9111/Date Night

Date Night
Date of Scene:	16 December 2021
Location:	Several spots in NYC
Synopsis:	Corned beef and a carriage ride through the park, sounds like a date to me
Cast of Characters:	Dick Grayson, Stephanie Brown

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Dick Grayson has posed:
    It was still amazing to Dick that he had taken so long to see the truth about Stephanie. Somehow the trained detective managed to completely overlook his own feelings for all this time. Thank goodness that Sara had metaphorically smacked him upside the head and made him realize the truth.

    He decided that tonight would be a nice, informal date. He knew he didn't need to try and impress her like he had to do with women in the past. Too many were blind to anything but the Wayne fortune, but that wasn't Steph at all. He pulled into the parking lot of her dorm and hopped out of his car, heading into her dorm and up to her door. Knocking on said door, he waited for her to answer.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
The apartments are kind of noisy, which isn't unexpected for a building full of college students. Music comes from across the hall, while down at the end, people congregate outside an open doorway, drinking from ubiquitous red Solo cups.

Stephanie's door opens up, the blond girl's blue eyes shining brightly, and there's something in her posture that suggests she probably hurried over to the door. "Dick," she says, her face lit with one of those pretty, slightly goofy grins of hers.

She starts to lean towards him, then hesitates, then goes ahead with it, leaning up to brush a little kiss to his cheek by the corner of his lips. "So keeping me in the dark on the plans," she teases, though smiling that he is making it a surprise.

Stephanie is wearing jeans, and a white blouse with a navy blue vest over the top. She's wearing a little bit of makeup, which she often doesn't. And Dick likely detects subtly applied perfume when she leaned closer. "All ready?" she asks, ready to lock the door and head out with the man.

Dick Grayson has posed:
    Ah, college life. He had a good time at college, even if he, like Steph, pulled a lot of long nights due to a certain interest in cleaning up the city. Smiling back as she comes to the door, he replies "Heya Steph, you look nice tonight."

    When she leans in, she'll no doubt notice a touch of cologne, not overdone like too many men do. He's in a pair of khakis and a dark blue button down shirt. Returning the little kiss as she leans in, he nods. "It's more fun that way, though I would suggest a coat, it's a bit chilly tonight and we might be spending some time outside."

    He leans against the wall outside her door while he waits for her to get a coat, watching students come and go. One dark haired girl almost trips when she sees him there, then stalks off muttering to herself.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown hurries over to grab a jacket, shoving some gloves into a pocket as well, then meets Dick back at the door. She misses the sight of Jordanna passing down the hallway, as Stephanie's eyes focus in on Dick heavily.

She swings the door shut and then locks it with her key. There are two deadbolts on it plus a chain inside. The key goes into a pocket and she turns back to Dick Grayson. "Ready!" she tells him brightly. The young woman's face is lit up, a mixture of warmth and happiness and hope. A contagious smile that just won't be repressed as the date starts.

Dick Grayson has posed:
    Taking her hand, he leads her out to his car, opening the door for her to get in before going around and getting in the driver's side. The car starts with a throaty roar, more so then the classic Camaro it appears to be. Putting it into gear, he pulls out of the parking lot and onto the road.

    "I was trying to think of a good place to go, but so many ideas were just cliche. I decided just to take you to one of my favorite places even if it's not standard date night fare." He glances over at her and grins, asking, "Are you one of those girls who pretends she doesn't actually eat food and just orders a little salad? I've never understood that, honestly."

    The police scanner remains refreshingly silent of anything major, the usual collection of fender benders and domestic calls, nothing that would involve either one of them. He seems to be headed in the general direction of the hyperloop station.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie gets buckled up, her eyes taking in the beautiful classic car. She's been around the Waynes enough that it isn't a huge surprise. But yet, being in it tonight has a specialness that leaves her appreciating it more.

Stephanie gives a nervous laugh at the question about eating. "No, but now I'm wondering if I should have been. I mean instead of... bit of cheeseburger grease leaking at the corner of my lips," she says. And then looks like she's second guessing a bit if she should have said that. But only for a moment, it's out there.

