CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Oh, wow.” Ashley’s voice caught as she stared at the horse and carriage waiting for them. “When did you organize this?”
“Yesterday. I thought you might enjoy a night away from work.”
“It’s amazing. I’ve never seen anything like this.” The white carriage looked like a Cinderella coach. Twinkling fairy lights wound around a circular canopy, glittering in the evening light.
The driver opened a small door and Matthew helped her into the carriage. “Welcome aboard, Ms. Fisher. We’ll arrive at Central Park in fifteen minutes.”
The carriage swayed gently as Matthew sat beside her. “How many times have you been in a horse and carriage since you arrived in New York?”
“Once.” She laughed at the surprise on his face. “It’s true. Bonnie and I took a short ride when I first arrived in New York.”
“You haven’t been tempted to go again?”
She held onto the seat as the horses trotted away from the hotel. “It isn’t as much fun on your own. Besides, I spend most of my time working.”
Matthew’s hand wrapped around hers. “Well, tonight you aren’t working and you definitely aren’t alone.”
She leaned closer to him. “But I do have my notebook.”
“I didn’t think you’d leave it behind. Your notebook is permanently attached to you.”
“That’s true.”
Ashley held her breath as a volley of honking taxi horns surrounded them. But the two white horses pulling the carriage didn’t flinch.
Matthew looked more worried than she was about the traffic. “I came to New York a long time ago. I remember the noise and the crowds of people everywhere. I think it’s worse now.”
“You’re probably right. Even at two o’clock in the morning you constantly hear taxi horns and police sirens. It’s not like Montana.”
“How did you adjust to living here?”
“The first year was the worst. I was surrounded by millions of people, but I felt like the loneliest person in the world.”
Matthew squeezed her hand. “Why didn’t you come home?”
“Because I made a promise to mom. If I’d gone back to Bozeman, I would have felt as though I’d let her down. Besides, I worked hard to show my boss that I was worth the risk he took when he hired me. I would have let myself down if I left before I could make a difference.”
“Do you feel as though you’ve made a difference now?”
Ashley looked at their linked hands. “Some days, but there’s so much more I could do. The story about Congressman Welsh has finally made people realize that I’m a good reporter.”
“By ‘people’ do you mean your editor?”
“Mostly.” She took a deep breath and instantly regretted it. The sting of exhaust fumes burned her nose and hurt her throat. She coughed, but it only made it worse.
Matthew opened a small chest in front of them. “This might help.”
She took the bottle of water and sighed as the cold liquid washed down her throat. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. There’s wine in the cooler for later.”
Ashley wasn’t sure that adding wine to a carriage ride through Central Park was a great idea. She liked Matthew’s company—liked it too much. When she thought about him leaving, she wanted to cry.
As they passed through one of the entrances to Central Park, she thought about all the things she should have done to make his visit more memorable. “I’m sorry I haven’t been able to show you the city. Would you like to go sightseeing with me on Saturday? I could take you to Ellis Island to see the Statue of Liberty. Chinatown and Little Italy have lots of markets and outdoor events that are interesting. In the evening we could see a show on Broadway.”
“I’d like that, but there’s something you need to know.”
