“Are you frightened of heights or one thing?”

“In no way. I simply can’t consider we’re going to fly there in a helicopter.” She shook her head. “I’ve by no means flown in a helicopter earlier than.”

“I hope you’ll take pleasure in it.”

“And, um, you talked about there can be dinner?”

“Sure.”

“Nice. Properly, I’ll see you then.” Emma left, and Patrick tried to deal with his work. It was tough, although. He couldn’t cease eager about Emma, simply as he had for the previous few days. He hoped she would take pleasure in seeing the gallery. He hoped she wouldn’t thoughts spending the night alone with him.

He hoped he may get to kiss her.

When six o’clock lastly rolled round, Patrick couldn’t shut his laptop computer and pack his issues quick sufficient. He met Emma on the roof a couple of minutes early. She was carrying her grey jacket and a crimson hat and was wanting with a doubtful expression on the helicopter that was already sitting on the roof.

“Having second ideas?” he requested.

She turned to him with a heat smile. “In no way. I’m actually wanting ahead to seeing your gallery.”

“Lets, then?”

They greeted the pilot and climbed into the helicopter. Emma struggled a little bit with the straps of her security belt, and Patrick leaned over instinctively to assist her untangle it. Their palms brushed and he felt heat journey up his arms. That heat solely intensified when he turned his head and realized that they have been solely inches aside. If one in every of them leaned ahead, they’d be kissing.

However as an alternative, they each smiled a little bit awkwardly and Patrick straightened again up.

“Be certain that to place in your headset,” he instructed her. “It’ll get loud.”

Emma did. The pilot checked that they have been each comfy, and some minutes later, they have been within the sky. Emma appeared out the window so intently that Patrick wouldn’t have been shocked if she had left a nostril print on the glass.

“That is stunning,” she breathed.

Patrick needed to admit that it was fairly spectacular to see the town open up beneath them, all twinkling lights and tall buildings. He traveled by helicopter typically sufficient that he was pretty inured to it; he normally spent his time within the sky reviewing briefs, making to-do lists, and in any other case getting ready for what would occur when he returned to the bottom. As we speak, although, with Emma exclaiming in surprise by his aspect, he noticed once more how wonderful it actually was to journey like this.

“Look, there’s the lake!” She pointed. “It seems virtually scary at evening, a lot water, stretching to date…”

“I feel it seems a little bit scary within the daytime,” Patrick joked. “I grew up in New York Metropolis and I’m not used to that a lot open house.”

Emma glanced at him, eyebrows wrinkling. “Isn’t New York Metropolis proper on the coast?”

“Properly, sure, however I didn’t precisely spend lots of time on the seashore. Whereas the lake is true right here in the midst of the town.”

“Why did you progress to Chicago?” Emma requested. Her voice was raised to be heard by the headphones, similar to Patrick’s was.

“Once I graduated school, I knew I wished to seek out my very own place, away from my dad and mom and their affect. Charles and Eliza Daniels are large names again in New York — and even right here, however much less.”

“They personal a number of corporations, proper?”

“Proper. My father inherited from my grandfather and was capable of construct his enterprise in his twenties. That’s what I did, as nicely. My dad and mom gave me some seed funding to begin LWC Capital. That’s additionally why I’ve an funding agency, versus an art-focused firm.”

“And why did you choose Chicago?”

“I had visited as soon as in my senior 12 months of school,” Patrick admitted. “And I fell in love with the town and its individuals. I additionally went to a couple artwork museums and galleries whereas I used to be right here as a result of one in every of my pals was an artwork main, and that’s how I grew to become fascinated by artwork. How about you?” Patrick realized that he’d been speaking for some time and there was nonetheless quite a bit he didn’t find out about Emma.

“I didn’t begin an funding firm,” Emma mentioned with a teasing smile.

“Certain, however the place did you develop up?”

She waved a slim hand backwards and forwards. “Oh, you realize, right here and there.”

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