Chapter 5
Chapter Five
EVIE
‘Welcome to The Plaza.’
‘Thank you.’ I stepped out of the yellow cab and checked out his name badge before adding, ‘Danny.’ The doorman, resplendent in his grey wool coat and smart peaked hat, received no more than a quick glance before I gazed up at the impressive facade, the dark rows of windows stark against the white stone, stretching up and up, the image of which had been imprinted on my brain for more than a dozen years.
‘And you are?’
‘I’m Evie Green.’ I looked back at the doorman, my mouth curved into a face-splitting beam that said it all.
I was really here. He grinned back as if he understood just how momentous this was for me.
Words couldn’t express the gleeful pirouettes and jetés being performed by the butterflies in my stomach.
I wanted to capture the moment forever and keep it in a little box so that I could relive these emotions whenever I wanted. Tears blurred my eyes.
‘First time in the city?’ he asked gently.
I nodded, and in a husky voice said, ‘My mum always dreamed of visiting.’
With that innate sense of perception that must come with the job, he patted me on the arm as if he understood, before moving to the trunk (not boot) of the car and unloaded my battered suitcase with as much care as if it were Luis Vuitton luggage.
I paid the cabbie with the unfamiliar paper dollars and reserved a few notes to tip Danny, who had already loaded my suitcase onto a trolley and led the way into the hotel.
While he took the side door, I headed through the familiar revolving door, which I must have seen in umpteen films.
I stopped a few feet from the door to take it all in.
‘Wow.’
The Christmas decorations were up already and dominated the foyer.
Several Christmas trees, covered in white lights and red berries, were set in a group against the back wall, surrounded by arrangements of giant red and gold baubles and glitter-paper wrapped presents.
Everything sparkled including the vast chandelier overhead that refracted the twinkling lights around the room.
It was magical. Yet again my eyes blurred as I turned 360 degrees, my head tilted upward. Danny waited for me, and I realised I was holding him up, so I hurried over to join him.
‘I’ve always wanted to stay at The Plaza,’ I told him.
He leaned down to me and whispered. ‘I always wanted to work here.’
We exchanged a smile.
‘This is Miss Green,’ he said to the two ladies at the front desk, introducing me as if I was royalty.
‘Oh, my,’ said one of them. ‘I’m Carol. Welcome to The Plaza. It’s so good to have you here.’
‘We’re so glad you could make it for the holidays. I’m Sofia, if there’s anything we can do while you’re here to make your stay even better, just let us know,’ said the other woman.
‘Thank you,’ I said, immediately charmed by the warmth of their welcome. I wondered if they’d been briefed to expect me but something about the smiles echoed in their sparkly eyes that made me believe their open enthusiasm was genuine. ‘That’s so kind.’
Both of them beamed at me. ‘You’re going to have such a wonderful time,’ said Carol. ‘We’ve got some great treats lined up for you. But first, let’s get you checked in. You must be tired after the journey. Do you need something to eat?’
I shook my head. ‘That’s kind but I had afternoon tea on the plane. It was lovely. Although I’m a bit all over the place in regards to time. I think it’s about nine in the evening in the UK.’ I checked my watch and it was four o’clock New York time. Outside the light was starting to dim.
‘Don’t you worry. Can we book you a table for dinner?’
I hesitated.
‘It’s best to keep going as long as you can,’ said Sofia. ‘Say, six-thirty? That will give you time to freshen up.’
‘That sounds perfect,’ I said, a little overcome by how kind they both were.
‘Fantastic,’ Carol said. ‘I’ll book you in.
And can I say, your English accent is just so darling.
I know it’s still early, but will you be dining with us on Christmas Day?
The lunchtime buffet is something else and we only have a limited number of places for guests as we’re all sold out to the general public. ’
I had no other plans for Christmas Day, so I said yes.
I handed over my passport and had just started filling out the paperwork when I felt a prickle between my shoulder blades. I turned round and couldn’t flipping believe it … Noah Sanderson.
My heart did one of those traitorous little flips.
‘What are you doing here?’ I blurted out.
He gave me a resigned, world-weary grimace.
‘Small world, it would appear,’ he said, making it quite clear he’d rather be anywhere but there.
Noah Sanderson could not dim my joy at being here in The Plaza and I decided at that moment that he was not going to get to me.
‘You followed me.’ I clutched my heart because I could either have fun or be upset. ‘That’s so sweet.’ I turned to the ladies at the desk. ‘We met on the plane. We had seats next to each other.’
They both beamed.
‘Yeah, right!’ he snapped, and then paused, taking in the fading smiles and disappointed looks of Sofia and Carol. This time his tone, although gruff, was a lot less antagonistic. ‘It’s a coincidence, I’m afraid.’
‘Or Serendipity,’ I piped up just to watch him squirm. ‘Did you see the film? One of my favourites? I loved it. Did you?’
Carol nodded enthusiastically. ‘John Cusack. Gorgeous man.’
‘Ooh, has he stayed here?’ I asked.
Her mouth was suddenly prim. ‘We value our guests’ privacy.’
‘Right you are,’ I said tapping my nose. ‘You couldn’t possibly say. I understand.’
Noah watched me. There was no sign of his charming dimple now. In fact, I could have hazarded a guess that he wasn’t far from the steam-coming-out-of-his-ears stage.
