Sure enough, I didn’t really sleep all night. I only napped a bit in the morning, and almost missed my early flight.
New York welcomed me with bright but cold autumn sunlight and traffic jams. I love this city and have spent a lot of time in it. If not for our tightly knit family, mom, dad, my sister, I would definitely consider moving from Houston to NYC.
If everything works out and I open a new gallery, I’ll have to travel between the two cities a lot and might need to think about buying a small condo. First though, I have to see if I find a proper space for my new project. It’s not easy or cheap in this city. I would like to find a spacious property full of light either in Brooklyn or in Manhattan.
The driver who picked me up at the airport was slowly navigating through New York traffic. I checked my watch and realized I was running late to meet with my realtor. I took my phone out to call Suzie and saw three texts from Andy: “Hi. I overslept. I’m still here, and you?”, “Ready to check the spaces with you and provide useful advice”, “I want to see you.”
I closed my eyes. I had totally forgotten about Andy. I need to get myself together and try to stay friends and business partners, like we are now. I am hoping to open my gallery with his group’s exhibition. A bright future awaits them. My hope is that I will help them, and they will help me establish myself in New York as a trendy gallery owner.
At first, I called Suzie and warned her I was running twenty minutes late, and then texted Andy back. “Are you ready to join me? See you in Brooklyn.”
And Alex still hadn’t given me his number or asked for mine… Can’t get this out of my head.
Half an hour later, I got out of a taxi and saw Suzie shaking in the cold. Andy was standing nearby. He saw me and skipped towards me, grinning. He is so young and dorky, but what a handsome guy!
“Sorry; blame it on the New York traffic,” I told Suzie. “Meet Andy; he is quite a talented artist. Actually, there are three of them in the team, all handsome and gifted guys from Los Angeles. If we find a space quickly, I will hold their first big exhibition in New York. Suzie, we have to work hard!”
And we did exactly that. We looked at four spaces, and I liked two of them. One in Manhattan, large, well-lit, excellent, but too pricey, and another one in Brooklyn, with just one large room and a restroom, with no office or storage space. However, it was way more affordable. Andy was entertaining us the whole time, making us not just chuckle but burst out laughing. He’s so much fun and quite easy to get along with.
Between our appointments, we stopped at a small café for a sandwich and a cup of hot coffee. Suzie stepped away to a separate table to make some calls and write some work emails. Andy and I sat together, still giggling.
“Let’s get dinner together tonight,” suggested Andy. “I remember, you love Greek cuisine, and we have found a great place.”
I smiled. Wow, the second dinner invite in one day. Cute funny Andy, I really love Greek cuisine, but tonight my plan is to eat some caviar and drink some champagne. This plan didn’t let me sleep at night, and I have been trying not to think about it all day, but it’s impossible not to think about Alex.
“Andy, let’s not complicate our relationship. It’s always better to stay friends and work on interesting projects together.”
“It’s just a dinner of friends,” protested Andy.
“I get that, but I already have plans for tonight,” I confessed, smiling.
“A date?” Andy gave me an inquisitive glance.
“Yes,” I said quietly.
I saw disappointment in his eyes, but he hid it really well and fell from the chair right on the floor.
“You broke my heart! How will I live from now on? Who is he?” he exclaimed dramatically for everyone at the café to hear.
Everyone was now staring at me. I chuckled, and they all realized it was a joke, so they started laughing too, and someone even applauded Andy.
He got up and took a bow. He’s quite a charming and talented fellow. Who knows, maybe if Alex hadn’t shown up the day before, something might have happened between us.
We finished the gallery visits around five. I thanked Suzie and she ran away to work even more, like many others do in New York.
The night before, when I realized I wasn’t able to stay away from the dinner with Alex and was going to spend a night in New York, I booked a room in my favorite Four Seasons hotel. The driver who picked me up at the airport was supposed to take my suitcase there.
Andy wanted to walk me to the hotel, but I rejected the offer, and, in a motherly tone, advised him to stop hanging out in New York, to return to LA and keep up good work, making beautiful creations, since God gave him so much talent.
He obediently agreed and promised to do exactly that, while helping me get into a taxi.
I still had another couple of hours to spare, so at the hotel I lay down and tried napping. After all, I had a sleepless night and then quite an intense day. When I wasn’t thinking about Alex, my thoughts would come back to making a choice between two art spaces. Of course, I liked the Manhattan one better. My thoughts were racing, and then I didn’t even notice falling asleep. When I opened my eyes, it was already 7.30 pm.
I jumped up from the bed and realized there was no time left to take a shower. I washed my face and started applying makeup. I was nervous thinking that if I came late, he could think I wouldn’t come and leave. And I don’t even know his phone number.
