Chasing Manhattan Read online

  Howard pulled back the wine list and tucked it neatly under his arm, saying, “We have several fine Merlots and I believe four different IPAs. If you’d like I can …”

  Gavin cut him off politely and said, “Tell ya what, just bring us the most expensive of both.”

  The waiter nodded with a smile, knowing his tip just went up significantly. “Very good, sir.” As he turned to go Chase shot Gavin a look that said, You may regret that, pal.

  Gavin knew Chase’s every emotion and could read her face, responding, “Don’t worry, the worst they’ll ding me on the beer is ten bucks. And the Merlot?” He shrugged his shoulders.

  Chase smiled and said, “Yeah, you may have just bought me a thirty-dollar glass of wine, cowboy.”

  Gavin smiled back, “It’s okay, we’re celebrating, aren’t we?” Chase looked confused.

  Gavin tried to begin, “Your lease, it’s up. You said you’d be one year away, living here in the city, and we are now at that year.”

  Chase fell silent and took a breath. Gavin could see she wasn’t ready to think or talk about it, so he poked her a bit more, “Or did I completely misunderstand what we talked about and agreed to on that bridge outside the Orvis store?”

  The waiter brought the drinks but, having been in this job for the better part of twenty years, he also could read a table with the best of them. Howard could tell immediately that either the air conditioning in the restaurant was on too high or the “chill factor” between this attractive couple had gone up since he left. He placed the drinks down and didn’t bother to tell them the day’s specials, retreating silently as quickly as he had come.

  Chase waited until the waiter was gone, took Gavin’s hand and said, “No you didn’t misunderstand, and I know what I said. It’s just, I’m not sure if now is the time to go back there.”

  Gavin’s face looked a bit flush now. He brought his palms up to his head, rubbing his scalp hard without saying a word. It was a habit Chase noticed he did when he was frustrated. Had she known him all his life, she’d know it was the same thing he used to do when he was twelve years old and struck out at Little League.

  Finally, after an awkward pause, Gavin began, “Home, you mean. When you say can’t go back there. You mean home?”

  Chase hated that he was upset and looked him in the eyes, took hold of both his hands, squeezing them tight. “Yes, home. Your home and what could be my home, someday.”

  Gavin pulled his right hand back, took a drink of the beer and was looking off in the restaurant at nothing in particular. With his frustration tamped down a bit, he said without looking at her, “So, not now?”

  Chase sat up straight, then leaned in so he couldn’t miss her next words and in a defensive tone asked, “You tell me and be honest. Are things back to normal there in Manchester or are people still showing up looking for me, driving everyone I mentioned in the book crazy with questions?”

  Gavin put the beer down and looked back at her. “Honestly, it’s still pretty bad. The tourists, the nonsense.”

  There was silence now, so Howard took the cue to approach. Chase, however, raised her hand up to stop, and gave him a not now look. He bowed his head in apology and said, “You call me over whenever you’re ready.”

  Chase hadn’t touched the wine but found herself staring at the beautiful crystal glass, taking deep breaths.

  Gavin, feeling calmer, said, “So what do you want to do, stay here? Because this going back and forth is tough on me and before you say it, I know I could get a job here in the city, but Chase …” He didn’t finish the thought.

  She looked up from the glass, and Gavin looked like a lost little boy. “But it’s not for you. I know that, sweetie,” Chase said in a loving tone.

  Then she added, “I notice you didn’t have any suits with you in the truck. I’m guessing that means you’re not here to go on any interviews?”

  Gavin bit his bottom lip. “I tried, I really did,” he said. “I went on those websites you sent me and found a couple of farming conglomerates with corporate offices in Manhattan, but it’s not for me. I’d lose my mind wearing a tie all day, staring out a fortieth-floor window into nothing. I need space to breathe.”

  Chase touched his face gently with her soft hands, “It’s okay. I know it’s not you. I’m sorry I ever asked.”

  There was silence now, and for a moment it felt like everyone else in the packed restaurant had left and it was just the two of them trapped in this awkward moment.