"I think seeing one of your favorite places would be perfect, Dick," Stephanie tells him. She turns a little bit on her side in her seat, attention mostly on the man. "So what are the odds we make it through a night without getting interrupted by... things?"

Dick Grayson has posed:
    With a little laugh, he shakes his head, "No worries, as I said, we all have to eat, so why pretend you don't? It's just silly. Where we're going, you'll want an appetite."

    He shrugs a little, a bit of mischief in his eyes as he says, "Oh, I think they're pretty good. I put the fix in, couldn't have our date being interrupted when the relationship is just starting."

    It's only a couple of minutes before he's pulling into the parking lot for the hyperloop, pulling a jacket from the rear of the car when they get out, and arming the alarm on the car. As they head into the station, he takes her hand again, it just feels right to him to do so. He gets two tickets to New York, handing one to her and heading for the boarding area.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown climbs out of the car, zipping up her jacket and waiting for Dick to come around the car. When he reaches for her hand, it draws a little bit of a goofy smile from the blond teen. She slips her hand into his, following along towards the station which has become fairly familiar to her over the last year. With more trips to New York in that time, than all the rest of her life combined.

The boarding area is kind of crowded, Stephanie walking closer to Dick to avoid getting separated. Letting him clear a path for the shorter girl. "So, New York," she says, glancing at the ticket to confirm which of the major cities served they are going to. "Where did you go to school, by the way?" she asks him. "Was it at Gotham U, or somewhere else?"

Dick Grayson has posed:
    Dick has no problem cutting a path through the crowd, making it look effortless as he avoids people and makes progress towards his goal. "Nah, I went to Hudson University. It's in upstate New York. I wanted to be able to concentrate on school, which would have been tough if I was still here in Gotham. You know the kind of distractions we run into almost every night."

    Arriving at the boarding area, he finds them a pair of seats and settles in for the ride. Continuing to talk about college, he shakes his head a little and adds, "Of course, there were that kind of distractions there as well, but at least it wasn't a bad as Gotham for that sort of thing."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
A little exhalation of air is given in reply. "Do I ever," she says of knowing about those kind of distractions. "Sometimes I think I'd have been better at the community college," she says. "A little easier classes and work load? And, well, honestly I'm still not sure how I got accepted at Gotham. My grades were just good enough I could put in the application, but I didn't expect to get accepted."

Stephanie settles into the seat, leaning gently against Dick's side once settled. "I figure Bruce probably had something to do with it. The scholarship that showed up too. I gave him an indeterminate thank you so he wouldn't have to acknowledge it if so," she says with a chuckle.

The train starts forward, accelerating up to high speed in a short period of time.

Dick Grayson has posed:
    When Steph leans against him, it's the most natural thing in the world for him to put his arm around her. He chuckles and says, "There's a good chance he had something to do with it, deep down he tries to take care of us all, even if he does show a kind of gruff exterior. He's just like that. Just do your best and you will have thanked him."

    The hyperloop lives up to it's name, and they are shortly stepping out of the station in New York. Looking around he spots a driver holding a small 'Grayson' sign and heads over, following the man to a luxury car, not a limo. "Hop in, he already knows where we're going first." He shrugs a little sheepishly, saying "I know it seems a bit much to have a private car and driver, but sometimes the taxis here can play hard to get." Once Steph is in the car, he slides in as well and says, "Ok, off we go."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown tries not to let show just how much she enjoys that train ride. After all, it's just a guy with his arm around her. But, yet for Stephanie that's such a big thing. And the guy that it is. She steals looks at him rather than letting herself end up staring. She's still pinching herself that her feelings have been returned by the man. She'd never really thought there was any chance of that happening.

She rises with Dick and heads out to the car. "It's ok, save us time," she agrees. "I admit, I'm going to have to get used to, well, things like this. It's just a bit of a different way of interacting with the world. Though, well ok. You know I was dating Roberto da Costa last year. And, it was sort of the same with him. Though I still never quite got used to it before we broke up."

Once in the car, she slides her hand over into Dick's. "So how is it you found, wherever it is we're going?" she asks.

Dick Grayson has posed:
"Yeah, I thought doing this with a limo would have been a bit excessive. I try to keep from doing the whole 'look, I'm rich' thing unless it's something unavoidable." He smiles at her, adding, "That's not to say I won't whisk you off to the Bahamas or something for a surprise vacation, but it's not an everyday thing."