I brought a beautiful navy blue YSL pantsuit that looked great on me and paired it with a silky lacy blue top. I wanted to look pretty but not like I was trying too hard for him. I am in this city on business and simply decided to dine with him in between meetings. I still wanted to impress him, so I let my hair down and combed it with a few strokes. I checked myself in the mirror one more time and felt quite delighted with my image for the night. I realized I would never be able to become as stylish and beautiful as his ex. You have to be born this pretty and then you have to dedicate your whole life to maintaining your beauty and picking outfits. After that chance meeting in Portofino, I googled Irina Rodionova several times and looked at her photos. There are so many of them on Russian net; after all, she is a Moscow it-girl.
When I walked outside, it was already dark and rainy, so I had to take a taxi, even though the restaurant was only located about ten minutes away.
“Petrossian, please,” I told the driver.
“Do you like caviar?” he asked with a strong Russian accent.
“I do. Are you Russian?”
“Indeed,” he replied.
“I am half-Russian, because my mom is Russian.”
“So, you speak Russian then?” inquired the driver.
“A little bit,” I said, and that was a big mistake. He started telling me stories and then explaining where to buy real Russian caviar. We were going slowly due to bad traffic and the rain. I was stressed about being twenty minutes late and annoyed with the driver for talking my ear off.
However, that annoyance helped me take my thoughts off being nervous about seeing Alex. I proudly marched into the restaurant.
“Good evening, madam. The name of your party?” asked me an elderly clean-cut headwaiter.
“Alex Rodionov.”
“I will walk you to the table.” He started walking, I followed, and then my heart almost jumped out of my chest.
Alex… There he was, sitting at the table, drinking a whiskey or something. He saw me and stood up smiling. I thanked the waiter, and he left.
“Hi there!” Alex greeted me and kissed me on the cheek.
“Hi,” I replied quietly.
“I’m glad you made it,” he said with a grin.
“I’m a bit late, and it’s been raining.”
“I think that’s a rule for women to be fashionably late. But not one hour late, like some girls are.” He chuckled.
“My sister, for example. She’s always late, and I always wait for her. I don’t like tardiness.”
Alex ordered champagne and caviar.
“Are you hungry? Would you like to order something else?” he asked.
“No. Caviar is enough. Honestly, I really love it. I am half-Russian, after all.”
“I do remember that. How did the viewings go?” asked Alex.
“I liked two spaces, one in Brooklyn, one in Manhattan.” I started.
“Of course, Manhattan is better, but way pricier.” Alex finished my sentence.
“You are reading my thoughts.” I smiled.
“No, just stating the facts.”
Champagne and caviar reached us at the same time.
While the waiter was serving us, I was studying Alex closely. He is so handsome, tall, with well-sculpted features. Plus, I’m impressed with his quick wit, charm, the way he presents himself and speaks. It really matters what he says, too. All of this combined makes him an outstanding person. I wonder whether one is born like this, or it is a result of some serious inner work. His former wife belongs to that world of perfect people, as well. He was also wearing a navy-blue suit, just like me. I smiled; sounds like we belong to the same team.
“Why are you smiling?” asked Alex.
“We have matching clothes today, like teammates,” I answered.
“We could be on the same team, Sophia!” Alex grinned but then changed the subject. “Eat some food, you look tired.”
“I didn’t sleep well last night, and today has been a busy day. Don’t know what I would have done without Andy who was entertaining us the whole time.”
I stopped talking, because I saw Alex’s face tense up.
“Andy? That potential boyfriend from New York who was texting you last night?” asked Alex calmly.
I realized that I needed to choose my words carefully.
“Andy is an artist from LA. We’ve been working together. I want to launch my new gallery with his works. Not just his; it’s a talented young group,” I answered in the same calm manner.
Alex kept sipping on his champagne, somehow too quiet suddenly. He was in such a joyful mood before. I don’t know why I told him about Andy.
“How was your day?” I asked to break that awkward pause.
“I arrived from Houston this afternoon. I only had one meeting, with my partner Derrick. He’s a cool Swedish guy, successful architect and developer. We had been friends for a long time before we came up with a project to work on together. I like New York. I want to live and work here. We are going to erect a big building. I think it will be an interesting and profitable project. A tall residential complex, right by the river, with an amazing view on it from each unit. Also, it will be quite modern, with the use of new technologies. And all kinds of dogs will be allowed,” he added triumphantly.
I could tell he was really taken with his new project.
