“I do, but since you have more time now, let’s go to the Terrace up on six.”
After they were seated and ordered drinks, Nick stepped outside the restaurant to deal with his flight change. Kat took a minute to catch her breath. She glanced toward the doors, wondering if he was also extending his stay at the hotel. It wasn’t close to Kat’s place. Should she catch him and suggest another location? Or offer him her couch? Her face warmed as she considered the scenarios. If he stayed at her place, she doubted he’d end up on the couch.
Just the thought made her lightheaded.
When he walked back into the restaurant with that smooth, confident gait, his eyes settled on her. She took a sip of her iced tea and patted her lips with her napkin. He did have a way of making her overheat.
“All set.” He slipped into the chair across from her. “Flight leaves at two o’clock tomorrow and the Hilton got me a room at a property near The Met.”
Boom. Question answered. “Perfect,” Kat said. Without that weighing on her mind, she could have more fun.
“So, where we headed after lunch?” he asked. “Did you come up with some locations for the photo shoot?”
“I did. I’m thinking of a cool gate near the zoo inside Central Park, and there are a couple of buildings in the area that have some nice steps and architectural features that might work.”
“No studio?”
“Let’s see how our time goes.” She’d worn a bright blue boiled-wool jacket to work today and had a couple of additional scarves in her backpack. “I think it’s warm enough we can try a few in just my jacket.”
They enjoyed their lunch at a leisurely pace but declined dessert. Instead, they got coffees to go. “There are lots of places we can stop for re-heats along the way if we get cold,” Kat said. Even though the sun was shining, it was January in New York, and there could be a chilly breeze in the park.
Nick hailed a cab to deliver them there. He’d already mentioned he wasn’t a fan of subways. Probably just because he wasn’t familiar with the system.
“You know, in New York City, subways are the best way to get around,” Kat told him. “Mass transit. With other people.”
“What’s wrong with a cab.?”
“Nothing but the price. Come on, the subway’s a part of the city experience.”
“Yeah. I’d sure hate to miss a city experience.”
Humor combined with his sarcasm, and Kat figured they’d be taking the subway before the day was over. She wouldn’t press if he was totally opposed. He’d mentioned his aversion to crowds and concrete more than once in their email conversations. As they climbed out of the cab, Kat spun around, an idea popping into her head. “Hey, speaking of New York experiences, do you know how to ice skate?”
“Ice skate? Sure.”
“Really? You’re serious?”
He shrugged. “I played some hockey in high school.”
“Oh, my gosh. Do you want to go skating? Down at Rockefeller Center?”
“I’m thinking you do.”
His slow, lazy smile sent tingles over her skin. “I would love to.” With a breathless laugh, she grabbed his arm. “I’ve been in New York City three years and still haven’t found anyone to skate with. I took my best friend, Mia, down there once. She didn’t know how, just trying to be a good sport. But she couldn’t do it. Put on the skates and ten minutes later, took them off again.” Kat shook her head at the memory of Mia on the ice—unintentionally doing the splits. “Oh, man, it was a disaster.”
“Pretty sure I can hold my own.” He pulled Kat toward him and landed a quick kiss on her lips then hoisted his computer bag onto his shoulder. “But first, show me your cool gate.”
* * *
Nick lifted Kat’s camera and familiarized himself with the zoom and other features, opting for auto focus for now. When he looked up, Kat had positioned herself in front of the large iron gate. She was right—the strong black vertical lines of the metal against the light gray concrete provided interest while also giving a generic background that wouldn’t compete with the main subject of the photo. Kat provided the pop of color.
“Do whatever feels natural,” he told her. “Smile or not. Cross your arms. Hold onto the spindles. Some facing front, and some from the side.”
“Nothing about this feels natural.”
“I don’t believe that. You like this place, right? Show me.”
She laughed, and he snapped frame after frame in quick succession. He couldn’t capture the infectious melodic sound, but he caught the bright smile that widened across her face. He snapped several more images then zoomed in for a closer focus. The smile accentuated her high cheekbones and the sparkle in her eyes.
