“Just make sure that he thinksyou’reworth more than that ring is. There. And I don’t just mean the way you look with that body and that hair and those huge eyes… Uh, you can stop me anytime.” Kim paused, laughing. “But seriously. You know what I mean. Make sure he really…you know…knows you, loves you, cares about what makes you happy.”
Rachel didn’t answer for several seconds. She took a long sip of her coffee.
Kim reminded her of Terri in a way. Her friend was a real rock of sense, naturally cautious, and unlike Rachel, Terri wasn’t prone to mad bouts of reckless enthusiasm.
Just as well she was the business brain in the partnership.
“Being impetuous can only get you into trouble,” her friend routinely teased, but Rachel guessed that her own impulsive nature had come from her roots since her dad was Sicilian and second-generation Irish.
“I know what you mean,” Rachel said to Kim, standing up. “I suppose I’d better go see if he’s awake.”
“And I,” Kim said, checking her watch, “better head back to work, half an hour too late. Ah well, it’s Christmas.”
“Thanks for this. Will I catch you later? Or if not, will you be on duty over the next couple of days? Maybe we can do this again.”
“Course. I’m not going anywhere. Believe me, I can’t wait to hear how this love story plays out.”
Chapter 9
The following day, Fifth Avenue was once again swarming. While Ethan knew there would of course be crowds, this morning the surrounding buzz of activity merely exacerbated his worries and confusion.
All he could think about was Vanessa. Fortunately, she had wanted to take advantage of the post-Christmas sales and had set off on her own for the better part of the day. That gave him the chance to try to do something about the missing ring besides stressing about it.
As it was, Vanessa wasn’t much of a shopper by nature, didn’t usually care about sales, and hadn’t made any mention of shopping throughout the trip. Not until a particularly awkward moment the night before.
By all accounts, yesterday had been a disaster, and it seemed that her newfound interest in retail would be a welcome break from the unspoken tension between them for the last twenty-four hours.
Just then, a passerby stepped on his foot with no regard, and stifling an expletive, he tugged at Daisy’s hand, pulling her out of the crowd and into a nearby café.
“Time for more hot chocolate, I think,” he muttered darkly.
“Really, Dad,” she replied, giving him a disapproving look. “I think you need to lay off the sugar a bit.”
“Well, I’m sorry, but it’s absolutely necessary just now,” he said as they each took a stool at the counter. “Hot chocolate and a coffee, please,” he said to the barista. He winked at Daisy. “Is that better?”
She nodded, mollified. “Much better.”
Stirring milk into the paper cup, he tried to take a moment to gather his wits. Last night, after Daisy had gone to bed and to help make up for his ill-fated proposal plans, he’d hoped for a romantic night with Vanessa and ordered a nice bordeaux from room service and had it delivered with a red rose.
When he wheeled the cart into the bedroom where she was already cozy in bed, she looked up and gave him a wan smile that made him feel kind of foolish, as if he were trying too hard.
He’d poured them each a glass and then sat facing her on the bed.
“To us,” he toasted, looking into her eyes. She nodded and looked back at him somewhat quizzically, then raised hers to toast him too. He thought she looked particularly beautiful and always loved it when she wore no makeup and was just fresh and natural.
Still, despite the cushion of red wine, the conversation between them remained stilted at best. It was then that she mentioned something about spending the following day apart.
“Well, of course, whatever you like,” he said, surprised but wanting to be nothing but supportive. “It is New York after all, and you deserve to treat yourself.”
This seemed like a good opener as any to set aside the wineglass and then turn back to slowly kiss her neck. When she responded, he paused to turn on his phone docked on the nightstand. Roberta Flack’s “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” a favorite of hers, filled the room.
Ethan expected the mood between them to be transformed and hoped to supersede the events (or non-events) of the day. Even with the wine and the music, though, the whole thing felt tense and detached, as if they were both just going through the motions.
“Okay,” he said to Daisy now, trying to refocus his attentions on tracking down the ring, “let’s get going on our treasure hunt.”
“What? Dad, you didn’t take even a sip of your coffee, and I’m already finished with my hot chocolate.”
“Yes, but I’m thinking we really shouldn’t delay too long either.”
