Page 43

This project has been a pain, but seeing it all starting to come together is melting my icy annoyance. I’m proud of what we have created, and I know it’s worth all the overtime I racked up perfecting every design element and making sure the files were correct for the production team.

Tomorrow, we’ll have to come in at the crack of dawn and continue overseeing the rest of the setup. Well, technically, I don’t have to be here first thing, but Anne volunteered to help out, which means I have to. Typical corporate politics. I’ve put way too many hours into this project just for her to swoop in at the end and act like she’s been toiling away. Sure, she’d had a part in the branding, but I’ve been Jenna’s right-hand woman, and I’ll make sure Celine knows that. I won’t let myself get knocked to the side like always.

My phone buzzes and I pull it out to check the notification.

CULLEN:Hey angel

A smile breaks out across my cheeks.

ME:Hey!!

CULLEN:Are you still working?

ME:Wrapping up right now

CULLEN:Want to grab a bite?

ME:Ur in town??? I thought u didn’t get in till Mon?

CULLEN:Surprise ;)

ME:100% yes

CULLEN:Perfect. Meet me at the Scarmont Rooftop when youre done

ME:Ok
“Verity.”

“Huh?” I blink up to see Jenna staring at me.

“I was saying you could head home.” She tilts her head. “Although, looks like you might have other plans based on that smile. Boyfriend?”

“What? No. I—well, kind of.”

Cullen isn’t my boyfriend by any official means, but we are technically dating. We’ve been texting practically every single day, even video chatting sometimes—thanks to my own personal blunder after happy hour margaritas with Imani. Our impromptu pizza date the other week tipped my heart over the edge. I can’t deny that the crush I have on him is morphing out of my control. Things are moving along really well, and he is actually taking the time to get to know me, even with all the distance between us. I haven’t felt this special in a long time, and it makes me want to keep him close.

“Good. Our work tries to take too much away from us. You’re still young; enjoy what the city has to offer.” She gathers up her handbag and gives me a soft smile.

I’ve never really gotten that personal with Jenna before. We tend to keep work stuff at work and personal stuff personal. While I could tell you her exact coffee order and that she’s allergic to pine nuts, I barely even know that she’s married, aside from the fact she went on her honeymoon while I was interning.

“Thanks, Jenna. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I quickly gather up my work tote, shoving all my stuff inside, before making a jog for the elevator. I pull up the map on my phone and do some math to figure out the best train to take to get to the Scarmont.

My skin buzzes with excitement and I can’t stop grinning—not even when I get on the subway and see a questionable puddle of liquid in the corner. By the time I get to the Scarmont, my cheeks hurt, but I don’t care.

It’s only been a week since I last saw him, and I’ve been counting down the days until he was due to fly back. I can’t wait until he officially moves here and we can spend even more time together.

I might be getting ahead of myself again with that train of thought, but at this point, I don’t really care. We’ve been on three amazing dates so far, each one better than the last. The more time I spend with him, the more I realize we are two puzzle pieces that slot perfectly against one another.

It isn’t just that we share a lot of the same life values, or that he also appreciates Dijon mustard on his fries, or even that he agrees that pickleball is a weird sport. It is the little things, like how he sends me videos of coffee shops in the city we should check out and texts me pictures of the sunset from his balcony in Miami saying that he wishes I were there. Cullen puts in the effort to make sure that I feel special, that I feel wanted in a way that doesn’t make me feel like a burden. He goes out of his way to spend time with me even though I know he has a busy schedule.

For the first time ever, I can honestly say that I am dating a guy whom I could maybe see long term plans with.

Which might be a totally nuts thought because we aren’t even official yet, but I have a gut feeling. My parents always say that once they met each other, they just knew. I am getting the same vibes when I am around Cullen.

I enter the lobby of the boutique hotel, a rich bergamot scent hitting me square in the face, and pause for a second. The luxe air settles on my shoulders, and I’m taken aback by the contrast between the sensual vibe in here and the bustle outside. Two women in stunning little black dresses step around me in theirtowering stilettos, making their way to the elevator bank. I realize a small issue.