Chapter One
Claire
F? An F? F meant failure!
Me, mature age, twenty-five year old college student, Claire Marks, straight-A student, had failed a class! I stared numbly down at the business studies assignment that had been returned to me earlier that day. The F glared back at me, silently judging me and making me feel inadequate.
Hey, it was no big deal, was it? This stuff was never my forte. Crunching numbers always threatened to break my brain. I wouldn’t have even taken a business class if it weren’t crucial to my chosen career path in publishing.
Literature was my passion. I loved the written word, loved discovering new authors and their stories. The idea that I could one day have a hand in discovering the next Nora Roberts, J.K. Rowling, or Stephen King; that I might one day walk into the biggest bookstores in New York and see a book on their shelves that I helped put there, was the driving force behind my career choice.
I banged my elbows onto the tabletop of the booth I was sitting in at Antonio’s Italio-American restaurant in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Raking my fingers through my long, blonde hair and slightly dislodging my glasses, I emitted a low, frustrated growl. I fought the urge to throw my laptop clear across the room.
What was I doing wrong? I studied like crazy and took extensive notes. College took up most of my life. I had even moved out of my parents’ place and into my own apartment here in Brooklyn in an effort to create a bubble free of the distractions of home. That distraction was called Willa Marks, my much younger and much wilder teenage sister.
Why Brooklyn? It was more affordable than Manhattan on my student budget. But this hadn’t exactly worked in my favour, either. My budget only allowed for a tiny studio apartment, which had constant power outages, a leaking toilet, and intermittent hot water.
It was no wonder I was flunking out.
When a tall man with dark blonde hair slid into the seat opposite me, I lifted my line of sight.“Have you ordered yet?” He asked as he picked up the menu.
I frowned as I straightened my glasses.
When I didn’t reply, he smiled at me, making my anger dissipate slightly, but I held onto it. I refused to allow Ryan Banks’ charming, larrikin-like personality to cheer me up. When the thought went through my mind I wondered if he even knew what a larrikin was.
“Would you like me to order for us?” Ryan asked.
“What are you doing?” I asked as I pushed my glasses up my nose.
“Ordering lunch,” Ryan replied.
I folded my arms firmly across my chest. “What if I don’t want lunch?”
“I thought it might help cheer you up.” I arched an eyebrow as Ryan lowered the menu. “Or maybe you’d like to tell me what’s wrong?”
At his question, I broke the connection of our gazes and dropped mine to my assignment.
Ryan ducked his head. “Claire?”
The last thing I wanted to do was talk about my failing grade, so I snapped my laptop closed. “What are you thinking of ordering?”
“Have you ever had the linguini here?”
“No.”
“Then you’re missing out.”
Ryan’s crooked grin finally made me smile. “We can’t have that.” I pushed my laptop into its bag as Ryan flagged down a waitress.
“Hey, Ryan,” The waitress said when she arrived at the table.
“Hi, Whit.”
The leggy redhead flicked her hair over her shoulder and angled her hips towards the attractive man sitting across from me. The pang I felt wasn’t jealousy. It couldn’t be, especially because Ryan and I weren’t a couple.
“How are you?” Whit asked.
Ryan flitted me an apologetic glance. “I’m great. How’s your mom?”
“She’s doing better. Thanks for helping us with her medical insurance. Her burns from the fire are terrible, but you helped us get what was owed to her.”
“All in a day’s work.”
“No, Ryan, it was above and beyond. So, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Ryan shifted in his seat, clearly uncomfortable with the attention he was garnering.
Whit turned her back to me and she continued to ignore me even when I scoffed at her. “What can I get you today?”
“Ah, we would like two bowls of your bacon and mushroom linguini.” Ryan indicated me.
When Whit turned, I offered the woman a tight smile.
“Please,” Ryan added.
“Coming right up.” Whit rushed off quick smart.
My brain suddenly registered exactly what Ryan had ordered and I leaned towards him as he poured us both a glass of water. “Ryan?”
“Yeah?”
“Aren’t you Jewish?”
“I am,” he confirmed.
When my glasses slid down my nose a little, I pushed them back up into position. “But you ordered a dish with bacon. That’s not exactly kosher.”
He laughed. “Bacon’s one of my favourite things. Just don’t tell my grandmother.”
“Do you often shirk your beliefs?” I teased.
“When it comes to bacon? Always.”
My resulting laugh was long and uninhibited.
Ryan grinned. “I’ve never been a good Jewish boy. I don’t say enough prayers, I eat crab and lobster, I celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah.” He acted like he was a lost cause, but that didn’t truly matter to him.
“Does that mean if I buy you a Christmas present, I won’t offend you?” I asked.
Ryan’s deep blue eyes pinned me to the seat with the desire that roiled in them. A shiver worked its way down my spine in response, and I tried to ignore it, telling myself I didn’t want him.