“Sounds impressive. It’s so you; you pay a small fortune for coffee at the airport, and if you can’t find a perfect condo in New York, you build a number of them. I am sure you’ve already reserved the best penthouse in it for yourself. Am I right?” I smiled.
He smiled too. “With a serious discount, by the way. Quite cost-efficient.” He tried to sound convincing.
“You are impatient and don’t like waiting,” I suggested.
“Exactly, not my traits at all. I love action. That’s what excites me,” replied Alex.
“I’ll also have to look for a condo if I open a gallery. Will have to travel between two cities. But my plans are not that grandiose; I’m not going to build a residential complex. It sounds more like you.
“You can laugh all you want, Sophia. I have strong intuition, and I think you are also going to live in my new building,” said Alex, piercing me with his stare.
I choked on my champagne, started coughing, and spilled it on my pantsuit. Alex handed me a napkin. I wasn’t sure whether he was joking or seriously offering me to buy a condo in his building. Honestly, I had no clarity on what he was even talking about.
“Sorry I scared you; it was just me thinking out loud,” explained Alex joyfully. “Tell me what you are up to tomorrow.”
“Going back to Houston. I have to prepare for that charity event,” I said still stunned by his “thinking out loud.” “I have so much to do. This year my sister has been immersed in her family life and hasn’t really been showing up at the gallery. I have pretty much been working on the project by myself.”
“Is it a happy marriage?” asked Alex and frowned for some reason.
“Yes, they just recently got married in Italy, with the bachelorette party in Portofino,” I reminded him, surprised and even upset. Did he forget about giving me a ride to my sister’s party before the wedding at Lake Como? Is it all now forgotten?
“I remember your black dress, Sophia. You looked stunning in it,” said Alex.
I suddenly blushed. If we hadn’t all that champagne back then before the bachelorette party, I would have never dared wear that dress or allowed Vicky to convince me to go to the seaside in hopes of running into Alex.
“That was just an unreal day, so full of different events and so long. The decisions I was making that day were not typical for me. What a strange day, almost like a dream.” I tried to make sense of it all for Alex.
“But we met on that long day, Sophia! It seemed long and different for me too. Honestly, the only positive thing that day was meeting you. I am truly glad we met,” sincerely said Alex.
I was pleased to hear that. I realized he was interested in me, and that his visit to Houston and inviting me to the restaurant that evening indicated a genuine attraction.
“Would you like a coffee?” asked Alex.
“No, thanks!”
“Right, you don’t like coffee. I remember you rejected that one at the airport.”
“I would have rejected it even If I loved coffee,” I explained joyfully.
To be honest, the dinner went so effortlessly. We were just chatting, sharing our plans and favorite spots in New York. I felt so good with Alex. It wasn’t even the right word. You feel good when you feel peaceful. I was happy instead, intoxicated by his presence, but not peaceful at all, and deep inside I realized that such strong emotions might lead to stress. Yet at that point it was probably impossible to deny those feelings.
“Should we go?” asked Alex.
“Yes,” I replied faintly. “Thanks for dinner.”
“Thank you for coming, Sophia,” he replied in the same manner.
We walked outside; the rain had already stopped.
So much taller than I, Alex glanced at me and put his arm around my shoulders.
“A walk, Sophia? I really enjoy walking through Manhattan in the evening. Do you want me to show you the location of our new building?”
My heart started beating even faster from getting so close to him. If at that moment he had suggested walking to Alaska or swimming across the Atlantic in order to get to Russia, I would have agreed. I just wanted to stay with him for as long as possible.
Also, I really wanted him to like me. My Mom always said that men like confident women. Confidence is magnetic.
I got myself together, looked him in the eyes, smiled and said, “Sure! I’d like to see what you are so into right now!”
“Sophia, to be honest, I am into something else right now.” He brought me closer. “You haven’t told me what you are doing tomorrow.”
“Yes, I have. I am flying back to Houston,” I replied.
“Can you not fly tomorrow?” he asked, letting me go first on the sidewalk, so people could walk by us.
I turned to him. “Yes, I can.”
Alex smiled. “This is great.” He put his arm around me again. “Let’s go.”
It was quite a beautiful location, at the riverbank. The old building was practically taken down. The area was fenced, with a new design drawn on the fence. Turned out it was quite a sizeable project, a forty-story building. That’s quite a big scale. I already knew it was Alex’s style.
There was just one problem; a cold chilling wind was blowing from the river. I shivered in my thin jacket.
Alex noticed right away. “Are you cold?”
“Honestly, I really am.”
“We’ll get a taxi. What hotel are you staying in?” he asked and hugged me tighter.
“Four Seasons.”
