioned, dimly lit hotel was replaced by cars honking, people walking past with iced coffees, a bright-blue sky and warmth on our skin.

‘Let’s walk so you can see as much as possible on the way,’ Jake suggested, setting off at a brisk pace. He soon slowed down when he realised I was struggling to keep up with his much longer limbs, though. ‘When I first came here, I was overwhelmed,’ he said as I glanced around, drinking the energy all around me in. I looked up at the skyscrapers leaning in on us, the sun sparkling off the shiny glass, feeling incredibly insignificant in comparison. ‘It’s so frantic and so big but once you adjust, you fit right in.’

‘But you didn’t seem happy to be back here,’ I pointed out.

Jake shook his head. ‘I’m sorry. I could see how excited you were. And on the plane.’

‘You found it irritating,’ I said with a shrug because I wasn’t bothered, I was excited and didn’t want to have to pretend otherwise.

‘No,’ he snapped at me. I raised an eyebrow and he spoke again in a calmer tone. ‘It just made me realise how I’ve changed these past few months.’ He coughed and ran a hand through his hair. ‘It’s been a difficult time.’

‘Because of the article?’ I asked curiously.

‘Because of what led up to me telling Davis those things.’ He looked across at me. ‘I suppose I’ve always kept business apart from my personal life, but you met me at a very low point. I was angry and bitter and hurt. I guess I leaned even more into shutting everyone and everything out.’

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