Hudson waved a hand to attract the stewardess and she appeared at his side. ‘Yes, sir. What else can I get you?’
‘I’d like the crayfish sandwich, please,’ said Anna, noting how the stewardess seemed to struggle to drag her eyes away from Hudson. She gave him a fresh look. He was very handsome; he could easily be mistaken for a film star. She mused over how she’d almost come to accept it.
Anna’s sandwich arrived and she was aware Hudson was talking but she could no longer hear him properly. Her ears had gone all fuzzy. She began opening her mouth wide and waggling her head from side to side like she had water stuck in her ears. Hudson was watching her. ‘Here,’ he said, reaching into his bag and pulling out a lollipop. ‘It’ll help to clear the pressure in your ears.’
‘You think of everything.’
‘I do my best. Now don’t worry if there’s a little bump when the wheels hit the runway. It’s perfectly normal. Okay?’
‘Okay,’ said Anna and it really was. It was okay that she was on an aeroplane at thirty-nine thousand feet and it was okay that it was about to land in New York. A city she had dreamed of visiting since she was a teenager. Everything was a lot more okay thanks to Hudson Jones.
Hudson repeated the breathing exercises with her as they came in to land and Anna had to force herself to concentrate and stop grinning like a lunatic. But something made her act like a teenager every time he whispered in her ear.
Hudson led the way and they trooped off the plane and were soon reunited with their luggage, through immigration and being whisked away from the airport in a yellow cab. It felt very special to be cocooned in the back with Hudson. He had a brief chat with the driver and they were soon speeding towards Manhattan. Anna switched her phone off airplane mode and it beeped as it delivered messages from her dad, Sophie and Connor all asking if she had got on the plane. She was pleased to be able to fire off a few quick replies to say she had survived the flight and was now in New York. She felt like she needed to pinch herself. She was actually here. She’d done it.
‘I know I have no right to be, but I’m proud of you,’ said Hudson. ‘You have conquered your fear of flying. That’s remarkable.’
‘Only thanks to you and I can’t guarantee I won’t be a gibbering wreck when it’s time to go home.’ Although she had to admit she was quite proud of herself too.
‘Stay alert, we’re going to see a few of the sights on our way into Manhattan.’ Was she imagining it or had Hudson’s accent got a fraction stronger from being on American soil?
Hudson leaned in. ‘Look ahead.’ Through the windscreen she saw her first glimpse of New York City. The iconic grey skyline she’d seen many times on TV and in films.
‘This is the Brooklyn Bridge,’ said Hudson, leaning closer.
Anna nodded; she was dumbstruck. It was like being in a film. From the taxi she saw the Woolworth Building, Chase Bank and One World Trade Center. She almost twisted off her head trying to catch a glimpse of the famous Coke bottle when they whizzed through Times Square. Before long the taxi pulled up outside their hotel. The driver got their cases from the boot and Hudson tipped him.
‘I figure until we step inside the office tomorrow our time is our own. So if you don’t have any plans, would you like me to show you around?’ He looked somehow hopeful.
Anna didn’t have any plans. This was due largely to her not really believing she would ever make it onto the plane. ‘No plans. I’ve not even got a guidebook,’ she said, dismayed by her own lack of forward planning. ‘Let the adventure begin.’
Chapter Thirty-Three
Their first stop was a street vendor selling pretzels. The taste of the warm fresh pretzel was divine. Anna and Hudson exchanged raised eyebrows whilst they munched. Hudson’s phone rang and a frown crossed his face as he answered it.
‘Emily? I’ll call you back.’ He ended the call. Anna was watching him and he seemed to read her mind. ‘Emily is … my stepmother.’
It shouldn’t have mattered to Anna who it was on the phone but somehow it did. Hudson tightened his lips and kicked at an unseen stone. She knew his relationship with his father was strained so it was likely relations with his stepmother weren’t a lot better.
‘Come on, there’s somewhere I want to show you.’
