Page 21 of Meet Me In Central Park

‘It’s been brilliant.’ I turned to Harry. ‘I couldn’t have asked for a better guide, or better company.’

‘Ooh, do I hear wedding bells?’ Dannie grinned. If he had his way, he’d have me married off to Harry by the New Year, if it meant I wouldn’t be going back home to the pub.

‘Just Christmas bells.’ I gave Dannie a look. He was a hopeless romantic. It was hardly surprising, given the strength of his relationship with Rob. But I’d only known Harry for six weeks, and even if I had been staying, Dannie was running way ahead of himself.

‘I’ve got one more surprise actually, and we’re gonna have to leave you guys to own the ice rink, I’m afraid.’ Harry laughed – he didn’t take himself too seriously – even though he seemed to be good at everything he did.

‘Are you going to the Community Center tomorrow?’ Rob pulled his hat down over his ears; the temperature seemed to be dropping by the moment. ‘Karly wants to talk about the fundraising, to see if there’s any chance of us making the target. She’s talking about us doing a calendar too.’

‘What? One of those with a strategically placed fireman’s helmet?’ Dannie grinned. ‘Or you could have a pecan pie, darling!’

‘It’s not that sort of calendar.’ Rob wrinkled his nose. ‘At least I hope not.’

‘We’ll be there.’ I gave Rob a hug, and Harry had to rescue me again, as my feet seemed determined to skate off without the rest of me. I didn’t let go of him until we got to the edge of the ice. I might never have admitted it, even to myself, but having to cling on to Harry so tightly had been the best part of an already amazing day.

‘You don’t really think Karly’s going to want us to pose in the nude for a calendar, do you?’ I sucked in my stomach, thinking about the Swiss cheese pretzel that had been joined by candied nuts, hot chocolate piled high with cream and topped with shavings of chocolate truffle, and the meatball sliders that Harry said I just had to try. I’d also spent the last six weeks living next door to Rob and Dannie, who were always bringing me things around to try, and pastries from the deli that I just had to eat because they wouldn’t last. I don’t think my body had ever been less calendar ready, and if it hadn’t been for the long walks and less-frequent jogs in Central Park, I might have needed to book two seats on the plane home. As it was, I was still just about managing to do up my jeans, but it was getting to the stage where I had to lie on the bed to zip them up. I loved the clothes sizing in America, though. I’d never been a size ten in my adult life, but I was in the States. It was almost a good enough reason to stay on its own.

‘Knowing Karly, it’s more likely to be a calendar with the pugs featuring every month instead of any of us.’ Harry had already changed his boots, and he took mine off me to return to the rental stand. ‘Although I think Dannie might actually be disappointed.’

‘So, am I allowed to ask what this final surprise is?’ I put my arm through Harry’s after he’d returned my skates and put his in one of the lockers. I couldn’t imagine what he could possibly have arranged that would make this day any better, but he was looking pretty confident as he tapped the side of his nose.

‘Let’s just say that your carriage awaits.’

‘Really? Like in the films?’ I’d always wanted to do a carriage ride through the park and it had definitely been on Mum’s wish list too. But it was one of those things – like a gondola ride – that felt like you needed to do it with the person you loved, or at least the person you were romantically involved with.

‘I know it’s a cliché, but it wouldn’t be a New York Christmas without one.’ Harry led me towards the edge of the park, where the horses and carriages were lined up, and couples went past us covered with blankets. I didn’t care if some people thought it was a cliché, it was the perfect end to a perfect day.

‘This is Toby.’ Harry gestured towards the carriage driver, who tipped his hat in response. ‘And that’s Sam, the best horse in Central Park.’ I stepped up into the white covered carriage, and Harry sat down beside me, pulling the deep red blanket over our knees, as Sam and Toby set off into the park.

‘This is like a fairy tale. No wonder you never wanted to leave New York after college.’

‘Like I said before, it has a way of getting under your skin. I knew, after the first few days here, that I was home, even though I was born and grew up on the West Coast.’ Harry put his arm around my shoulder. ‘Some places are like that and, if you’re really lucky, some people are too.’

‘What was the name of your college again?’ There was no point us going over old ground. It might have hurt Harry that I kept glossing over his comments, but it was easier than admitting that I felt the same way. I’d already told Harry I felt as though I’d known him for years, so I just wanted to talk about nothing much at all. It might be one of my last chances to find out all the things I wanted to know about him too.

‘Parsons School of Design. I wanted to go to the New York Academy of Art originally, but I didn’t get in. Now I’m so glad I didn’t, otherwise I’d never have met Paula.’ Harry’s face was shadowed in the darkness, but I wanted to read his expression. Paula seemed really happy with DeShawn, but there was still a part of me that wondered if there was more than friendship between her and Harry, even if it was in the past. I had no right to let it bother me, but it did.

‘And you lived together?’

‘Yes, we hit it off in our first semester, and after that we rented a brownstone together in Greenwich Village. It belonged to her godfather, and the rent we paid was ridiculously low, otherwise we’d never have afforded it.’

‘Was she in a wheelchair then?’

‘No, and she fought it every step of the way too, but I admire her so much. She’s achieved ten times more than me, and she’s still surprising people who were stupid enough to try and write her off. If anyone can save the Community Center, it’ll be her.’

‘And were the two of you ever more than… you know, friends?’ It was a simple enough question, but I was still tripping over the words. I was prying into a life that very soon I wouldn’t be part of, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.

‘No, she was dating someone else when we first met and, by the time she was single again, we were such good friends that I didn’t look at her in that way. She’s my best friend.’

‘I know you said you’ve never been in love, but surely that can’t mean you’ve always been single?’

‘There were a few girls during the college years, but no one serious. And I’ve had my share of dates since then, but only one relationship that ever felt like it was going to go somewhere.’

‘What happened?’

‘She was a middle school teacher I met when she brought her class to one of my talks.’

I tried to rationalise the stabbing sensation in the pit of my stomach at the thought of Harry having another relationship that had started in Central Park. It was ridiculous, he’d worked there for years – of course he’d met other women there. But it felt like our place to me and suddenly the idea that as soon as I went home he’d meet someone new there, seemed all the more likely. ‘We dated for three years and then we moved in together, but within three months it was over.’

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