    The car makes it's way through the New York traffic as he continues, "As for this place, it's basically a fixture here in the city. They just do some amazing food, and a good amount of it. Little on the expensive side, but they're worth it."

    After a little while, the car pulls to the curb in front of Katz's Deli. Dick hops out and offers a hand to Steph as she moves to exit the car. Once she does, the car moves away to park nearby and Dick leads her inside. It's pretty crowded, so they basically get in line to wait for a table. He murmurs to her, "This is one place the Wayne name doesn't help. They only do reservations for groups of ten or more."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie climbs out of the car with Dick, hand in his as she rises. She looks over at the sign, but doesn't give any comment that suggests she's familiar with the famed eatery. She walks inside with him, unzipping her jacket and drawing in a small breath. "It certainly smells good," she says as she eyes the stations all along two sides of the Deli where one can place orders for sandwiches, meat from the carving board, soups, and everything else you'd expect from a New York Deli.

"Ok, so what do you recommend," she asks as they get in line. Stephanie notes a sign at one of the tables. Yes, THAT table. But at the angle they are at, she can't read it, so it remains a mystery to her for now.

Dick Grayson has posed:
Dick Grayson says, "I'm fond of the corned beef, but honestly, they really don't have anything I'd avoid. I think at this point I've had everything they make at least once." It's not too long before a table open up in the waiters section where they can sit and look over the menu rather than getting their food from the various stations.

    "See, this is why I asked about eating, they don't really make their stuff in small sizes." He scans over the menu, giving her time to decide what she wants as the crowd continues to be loud and colorful, pretty much what you'd expect from New York."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie looks over the menu too, and says, "Well, I'll go with the recommendation," she says, turning back to flash Dick a smile, and resting her hand lightly on his side. "Oh, those fries look good, with the chili cheese topping. And... can't go without dessert can we? That's one good thing about... ah... activities that provide lots of exercise. Don't have to skimp on the desserts," the incognito crime fighter says.

When she gives the waiter her order, she adds a raspberry lemonade as well, then turns back to Dick. "Hey, if we have leftovers.. I mean, college student," she says with a grin. "Though I get a fair amount of them from Alfred. I try not to get too overboard about eating there, but still. With commuting between school and Bristol, it sure saves time. Not to mention... mmm... Alfred's cooking."

Dick Grayson has posed:
    Nodding with a knowing smile, Dick says "Can't beat Alfred's cooking. And feel free to drop in whenever you want, he makes lots of food and there's almost always leftovers in the fridge. He'd be happy that you were enjoying his food."

    When the server comes to the table, he orders the sandwich package for two with a pair of corned beef sandwiches, checking with Steph on what she wants to drink with it. That done, he turns back to her and picks up the conversation. "So yeah, I know I'd be happy to see you around more, and we can't have our young coeds fainting from a lack of nutrition." He winks at her, and continues "And of course, this is only the first part of the date, there's more for after we eat."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown gives the waiter a grateful smile before they move off with the order, then she turns her attention back to Dick more fully. The mention of a second part of the date causes the blond girl's head to tilt in interest. "Mr. Grayson, you are so full of surprises tonight," she tells him. She rests her hand on the table near his, fingers resting lightly against his own.

"Well I definitely have an appetite. Had issues with my chemistry lab. And despite claims to the contrary, it wasn't my experiment that resulted in the smell," she says, wrinkling her nose. "So I ended up having to rush off to my next class rather than stop by the Union for food like I'd planned."

The food doesn't take long in arriving, the staff on their toes. "Mm, this looks good," she says when the sandwich is before her. She gets some of the chili cheese fries, setting them in the middle so Dick can pick at them as well.

Dick Grayson has posed:
    "Sounds like I picked the perfect day for this, then. By the time we're done with dinner, you probably won't be hungry for a day and a half." He maneuvers the thick sandwich carefully to avoid dripping on his shirt, closing his eyes and he takes a bite. "I don't know their recipe, but I have never found anywhere that does this better."