After a fair walk they approached a small coffee shop, stopped outside and took in the frontage with its many long windows and dark wood. Anna suddenly realised what she was looking at. ‘You’ve Got Mail,’ she said, clapping her hands together, recognising the coffee shop from the film.
‘Correct. Welcome to Café Lalo.’ Hudson was beaming and seemed rather pleased with himself.
Inside was stunning and Anna felt like she was walking onto a film set. Flashbacks of her much-loved movie swam into view while they got their drinks and some macarons, because Hudson insisted they were the best in town, and found some comfy seats.
‘I love it. Thank you,’ said Anna. She was giddy with excitement. She couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to New York than this.
Day two was less exciting but their first day in the office had gone exactly to plan. The office itself was a floor of an impressive building in Lower Manhattan. Although the building was stupidly tall their company was situated on level four, which was a bonus. It was still high but no higher than the UK offices so Anna knew she could cope. They’d spent most of the day in meetings but they were all productive and informative. It surprised her that she could see herself working there but she could see Hudson fitting in well too.
Hudson had disappeared for a bit whilst Anna was typing up the day’s notes and when he returned the twinkle in his eyes meant he was fired up about something. ‘Are we nearly done here?’
‘I think we are,’ said Anna, her fingers traversing the keyboard at speed. ‘I just need to email this to Roberta so she’ll pick it up first thing tomorrow and know we’re on schedule.’ It was very late but they had packed a lot into their first day.
Hudson was fidgeting. ‘When you’re done, I need to show you something.’
Anna glanced up and took in the boyish glee in his eyes. It made her want to know what it was straight away. He ignited a curiosity inside her. ‘Okay. Two minutes.’
Her phone beeped and distracted her. It was Connor. He had been messaging her a lot. Each message was supportive but she was hoping he’d be asleep by now. She wasn’t sure why she wanted that. Did she need a break from him? She felt uncharitable for thinking it. She replied with a smiley face and switched the phone off.
After a brief ride in a yellow cab Anna found herself in what appeared to be a small coffee shop. They chose drinks and Anna looked about for a food menu but there wasn’t one. ‘I thought you said they did food?’ asked Anna, and the waiter raised his chin and eyed her suspiciously making her think she’d said something wrong. She wondered why there were so few people when there had been quite a number ahead of them in the queue.
The waiter checked over both shoulders before leaning forward and in a husky whisper he spoke to Hudson. ‘Dial twenty and say Denny sent you.’ He jerked his head at a payphone in the corner, which Anna had seen another couple use a minute ago. The couple must have left because they weren’t there now. Hudson was grinning. It was like he got the joke but she didn’t.
‘What’s going on?’ she asked, with growing unease.
‘You’ll see,’ said Hudson, approaching the payphone and doing as the waiter had instructed. Hudson seemed to get some instructions. ‘Yep, got it. Thanks.’
He replaced the old-style phone receiver and they went around the side where the sign said toilets. There were two toilets but Hudson was pushing on the wall. To Anna’s surprise another door was revealed and they stepped out of the small quiet coffee shop into a large vibrant restaurant. It was like magic. The room was filled with velveteen furniture, opulent 1920s’ décor, elegant chandeliers and ornate mirrors. Someone dressed like an old style gangster greeted them warmly and showed them to a table.
&n
bsp; ‘This is so cool,’ said Anna, giggling a little at the silliness and subterfuge.
‘Isn’t it? This is all for the tourists now but during prohibition this really was a speakeasy. Somewhere you could get illegal liquor.’ Hudson’s eyes were alight.
‘I love it,’ said Anna. And she was starting to think New York wasn’t the only thing she was falling for. She busied herself with choosing starters and hoped the confusing thoughts that were swamping her brain would disappear. She had Connor waiting for her at home. But he wasn’t exactly waiting patiently – he was messaging her every five minutes.
The starters were the size of main courses and she wished she hadn’t ordered ribs. Although when they arrived she was sure she could find some room for them. Their conversation was easy: a mix of work and social that flowed naturally.