“You want to buy me a Christmas present?” He asked huskily.
“It was a hypothetical question.”
“Uh-huh.” He sounded unconvinced. “What did you have in mind?”
I did my best to hide my amusement. “I have eight months to figure that out.”
“I certainly wouldn’t be offended. In fact, I’m flattered, Claire.” Ryan leaned forward and clasped his hands together on the tabletop.
Ryan had become fast friends in the month we had known each other. Something sparked between us from the moment I inadvertently interrupted Ryan’s conversation with the restaurant’s owner. I was cautious of these feelings I held towards him and did everything I could to repress them. I had college to think about. I hadn’t moved out only to discover new distractions, no matter how devilishly charming they were.
When Ryan helped me with my business assignment, it endeared him to me even more, which was why I was embarrassed about my grade. Even with the help of an insurance broker, my assignment still wasn’t up to scratch.
Ryan’s gaze was on me as I swished some water around my mouth.
“Did you get pranked by anyone on April Fool’s Day?” Ryan asked.
Good. A safer topic.
With a giggle, I swallowed my water and said, “No, my friend. I was the pranker.”
“Oh, really?” It was well known to me that Ryan enjoyed my playful side, which showed itself only on rare occasions.
“My sister and I pranked her best friend. He didn’t know what was going on.” My face filled with mischief.
“What did you do?”
“You don’t think I’m going to give it up just like that, do you? This thing has longevity if I keep it a secret.”
“You’re a little bit evil,” Ryan told me, his eyes glittering with humor.
The smug smile on my face grew bigger as our meals were delivered to the table. When Ryan glanced across at my laptop bag, the smile immediately disappeared. “Please don’t ask. I want to have a nice lunch with you.”
“Okay.”
His answer made me relax. Maybe it wasn’t dinner, and Antonio’s wasn’t the fanciest of places, but we were together and enjoying each other’s company. That was all that mattered.
Ryan pointed his fork at me. “Would you like some wine with your meal?”
“Alright,” I responded before taking a bite.
I wasn’t sure how long we stared at each other while we ate, but I was so lost in him that I barely noticed our drinks being delivered. No matter what I did, I couldn’t stop feeling drawn to him.
***
Ryan
After lunch, Claire and I meandered along the lakeside path in Prospect Park. She was quiet.Guarded.
Claire wasn’t the biggest chatterbox anyway, but something was off about her today, and I wanted to know what was bothering her. It had something to do with whatever was on her laptop, but how could I get her to open up without her thinking I was prying?
“I like this park,” Claire said, lifting her face up to the sun.
Wisps of her blonde hair danced around her face, and her eyes crinkled at the corners as she squinted against the warm spring sunshine, whose rays reflected off the lenses of her glasses. She was beautiful. Utterly stunning.
“It’s no Central Park, but it’s ours,” I said in response to her comment.
“Central Park is too big. I like this better,” Claire answered.
I was elated to hear her say that. I threw my arms out wide and pronounced, “Brooklyn welcomes you.”
Claire’s laugh was light and musical like the tinkling of chimes.
“I’m glad you’re feeling happier.” Test the waters first, I warned myself.
Claire gripped the strap of her grey laptop bag. “Yeah, I am, thanks. That meal helped. Thank you for paying, even though you didn’t have to.”
“No, but I wanted to.”
“My turn next time,” Claire decided.
We walked to the railing and Claire leaned back against it while I rested my elbows on it and looked out over the water. Her floral, dark green top blew in the breeze, flashing the skin of her stomach before she smoothed it down. My breath caught in my throat. Fucking hell, I wanted this woman so badly.
After a few moments of silence, Claire said, “You want to know why I was upset, don’t you?”
“Only if you want to tell me,” I said, sending her a sidelong glance.
Claire turned her focus on the water below us. Then she looked at the view of the trees on the other side of the lake. Anything but me it seemed. She twisted her mouth up. “Please don’t be mad.”
“Why would I be mad?”
With a deep breath, Claire finally looked at me. “I-I failed my business studies assignment, the one you helped me with. I haven’t only failed myself, I’ve failed you, and I’m sorry.”
How could she think such a thing?
I drew her into a hug.
“I tried so hard,” she hissed into his collarbone.
“I have no doubt you did.” I buried my face in her hair. “You haven’t failed me, Claire. Business isn’t your strong suit, but you’ll get there.”
“I don’t know if I will.” She released a dejected sigh. The huff of her breath tickled the skin of my neck, and I tried to ignore the pleasure that shot down my body.
“Publishing is your dream. Don’t give up,” I begged her.
Claire looked up at me with wide eyes. “I want this. I love books, I love the creative process. But I’m not getting the hang of the business aspect, Ryan.”
“Ask your professor if you can try once more, and I’ll help you again.”
Claire’s jaw dropped. “You’d give up more of your time for me?”
I squeezed her. “You know I would.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
