The Gift of a Lifetime Page 18

  She’d always thought that if she ever got married, she’d want it to be somewhere like this, she remembered, as she headed up the marble staircase into the lobby, the cheery sparkle of the huge chandelier above, and twinkling Christmas trees on either side almost mocking her anguish.

  She’d decided long ago that such a major romantic moment in her life would surely have to take place in New York rather than back home in Ireland. Looking around, and trying to picture herself making a grand cinematic entrance up these stairs in a beautiful white dress, she realised how empty that thought – that fleeting hope – seemed now.

  Of course, marriage had not been a recent focus of Beth’s, not outwardly anyway, though it had been in the back of her mind, a thought that was always present, even though she and Danny hadn’t spoken about it seriously, not in quite a while at least.

  But now, that very faint hope of being married to Danny seemed dashed altogether. It didn’t even seem possible. She had to admit that it had been increasingly hard to picture herself in a white dress, walking down the aisle wearing her grandmother’s beautiful vintage shoes, towards her groom in this city. The vision was obtuse and unformed and, unusually for her, Beth could no longer even summon it in her head, almost as if her mind was putting a block on allowing her to consider a future with Danny. It wasn’t even allowing her to think about him. Not after what she had just seen on the street. Not now her heart felt as if it was broken in two.

  Keep going she told herself. Don’t think about it.

  Taking a deep breath, she once again looked around the lobby, taking stock of the layout and focusing her thoughts on the task at hand. Dominating the main lobby was the famed, ornately carved, bronze Waldorf Astoria clock, set on an octagonal base of marble and mahogany and topped with a Statue of Liberty. It was a popular place for photographs, and a regular meeting place, much like the clock at Grand Central. Today, for Beth, it was a good starting point.

  She pulled the book, Love in the Time of Cholera, out of her bag and opened it up to where she had placed the five-dollar bill like a bookmark.

  Twenty-three. As in floor twenty-three. I’m sure of it.

  Walking purposely, she continued on to the bank of beautifully ornate lifts that had famously featured in the movie Serendipity. Smiling a little as she began to feel closer to the energy of the wonderful love story that was set in this place, she reached out and pushed the ‘up’ button, waiting for a lift to arrive; her chariot to the upper floors.

  She tapped her foot and tried to remain focused. Do not think about Danny, do not think about Danny, do not think about Danny … Saying it over and over in her head like a silent mantra – a prayer to the God of Broken Hearts, the Goddess of Spurned Lovers – seemed to help.

  Finally, a ding resounded above her, announcing that a lift had arrived. It was the same one that Jonathan had taken in the movie. Entering the car, Beth almost had to fight the urge to hit all of the buttons on the control panel – just like the child who had shared the car with the character in the film – foiling his efforts to meet Sara on floor twenty-three.

  Instead, she focused on her destination. Twenty-three. She pressed the button, the doors closed in front of her, and a feeling of nervous anticipation entered her stomach.

  Beth was once again focused on her mission, and the giddiness that she had been experiencing since first setting out on her treasure hunt soon returned. She was in her element. Romantic anticipation, a beautiful puzzle featuring her favourite city in the world – and a secret admirer who apparently knew her well, realised her passions and understood exactly what made her tick.

  Real life could wait for later.

  Chapter 22

  Danny sat on the freezing cold bench on 58th Street, overlooking the East River.

  The afternoon sun was clouded over, and the beginnings of snow danced around the atmosphere. A child walked by with her mother, laughing delightedly as snowflakes fell into her open mouth. And here he was, in the same spot where he had sat and talked with Beth so long ago.

  Though it was almost seven years ago now, he could remember it as though it were yesterday.

  The lights had twinkled on the Queensboro Bridge and reflected off the nighttime waters of the East River. It had been Beth and Danny’s second date and they’d walked slowly on the sidewalk that ran beside the water, talking softly, taking in the scene before them – learning about each other.

  And Danny was pretty sure he was already smitten.

