Chapter 149 Welcome To New York
The first thing Lenora noticed about New York City was the noise.
Car horns.
Sirens.
The rumble of traffic.
Voices overlapping in a dozen different accents.
The city never seemed to pause.
It pulsed with energy, as if every block was alive.
Lenora stood on the sidewalk outside their new apartment building in SoHo and looked up at the rows of brick buildings stretching toward the bright summer sky.
A taxi sped past.
Someone shouted into a phone.
A delivery cyclist nearly ran over Kylen.
“I’ve been here thirty seconds,” he complained, “and I’ve already risked my life.”
Lilibeth, wearing oversized sunglasses and a tiny white dress, clutched her chest dramatically.
“This city is everything.”
Pamela adjusted the strap of her laptop bag.
“It is objectively chaotic.”
Lenora laughed.
She turned just as Lenold walked out of the building carrying two boxes stacked in his arms.
Even sweaty and slightly disheveled, he looked unfairly handsome.
His black T-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders.
A few dark blond strands had fallen over his forehead.
When he spotted her smiling, his expression softened instantly.
He set the boxes down on the sidewalk.
“What?”
Lenora stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Nothing.”
His hands slid to her hips.
“That smile says something.”
She rose onto her toes and kissed him.
“We live in New York.”
His grin widened.
“We do.”
The words still felt surreal.
After graduation, the New York Rangers had signed Lenold to his rookie contract.
Days later, Lenora accepted the reporting job at the The New York Ledger.
Within a month, they were apartment hunting, signing paperwork, and packing up their lives.
Now they were here.
Together.
In the city where both of their dreams were beginning.
Their apartment sat on the fifth floor of a renovated loft building.
It wasn’t huge, but it was perfect.
Exposed brick walls.
Tall windows.
A cozy kitchen.
And a bedroom that looked out over the city skyline.
Lenora stood in the middle of the living room while boxes surrounded her.
Her heart felt too full for words.
“This is our home.”
Lenold came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Our first home.”
She leaned back against him.
“When did we become adults?”
He kissed her neck.
“I’m still not convinced we have.”
She laughed.
He turned her gently until she was facing him.
Sunlight streamed through the windows, outlining his face.
For a moment, he simply looked at her.
Like he still couldn’t believe she was real.
His fingers brushed the diamond ring on her left hand.
“Mrs. Davenport has a nice ring to it.”
Heat rushed to her cheeks.
“You’re very confident.”
He grinned.
“Should I be worried?”
“Never.”
He lowered his mouth to hers.
The kiss started sweet and slow, but quickly deepened.
Lenora’s fingers curled into his shirt.
His hands settled at the small of her back, pulling her flush against him.
When they finally broke apart, both were smiling.
A loud gagging noise echoed from the doorway.
Lilibeth leaned against the frame.
“Some of us are trying to unpack.”
Kylen peeked over her shoulder.
“Actually, some of us are eating pizza.”
Pamela held up a box.
“And some of us anticipated this exact interruption.”
Lenora burst out laughing.
Lenold kissed her one last time.
“We should probably help.”
“Unfortunately,” Lilibeth sighed.
The next week passed in a blur.
Lenora started her first assignment at The New York Ledger.
Her editor, Nora, welcomed her with a stack of files and a knowing smile.
“We hired you because you chase the truth,” Nora said. “Don’t lose that.”
Lenora threw herself into the work.
She loved the rush of interviews, research, and deadlines.
Meanwhile, Lenold attended training camp with the Rangers.
The pace was brutal.
Practices started before sunrise.
Media obligations stretched late into the evening.
Every night, he came home exhausted.
And every night, he still made time for her.
Sometimes that meant takeout on the couch.
Sometimes it meant falling asleep tangled together before finishing a movie.
Sometimes it meant standing in the kitchen at midnight while he held her close and asked about her day.
The city moved fast.
But they remained each other’s pause button.
One rainy Thursday night, Lenora sat curled on the couch editing notes when the apartment door opened.
Lenold stepped inside looking drenched and tired.
But the second he saw her, he smiled.
“There’s my girl.”
Lenora stood and crossed the room.
He dropped his duffel bag and caught her in his arms.
She kissed him softly.
“Tough day?”
He rested his forehead against hers.
“Coach skated us into the ground.”
She smiled.
“You survived.”
“Barely.”
He glanced at the laptop on the couch.
“How was work?”
She sighed.
“My editor loved my story.”
His eyes lit up.
“That’s amazing.”
She laughed.
“You sound more excited than I am.”
He cupped her face.
“Baby, every time you win, it feels like I win too.”
Emotion tightened her throat.
She kissed him again, longer this time.
Rain tapped against the windows while his hands slid under her sweater, warm against her skin.
He lifted her effortlessly and carried her toward the bedroom.
Lenora laughed breathlessly.
“We haven’t even eaten.”
He kissed the corner of her mouth.
“You’re my favorite meal.”
She groaned and laughed at the same time.
“That was terrible.”
“Yet effective.”
It was.
Very effective.
Later, they lay tangled beneath the sheets, the city lights glowing through the window.
Lenora traced the line of Lenold’s shoulder.
“Do you ever miss home?”
He kissed her hair.
“Sometimes.”
She tilted her head to look at him.
“Do you regret moving here?”
He looked genuinely shocked.
“Not for a second.”
His thumb brushed over her engagement ring.
“Every dream I ever had is in this apartment.”
Tears pricked her eyes.
“You say things like that and expect me not to cry.”
He smiled softly.
“Cry all you want.”
She laughed and nestled closer.
The steady beat of his heart soothed her.
Outside, New York buzzed with endless energy.
Inside, wrapped in the arms of the man she loved, Lenora felt exactly where she belonged.
Their story had begun with secrets, rivalry, and chaos.
Now it was built on honesty, ambition, and a love strong enough to survive every challenge.
And as sleep tugged at her, Lenora smiled.
Because this wasn’t the end of their story.
It was the beginning of the life they had always dreamed of.