Page 55 of The Wedding Game

‘I don’t live here for the shops. I came for the job.’

‘Shops are a bonus, though, aren’t they? If you’re beingreallyhonest with yourself,’ I probe.

He laughs. ‘I don’t really shop all that much.’

‘Why on earth not?’ I ask.

‘I just don’t shop much. I’m restrained,’ he says.

‘Are you implying I’m unrestrained?’

‘Maybe,’ he replies. ‘You’re very good at saying what you think.’

‘How’s that relevant?’ I query. ‘We’re talking about shopping.’

‘You’re unrestrained in general, I think.’ I open my mouth to speak and Chris stops me. ‘I wasn’t being unkind,’ he goes on. ‘I was paying you a compliment. It’s good, you saying what you think. I like it. You being you. It’s a good thing.’

‘Oh.’ I’m not sure what to make of that. This conversation feels intimate, but I’m not sure why. And I feel we were better friends when we were messaging than we are in each other’s company.Arewe even friends now? Sadly, it feels less than that, since our night at the pizza restaurant, despite the banter. Perhaps it’s that the banter doesn’t feel real, now we’re not communicating properly with each other. Big Talk ended long ago.

I told Chris I wanted to be friends, and we’ve just become colleagues instead. This saddens me so much. We hang out in the office, eating salads and sandwiches and discussing work at our desks, or nipping to a bar after hours for a quick drink with some of the others, but we’ve not been alone since my first night here.

Chris moves into action, however, when I remind him, over a morning coffee on my last day, that I fly home first thing tomorrow. His face falls. ‘Tomorrow?’

‘Afraid so. My New York adventure is at an end. Back to drizzly London I go.’

‘What are you doing tonight?’ he asks after a pause.

‘I’ve done every touristy thing going and I’ve eaten every possible cuisine, so I’m planning a last wander, and I’ll grab some takeout from a place I’ve not investigated yet …’

‘Takeout?’ Chris smiles. ‘See, you’ve been here five minutes and you’re already using American phrases.’

‘Fine,’ I say, ‘I’ll grab atakeaway,pack my bag and then I’ll get some rest, ready for an early start.’

‘Youcoulddo that,’ Chris begins. ‘Or you could do something with me, and I could send you on your way out of New York in style.’

‘Hmm,’ I say casually. ‘What did you have in mind?’

‘It’s a secret,’ he replies and then gives me instructions. When I’ve said goodbye to Max and the team, I’m told to go back to my hotel and put on jeans and a jumper, gloves and a hat, and meet him at the Rockefeller Center at seven.

‘O-kay,’ I respond. And when I’ve packed up my few belongings and have bundled my new laptop up in its protective case, gone around the office and said goodbye to everyone, giving Max the biggest squeeze possible and having him squeeze me back in return, with a scheduled time for us to chat on my return, I take myself back to the hotel and follow Chris’s instructions.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Chris

‘This is my second time here,’ Lexie tells me as I lead her round the Plaza at the Rockefeller Center, past the tall flags and lit-up trees and down towards the ice rink.

My smile slips from my face. ‘You’ve been here already?’

‘Yep. It’s the Rockefeller Center. It’s like … item number two on the New York tourist bucket-list. I came and looked at the Christmas tree, ate a hot dog from a vendor, bought a coffee and then wandered around a bit. But I’m happy to be here again,’ she tells me quickly.

I think my face is still showing my disappointment and I adjust it accordingly.

‘So you’ve not been ice-skating?’ I query, pointing to the rink.

‘Ohhh, no, I don’t like ice-skating,’ she replies.

‘Oh,’ I say flatly. ‘Right.’

---