His voice still sounded sexy and throaty, and he was thinking about me this morning. I shook my head to shake the spell that was threatening to overtake me. “I thought I heard you say at dinner last night you were going to your niece’s birthday party today,” I told him with a bit of chastisement in my voice.

  “I did,” he laughed. “But I’m prepared to make changes to my schedule and see her later if I can entice you back out into the city for the day.”

  I hesitated for a moment before saying, “I don’t think so, Chase.”

  “Susan, don’t break my heart,” he said half-laughing, half-pouting. “You were a breath of fresh air last night. I haven’t met anyone like you in a long time. Most of the girls I meet are self-centered, demanding, and wouldn’t know how to have fun if it came up and bit them in the -” he stopped himself. “I can’t stop thinking how much fun it would be to have another day with you.”

  Chase was a nice guy, and he was super hot. We did make a good–looking couple. But I was too afraid to spend the day with him. I didn’t want to get to know him better. Nothing good could come of it.

  “Chase,” I said, “I just can’t.”

  “There’s another guy, isn’t there?” he asked. “I should have known someone as beautiful as you wouldn’t be on the market.”

  “There is another guy,” I told him, “and it’s only been six months. I’m not ready for anything else right now. I want to see where it goes with him.”

  I could hear him sigh. “I understand,” he said. “Let me leave you with this, Susan. If things don’t work out between you and the new guy, call me. We’ll make plans to meet one weekend each month in a different capital city around the world. You just say the word, and I’ll send a plane ticket to you. We’ll see the world together.”

  Wow! Who comes up with lines like that? Guys rolling in money with the third tacked onto the end of their names, that’s who.

  I laughed and said, “Chase, that sounds fantastic. I promise, if things don’t work out with the new guy, I’ll call you.”

  “Ok, Susan,” he said with resignation. “I’m off to a little kid’s birthday party. I had a great time last night, and hope to see you again one day.”

  We said our good-byes and hung up.

  I had to sit for a minute to recover from Chase’s call. I had enjoyed the attention from him, but there had been no electricity like there was between me and Mick. Mick and I had it from the very first time we met, and it had only intensified over time. So why did I feel unease and even a little regret at turning Chase down? It had to be because I was so uncertain about Mick right now. What if he did intend to dump me? Darby seemed to think the we need to talk comment might be leading to an either/or ultimatum – either put out, or I’m out of here. But that didn’t seem like Mick at all. I hated being confused.

  I hopped off the bed and headed for the shower.

  Forty minutes later, my hair and light makeup were done. It was a beautiful, sunny, fall day, and I wanted to be comfortable if I was going to do a lot of walking. I threw on my favorite pair of dark blue skinny jeans and pulled on a pair of comfy, black, knee-high, suede boots with a low, square heel. A white, scoop-neck tank under a cute navy blue cardigan with 3/4 length sleeves, and I was ready.

  I saw the jade necklace on the dresser where I had left it the night before. I wrapped it in its tissue paper and put it back in my purse. I had everything I needed for the day.

  In the hotel lobby, I walked over to the concierge desk. “Hi,” I addressed the woman with a smile, “remember me?”

  “I sure do,” she said as she returned the smile. “How may I help you today?”

  “Could you help me package an item and get it into the mail?” I asked her.

  “Of course,” she said. “Do you have it with you?”

  “I do,” I said as I pulled the necklace from my purse and unwrapped it.

  “It’s lovely,” she said as she took the necklace from my hands.

  “I’d like to send it to my mother in Texas,” I explained to her. “It’s a silly thing, but I’d like to have it sent from New York City. The post office isn’t open today, and I’m flying out this evening.”

  “I’d be happy to make sure it goes out tomorrow morning,” she assured me. “Would packaging from the St. Regis be acceptable?”

  “That would be perfect,” I told her. “Thank you for your help.” I wrote a quick note to my mom to be included with the necklace, wrote down all of the address information with instructions to send the package priority mail, and paid the woman the necessary postage to include a nice tip for her.

