*
It was all systems go at the winter markets the next day and it had the power to take Amelia’s mind off Kyle and Scarlett, Nathan, and Paul. She must’ve been exhausted last night with everything that had gone on because she’d had the best night’s sleep since arriving in the city.
Amelia watched her footing on the icy pavement in front of the chalet when she returned with a sandwich for lunch. They were so busy, the lack of a big tree or an ice rink like the bigger, more established markets not affecting footfall in the slightest. People were here in droves, flocking to the Swiss-style chalets with their lights strung around the roofs, and the knitting stall was doing a roaring trade.
‘I hope you’ve got more supplies,’ Amelia told Cleo as she demolished her sandwich quickly enough that she could multitask and serve a customer. ‘Today is the busiest I’ve seen it. You’ll have no stock left at this rate.’
‘Don’t worry, I’ve got a couple more boxes in the corner, then I’ll bring even more tomorrow.’
They carried on, replenishing stock, advising customers, taking payment, pushing garments into paper bags, and when there was a lull Amelia and Cleo talked about Ruby and everything that had happened before it came to a head. ‘It must be a real weight off your mind to have her back on side.’ Amelia was glad to see Cleo looking far less stressed.
‘All I ever wanted all along was for the kids to be as happy about the wedding as us, and now I think they really are. All I need to do now is find time to plan the big day.’
‘Is that all?’ Amelia teased.
‘I hope you’ll be there.’
‘Another visit to New York at Christmas time? It’ll be hard, but someone has to do it,’ she joked. She hadn’t confided her own problems. They’d been too busy and with Ruby and Cleo finally able to move forwards, she didn’t want to burden her friend with the crap going on in her life. At least not yet, not when she had no idea in her own mind what the next step should be. She’d woken this morning and her first thought had been Nathan but it was very soon replaced with thoughts about Paul and the fact he was here. He’d come to tell her he’d made a mistake and it was a big gesture that left her confused. Once upon a time they’d had a relationship that others envied, he spoiled her, he was always there for her. And if he’d done the same thing a few months back it would’ve been easy, she’d have leapt at the chance. But now she’d begun to get used to making her own decisions and settling into life without him. Nathan was in the picture too – at least she thought he might be, although he hadn’t looked too friendly when he’d come to the apartment with Kyle and seen Paul, and her in just a towel. He must’ve put two and two together and come up with an answer that was completely incorrect.
‘Did Mitch say anything about Kyle this morning on your way here?’ She helped Cleo straighten the sweaters on display and positioned the small cardboard price sign in front of them when they were done.
‘You have nothing to worry about on that score, because Mitch told me how hard Kyle works and how he deserves a day off.’
‘He’s gone to explore Central Park.’
‘On his own?’
‘I wouldn’t mind betting he and Scarlett arranged something.’ Even though Nathan had made it pretty clear he didn’t want them anywhere near each other.
‘Young love, nothing like it.’
Her phone pinged again with a message from Paul, this time with a photograph of the Statue of Liberty. Amelia had expected him to be hounding her all day, checking up on her, but was pleasantly surprised he hadn’t been tracking her every move. Maybe some time away from each other had enabled both of them to evolve and know what they each wanted. He was out sightseeing, having a great time he said, and couldn’t wait to meet up at his hotel later. Not one moan about her working the market stall to help out a friend. Maybe as well as her seeing things from his point of view, he was seeing it from hers.
A customer beckoned his wife for the fourth time to finish choosing something at the knitting stall. He held a tree upright, it was huge, and his wife muttered something about getting a tree delivered next year when he made her take one end. Cleo and Amelia were busy laughing when the couple left, and when Amelia looked up she realised she’d been right with her theory about Kyle, because he was standing there with Scarlett.
‘Does your dad know you’re together?’ She directed her question to Scarlett and by the look on her face he didn’t.
‘I do now,’ came a voice on the street behind them.
Busted. Clearly Manhattan wasn’t big enough for the kids to stay incognito for long.
Amelia fished in her pocket for some money, handed it to Kyle and told him to go grab her and Nathan a hot chocolate each so they could talk.
Cleo had everything on the stall in hand for now and Amelia stepped out of the way of Christmas shoppers swarming the markets. ‘I hope you’ve calmed down after last night.’ She figured he must have done because he’d let Kyle and Scarlett disappear to do as she asked.
‘Is that why you sent them for drinks? In case I’d come here to punch him?’
‘Now I know you’re winding me up, you wouldn’t do that, no matter how angry you were.’ He was too gentle to do it to anyone despite his bravado.
As he stood there looking at her, neither of them knowing what to say now, his breath came out in puffs of white, mixing with the fog that shrouded Manhattan’s buildings and tampered with the idyllic skyline views.
‘I don’t want her to ruin her life,’ he said, his eyes not leaving hers.
Her heart went out to him. He was doing his best as a father, trying to manage the teenage years the best he could. ‘I know you don’t.’
‘It’s not that I think Kyle will do that, at least not on purpose, it’s just, given my past experience, it could happen. Mistakes happen.’
‘Mistakes are part of life.’
