“Ah, yes. It’s more than an apartment, though.” He glanced at Sia, but went on without saying her name. “I’m sure you’ve been informed that we have a small number of residents. Most have an entire floor. The owner is private, so rent checks will be made out to The Mauricio, should you decide this is a place you’d like to live.”
The elevator doors opened as we approached, though Dorian hadn’t pushed a button. He paused before stepping inside and gestured behind us. “As you can see, Kenneth’s office is right next to the front door. You’ll never have to worry about waiting for entry. When you approach, if you live here, the door will automatically open, just like this elevator. If Kenneth or myself isn’t here, the system recognizes our residents. You should never be left outside, and if you are, all you need to do is press a button. But we guarantee that will never happen.”
Besides the elevator, the doorman’s office, and the front door, there was only one other doorway in the lobby, situated to the left of the elevator. Dorian pointed to it. “The front lobby is not extravagant, but that doesn’t mean all the amenities aren’t here. Beyond that door you’ll find the pool, the patio, and places where you can grill and socialize. We have a gym, along with a running track that winds around the building and basement. It’s covered, so it looks like a tunnel when you’re inside. Passersby won’t see you. There’s a garden and a fountain on the way to the pool. The owner spared no expense, and I think you’ll appreciate his efforts, but first…” He held a hand toward the elevator, which had remained open for us the entire time. “I’ll show you the third floor, which is the only floor open right now.”
Inside the elevator, a B, L, and buttons numbered 2 through 7 were lit up in silver on the right side. Three black buttons sat above those. Dorian pushed number three and stood back as the doors closed. “There’s a sitting room and a theater room on the first floor. Pool, mail, the gym, and the running track are also on the first floor. You’ll meet the other residents in those areas, most likely.” The elevator stopped at the third floor, but the doors didn’t open. Instead, a panel appeared on the left side, and Dorian pushed four letters.
The doors opened then, straight into the empty living space. There was no hallway, but there was no need. I was spellbound by the beauty before me. As I stepped inside, I heard Dorian saying, as if from a distance, “We have cameras all over the building—the elevators, the lobby, the parking lots, and so forth—except not in your home. You will be given your own unique code for your floor. You can put it in once you get into the elevator, or when you arrive at your floor. It’s up to you. And if others call to be let up to your floor, you can approve them by pushing a button. That will allow the doors to open for your floor because you’re sending the signal from within your own apartment, if that makes sense?”
I crossed the hardwood floors and went straight to the street side. The views were stunning.
Dorian spoke from just inside the door. “You can look out, but no one can see in. It’s very private. Your safety is important to us, and believe me, if you live here, you are absolutely secure. The entire building is alarmed. A basement parking lot is available to you if you drive, and you’ll be given a code for the first floor exits and your own door, if you use the stairs. You’ll also get your own code for everything on the main floor. We have onsite security, though you’ll probably never see them. They remain invisible to the residents, but if something were to happen, you’d be protected within seconds.”
“And how would I alert them?”
He moved to the island in the kitchen and put his hand beneath the counter. “There’s a panic button here. There’s one in each room.”
I glanced at Sia, who was frowning, erasing her dreamy look. The heavy security seemed more than I needed, but these people were rich. And I supposed heavy security was always a good thing.
I drifted back to the view of the street. Everyone was so busy, rushing down the sidewalk or hailing a cab. Cars moved along, as it was close to the end of business hours. They wanted to go home, and I knew in a couple of hours, the street would be very still. A shiver went through me, up my spine, over my arms, down my legs. It was the excited kind, the good kind, and I wanted to make it last.
It hit me then: I wanted to live here—not just as a fantasy, but for real. I wanted to be tucked away and safe in this building, but still so much in the center of everything. Even with the little I’d seen of the space, I already knew everything was top of the line.
I scouted around a little more. Hardwood floors that went everywhere. Four bedrooms. A master bathroom with a deep hot tub. Two living rooms, one sunken like something out of a hotel lobby. A white brick fireplace nestled between two couches. Dorian said the fireplace was just for show, but it still looked beautiful. A state-of-the-art kitchen with granite countertops and professional-grade appliances. Three chandeliers accented the spaces. The place came unfurnished, but Dorian said the chandeliers could remain.
Dorian stepped into the elevator to give us some time to talk, and he told me the code I’d need to call the elevator when we were ready to go.
As the doors closed behind him, Sia turned to me. “Okay, before you say anything, he said it’s only $25,000 a month. I know you can afford this place. I totally think you should apply.”
I had been ready to say yes, but suddenly I couldn’t. “Liam loved our home.” I felt him now. He was with me, looking at the place, and I could feel his hurt. I was going to leave his dream home for this?