Chapter 11
There werefew sights that could compare to the view from the deck of The River Café.
Situated at the base of the Brooklyn Bridge, with the Manhattan skyline canvassed before you, it was a truly stunning view, especially tonight.
Every building illuminated against a wintery backdrop, each light in the window like a star in the sky, framed by the frosted corners of the restaurant’s large windows – it was beautiful, romantic.
When he’d made the reservation it was with one hope – that she would agree. It had taken some name dropping and string pulling to get a private table on Christmas Eve at such short notice, but thankfully his work connections had paid off.
Still, it had been a bold move, but necessary.
He’d didn’t want to go too fast and push her when she wasn’t ready, after all she’d been through, but he didn’t have that much time.
Tomorrow was Christmas and two days after that she’d be returning to London. All he had was now.
Mike had never been a shy man. He was never one to rush either, or be ruled by emotion.
But with Penny, he simply didn’t know how to be. Ever since their carriage ride, where he’d told her things he’d never imagined sharing with someone he’d known only a short time, something inside him had changed.
But last night’s conversation, and the promise that there could be something more between them, that the pull that yanked at that deep place in his soul, that yearned each time he saw her, could be answered – he couldn’t let it go.
He couldn’t let her go without at least trying. For reasons he didn’t know and didn’t care to have explained, he wanted to show all of him.
Everything he’d never done, he wanted to do. He wanted to heal the hurt she still felt, to sooth the pain of her loss, to open her up again. He wanted to peer inside that precious place she’d closed off, the place that cried to be freed each time she smiled, forgetting the past – the place he could lose himself in – or find himself.
Now, seated with her at their table for two, overlooking the black glass of the East River, the lights of Manhattan reflected upon it, their dinner done, he felt bold.
Reaching out his hand, he placed them atop her fingers, watching her face for her reaction. When it came, it lit up someplace deep in his stomach. Her smile was the most beautiful he’d ever seen, lighting up her face and echoing in her eyes. He could see there was still some fear, that this was all strange, almost new to her, but he wasn’t deterred.
“I’m glad you came,” he smiled, to ease her concerns.
“So am I.” Her fingers closed around his.
“This place is amazing, and the view is just…” She looked out, trying to find words to describe it. “It deserves to have poems written about it or something. I don’t have words that could do it justice.”
“I know you didn’t really want to come to New York for Christmas, but I hope your view of things has changed. At least a little.”
“I didn’t want to come. If it weren’t for Kate being who she is, I definitely wouldn’t have, but I’m happy I did. It’s been too long since I’ve seen her or Ian. And Toby. He’s a different child since I last saw him. It’s like the world moved forward and I got left behind, but being here, in this city, with all of you, has made me see what I’ve been missing.”
He stroked the back of her hand with his palm, urging her to continue.
“Christmas was always favourite time of year. A time I looked forward to despite my circumstances. Kate’s family became my family and each year was something I cherished. When I met Tim, and we started having Christmases together, it was like having my own family. When I lost him, I felt as if I lost everything I’d ever hoped for.”
Her eyes glistened, and though every reflex wanted to tell her not to go to that place, he knew she had to.
“Everyone told me that things would get better after he died. But none of them had ever lost someone they loved. No one could understand.”
He inhaled as she did, needing that calming breath as much as she. Her heart was beautiful, even through the pain.
“Then there was you,” she continued. “You were first person I felt understood – that I wasn’t alone with those feelings – that there was someone who got it. Me.” Her heart quickened as the words flowed free.
“I don’t know what it is I’m feeling right now.” She squeezed his hand tighter. “This is like a dream, that I don’t want to wake up from, and it’s scary. I barely know you, but somehow it feels…it feels –”
“Like something you can’t explain, but don’t want let go of.”
Penny stilled, his words reverberating in her mind.
How could he know what she felt? In the past few days, the more she thought of him, spoke to him, saw him, something had changed inside her.
