The New York Project

4. Temptation

She got out of bed quite late to meet with Brooke's horrified and inquisitive gaze about Robbie's black eye, which, naturally, looked worse than the evening before. Thankfully, she, Henry and Charlotte were leaving later for their beach house in the Hamptons, so she couldn't go very deep into the inquisition.

The two suspects told the truth anyway, the whole story about an obnoxious guy and Robbie's zealed chivalry – they admitted everything but his awkward motivations. Whereas Brooke's lips remained tight and as thin as a needle, she didn't need to further question their explanations.

Victoria then helped Charlotte packing her unicorn bag with her favourite books and hair clips.

"You'll come visit us, right, Vee?" asked the little girl.

"Of course, we'll come at least one weekend with Robbie. I promise."

"Great! It's amazing there, with the sea and everything. And my friend Isabella's house isn't far from ours. She has two pools."

Charlotte added the last bit in a whisper, as if it was a secret.

"Cool," commented her big sister in a chuckle, "I look forward to it."

Soon came the time for the girl to leave with her parents. Henry kissed his eldest daughter while Brooke gestured awkwardly at her and Robbie.

"Be good, kids!" instructed Henry.

"Don't worry, papa," declared Victoria, a forced smile on her lips.

The two young people waved from the porch stairs until the black car disappeared after one turn in the streets. They then gazed weirdly at each other for some long seconds.

"Well, um, I'm going to work a bit in my room."

"Oh, okay. Wait, work? Isn't this your summer break?"

Robbie sounded surprised and almost suspicious, as though he thought it was an excuse to bail on him after yesterday's fiasco.

"Words and literature can't wait... I've promised one of my authors to have a last look at her manuscript."

"Fine. What do you want to do tonight, by the way? Do you want to stay in, or...?" he asked in a so-close try at a casual tone, one hand in his hair.

"Oh, I'm meeting my girlfriend Cecilia in the Village. I know her from Harvard, she lives in New York and is a journalist at Vogue. She was in the pictures of Paris I showed you yesterday."

"Ah, yes. Great."

Now he sounded as though he hoped to hide that he was disappointed – epic fail. He went back into the house without saying anything more.

She hated this awkwardness that had settled between them. She didn't know how to deal with it. Will it go away someday?

***

She couldn't focus on her work: she read the same sentences again and again without understanding one word, as if it were written in a language she'd never learnt. She was relieved when it was time to get dressed and do her hair and make-up.

When she was ready to leave, she found him reading in the garden, lush with trees and greenery – Brooke also knew how to choose an excellent gardener.

"Hey, lad, goodbye, I'm good to go."

He grunted and reluctantly lifted his eyes from his book. The expression of his face changed right away.

"Wow, you look, um... that's a, um... a lovely outfit," he muttered.

"Why, thank you, Rob."

She was wearing a gold pouch bag and black stilettos alongside a short wrap dress, made in a smooth silk of a black and gold print.