    He does steal some of the fries as well, as well as a couple of the pickle wedges. "Fortunately the second part of the date doesn't require much physical effort, so eating too much won't cause us any trouble." He continues to work on his sandwich, asking questions between bites.

    "So how are your classes going? Anything giving you troubles? I remember a couple of classes that I just had problems with."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie finishes the bite of sandwich she's on, swallowing before answering. "Chemistry is an issue for me. I don't know, my brain just doesn't quite work that way," she says with a tiny shake of her head. "Which is frustrating given, I know how useful it is," she says. "And I even have a leg up thanks to Barbara, and Tim," she says.

She takes a bite of a pickle spear, letting out a sigh at the delicious taste. "The rest are doing ok. I'm still trying to figure out what major I want to pursue," she says. And little does she know that the Forensic Scientist major she'll decide on is going to need LOTS of chemistry!

"So any hints on the second part? Besides, the not requiring exercise? A movie? Play or Broadway show?" she guesses.

Dick Grayson has posed:
    Dick shakes his head, "Nope, not those. But it is more of a datelike activity, anyway." He continues to work on the sandwich. It will be a good while to finish it, and he's not going to be leaping from roof to roof tonight, that's for sure.

    "I can help also, I did pretty well in Chemistry. It's important for our work when we want to work up an antidote or track down what's in an unknown substance, so give me a call anytime you need a hand."

    Another chili-covered steak fry gets stolen and eaten, adding to the reasons he isn't planning on any fights tonight. WHile throwing up on your opponent may be amusing, it's not good for one's image.

Stephanie Brown has posed:
"Mmm," Stephanie says, though it's more of a sound of agreement than it is commentary on the quality of the food. "Yes, I was doing some work with the stuff we got last time Fries got captured," she says, speaking of Mr. Freeze. And keeping her voice down, not that it's likely to be overheard in the busy and noisy restaurant. "And, well, that's when I needed to go to Tim for help with it."

Dick's earlier concern about her eating a salad doesn't seem to be a worry. Stephanie definitely digs in, if not quite reaching the point of unladylike. But she appreciates the meal from the way she's eating. "Mmm. So good," she says, and that time it is commentary on the food."

Soft blue eyes study him, and what she sees makes Stephanie smile. That's been happening lately, a lot more than it ever used to. "Thank you, for taking me out tonight," she tells him warmly.

Dick Grayson has posed:
    Dick meets her gaze, smiling back at the beautiful woman sitting across from him. "Anytime, Steph. I love spending time with you, so you'll be seeing a lot more of me now that we're a couple. Have to make up for all that time I wasted before I realized how I really felt about you."

    He actually manages to polish off the sandwich, but it takes a bit of effort to do so. He sits back in his seat a bit, letting things settle a bit before considering dessert. He probably doesn't need it, but it's a special night.

    "You feel up to a slice of cheesecake, or should we just share one? I don't know about you, but I'm pretty stuffed."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie finishes her sandwich only a little bit after Dick. "Mmmm...." she says, wiping at her lips in what she hopes is a dainty fashion. At least she imagines that is probably how Jordanna does it. Actually, she probably just licks her lips trying to make her date stare.

Tramp.

At least Stephanie didn't say it out loud that time. "I think I could handle splitting one with you," Stephanie agrees on the cheesecake. "Right, so no rooftops for us tonight. Unless you're planning on taking me to some romantic rooftop view of the city. Like a heated one. Without gargoyles. They do have those here, right? Rooftops without gargoyles?" she kids.

Dick Grayson has posed:
    With a chuckle, he shakes his head. "Only on the cathedral, otherwise most of New York's buildings are gargoyle free. Maybe that's why Batman stays in Gotham, no gargoyles to perch on." He grins a little, perhaps trying to picture the Dark Knight fruitlessly searching for a gargoyle to loom on.

    He gets the server's attention and orders the cheesecake, which takes only a minute to arrive. "As with everything else, they do this very well." He offers her a forkful of cheesecake, "Here, give it a try."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie leans forward to let Dick feed her the taste. She takes it off hte fork, smiling as she savors the taste. "That is good," she agrees, eyes flashing at him warmly.