  That was the first thing on my list to accomplish today. Now I was off to the theater to see about the cash from the ticket that sold to Rick last night. The doorman hailed a cab for me.

  The cab driver dropped me in front of the theater, and, once again, I went into the lobby. There was a clerk at the Will Call window. “Hi,” I greeted him. “I’m Susan Hunter. I had an extra ticket I dropped off last evening, and it sold.”

  “Susan Hunter,” he repeated my name as he rummaged through papers on the counter. “Here it is, and there you go,” he said giving me a huge smile as he slid the envelope under the window.

  “Thank you,” I told him, and I turned to walk away.

  “Wait a minute, Susan. Stay right there. I’ll be right out,” he said as he moved away from the window, and a female clerk took his place.

  I couldn’t imagine what he wanted. He entered the lobby a minute later, and I guessed him to be in his late forties. He was sharply dressed in business casual of dark slacks and a pale yellow dress shirt. He had pleasant facial features, he was smiling, and his eyes exuded happiness. He pointed to the main doors, and we stepped out onto the sidewalk together.

  “Susan, I’m Jim Fontaine, and I manage the theater. I’m headed across the street for brunch, please join me.” I looked across the street, and sure enough, there was an interesting looking bar and restaurant simply named Patrick’s. It had a green awning, dark wood around the windows, and green stained glass above the door. The vibe from the outside was definitely Irish pub.

  I turned to face him to decline his invitation, but stopped short. I could see, just over his right shoulder, at the corner of the theater, was the man in the Indiana Jones hat. He was staring intently in our direction. As soon as he realized I spotted him, he ducked around the corner of the building.

  Suddenly, I didn’t want to be alone on the street. I didn’t know if I was in danger, or if possibly Bernardo and Armand had him watching over me. I smiled at the man, and said, “Jim, I haven’t had a thing to eat yet today, and brunch sounds wonderful.”

  We walked across the street. I looked back over my shoulder as we entered the restaurant, but the man was no longer at the corner.

  There was very little going on inside, and I wondered if the restaurant was even open. “Joe!” Jim called out. “Look who I found on my doorstep a few minutes ago. Lovely Susan Hunter. We’re going to have some brunch.”

  Joe came through a doorway behind the bar. He shook my hand and flashed a beaming smile at me. He was a big guy, bouncer material, but he wasn’t scary. He, too, had nice eyes and seemed very friendly. “It’s nice to meet you, Susan,” he said. “You must have caught him at the right time, because I can barely get him in here anymore. He’s always busy.”

  Jim laughed and said, “I am busy, aren’t I?” He took a seat at the bar and motioned for me to sit beside him. “I do miss your Eggs Benedict, Joe.” He turned to me and asked, “Do you like Eggs Benedict? If you do, you’ll have the best you’ve ever had here.”

  “That sounds wonderful,” I told him. Once again, I felt a flutter of excitement. I was embarking on another adventure with new people, even if it was only brunch.

  Joe set a glass of water down for both of us. I looked around the restaurant and then back at Joe and asked, “Are you open for business now?”

  He laughed. “Not yet. But we’re here early on Sundays, and the front door is always open for Jim.”

  “I’ve been coming here regularly for the past eight years,” Jim said. “Joe’s been here at least that long, too.” He turned on his stool to face me and asked, “Susan, are you roaming around the city by yourself this morning?”

  “I am,” I told him proudly. “I brought a cab down from the St. Regis, but plan to walk my way back by way of Times Square.”

  Joe frowned, but Jim was still smiling as he said, “Let me give you some advice. Walking around the city is fine if you stay on the main streets, and don’t look like a tourist.”

  “What does that mean? Look like a tourist?” I asked him.

  “You can always spot the tourists,” said Joe shaking his head.

  “Yes,” Jim said taking over again. “Tourists rubberneck. They look up at the tops of buildings, swing their heads around to take in all the sights, and stand and stare through windows. Pay attention as you walk today, and you’ll easily spot the tourists.”

  Joe picked up the narrative, “If you want to look like a New Yorker, you look straight ahead, walk fast, and act as though you know where you’re going.”

