Jeremy distracted me.
“On this side is my home office.” He opened a heavy wooden door.
I peeked inside. There was a single desk. It was neat and clean. His work space was the opposite of mine. I kept stacks of papers and scribbled notes around my computer. If I had an idea, I’d jot it down on the quickest thing I could find, whether that was a receipt or my waitress pad. I bit my lip nervously as we moved on.
“And this is a guest room.” He turned on the light. “It has its own bathroom. Can’t say it’s ever been used.”
“Nice.” I smiled at him. It was completely gray. But not a calming gray. Everything was steel and metallic. I wondered if no one slept there because all Jer’s overnight guests were attractive women. Women who more than likely shared his bed. I had to ignore those tugs of jealousy.
“Here’s my sports room. I keep the door closed all the time, especially at parties. I don’t let anyone in.”
My eyebrows rose. “You have a sports room?” It was the most personal room I had seen so far. It was an actual glimpse into his nature. “Why don’t you let anyone see this?”
I was mesmerized by the autographed memorabilia on the wall. There were baseballs, hats, team photos. It was an impressive collection.
“The contents of this room are worth more than the entire apartment.” He eyed me. “The door stays closed.”
I nodded. “Got it.”
We walked out. He pointed across the hall. “And this is the master.”
I could tell he was proud of the penthouse. Everything was expensive and lavish, but I didn’t have the heart to tell him it was also cold and dreary. It made me want to unpack a sweater and curl up.
I tiptoed into the bedroom. The sheets were black and the comforter gray. There were built-in stainless steel lamps on either side of the bed. I noticed each side also had its own control panel. I wondered what all the buttons did. The chandelier hanging from the center of the ceiling was constructed from thick pipes and bolts. He had embraced an industrial motif. Everything looked rugged and warehouse-like, but he had spent money. Each piece was flawless. They looked like one-of-a-kind designs.
I worked hard not to frown.
“Did you have a decorator?” I asked.
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Sasha helped. She chose most of the pieces from a local artist. Everything was designed for me. You won’t find another collection like it in the entire city.” He seemed proud.
I clenched my jaw. I still didn’t think he was telling me everything about his assistant. It was evident she was part of his inner circle, and that included the keys to his master suite.
“Why don’t you rest while I head to the office?” he suggested. “It was an early morning after a long night.”
“You’re leaving?” I eked, spinning on my heels. “Already? We just arrived.”
“I have an investor meeting that was postponed until I returned. I’ve already pushed it back as far as I can. The driver is waiting for me downstairs.”
“Oh. The important investors you mentioned?”
He laughed. “All my investors are important. But I know you’re exhausted.” He began to back out of the bedroom. “Make yourself at home. Unpack. I’m sure there’s something in the fridge. Sleep. I think you’ll like the bed.”
“But—”
He closed the bedroom door and I heard his footsteps fade as he walked through the apartment.
I sat on the bed, surprised it was so easy for him to leave me here.
It wasn’t the Magnolia Inn. I didn’t feel the romantic embrace of the elopement suite. I stood and strolled to the windows. They were tinted for privacy, but I could see for miles. I wondered how often Jeremy took the time to admire the view. That had to be why he bought this apartment. I could see the entire city from his bedroom.
I already knew the answer to my question. He didn’t stop to enjoy the small things. He didn’t savor what he had. His eye was fixed on what he wanted.
I exhaled, turning for the bedroom door.
I wasn’t going to hang out here alone when there was an entire city to explore. I’d never been to New York. I wasn’t going to nap or rest while he took on the world.
I grabbed my bag and stormed out of the apartment. I’d never been the kind of girl to sit around and wait for something to happen, and I wasn’t going to start now.