She gets her own fork then to get another small bite of it. "Had a letter from my dad arrive yesterday. I was visiting mom and got it out of the mailbox," she says, her expression taking a turn from the happy smile. "I didn't look at it. I probably would have just thrown it in the trash," she says with a small, angry shake of her head.

"Sorry. Don't know why that popped into my head. I guess just, ah, your dad and all, made me think of mine. You got the better one there I'd say. I mean, even with the brooding and all."

Stephanie does her best to imitate Bruce's brooding, though ends up breaking into warm laughter.

Dick Grayson has posed:
Dick shakes his head, "Don't worry about it. I want to know all I can about you, good or bad. Now, you can just tell me to butt out, but while I know he's not exactly a dad to be proud of, wouldn't you want to see what he had to say?"

    He smirks at the impression, nodding his head and saying, "You've got that just about right. It's hard to manage it without a day or two's worth of chin stubble to add to the menace of the look."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown sits back in her chair, arms crossing under her breasts. Which, in itself does give a rather nice view though that probably isn't her intent. "He just... belongs where he is," she says of his cell in Blackgate. "He could have been father but instead going out and being... Cluemaster was more important to him than Mom and I were," she says with a bit of anger in her voice.

"I don't know what he could say right now that I'd want to hear, honestly," she tells Dick. "A few times I thought he might change. And each time it was the same." She shakes her head.

"Argh. I'm really a bucket of cold water on the party, aren't I?" she asks. "Sorry, ok, back to happier thoughts. So school is going well. And, I've tried to not let on too much, but there's this boy I've been crazy about who finally noticed me," she says, tone turning teasing.

From over behind Dick, the sound of a woman moaning can be heard. Yes, coming from the table.

Dick Grayson has posed:
    "No, don't worry about it. I'm the one who poked into it, and you've got every right to throw his letters away. If it's anyone's fault, it's mine for poking my nose into your family business. So yeah, we'll just move away from that subject."

    He smiles as she teases and answers her saying, "Well, good for you. I've been following this little hottie around and she seems interested, so sounds like we're both in a really good place right now." He finishes the last bit of his half of the cheesecake, then glances over at the table the sound is coming from, then back to Steph, shaking his head. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised, but you'd think that would have died down by now."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
It's Stephanie's turn to shake her head. "Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to have a guy who cared enough to poke his nose into my family business?" she tells him. "It's ok. Just he's one of those... unresolved issues in my life," she says ruefully.

The girl follows Dick's gaze over to the other table. "I can only imagine what it's like to work here and here that every hour or two," she says with a little chuckle. "I suppose they get good at spotting fakers."

Stephanie sets her fork down on the empty plate. "So, Mr. Grayson, are we ready for the second half of this wonderful date you have me on?"

Dick Grayson has posed:
    Nodding, he stands and puts his jacket back on, leaving a generous tip on the table before heading over to the cashier to pay for the food. "Most certainly, my dear." He pulls his phone out and calls the driver, then steps outside and waits for the car, taking Steph's hand again.

    "Once the car arrives, it shouldn't take us long to get to the next part. I think you'll like it."

    The car arrives just a minute later, and Dick holds the door for Steph to get in first before climbing in himself. The driver pulls out and starts to drive as Dick puts his arm around Steph, smiling as he tells her, "If you told me I'd be this happy two months ago, I wouldn't have believed it."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown settles into the leather seat, the car already nice and warm for them. She sits close to Dick, curling in against him beneath his arm, and her own reaching across his waist to gently hug herself to him. "Tell me about it," she says with a soft laugh of agreement.

She leans up and nuzzles her lips and nose against Dick's jaw, and then presses a small kiss to the side of his throat before turning back. "I just always pictured you as having someone though," she tells him quietly. "Seemed like you were never without a date. Is this...is this that different for you then?" she asks, blushing just a little.

Dick Grayson has posed:
    "Most of them were just arm candy, interested in my money more than me. But I'm expected to have someone with me at the various events I get roped into all the time. There have been a couple who were more than that, but nothing like what I feel for you. This is new for me, and I like it a lot." He leans gently against her as the car waves through the city streets. Soon Central Park is before them, and the car pulls into a parking lot.