  ‘Dinner was really fantastic. I just wanted to thank you again,’ Beth had said, smiling up at him. ‘I didn’t think that you could get such great Italian food anywhere – outside of Italy, of course.’

  ‘Glad you liked it.’

  They had just come from Bella Notte, a great trattoria he knew. Their reservation had been for seven thirty and they had been the last diners in the entire restaurant to leave – and had done so only because it was apparent that the staff wanted to go home.

  ‘I feel bad that we kept them there for so long, though,’ Beth said, as if reading his mind. ‘I just lost track of time,’ she laughed.

  ‘Me too. But, we don’t have to keep walking if you don’t want to. This is “the City that Never Sleeps”, after all. We could go get a nightcap somewhere if you like?’ he asked hesitantly. He had already given Beth his jacket, but he was afraid that she might still be chilly. You could tell that summer was almost over and fall was settling in over the city.

  But Beth shook her head. ‘Oh, no, I love the weather at the moment. I’m not cold, don’t worry. But I will admit that these heels are killing me. Do you mind if we sit?’ She pointed to a bench about twenty feet ahead. ‘That looks perfect.’

  Danny took a look at where she’d indicated and then cast his gaze out across the river. He smiled. A perfect spot indeed, one of the best places to sit in all of Manhattan. In fact you might call it picture perfect.

  ‘I think that’s a great idea,’ he agreed, leading Beth to the bench and sitting next to her – close enough that their arms were touching, but still far enough away to build anticipation yet feel the electricity that seemed to be sparking between them.

  Once sitting comfortably, he looked out over the river, taking in the cityscape in front of them. It was hard to believe it with all of the urban light pollution around, but tonight, when you looked up in the sky you could actually make out stars.

  ‘Would you look at that?’ Beth whispered in that gorgeous Irish accent, seeing the stars too. ‘This has to be the best seat in the house … in all of Manhattan, maybe,’ she giggled. ‘Someone really should put this in a movie. The rest of the world should see this.’

  Danny smiled, wondering if she was joking or not. Because someone had actually put this in a movie. But he guessed, taking in her happy and innocent expression, that Beth wasn’t joking; it was just likely that she had never seen Woody Allen’s Manhattan.

  ‘So tell me,’ Beth said, turning to him then. ‘We covered a lot of important stuff up until this point, I know you’re from Queens but your parents are originally from Philadelphia – where the best cheesesteak is to be found at Jim’s, not Pat’s nor Gino’s despite what Rocky Balboa thinks…’ She grinned, and he remembered he’d been pretty adamant about that. ‘And you work in marketing, love to travel, but you missed out on telling me one very important fact.’

  He looked at her, curious. ‘And what’s that?’

  ‘What’s your favourite movie? Like your favourite movie ever.’

  He nodded and thought for a moment, understanding that this would be important to a girl who’d told him the movies was the main reason she’d moved to New York.

  ‘My favourite…’ He thought about telling her there and then about Manhattan, but no, he didn’t want this moment to look staged. Not when it was so truly genuine – that they had happened upon this venue by complete chance.

  ‘Well, I like Goodfellas. And Wall Street. Both classic New York flicks, you know.’ Beth scrunched up he
r face and he chuckled. ‘What, not on your list of all-time favourites?’

  ‘Well, they are both good enough, I suppose. Cinematic treasures and all that,’ she agreed. ‘I can certainly appreciate Paulie Cicero’s garlic slicing techniques, but I’m a fan of the less violent stuff myself.’

  Danny laughed, recalling how the character in Goodfellas prepared dinner while in prison – with a razor blade. ‘Ah, I see … so I have a bleeding heart romantic on my hands? I’d never have known,’ he teased, and she nudged him playfully. ‘So tell me your favourites then.’