  “I never thought about that.” I said smiling at both of them. “I might have to do some rubbernecking in Times Square though.”

  They both laughed. “Just keep your purse tucked in extra close when you’re in the Square,” said Jim. “It’s a haven for pickpockets.”

  A server brought two Bloody Marys and our Eggs Benedict from the kitchen and set the food down in front of us. The Eggs Benedict looked perfect. I loved Hollandaise and it was plentiful on the eggs. We dug right in.

  Joe stepped away to take care of a delivery at the back door. Jim and I chatted over the meal about our professions. He seemed impressed I worked two jobs, and I was impressed at how much work went into managing the theater. I especially enjoyed the few stories he shared about the famous talent he had met over the years. He was easy to talk with, and it felt like catching up with an old friend.

  Joe was finished with the delivery and came back to the bar. “Why were you at the theater, Susan?” he asked. “Purchasing tickets?”

  “No,” I told him. “My friend couldn’t make it to the show last night, so I turned his ticket back in at the box office. They sold it again and set the money aside for me.”

  “Where’s your friend now?” Jim asked.

  “He’s been in business meetings all weekend. He’s actually my neighbor back home in Ohio, and I tagged along with him on his trip.”

  “Lucky fella,” said Jim. Joe smiled and nodded in agreement.

  I smiled a little smile. After last night, I could only hope Darby still felt lucky to have brought me with him.

  Jim continued, “Bring him here for dinner tonight. Joe, you watch for Susan and her friend. Make sure they have a nice time, and then send the bill to me.”

  “Oh, no!” I protested. “Don’t do that. Brunch was enough for one day.”

  “I insist,” said Jim. “If you come back, it will be my treat. It was a pleasure to spend time with you this morning.”

  I looked at both of them and decided it was a good idea to ask for some advice. “Listen, I do have someone following me.” They looked at each other with alarm. “I don’t know that his intent is sinister. He may simply be keeping an eye on me to be sure I’m safe while I roam around the city. I saw him yesterday morning talking to my friend’s employer, so they may have him watching me.” Both men nodded. “But what if it’s something else? I really don’t want him following me today, and I’d like to ditch him. Any ideas?”

  Joe raised his hand slightly toward me and said, “I’ve got you covered, Susan. I’ll walk you out the back door, and we’ll cut through the alleys between the buildings over to 44th Street. You’re only half a block from 7th Avenue then, and you can take it up to Times Square.”

  “Perfect,” I said as I took a last drink of water, grabbed my purse, and turned to Jim, “This was really pleasant. Thank you for inviting me to come.”

  He grasped my hand, lifted it to his lips, and kissed it. “The pleasure was all mine,” he said. I felt myself blushing again. He pulled out his wallet, slipped out a card, and handed it to me. “If you ever come back to New York City, Susan Hunter, you give me a call. We’ll have a night on the town.” I smiled. I’d add the card to the stack.

  Joe looked at Jim and said, “Stay here for another ten minutes, Jim. Give me time to get Susan out to 44th before you leave. That way her stalker won’t know she’s no longer in here.”

  “Good idea,” said Jim. He settled back onto his stool and asked the server for another Bloody Mary.

  Joe led me through the kitchen and out a back door into the alley behind the building. We were sandwiched between the rear entrances of several restaurants. Many of the garbage cans were overflowing, and the odor was appalling. Joe laughed at my obvious revulsion and said, “It takes a little getting used to.”

  He led me through the alley, turned right into one last smaller alley, and just like that, we were on the sidewalk of 44th Street. Joe turned to me and said, “Remember, don’t gawk. Look straight ahead and pretend you own the city. If you see something in a window, go inside to look at it, don’t window shop.” He shook my hand. “Thanks for a fun morning. If you don’t come back this evening, I hope we see you again sometime.”

  “I had fun, too, Joe. Thanks!” I said as I gave him a wave and headed off quickly toward 7th Avenue. Indiana Jones was nowhere to be seen.