  Finally, Chase said, “Maybe it is time to move out of here; I’m just not sure where to go. But I do know, whatever the move is, you have to be right there with me or it won’t feel like home.”

  Gavin smiled for the first time since they’d left the apartment and said, “Thank you for saying that, and I feel the same way. So, we can’t do Manchester, at least not now, and I don’t fit in here. Maybe if we put our heads together something great will come to us.”

  Chase liked where the conversation was going now. “I’m sure we will,” she said. “And who knows, maybe something will just present itself unexpectedly. I was only supposed to be in Manchester for a couple of weeks and look what happened there.”

  Gavin nodded in agreement, “Yeah, I guess we can thank Owen the Realtor for showing you that old church.”

  Chase was lost in thought when Gavin said something that risked starting up another argument.

  “Hey, speaking of church—your driver, the one who looks like Antonio Banderas …”

  Chase tilted her head. “Matthew. What about him?”

  “I called you twice the other day and it went to voicemail and I got nervous, so I called him on his cell,” Gavin said.

  Chase was curious about where this was going. “And?”

  Gavin continued, “And he told me he was parked outside a church, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the big one.”

  Chase looked away now, slightly annoyed, knowing what was coming next.

  Gavin’s tone turned kinder. He reached for her shoulder, touching it gently, “He said you go there sometimes and then come right back out. He didn’t understand why. Obviously, I do, or at least I think I do. Chase, what are you doing?”

  Chase took her first sip of the wine, a generous one, then said, “I don’t know. I guess I’m nuts. After what happened in Manchester stopped, I wondered why and if it would happen again.”

  Gavin looked understanding. “Right, makes sense. So, you went to the church here … and … what?”

  She put the wine glass down hard on the table, almost causing it to slosh out onto the pretty white linen, and said, “NOTHING.” She said it so loudly that people at a nearby table looked over and Gavin gave them a glance that said, Go back to your meal, we’re fine.

  Gavin paused, then whispered, “Don’t get mad at Matthew, but he says you go there a lot.”

  Chase was the one looking off at the other diners at their tables now. She said, “He’s right. I have. I did. But the truth is, I’m done. Whatever that was in Manchester, showing me things that would happen, be it God, Taylor, the ghost of Christmas future, whatever that was, it’s done with me.”

  She picked up the glass and took another healthy sip, adding, “But hey, I got a heck of a book out of it.”

  Gavin was rubbing her shoulder now. “You did more than that, and you know it. You really helped heal that town. You should be proud of that, book or no book.”

  They stared at each other and both let out a sigh, at exactly the same moment, causing them both to laugh.

  With that, Gavin motioned Howard over and they ordered dinner, filet for him and grilled salmon for her. The food was everything the reputation promised, so they asked for a slice of the double chocolate cake to go, something they’d split back at Chase’s apartment.

  As they walked out holding hands, it felt as if a weight had been lifted. The future was anything but certain, but both knew whatever came next, they’d face it together.

  Gavin said, “So just to recap, yo
u’re not staying here in Manhattan, but you’re not going back to Manchester?”

  Chase smiled. “Correct. Maybe there’s some place in between where you can find fresh air and I can find a fresh start.”

  Gavin gave her a soft kiss on the lips, smiled warmly, and said, “Well I’m all for those, as long as this old dog is part of whatever chapter you write next.”

  Chase hugged him and spoke quietly. “Chapter? You’re the whole book, babe.”

  As they waited for the valet to bring Gavin’s truck, he filled what felt like an awkward silence by imitating a gangster with a Jersey accent: “Ya see this spot right here, Muggzy, this is where Castallano got it. Boom!”

  Chase giggled with surprise and said, “Costa who?”

  Gavin stopped goofing, returning to his normal voice, “Castallano, the mobster. Remember you told me this place had a mob hit, like, forty years ago? I Googled it.”

  Chase remembered. Then, in a voice full of relief she said, “You know, for a minute there I thought we were going to have a nasty fight.”

