I rolled my eyes. “It isn’t anything like that. He offered to have lunch there since he had his daughter. I agreed. His daughter will be there, and he even offered to have his mother join us since she knows a thing or two about benefit dinners.”
Wendy screwed up her face. “Well, that took the wind right out of my sails.”
Smiling, I replied, “Sorry to disappoint you. Besides, a guy like that wouldn’t be interested in someone like me.”
“What? Why in the world would you say that, Emma? You’re beautiful, you have an amazing body and a wonderful personality.”
I glanced down at the sweats and long-sleeve T-shirt I had one. “Amazing body? You have a great body, Wendy.”
She laughed. “Please, I have no ass and no boobs. You have the curves that drive men insane.”
Chewing on my lower lip, I looked down at my body once again. “Maybe some men.”
“Please, all the other guys you dated in the past were idiots.”
“Well, regardless, nothing is going to happen between us. We’re simply working together.”
With a smirk and a wink, Wendy whispered, “Famous last words.”
Iwalked up to the building where Harrison had told me he lived. The doorman smiled as I stopped and peered around him. It was a far cry from where I lived.
“May I help you, ma’am?”
My eyes swung back over to the doorman. “Yes. I, um, I’m here to see Harrison Maggio.”
A wide smile erupted across his face as he opened the door. “Hank, the young lady is here to see Mr. Maggio.”
Hank, who sat behind a large desk, stood. “Emma Jennings?”
“That’s me.”
His grin was bigger than the doorman’s, if that was possible. “Let me make sure Mr. Maggio is home.”
I wanted to say he better be, since he was the one who told me to be here on a Saturday morning at eleven thirty.
Once quick glance around the lobby and I knew Harrison was paying top dollar to live here. Pure white walls with beautiful furniture that looked like no one had ever sat on any of it filled the lobby area. The building was only blocks from the Boson Harbor and the old Grain Exchange, which was one of the most beautiful buildings in Boston. Or at least, I thought so. It was also a popular area of Boston for those who could afford to live so close to the harbor.
“You can head on over to the elevators, Ms. Jennings,” Hank said as he made his way around the desk and up a set of stairs. We turned a corner and Hank led us to the elevators. He punched the up button for me. As I waited for the elevator, I took in the polished marble white floors and a solid back granite wall opposite the elevators.
I drew in a deep breath and turned to see a stunning display of fresh flowers sitting on a table. I had to remind myself Harrison’s father was wealthy because there was no way a firefighter could live in a building like this.
The doors opened and Hank waved me in. “Your chariot awaits.”
I pressed fourteen and smiled back at Hank. “Thank you!”
He winked. “The pleasure was all mine.”
The doors shut and I frowned slightly. I couldn’t decide if it was my imagination, or had the doorman and Hank been awfully happy for me to be seeing Harrison?
A ding alerted me to my arrival on the fourteenth floor. The doors opened and I read the sign that said 1404 was to my right.
Another display of fresh flowers filled the hallway as I drew in a deep breath and filled my lungs with the heavenly smell. I wasn’t sure why I was so nervous. It wasn’t like it was a date or anything. It was a meeting to discuss a charity dinner. That was all. Besides, did you really meet the guy’s daughter and mother on the first date?
I laughed to myself and shook away my silly nerves.
Coming to a stop at the correct door, I lifted my hand and knocked. From the other side of the door, I heard a muffled, “I got it, Mom!”
Jumping slightly when the door opened quickly, I went to smile but nearly tripped. And I wasn’t even walking.
