Page 88 of Manhattan Kiss

“Oh?” she says. “Tell me more.”

“Where are we going?” I ask.

“The park of course. I always like to come and see the Bethesda Fountain the first morning after I arrive. It’s tradition.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“Yeah, since I was a kid. I used to think I’d find the love of my life wandering around it. It’s so romantic. Maybe you’ll find the love of your life there.”

I laugh. “In this heat, I’m more interested in finding an ice cream.”

“New York summers are insane. Back home, we’re still in our winter coats.”

“You are not,” I say, rolling my eyes. “It’s July.”

She laughs and we cross the road into the park. The heat seems to be a little more bearable inside the park, with the dappled shade of the trees cooling the pathways.

“Do you spend much time in the park?” she asks.

“I think this is just my second trip.” I feel like I just got to New York. There’s still so much to see and do. The time is passing so quickly. I’m not sure I’ll be ready to give it up and go back home at the end of the summer. “How’s Ryder?” I ask. “Is he excited for his party tomorrow night?”

“I have no idea. I haven’t spoken to him about it. Scarlett’s excited. You haven’t caught up with her since you’ve been here, have you?”

I shake my head. “First they were in Colorado, then Chilternshire with you, and then they flew straight to…” I can’t remember where they were going next.

“I think Ryder had to go to Canada for work.”

“Right,” I say. “Toronto.”

“But now they’re back in town, they’ll look after you.”

I don’t need looking after. Not now. I’ve found my feet in New York. I can’t believe it, but I’m okay. I was terrified coming over, but even thinking about how scared I was feels strange. It’s ridiculous that I’d be so concerned when this city is so…comfortable.

“It’s fine,” I say. “Work keeps me busy.”

“And Deacon? Are you seeing a lot of him?”

“Here and there,” I say noncommittally. “He has a daughter and he’s a devoted dad, so that takes up a lot of his time. Plus I’m working. There’s not a lot of time left in between.”

“Is it the summer fling I wanted for you?” she asks.

I laugh. “I don’t know about that.”

We get to the top of the steps leading down to the fountain. “It’s pretty,” I say. “It’s very New York.”

“It’s because it’s been in so many movies.”

Maybe that’s why it seems so familiar. Or maybe New York is just familiar to me.

We make our way down the steps to the bottom.

“Do you have any coins?” Darcy asks, shoving her hand into her jeans’ pockets. “I’m not sure I do.”

“You want to throw one in?”

“Yeah,” she says. “We need to make a wish.”

“Is this one of those kinds of fountains?” I ask.