CHAPTER FIVE
Walking into Tiffany’s felt really special.
It was out of this world inside – so stylish and grand I actually gasped in awe. Richard looked at me, amused, and I laughed with embarrassment, feeling like a raw country bumpkin visiting the city for the very first time.
Vast windows stretched from floor to ceiling on all sides and the jewels glittered in cases placed around the room. People milled around, chatting and bending to study the beautiful pieces laid out under glass.
I didn’t know what to expect and my heart was beating fast as I lingered by a glass case containing diamond-studded pendants modelled around the classic Tiffany’s key design.
Looking up, I saw Richard talking to a female assistant and as I joined them, he winked at me and took my hand, and we followed her to the floor above. My heart was in my mouth wondering if this was the engagement ring floor.
At last, we stopped by a particular stand. The assistant smiled at us and Richard said, ‘Thank you. I think we’ll be fine from here.’
I looked down at the jewellery on display and my heart gave a leap of excitement.
A beautiful pair of diamond-stud earrings.
Then I spotted the price and grimaced. ‘No way. They’re far too expensive, Richard.’
But he smiled and said, ‘I’ve never bought you any lovely jewellery and it’s been bugging me recently because you deserve it.’ To my surprise, there were tears in his eyes, and I felt my heart swell with tenderness. ‘Do you like them? I know you’ve got fake diamond ones like that.’
I smiled. ‘Costume jewellery.’
‘That’s what I meant.’ He grinned. ‘So shall we have a pair of these? Will you wear them?’
I chuckled. ‘Of course I’d wear them. But are you sure?’
‘Yes, I am. And you’re worth every penny,’ he murmured, slipping his arm around me.
Happy tears sprang to my eyes. Why had I been so worried about this trip? It was clear that Richard had missed me as much as I’d missed him. I should never have doubted it...
When it came to buying the earrings, presented to us in their gorgeous turquoise box, Richard realised he’d forgotten his credit card, so I produced mine and he said he’d pay me back later. I wore the earrings straight away and I was smiling broadly as we left the shop. The diamonds really did make me feel like a million dollars.
‘Thank you.’ I reached up and kissed him. ‘They’re gorgeous. I’m quite glad now that I forgot to put my earrings in this morning.’ Something occurred to me. ‘Were you going to surprise me with earrings anyway?’
He looked puzzled for a moment.
‘I mean, that was quite a coincidence, me forgetting them, if you really were planning on buying me diamond studs.’
‘Ah, I see what you mean.’ His face cleared and he smiled. ‘No, I was planning on treating you to some kind of jewellery, but I wasn’t sure what you’d like.’ He shrugged. ‘It just seemed obvious in the end.’
I nodded. ‘A happy coincidence. Serendipity. And actually, if you’d asked me, these are exactly what I would have chosen myself.’
‘Good.’ He nudged me affectionately. ‘I’m glad you’re pleased with them.’
‘Oh, I am. I really am,’ I told him with feeling. ‘They’re the most gorgeous things anyone’s ever bought me.’
We went to a cute café and celebrated my amazing gift with a hot chocolate for me and a black coffee for Richard, and he made the bank transfer for that staggering amount into my account.
When we left, I felt like I was walking on air, and the day passed in a whirl of sightseeing, wandering through Central Park and having a late lunch in the lakeside café, then taking the subway to the famous Radio City Music Hall, where we joined a group of other tourists for a fascinating tour of the place.
Later, we called in at a supermarket to buy food, and as we wandered back to his apartment, we passed the cute little pub – The Old Ale House – on the corner of the street again, and I suggested I buy him a drink in there before we went back to cook dinner.
He frowned. ‘It’s not great.’
‘Isn’t it?’ I looked at him in surprise. ‘But it looks so lovely from the outside.’
‘The prices are horrendous. Don’t waste your money. You can buy me lunch tomorrow, okay?’
‘Oh. Okay.’
He took my hand and we walked on, back to the apartment. ‘Are you hungry?’ he asked, a moment later.
‘Erm, not especially. I’m still feeling full from lunch.’
He gave me a wicked grin. ‘Good. Because I thought we could do something else before dinner.’
I laughed. ‘Aha! So is that why you didn’t want to go to The Old Ale House for a drink, then?’
‘Precisely.’
So we hurried the rest of the way back to the apartment. And finally, we enjoyed the proper reunion I’d been looking forward to for so long...
*****
Later, I lay in the crumpled bed feeling totally relaxed, listening to Richard moving around and clashing pans in the kitchen. He’d put some music on and it drifted through, adding to my blissed-out mood.
Leaning forward to hear it, I realised I recognised the song. It was Jimmy Durante’s ‘Make Someone Happy’ and I recalled that it featured in the closing scenes of Sleepless in Seattle . I’d watched the movie the previous weekend in anticipation of my New York trip.
Sighing, I settled back against the soft pillows, feeling thoroughly pampered. Richard knew it was one of my favourite movies but I’d no idea he knew the songs from it. He must have looked for it on Spotify and played it specially...
‘Can you turn it up?’ I called through. ‘Please?’
A moment later, he popped his head round the door, smiling. ‘Sorry, Madame?’
‘Love the song. I didn’t realise you were familiar with the Sleepless in Seattle music.’
‘Ah, well, there are things you still don’t know about me.’ He grinned. ‘It’s quite a good film, I’ll give you that.’
‘You’ve watched it?’ I gawped at him. ‘But you hate romcoms.’
He shrugged. ‘I’m trying to broaden my tastes. Nothing wrong with that, is there?’
‘Nothing at all.’ I smiled happily. ‘So when will dinner be ready? Are you sure you don’t want any help?’
‘No, no. You’re here as my special guest so no work required. You’ve even got time for another soak in your favourite bath if you like.’ He winked and ducked out.
I was smiling to myself as I wandered into the bathroom. It sounded rather formal being Richard’s ‘special guest’ but I knew what he meant. Had he watched Sleepless because he’d been missing me and wanted to bridge the gap and feel closer to me? That was something I would do, but I hadn’t realised Richard could be that romantic. But maybe absence really did make the heart grow fonder...
I’d been unsure before I got here about the state of our relationship. It had felt as if we were growing apart. But I was feeling closer to Richard than ever now.
Maybe the magic of New York was playing its part. I was loving the whole vibe.
And we still had two whole days to spend together...