  I walked north on 7th, mindful of what the guys had just told me, and I had to chuckle. I was fitting right in with the New Yorkers, and the tourists stuck out like sore thumbs. It felt wonderful to be out in the fresh air, and the brisk walking was sorely needed after so many days of not exercising. I was going to have to work in extra games of racquetball next week, membership drive at the center or not.

  At Times Square, I slowed down to look around. It was a cacophony of sound and movement. There were souvenir shops, restaurants, theaters, stores, and the Naked Cowboy was singing with a crowd around him in the middle of the Square. The TKTS booth was swamped with people looking to buy discounted theater tickets. It was a bucket list moment, and I couldn’t help but to look up and around and take it all in. I loved everything about it!

  It would be spectacular at night, and I tried to imagine the Square on New Year’s Eve with throngs of people. I would love to be here with Mick for a New Year’s kiss and fireworks - in more ways than one. I instantly felt tingly just thinking about it.

  Mick and I hadn’t had any holidays together yet other than the Fourth of July. On that day, we had made the scenic, one-hour drive to Carnation Park in Templeton. He said it was one of his favorite parks, and his parents had taken him often as a child. He chose a spot for us high on a hill, not entirely secluded, but away from the main crowd. We spread a blanket out and sat and talked for over an hour until the first single intermittent fireworks went up indicating the show was ready to start. We lie back on the blanket and gazed into the night sky. It was an amazing angle. The fireworks were beautiful and appeared to be directly over our heads. I had never viewed fireworks like this before, and it was dazzling. At one point, I felt Mick’s hand slide across my midsection as he reached over to support himself. He hovered above me for a second, and then kissed me with a kiss that took my breath away and left me weak. If we hadn’t been in public, there would have been no turning back on that night. It was magical.

  I couldn’t wait to see what future holidays held for us. If there was a future.

  I suddenly felt silly standing all tingly in Times Square, and resumed my brisk walk again heading north on 7th. I almost crossed the street at 55th to run into the Carnegie Deli for the experience, and to see what their Reuben sandwiches looked like, but I wasn’t hungry after brunch with Jim, so I kept walking toward Central Park.

  When I reached the park, I wasn’t sure what to do. I didn’t know much about the park, and I wasn’t sure about going into it by myself. I knew it was over 800 acres, but I didn’t know if there were areas I should avoid. I opted not to enter, and I turned right on Central Park South. I crossed the street to walk along the park’s southern wall, and headed east toward Fifth Avenue.

  Thankfully, I saw a small group of hot dog vendors. I needed a bottle of water desperately. I stopped to drink the water and look around. Artists had their wares displayed along the park wall. Other vendors had merchandise for sale. Horses and buggies were lined up along the park. It was lovely, I was enjoying myself and I still felt safe.

  After throwing the empty water bottle in the trash, I continued my walk along the stone wall. Not even five seconds later, I spotted Indiana Jones up ahead. There was no denying it now, he was definitely following me. He could be a guardian, but my instincts told me he was to be feared. His back was to me, but I was sure it was him.

  I was now near The Pond. From what I could see, there was only one more entrance into the park. I walked slowly, keeping the man in my line of sight. I saw him glance back over his shoulder. He was probably watching to be sure I was still following along the wall. As soon as he turned away from me, I darted into the park. I briefly saw a sign indicating I was on Center Drive. I clutched my purse hard and took off running. I wanted to get as far into the park as possible before the man realized I had changed course.

  I had no idea where the mad dash would take me. If I kept on a northeasterly path, I should eventually come to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. At the very least, I would end up at the other end of the park, but I knew I had to keep running.

  Several minutes later, I had to stop to catch my breath. I was in good shape, but knowing Indiana Jones was following me had already caused my heart to race, and I couldn’t run for very long without needing to stop. I moved off the path to my right and saw I was at the Balto Statue. I knew the story of the Siberian Husky and his part in delivering medicine in Alaska, but I was too distraught to enjoy the statue or remember the entire story. I moved back to the path and decided to stop running and simply walk briskly. I couldn’t take the time to admire the beautiful park. I had to keep watching for Indiana Jones, but I never spotted him again, and I realized I had given him the slip.