Happily, we found a taxi right away and both took the back seat. Alex wasn’t letting me out of his grasp. I couldn’t believe that I was in a New York taxi with Alex, and he was embracing me so tenderly. If someone had told me about it three days earlier, I wouldn’t have believed them.
It was a quick ride to the hotel. Alex paid, and we went inside.
“We could have a cocktail,” he suggested.
“I’d have a cup of tea.”
Alex gave me a funny glance.
“Tea?” he asked, somehow sarcastically.
The hotel bar was packed and incredibly noisy. Everyone was talking loudly on top of each other. There was one empty table with a tiny couch in a corner.
We took that table and ended up squished tighter against each other than in the back seat of that taxi. We ordered, and I stepped away to the restroom to brush my hair, since the cold wind had really messed it up. I checked my phone and saw eight missed calls from my sister. It scared me, so I called her back right away.
Vicky picked up the phone immediately. “Hey. Where are you?”
“I am in New York. Is anything wrong?”
“I thought you were back.”
“No, I want to look at that space in Manhattan one more time tomorrow.” It was probably the first time I had ever lied to my sister, but I wasn’t ready to tell her about Alex yet, especially keeping in mind her enthusiastic involvement in Portofino. I felt bad, but I would tell her and Mom later. If there’s anything to tell…
“Nicky’s working late tonight. I’ve made an amazing dinner and wanted to invite you over.”
“So, you called me eight times.”
“You usually pick up right away,” Vicky sounded offended.
“Don’t take offense; I will call you tomorrow.”
Vicky wanted to chat more, but I told her I was at a bar with the artists, and she let me go. I brushed my hair and went back to Alex.
I was walking towards him, and he wasn’t able to take his eyes off me. I sent him a mental message – “Seems like my heart is yours. Please don’t break it.”
“Is everything okay?” asked Alex.
“Yes, but I had to call my sister. She couldn’t find me. I have been missing her this whole autumn, and exactly the night I am busy, her husband Nicky is working late, and she was hoping I’d come over. Sometimes there’s no synchronicity in life.”
“But sometimes there is. I believe in synchronicity, Sophia. The happy kind,” said Alex and leaned towards me. “Oh, how beautiful you are!” he exclaimed in a raspy voice, pulled me closer and planted a tender kiss on my lips. I hadn’t expected it. I had really been looking forward to it, but not at a bar. Alex quickly got himself together since we were in a public place, but he never released his grasp on me.
“Sophia, I have been constantly thinking about you since our drive to Portofino.”
I felt elated and happy to hear this from Alex. He had been thinking about me all that time!
“When I saw you in that black dress in Portofino, you were running away down the quay. You put a spell on me that night. I really wanted to run after you, hold you tight, explain everything. I saw that you were upset, but believe me, I couldn’t do it at the time. I will tell you the story one day.”
“Honestly, you really offended me by that stare of yours not letting me approach. You were sitting there with your beautiful ex, deeply engrossed in a conversation with her.”
“That’s what it came across as, but that wasn’t true. Trust me, Sophia!” The last phrase sounded a bit harsh, and I could tell Alex wasn’t keen on talking more about it.
That’s okay, I told myself. What matters is here and now. Alex came to see me in Houston. It only happened a day before, but I had a feeling it had been a month or so, since our day in New York was so long, unusual, and magical. I just wanted to pinch myself.
“Do you have your passport with you?” asked Alex.
“Yes, why?” I asked, taken aback.
“That’s a surprise,” he responded mysteriously. “See you here at the lobby at 8am tomorrow. Check out of the hotel.” He noticed my growingly stunned expression. “I promise, you will be back in Houston the day after tomorrow, if that’s what you want.”
“I don’t know…” I started hesitantly.
“Sophia, you are a big girl! Don’t have any fears or doubts! Everything will be okay, you’ll see! Now off to bed you go!” he exclaimed in a bossy tone.
He walked me to a hotel elevator. I pressed a button, and the doors opened right away. I turned to Alex. He leaned against the wall and was just looking at me without any attempt to hug or kiss me.
“Okay, see you tomorrow then!” I said, unsure of anything, and was about to get on the elevator.
He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him. His lips once again got pressed against mine. He started kissing me, and I returned his kiss. So many emotions were bursting out of me, after that day, after that couple of months, after I had met him at the Nice airport!
I began feeling dizzy. I had never experienced such feelings before.
Alex opened his arms and slightly pushed me towards the elevator.
“Go to sleep, Sophia! See you here at 8am.”
“Have a good night,” I almost whispered. Then I smiled and entered the elevator.
The doors closed, I leaned against the wall. Alex Rodionov likes me. Someone, pinch me. I might not get any sleep.