    "Here we are, part two." He gets out, leading Steph over to a horse-drawn carriage and greeting the driver. Climbing up into it, he offers Steph a hand up into the seat next to him. "I thought a nice little ride through the park would be romantic."."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
While in the car, Stephanie leans her head against Dick's after hearing that. She doesn't say anything, for not trusting herself to not make a fool of herself. Not when his words have made her heart race, and filled her with this unfamiliar feeling of warmth that she's almost afraid to let herself enjoy.

Her fingers caress softly over his cheek and jaw, and she gives him a quiet kiss before he opens the door and they climb out, and walk over to the carriage. "This is nice," she tells him with a smile, and climbing up into it, her hand in Dick's. She gets settled in cozily beside him. The driver turns and hands back a blanket for them cover their legs with for warmth, not that it's a freezing night, but it's certainly brisk enough to give them some rosy cheeks.

Dick Grayson has posed:
    With a shake of the reins, the horse starts to trot, turning onto a path through the park. Dick adjusts the blanket around their legs, then puts his arm back around the lovely young woman beside him. Smiling, he asks, "See why I suggested a jacket for this date?"

    He cuddles her close against him, giving her a light kiss before looking out into the park. The lights and lack of crowds that are normally filling the park make it a pleasant view, as the carriages take the most scenic routes.

    "You know, I already can't figure out how I made it all this time without you. Everything just feels right when you're with me."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown rests her head on the man's shoulder, the girl's fit body pressing in against Dick's side. One of her hands move up to hook his shoulder from behind near to where her cheek rests. "You seem determined to sweep me off my feet, Dick Grayson," she whispers to him. "And you seem to be succeeding," she tells him, turning her head to look up into his eyes.

She draws a deep breath, feeling the way her heart pounds as he holds her there. The horse's hooves make a quiet clip clop as the carriage rolls forward along the smoothly paved path. The city lights surrounding the city twinkle, while strings of light top fences around ponds and gardens. "This is magical," she says with a happy sigh, and it's not clear that she's talking about the view rather than being there with him.

Dick Grayson has posed:
    Dick nods in agreement, then leans his head against hers. "I never thought I'd meet the right woman, considering all my 'activities'. Too hard to have a relationship where you can't explain a big chunk of your life." he says quietly, "And with you, there's no need to make excuses, you know exactly what's happening. That's not the reason I love you, but it certainly makes things easier."

    He looks around at the lights twinkling and then back to Steph. "I'm so happy I can barely even describe it. It's like a dream, but you're real." He hugs her against his side. "I just want you to be there forever."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie Brown presses closer to the man and sighs happily. Just to have someone who cares about her and who she can share her entire life with such a big thing for Stephanie. The kind of thing she hadn't really let herself hope for, given her track record in such things.

That it not only is happening, but is with a man who makes her heart climb into her throat with how handsome he is? A man she trusts with life quite literally? She feels near to bursting with emotion. "Not a dream," she says softly, not just agreeing, but also thinking it needs to be said aloud.

"Do you think Bruce will approve of us?" she asks. "Or, does he, if he's realized already?" she says. Not putting it past him to have picked up despite how careful they've been, and even avoiding his presence for the time being where possible.

Dick Grayson has posed:
    "I can't see why he wouldn't. I mean, he trusts us both, and I think it's pretty obvious that we're right for each other. I think he'll be happy for us, at least on the inside. You know how he is with emotions most of the time." He laughs and gives her a light kiss as the carriage rolls past the lake.

    Looking out over the water, the lights from nearby buildings twinkle like stars as the water is rippled by a gentle breeze. "There's a little magic in the air, I think. And it's because of you."

Stephanie Brown has posed:
Stephanie adds her other arm to the one going back around Dick, hugging her body against his. "I hope so. I know I didn't really have his seal of approval about... other things," she says. "Though, we're past that now," she says. Maybe not all that long ago she'd have said she thought they were past it. There's more confidence in her than there was in that young teen that Dick first met. Yes, she had spunk and spirit, and that's still there. But she's grown since then and more than just in the physical sense.

The young woman gives a happy sigh. "Thank you for this. I haven't actually been to Central Park before, believe it or not," she tells him. "I can see why people love the places with views of it," she says, glancing towards the skyscrapers that line the park in all directions.