Hudson raised his glass. ‘To you conquering your fear of heights and flying.’
She clinked glasses. ‘I think just the flying one was cured today. I’m still not sure about heights.’
Hudson seemed to be thinking. ‘I thought it was one phobia?’
Anna thought about brushing it aside like she always did. It was something she never discussed but without much thought she knew she wanted to share a little about her reasons with Hudson. ‘It’s a very long story but I knew someone who had an accident when I was at university. Her name was Esme and she fell from a balcony.’ She fought to keep her mind on the facts she knew rather than the questions that haunted her.
‘That’s terrible. Was she okay?’
Anna shook her head. ‘She’s been in a coma ever since.’
‘And you witnessed her fall?’
Anna took a drink of cranberry and wished it was something stronger. ‘No. It was my party, but I’d passed out in my bedroom. I was woken by the screams when she fell. They were playing some stupid drinking game apparently.’ Anna’s mind was going over the events of that fateful evening as it frequently did. ‘If I hadn’t drunk so much, I would have been with the others on the balcony and I might have been able to save her.’
‘That’s why you don’t drink,’ said Hudson.
‘You got me,’ said Anna.
‘Please don’t tell me you blame yourself for this.’
‘Yes. I always have. She was my friend, I invited her, and it was my party …’
Hudson took her hand. ‘Anna. You are the sweetest thing but you have to let this go. Yes, it was a terrible accident. People make bad choices in a nanosecond. This was not your fault.’
Anna wasn’t sure whether to pull her hand away or not. She liked the contact. It seemed to make his words all the truer. ‘I can’t risk being in the same situation again, which is why I won’t drink. And it happened just a few years after we lost Lynsey so I was a mess for a while and it definitely compounded my phobia. But I think coming here has already shown me that perhaps I am starting to move on.’
‘I’m pleased. You deserve to be happy, Anna. Are you happy?’ he asked, his eyes locked on hers.
What a question. She was momentarily floored. Right now, right at this moment, was she happy? There was only one answer. ‘Yes, Hudson. I’m happy.’
Anna found herself longing for the office days to be over so she could spend time with Hudson. The combination of the vibrancy and life that flowed through New York and the bond deepening between them were to blame. She loved her job and it was going well but it was what was happening outside the office that was taking up all her thoughts. She spoke to Connor every lunchtime and each time it was like the distance between them was widening. She was calling him because she felt she had to. He was keen and interested, which made her feel guilty for enjoying her time in New York and, more so, her time with Hudson.
Hudson looked up from his laptop. ‘I’ve finished the write-up. Did you track down the finance information Roberta asked for?’
‘Yep, all sent. I’m finishing off the actions from the last session and I’m ready to go. Where are we going tonight?’ She knew she looked as keen as a puppy.
Hudson’s expression changed. ‘Actually, I was thinking of heading out of town on my own tonight.’
Anna couldn’t hide her disappointment. She needed to pull herself together. Of course he could go off on his own. He didn’t have to babysit her every night. She forced a smile. ‘Sounds like an excellent idea. You have a good time.’
Hudson had his head lowered. ‘It’s Thanksgiving tomorrow. I kinda felt I should check in with my father while I’m in town.’
Anna felt relieved. He wasn’t ditching her because he was fed up with her; it was a family thing. ‘Goodness, I’d forgotten about Thanksgiving. The hotel did push a leaflet under my door about it and I know nobody will be in the office but I figured we could still come in and finish off our overall report.’ Thanksgiving didn’t mean anything to her. She’d assumed they would carry on working. The fact it obviously meant something to Hudson had passed her by. ‘Of course, you don’t need to come in. You should celebrate with your family. And then Friday is our last day.’ Unexpected sadness crept over her at the thought of going home.
‘No, it’s okay. I’m not expecting an invite to Thanksgiving dinner from my father. I’ll book us in at the hotel restaurant if you like?’
‘Great.’ She failed to hide her excitement and then thought she really should have shown more compassion for him not spending an important holiday with his father. Wasn’t Thanksgiving a lot like Christmas to Americans? She couldn’t imagine not being with her mum and dad at that time of year. ‘Would you not rather be with your dad?’
