Chapter 1: Introduction
The thrill of a busy New York City night threw its arms around Caroline and whispered sweet somethings in her ear as she walked along the bustling sidewalks of Manhattan, making her way to Soggiorno, the latest culinary hotspot everyone was raving about. With her friends Hank and Maria at the helm—as the cutest, gayest couple ever—Caroline was assured the evening would be a farcical feast, a welcome escape from her recent work-related exasperations.
It wasn't long before the sultry strains of Frank Sinatra drifted across the crowded eatery, parting the sea of chattering patrons as she approached the hostess.
"Right this way, Ms. Davenport," the young woman singing from a script said, a little too authentically Italian for her own good.
"Your party is awaiting you."
Ah, her friends had arrived.
As she followed the hostess to her table, Caroline found herself perusing the room, as if searching for a sweet treat to indulge her senses. And there, at the very edge of her peripheral vision, she caught a glimpse of something. Or rather, someone. A tall, dark, and delectably handsome someone, engrossed in conversation with two other guests. Simon.
Caroline's charming and enigmatic neighbor, whose bedroom escapades had become the lullaby to her sleepless nights. A breathtaking man whose sporadic visits had earned him a rather explicit, albeit fitting, nickname. The Wallbanger. Oh, and a knew he was a bit of a wanderer, having traversed the far reaches of the earth on his photographic adventures.
But it didn't make this current encounter any less bewildering. As she took her place at the table and exchanged warm greetings with Hank and Maria, Caroline couldn't help her gaze from drifting back to Simon. A moment's eye contact. A flash of enticing smiles exchanged. And then just like that, the universe had upped the stakes. Just one more hurdle on the track that was her life.
A quick introduction to their friends, where the expected pleasantries were exchanged. Caroline, in her floral maxi dress, tried to quell her nerves, taking in the aromas of the carefully crafted dishes as the conversation between them coalesced into the more general hubbub of the room.
“Could you believe the temerity of our landlord? What is this neighborhood coming to?” Hank lamented.
“It’s getting more unbearable every single day.