  Gavin tilted his head to the side, that dirty blonde hair and those deep blue eyes drinking in his beautiful girlfriend, and said confidently, “Us? No way. Just a few sparks at Spark’s. I loves ya too much, Muggzy.”

  As Gavin drove them back to the Lenox Hill neighborhood to share dessert and a kiss goodnight, both were secretly nervous about where life would take them next. Both assumed the mystery and magic of Manchester and Chase’s visions were well behind them. Both would be wrong.

  CHAPTER 6

  Book in Hand

  GERD!” Deb shouted, as she stared at the bright screen of the laptop placed conspicuously on the front counter at the Fur-Ever Java café. She was gripping the device so tightly you could see the whites of her knuckles. Gavin and Chase were in their usual table near the window, away from the foot traffic but not far from the “fixins station” where people added cream and sugar to their hot and cold drinks. A perfect spot for privacy, but with a full view of both the street and inside the café, depending on which way you turned.

  “What did she just say?” Gavin asked out loud.

  “Pay her no mind,” a voice said. It was Raylan coming out of the kitchen with a small tray filled with muffins and scones. “Yesterday it was gout and today it’s … what did you just say you have now, Deb?”

  She spun the computer around so Raylan could read it for himself.

  “GERD. It stands for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease. It’s why I’ve been coughing like this the last few days.”

  Raylan tried not to smile and said, “I haven’t noticed you …” And at that precise moment Deb let out a dry cough.

  Raylan nodded like he understood now, “Can I ask you a question then?”

  Deb, excited he was finally interested in her daily dire diagnosis, her eyes going big and wide, exclaimed, “Of course, ask me anything!”

  Raylan set the tray of breakfast treats on the counter behind the register, and began, “Are the side effects of GOOP—”

  “GERD,” Deb quickly corrected him. “Not GOOP. GERD.”

  “Oh, my mistake, sorry,” Raylan continued. “Are the side effects of GERD, one of them anyway, an inability to place pastries into a case while simultaneously ringing up customers?”

  Deb could sense the sarcasm and made a face as if she had swallowed a lemon. “No.”

  Raylan smiled. “Alrighty then, get these muffins and scones out and continue your medical prognosis later, please.”

  Deb closed the laptop and turned to get the muffins when Gavin spoke up. “What was your name again, Deb?”

  She looked over and said, “Yes, I’m Deb.”

  Chase knew her boyfriend and could tell when he had mischief on his mind, so she kicked him gently under the table.

  Gavin, ignoring her minor assault, continued. “My name is Gavin, and while I’m not a doctor, I did grow up on a big farm full of animals, so I’ve seen all sorts of medical conditions.”

  Deb stopped working for the moment and was enthralled with what this curious gentleman might say next. “Go on, please,” she said.

  Gavin stood up now, giving her and everyone else in the café a good look at his handsome physique, his tight black t-shirt tucked into acid washed jeans that were slightly frayed at the bottom, just above his brown Tony Lama boots.

  He continued, “That cough doesn’t sound like GERD to me. It sounds like kennel cough.”

  Chase looked down at her coffee cup and mumbled to herself, “Sweet Jesus, here we go.”

  “Kennel cough? Isn’t that something dogs get?” Deb asked.

  Gavin began to pace the floor, like a television marketer on late night TV selling a product. “They do, yes, they do. But humans can get it too. Can I ask you Deb, have you been around any strange dogs lately?”

  Deb looked down and realized Penelope, the rescue dog from the shelter, was standing right near her, so she jumped back, clutching her chest with both hands as if afraid.

  “Yes, I’ve been around several,” she replied, staring suspiciously at poor little Penelope.

  Gavin could tell he had her believing him now. “Well, that might explain it. It’s not fatal or anything, but you should watch out for the warning signs in case it gets worse.”

  Deb walked around the counter to get closer to Gavin for this next part. “The WARNING signs?” she asked, with trepidation in her voice.

  Chase looked up, trying not to laugh, saying, “Gav. Please don’t.”