Hudson gave a dry cough. ‘We don’t get on great. Short meetings work best for us. It’s all a bit awkward.’
‘Families can be like that.’
‘Yeah, mine certainly is. Look I’m really sorry about tonight. I would have loved to have shown you where I used to live but with things as they are … it’s better if I go alone.’
‘Of course,’ said Anna resolutely. ‘I wouldn’t dream of intruding.’
Hudson rubbed his palm across his chin. She thought he was going to say something else but instead he stood up and started to pack his things away. She had an odd sensation inside. She was on her own in New York. She could go anywhere, do anything she wanted but all she wanted to do was be with Hudson. She needed to give herself a good talking-to. She had poor Connor at home missing her desperately and it was very clear how he felt about her. Hudson on the other hand was much harder to read. He’d never given her any cause to believe their relationship was anything other than friendship.
‘Anna?’ Hudson was waving a hand in front of her. She must have looked like a stunned mullet as her mind had wandered off.
‘Sorry? Yes.’
He smiled warmly at her. ‘I’ll see you at breakfast. Okay?’
‘Yes. Fine. Lovely. See you at breakfast.’ She tried to sound positive. ‘I’m going to paint the town red. Go exploring on my own.’ She straightened her back. She could do this; she could find her way around New York. She needed to buy a guidebook first then she’d be fine. She almost convinced herself.
Concern appeared on Hudson’s face. ‘Where are you going exploring?’
‘I don’t know. I’ll see where the wind takes me.’
Hudson almost winced. ‘You can’t really do that in New York. There’s places you shouldn’t wander around at night.’
‘Then I’ll do the Empire State Building and the hotel restaurant. I’ll be fine.’ She could see he was worried about her.
‘I was kind of hoping to show you the Empire State Building tomorrow. But it’s fine, you go ahead.’
This was awkward. ‘I’ll do the Statue of Liberty instead.’
Hudson checked his watch. ‘It’s closed now and you’d need to book.’
Anna searched her brain for another New York landmark she could visit. ‘Rockefeller Center!’ As it struck her she almost shouted it at him like she were on a game show. She had no idea exactly what the Rockefeller Center was but she’d
seen it feature in many a Christmas film, which meant it was probably worth checking out.
Hudson’s expression lightened. ‘You’ll like it. Top of the Rock is fun.’
‘Then that’s what I’ll do.’
‘Night,’ he said, slinging his laptop bag across his shoulder.
Anna turned her attention back to her screen. There were a few emails she needed to answer and as she was in no rush now she could get them sorted. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Hudson returning. She paused.
‘Look, there’s no reason why you can’t come with me to Port Chester. I will be literally fifteen minutes with my father, tops. If we have a row I’ll be back in two. There’s a coffee shop not far from the house. I can drop you there or you can go for a walk through the town. It’s quite safe. It’s not like the city.’
‘If you’re sure?’ She tried hard not to sound too keen although she really wanted to go. The chance to see a little further out and to see where Hudson had grown up was intriguing.
‘Yeah, I’m sure. Come on. We’ve got a train to catch.’
Chapter Thirty-Four
Anna hadn’t been expecting to find herself in Grand Central Station. She was all the more surprised the museum-like building was an actual functioning station. She struggled to walk in a straight line through its vast hall because she was constantly looking up at the high arched ceiling above her. It was utterly beautiful, not like a train station at all.
Anna was excited to travel by train. It gave her a new perspective of New York as they left the high-rise bedlam of Manhattan behind them and raced through an increasingly green environment. They stopped at a few stations and Anna craned her neck to see the small towns they were passing. In less than an hour they arrived in Port Chester. Hudson had been relatively quiet on the journey choosing to check his phone rather than look out of the window. She could sense his apprehension at seeing his father.
They left the station and started walking. ‘Has it been long since you last saw your dad?’
Rooting for You! Page 3