Ignoring me, he stepped up next to me and put his hands on the desk.
‘I have a reservation. My agent booked a room for me. Noah Sanderson.’
Permafrost tinged the air and both Carol and Sofia became blank-faced professionals.
‘He’s a football player,’ I said conversationally. ‘Soccer.’
‘Welcome, Mr Sanderson,’ said Sofia, looking at her computer. ‘I have your reservation right here.’
I smiled at Carol and finished off my form with a signature. She waved over a bellboy to guide me and my suitcase up to my room.
‘Have a nice stay, Mr Sanderson. See you,’ I said sweetly and followed the bellboy across the busy lobby.
It was full of people who’d clearly just returned from a day’s shopping, weighed down by interesting-looking rope-handled fancy bags sporting brand names.
Many of them were also waiting for the lift.
By the time a lift, or should I say, elevator, became available, Noah had checked in and once again had come to stand beside me.
Of course, the crowds had dissipated by this stage and when the lift arrived it was just the two of us, our respective bellboys and the unwieldy luggage trolleys.
‘Floor five,’ said one of them as the other pressed a button for our floor.
‘Same,’ said the other man – not really boys at all.
‘Gosh, look at that,’ I turned to Noah. ‘We’re on the same floor. What luck. You just can’t get rid of me.’ I shot him an overly bright smile. I really wanted to get under his skin, because ever since he’d made his pronouncement about me in that interview, he’d been like a thorn in mine.
‘Wanna bet,’ he growled under his breath.
I sneaked a look at his profile and the little angry pulse ticking in his temple. I grinned to myself and then realised he could see me in the mirror.
‘Something funny?’ he asked, turning to look directly at me.
‘Maybe it is serendipity.’
‘What?’ he asked.
‘Us. Running into each other all the time,’ I said chattily.
‘I have no idea what you’re talking about.’
‘Seriously, Noah, you need to get out more.’
I caught one of the bellboys stifling a smile as he looked down at his feet.
‘It’s a film. Romcom. Probably not your thing. You probably spend all your time watching football training videos,’ I said with faux sympathy.
‘I do, although I’m wondering if catching up on a few serial-killer films might be more useful.’
I stared at him. Did he just crack a joke? It was as if battle lines had been drawn.
A ding announced we’d arrived at our floor. There were two directions to take on the corridor and I couldn’t decide whether I was amused or appalled that the bellboys both turned left, with Noah and I trailing after them. A few doors down and we stopped.
Noah was in 502.
I was in 501.
‘Howdy, neighbour,’ I said brightly. ‘What fun. I hope you’re not too noisy.’
Noah’s mouth curved into a cocky smirk. ‘Not me.’ He raised his eyebrows and then lowered his voice almost to a whisper. ‘But I can’t speak for my friends.’
I gulped, my imagination taking off at what he might be doing with his ‘friends’. A wave of heat engulfed me, and I found myself staring at his damn mouth again. It did cross my mind to wonder how many friends he planned on entertaining in his room.
The bellboys both managed to keep their faces impassive as they opened our respective rooms and ushered us into them.
Just before I went into my room, I turned. ‘Bye,’ I called and blew Noah a kiss for the sheer hell of it.
All thoughts of Noah Sanderson – well, nearly all – vanished the minute I walked through the door.
* * *
Oh. My. God. I’d never stepped inside a suite, let alone stayed in one before.
I nodded as the bellboy pointed things out, and hurriedly stuffed a tip into his hand, desperate to get rid of him.
The minute the door closed I threw myself onto one of the sofas.
Yes, one of the sofas – because there were three in my suite!
The lounge was probably bigger than my entire flat in London.
The sofa I sank into was soft and covered in cream velvet.
Cream, for goodness’ sake. Above me was another enormous chandelier, with twinkling crystals, which was reflected in the huge mirror above an ornately carved fireplace.
A gilt table separated the three sofas, and beside each of them on smaller occasional tables were grand lamps.
On the delicate console table on the back wall on the right was a gorgeous basket of fruit, a vase of flowers and a bottle of champagne in an ice bucket along with a couple of delicate flutes.
If only I had someone to share them with.
My case had been wheeled into my bedroom, which was filled with a king-size bed and pristine, Egyptian cotton bedding and a pile of pillows just begging to be sunk into.
On the bed was a plush velvety robe in soft white, a pair of slippers and …
my smile was a little blurry as I took in the little Lindor chocolate reindeer with the red bow around its neck.
I glanced upwards. My mum had always bought me a Lindor reindeer at Christmas.
I pressed my lips together to stop myself from starting to cry.
She’d loved putting together my stocking, spending hours wrapping each gift no matter how tiny.
The reindeer was always left so that it peeped out over the top of the woollen sock.
I hadn’t really bothered with Christmas much after she died.
In the first couple of years, I’d gone to my aunt and uncle’s and spent a couple of days with them and my cousins, but I’d always felt like the outsider.
After that I’d worked at a restaurant run by a friend of my mum’s.
My dad died when I was six, so I never really knew him.
My memories of him were like old photos, faint and blurry with a few standout technicolour ones.
Mum and I had been our own little team. Until it was just me.
But I was not going to feel sorry for myself. I was here.
Nothing was going to spoil my Plaza dream. I was going to enjoy every single minute here and do all the things Mum and I talked about, starting right now.