Page 38 of Always, in December

The three of them walked across the orange-bricked floor to find a space at the edge of the fountain. Then they all just stopped, staring up at it.

‘It’s called Angel of the Waters,’ Max supplied. Erin and Chloe both nodded in a way that suggested they already knew this. He supposed, like himself, Erin must have done a bit of research into the architecture of the city, given she was an architect too.

Erin looked around, popping one hand on her hip. Max noticed a guy a few metres away give her an appreciative look, the red blouse she was wearing making her stand out amongst the crowd. ‘I keep feeling like I recognise this from somewhere.’

‘It’s Central Park,’ Max said, shrugging.

She tapped a foot, which was encased in a heeled boot that Max was surprised hadn’t given her blisters yet. ‘Yes, I know that, but it’s like there’s something more that I recognise, even though I’ve obviously never been here. It’s been annoying me for a while.’

‘Have you seen Home Alone 2?’ Chloe asked. Erin frowned and shook her head. ‘One Fine Day?’ At Max’s raised eyebrows, Chloe shrugged. ‘I did some googling – it’s been in both those films.’

A woman, totally rocking the cowboyesque look of a checked shirt and tight blue jeans, came over and smiled at Max at that moment, holding out a camera. ‘I don’t suppose you’d mind . . .?’ She gestured behind her to where a small girl, her hair in two plaits, and another woman with a cap on were standing by the fountain.

‘Sure.’ Max took the camera and took a few shots, smiling at the woman automatically when he gave it back to her.

‘Come on,’ said Erin, slipping her phone out of her handbag. ‘Let me get one of the two of you.’

Max went along with it, knowing they’d just argue if he refused, though it gave him a slightly unpleasant jolt in the stomach, even as he smiled and put his arm around Chloe, because a distinct memory invaded his mind, of another girl with a different, more impressive camera, taking photos of him on the beach.

They found some space on the little wall by the lake, right in the corner by a big green flag, and under the shadow of one of the trees that was already looking bushy. Max leaned back as he sat down and nearly lost his balance, stopping himself just before he fell backwards into the water. He ignored the look Chloe gave him and stretched his legs out in front of him as she unpacked the picnic. He’d expected to be fairly ambivalent about the whole thing, only agreeing to the outing for Erin’s sake, as she’d flown all this way, but it was actually a bit impossible not to absorb some of the atmosphere here, the feeling of the multitude of people out to enjoy some time in one of the most famous parks in the world, on a day that was definitely promising that spring was now here to stay.

‘Is it always this busy?’ Erin asked, accepting the picnic blanket that Max had declined and setting it down carefully on the stone before she sat, presumably so she didn’t get those white trousers of hers dirty.

Max shrugged. ‘No idea.’ Chloe gave him a mocking headshake, and Erin looked between them, clearly deciding whether to tell Chloe to just leave him be. His sister was right though – not that she’d actually said anything. He should’ve done more while he was here; he just hadn’t been able to find the energy to go out exploring on his own, even if he’d had the desire to.

Chloe handed round the canned drinks that their mum had packed, before opening up the Tupperwares. Their mum had insisted that they’d only get ripped off if they bought food in the park, and that it wasn’t worth the money – and as she was the only one who’d grown up in New York, they’d decided to take her word for it.

‘So,’ Chloe said over a mouthful of mini-quiche. ‘Where next?’ She’d decided to take control of the day, apparently, and Max had decided to let her. ‘We could do a bike tour?’

Erin looked uncomfortably down at her pristine outfit.

‘Nah, not really feeling that,’ Max said quickly, before Chloe could pick up on Erin’s reluctance – and the reason for it – and make some sort of sarcastic comment. She might not mean anything by it, but she wasn’t always great at noticing that other people still took offence at those comments, regardless of the fact she didn’t necessarily mean it – and Erin was one of those people.

‘Well what about the zoo?’ Chloe pressed.

Max took one of his mother’s smoked salmon sandwiches. She’d even cut the crusts off. ‘The zoo? Are you serious?’

‘Yes. Though actually, seeing the animals in cages might make me a bit sad.’ She shoved a sandwich into her mouth whole. ‘The castle!’ Only it came out a little muffled. She swallowed, then tried again. ‘Belvedere Castle. We definitely have to go there – apparently you can see pretty much round the whole city.’ She frowned. ‘Or maybe it was just round the whole park.’

Erin, who was still nibbling away at her first mini quiche, shook her head. ‘How are you remembering all these little facts without looking it up?’

‘I’ve got a photographic memory,’ Chloe said, tapping the side of her head.

‘Really?’ Erin cocked her head. ‘I never knew that about you.’

‘That’s because it’s not true. Ignore her, Erin.’ When Chloe only grinned, Max sighed. ‘Look, if you’re in planning mode, can you factor in that I have to go into the office at some point this afternoon? I’ve got that work thing on Monday night with these fancy clients, and I said I’d just double-check a few things.’ He finished his sandwich, then frowned at Erin. ‘I told you about that, right?’ He’d added her as his plus one, being as how he could hardly just leave her at home with his parents on her last night in New York.

‘You did,’ Erin assured him. ‘And I’ve got my dress ready.’

‘You didn’t tell me about it,’ Chloe piped up helpfully. ‘But that’s ok, I’ll make sure you have time to go to the office. Maybe I can come along too for the ride.’

Max raised his eyebrows. ‘I doubt Liam will be there, it’s the weekend.’ He had to laugh when she pouted.

‘And on that note,’ Chloe said, ‘I’m going to the loo. There’s bound to be a public toilet around here somewhere, right?’ She glanced round. ‘I’ll be right back.’ Max watched her bound away for a moment, the leather jacket she’d put on to go with her black jeans well and truly suiting the short black hair and making her look like some kind of cute little biker chick. He refused to use the word sexy in relation to his sister. She fitted in totally with New York – there was no way you’d know from looking at her that she was a tourist.

Erin helped herself to a packet of strawberries, picking the stem off one before taking a small bite. Max watched her for a moment. She’d done her face subtly today so that she looked dewy and springlike – a bit like the trees surrounding them. She was so pretty; there was no denying that. Yet he didn’t think he felt it, the usual punch of attraction he had around her. She looked up from the strawberries and saw him watching, smiled. He smiled back, wished it didn’t feel quite so forced.

‘So,’ she said, tucking her hair behind her ears. ‘I’ve been thinking.’