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“Queens. Astoria. What about you?”
“Westport, Connecticut. And my dad’s penthouse up near Columbus Circle.”
“Wow.”
She shrugged, looking slightly embarrassed. “So, do you like the room?”
“It’s handsome,” he said, turning to her and trying not to get lost in her beautiful eyes. “It has a more masculine style than the rest of the apartment. Whose room was it? Or is that being too nosy?”
“No. It’s a room I designed for my brother. He is in a master’s program at Harvard, so he doesn’t have his own city apartment now.”
“Will that be a problem if I’m here?”
“It won’t be. He always goes to our family’s penthouse or our house in Westport where all his things are. He and I are close, so I just wanted to give him an alternative, but he’s never used it.”
“What is he getting his master’s in?”
She mugged a face. “Architecture. He’s planning to work with our dad.”
“Bet your father is happy about that.”
“He is. His work is his life, so that is the best way he can relate to his kids.” He felt Julie studying him, then she said, “You just got a sad look on your face. Is your father still alive?”
Boy, she was good. Something to remember if he decided to live here. “Yeah, my dad is alive, but he is a firefighter and wanted me to be one too.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “As opposed to being a doctor? I would think most parents—”
“Not mine. Well, my mom is happy about it, but my father makes it into a competition thing where he says I think I’m better than him and calls me a snob and stupid stuff like that.” Why was he telling her all this?
“Ooh. That’s rough.” She nodded. “I can relate a little bit. I’m getting my degree in interior design supposedly so I can work for that department in my dad’s firm, but I prefer interior decorating.”
“I’m not sure I know the difference,” Noah said, feeling like an idiot.
“Truth is there is a lot of crossover between the two. But generally speaking, interior design is about the structural foundation. Walls, windows, electricity, plumbing, the design of how a space is used, sustainability of materials and overall environment. Interior decorators are more about color schemes and textures. Wallpaper, furniture, accessories.” Julie smirked. “The smaller, more intimate stuff that my father and brother kind of look down on.”
“Is your mother supportive?”
“She died when I was four, so I only have vague memories of her and don’t even know which are real.”
“I’m sorry.” Geez, he shouldn’t have asked her that.
“It’s okay. I had a nanny I love who’s been like a mother to me my whole life. Trouble is my real mother’s absence makes mydad loom that much larger. And when you have a famous father, everything he does is more important that anything you do.”
Noah caught her implication. And a touch of something else. Resentment? Sadness? “Is the interior design of this whole apartment your work?”
“Yep. Down to the last detail.”
“You are really good. This place is spectacular.” He walked back out to the living room area. “I mean, every room, every wall, every nook and cranny is like a work of art.” And he wasn’t merely saying it to flatter a girl who obviously felt unseen in her family. She had truly made the apartment into a dazzling showcase.
“Thank you.” A huge smile spread across her face that made her even more beautiful. Then out of the blue she sprang forward and gave him a quick hug and a kiss.
It was only on his cheek, but Noah was already on fire just being around her. The touch of her hands and lips sent a jolt through him like nothing he’d ever felt before.
Which made him realize living here could be a very dangerous situation for him. He needed to focus on his grades, and he could see how Julie could be extremely distracting. And if some kind of relationship thing started between them, well, that was asking for trouble. She was so out of his league it wasn’t funny.
“Do you want some coffee? Soda? Beer? While we talk over our terms.”
“I’m good, thanks.”