  Beth took a deep breath. ‘Just about any movie set here in the city, to be honest. I especially adore West Side Story, and anything from the thirties with Clark Gable in it – the ultimate leading man. Oh, and Roman Holiday, of course.’ She clapped her hands delightedly. ‘Someday I want to go to Rome and eat gelato on the Spanish Steps and pretend I am Audrey Hepburn. And as for modern movies, well…’ she sighed dreamily, ‘I know it’s not in New York but I don’t think anything can beat The Notebook.’

  ‘The Notebook. Oh, man,’ said Danny, laughing. ‘Of course you love that movie.’

  Beth’s mouth flew open. ‘What?’ she asked warily, though her eyes were smiling. ‘What’s wrong with The Notebook?’

  Danny put his head dramatically in his hands. ‘Sob fest. Melodrama. Cheeeesy. That’s all I’m going to say.’

  ‘It’s romantic!’ she argued. ‘It’s touching and wonderful and … perfect.’

  Danny put his hands up in surrender. ‘Oh, OK – fine, fine. You can get away with all that. Only women can get away with admitting to liking that movie.’

  Beth smiled. ‘At least you know when to end an argument. I’ll give you credit there. Smart man.’

  ‘OK, so now that I know straight up that we’re going to be watching a lot of chick flicks,’ he said smiling, ‘I’m wondering something else.’

  ‘What do you want to know?’ Beth answered, her expression open and honest, as if she’d happily tell him anything. Danny took in her face, and he couldn’t help but allow his eyes to travel to her lips. He wondered what it would be like to kiss her. He considered doing it right there and then, but stopped himself. They’d only just met, were only just getting to know one another, and he didn’t want to scare her off. Still, the temptation was strong. There was just something about this girl. Something that made him want to be around her all the time.

  Danny took a deep breath and thought for a moment about how to pose his question. He didn’t want to make it look like he was probing in such a way that a red flag would be set off in Beth’s mind.

  ‘So, what’s your five-year plan? Where do you see yourself?’ And as the words crossed his lips, he had the overwhelming urge to punch himself in the face.

  Five-year plan, Danny? Five-year plan? What are you doing? Negotiating a corporate merger? Jesus! his subconscious chided.

  Beth’s eyebrows rose. ‘My five-year plan?’

  Right, completely unromantic, I get it, Danny thought.

  ‘Well, I suppose, to rise up the ranks at my job – I really like it at Carlisle’s. Maybe make my way up to management someday, though I have to say I do love it on the sales floor. I get to talk to lots of different people from all walks of life, help them – I love being around shoes, being creative with the displays – and the commission is pretty nice, too. Best of all I get to live the dream by spending my days in New York. I adore that most of all, and I feel like it is important to enjoy your life as it is, rather than always be focused on the next milestone.’ She paused for a moment, gauging Danny’s reaction and continued on when he murmured a quiet agreement and smiled. ‘And, well, I know this sounds silly … but I’ve always really wanted a dog. A cavalier King Charles spaniel. We have one at home in Galway – Charlie – and I really miss having her around, but the place I’m in at the moment is just way too small for a pet. And finally … I really want to travel – see as much of the world as possible.’

  Danny nodded, pleased to find something else they had in common. ‘I love dogs and as for travel, me too. Where would you like to go?’

  ‘Oh, everywhere. Give me a globe and spin it. I’d go anywhere my imagination – and my budget – could take me. Unfortunately, that means I haven’t done much at this point other than get from Ireland as far as here. So while my ambition is rich, my bank account needs to catch up,’ she smiled. ‘But like I did in following my dreams and coming here, I can focus on it – and keep working hard – and I know I’ll get there eventually. Nothing wrong with wishing, my grandmother used to say, but you must also do your best to help make your dreams come true.’

  And, just like that, Danny knew without a doubt that he wanted to sweep this wonderful woman away. There was something in his heart that wanted to grant Beth Harper every wish she had. Make her every dream come true.

  ‘I think it’s a worthy goal,’ Danny agreed. ‘But I want to know, taking the globe spinning out of the equation, if you could go one place right now, where would it be?’