  Gavin ignored her; he was too far into this now. “Oh yeah. If you find yourself suddenly wanting to chase cars or worse, and I sincerely hope this one doesn’t happen to you.”

  “WHAT?” Deb asked, nearly terrified now.

  “If you see a new customer in the store and you suddenly want to sniff them. Or if for no logical reason you ask them to throw you a ball. That would be a sign that you should probably see a doctor.”

  Deb’s mouth was agape, her eyes darting back and forth. She looked out the front window and saw a red car roll by and said, “Oh geez. I just saw a car and I think I wanted to chase it.” With that the dozen or so people in the café burst out laughing.

  Chase stood up at this point and said, “Oh, for God’s sake, Deb, he’s joking with you. Only dogs can get kennel cough. You’re fine. He’s kidding.” She looked toward Gavin, adding, “Tell her you’re kidding!”

  Deb suddenly realized how silly Gavin sounded and saw him smirking, so she said, “Seriously? You scared me.”

  Gavin smiled. “I’m sorry Miss Deb,” he said. “I was just teasing. It sounds like a regular old cough to me. Although if you feel the urge to drink out of the toilet …”

  With that Deb took the dish towel that hung from her belt and threw it in Gavin’s direction, “HA, HA, HA.”

  She was a good sport about the teasing, and just as the laughter died down, the door to the café swung open and two young women in their late teens came in with a stack of books in their hands. They looked like students from one of the many colleges or universities that called New York City home. No one paid them much mind as they made their way toward the counter to order drinks, but that’s when Raylan noticed one of the books in the blonde girl’s hand.

  He swallowed hard and his mood changed in a flash, and he suddenly pointed at Gavin and said, “Hey you, funny man. I need to see your girlfriend in the kitchen for a moment.”

  His girlfriend? Everyone knew that Raylan knew Chase’s name, so the request was strange. Before anyone could reply, Raylan snapped his fingers impatiently and said, “You, yes, YOU,” pointing directly at Chase. “I need you in the kitchen right now, please.”

  Chase shot Gavin a look of confusion, but she’d known Raylan long enough to know something was up. Then, without saying a word, she got up from the small table and crossed the café, went behind the counter, and pushed open a swinging door that led into the kitchen. In a matter of seconds Chase was gone from sight behind the brown greasy door.
r />   The young ladies, now at the front counter, both grabbed bottles of Evian water and waited to pay, as Raylan said to Deb, “Take care of them,” before darting into the kitchen himself.

  Once behind the door he immediately started peeking out the small window to see the front counter and the rest of the café. Chase said, “What the heck?”

  Raylan brought the index finger of his right hand up to his lips and said, “Shhh …”

  Chase was really confused now, so she approached Raylan and whispered, “What’s the matter with you?”

  He took a beat, waiting for the women to pay for their bottled water, and as they turned to leave the café he said, “They’re going. Good.”

  Chase craned her neck to get her own look out the window in the kitchen door and said, “Who is going? Why are you acting so strange?”

  Chase saw the two young women leaving, and as her gaze dropped down to the book in the blonde woman’s hand, suddenly it all made sense. She was carrying a hardcover copy of Manchester Christmas with Chase’s photo on the back cover. Chase saw her own face under the woman’s palm as she carried the book out, and then turned to Raylan and said very matter-of-factly, “You know who I am.”

  Raylan let out a deep breath like they’d pulled off a successful bank heist and had just shaken the cops, when he turned to her and said, “Of course I do. I did a background check on you.”

  Chase looked back at Raylan and replied, “You did? Why?”

  Raylan chucked now, responding, “Are you kidding? A woman who will only talk to me over email or phone wants to rent an apartment in my building. She pays me a year’s rent in advance with a certified bank check, and every time I ask her a personal question she changes the subject. You’d better believe I looked into who you were. I didn’t need a drug lord or something moving into my place.”

  Chase gave him a sarcastic look and said, “Yeah, I’m Pablo Escobar.”