Cruel Fortune (Cruel #2)(30)

“Well, I can’t do that anymore, can I?”

“Can’t you?” my mother asked. “What’s stopping you? Money? You have that now. You could live wherever you wanted or travel the world.”

“Alone?” I asked softly.

I couldn’t believe that my mom and Melanie were saying the same damn thing that Jane and Lewis had said. It was like the universe was pointing me in one direction, even as I fought it at all costs.

“Would you truly be alone?” Melanie asked with a wink. “I saw that picture you were sent.”

“Oh, shush you,” I said with a laugh.

“Look, no matter your differences, you are your father’s daughter. You shouldn’t stay in one place too long. You need travel and adventure. Melanie and I are homebodies. Her world is here. As is mine. Yours isn’t.”

I took a long sip of my tea while I took in their words. Maybe they were right. Maybe I’d just been skating around the real issue. I wanted to move to New York. I wanted to live that life. But at the same time, I didn’t want to be part of the Upper East Side. Was there a way to live the life I wanted in New York and not be a part of the Upper East Side?

“Did you already read for me before this?” I finally asked.

My mother shook her head with a smile. “It’s painted on your face.”

I handed over my empty teacup. “Well, what do you see?”

My mother took the cup and stared down into the leaves at the bottom. She smiled softly. “Birds.”

“Birds?” I took the cup back and looked in it. And there it was…birds mid-flight. Even I could see it.

“Do I even have to tell you what that means?” my mother asked with a raised eyebrow. “Fly, my darling. Fly.”





Natalie





13





I flew.

And, two weeks later, I was standing in my own apartment on the Upper West Side. New York City might have ruined my life. But it had also brought me everything my heart had ever wanted. It was the city of dreams, and I intended to dive in headfirst.

It did nothing to dispel the nagging bit of fear that said that this was too good to be true. Or that moving here wouldn’t even work. Maybe I couldn’t write in New York City either.

I smothered the thought. It’d do no good, fretting on that. I had moved to New York to write, and write I would.

As soon as I finished unpacking. It was amazing, the amount of stuff I hadn’t accumulated when living out of a suitcase for a year and a half and then hunkering down in my best friend’s guest bedroom for a year. I really had nothing and was lucky that I’d been able to bring what I could to try to fill the small apartment.

But, by that afternoon, I thought I’d done a decent enough job unpacking. Writing would likely have to begin tomorrow since I’d promised Lewis that I would celebrate with him when he got off work. He’d been texting me all day, and I couldn’t deny that I had something like butterflies of anticipation in my stomach.

For the first time ever, the buzzer sounded from the apartment door. I squealed in excitement and rushed to answer it.

I pressed the button and said, “Hello?”

“Natalie, it’s Lewis. Buzz me up.”

“Yay! Doing it now.” I pressed the button and paced in front of the door until I heard a knock.

I wrenched the door open. Lewis Warren stood in the doorway, looking sexy as hell in a white button-up, rolled to his elbows, his peacoat folded over his arm, and a bottle of champagne in his hand.

A wide grin split his face. “Hey, gorgeous.”

“Hey,” I breathed.

I’d been anxious and excited about this meeting all day. Worried that the spark between us hadn’t been real. That he’d see me differently. Or that it wouldn’t really work out now that I was here because I wasn’t Upper East Side…or whatever. That it would start to feel wrong again. Like we shouldn’t be doing this.

But now, standing here with him, all my doubts vanished.

He scooped me up into a hug. “I’m so glad you decided to move. The last three weeks have been torture.”

“I’m glad I moved, too,” I said with a laugh. I stepped back and gestured for him to enter. “Come on in. It’s small, but I’m in love.”

He strode inside and then held up the bottle of champagne. “Housewarming gift.”

“Oh, wow. Thank you.” I stared down at the yellow label with wide eyes before putting it in the empty refrigerator. It was much fancier than the cheap stuff Amy and I celebrated with. “I know what I’m having for dinner now.”

He chuckled as he dropped his black peacoat onto the sofa. “So, this is the place.”

“Yep,” I said, suddenly seeing the tiny place through his eyes. “I know it’s not much, but…”

“Hey.” He held up his hand. “You don’t have to diminish it for me. I was the one who helped you find it, after all. And it’s exactly what you wanted, right?”

I nodded. Because it was the exact apartment I’d been looking for. I’d been amazed when Lewis had stumbled across it. “Absolutely. I mean, look at this exposed brick.” I gestured to the living room wall. “And…and…I live in it all alone. So, no roommates or anything.”