  Without thinking Beth said, ‘Home. Back to Galway to see my family. I haven’t been for a while and I miss them.’

  Danny was nodding. ‘I’ve always wanted to visit Ireland. Seems like it’s a great place.’ He held back from adding that perhaps one day they’d go there together – it felt too forward.

  ‘It is. But other than that…’ Still thinking, Beth tapped her mouth with a finger. After a moment, she spoke, ‘I would probably have to say Italy – Venice, especially.’

  Danny smiled. ‘Amazing city.’

  ‘You’ve been?’ she gasped.

  ‘Yes, many years ago. When I was still a kid. But even though I was very young, I could still appreciate the city. It’s unique.’

  She nodded with faraway eyes. ‘I bet it is. How wonderful that you were able to have that experience, even as a child.’

  Danny hesitantly put his arm around her, wondering if she would allow it. She did. ‘Ah, I have a feeling that you will, too,’ he said, as she relaxed into him. ‘Lots of time for that.’ What Danny didn’t say was that he was now one hundred per cent committed to having her see Venice with him. He would take her there someday; he was sure of it. Just like he hoped they’d visit her hometown together some time, too.

  Beth and Danny sat in silence for a long time, looking out over the river, utterly content in each other’s company.

  It was a special moment and they both knew it, had talked about it many times over the last few years. Like the song went, it was their New York minute.

  Now, in the bitter cold, the memory drifting away like the falling snow, Danny looked at the empty space next to him. And try as he might, he couldn’t conjure Beth’s image there. This definitely wasn’t the scene out of Manhattan.

  He stared out over the river, remembering the words that he and Beth had spoken that night. They had just been learning about each other, and he recalled feeling so hopeful – there was so much opportunity. They had so much time.

  He felt something seize the chords around his heart and his breath catch. But this wasn’t the same kind of feeling that he’d felt that night with Beth. That was based on excitement – like heading over the first hill of a roller coaster and having your heart jump into your throat and adrenalin surge through your veins like a drug. This was different; this was … regret. Regret about the past and for the future – his and Beth’s. Except he could no longer picture Beth in that future. He could no longer visualise those stars over the Queensboro Bridge.

  What did the relationship hold for them now? Adele had made things very clear to him barely an hour ago.

  About the new addition that was going to further complicate his life.

  His eyes watered. There was no hiding this from Beth now. Had it really been only an hour ago since he’d first learned the news? Danny wondered. He looked at his watch. Yes, an hour. Such a momentous, life-changing conversation. Though it was hardly a conversation at all. Adele had done most of the talking.
Whereas Danny had listened for a little but had become so overwhelmed he’d walked right out of there, unable to focus on anything other than what he’d just discovered. It was almost surreal.

  How flippant we were as humans, to think that we were in control of things, he thought, once again casting his face up into the light of the fading sun – wishing it would warm him; turn up the heat on his cold heart. That’s what it was, after all, he was convinced of it. A cold heart – for all he wasn’t telling Beth now, for all that he had to tell her, and what he was going to put her through.

  Danny reflected on yesterday when he and Beth had watched that movie together and put the tree up.

  That had been nice. It had felt so normal – so right. Beth had seemed to enjoy herself, though there were times when it was obvious that she was distracted, that she too had something else on her mind. Maybe that guy – Ryan. Danny felt his pulse start to speed up as he thought of the man and his goddamn dimples, but then he shook his head, banishing the negativity that was building in his thoughts.

  It was probably good that she was distracted just now. He hadn’t expected her to be at home when he arrived back from his folks’ house, and Beth knew that. She knew something was up. He’d almost been tempted to come right out and tell her then, but he hadn’t wanted to ruin the first comfortable moment they’d had together in an age. At least he was able to distract her – and indeed himself – with some movie trivia. At least in the end they just had a lovely evening together, normal, easygoing, just like old times, though going through the Christmas ornaments, painful reminders of the wonderful memories they’d shared, had almost broken his heart.