One Winter Weekend

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

W e strolled through the park arm in arm, and chatted more about our lives.

Blake told me about his work and what he did at the museum. “I was actually just taking a break from finishing a paper when I was sitting on the steps earlier. I had planned to go back inside and finish. Then I saw you.”

“Oh, no I’m so sorry. Had I known I would not have let you stop working for this.” I said, feeling guilty.

“It was worth it. I had to take that chance when I saw it. I would forever regret it if I didn’t.”

My heart fluttered into my throat. His honesty was so disconcerting, yet refreshing too.

He never hesitated; he just blurted out what he was thinking, and I admired that.

Finally we emerged from the park onto Fifth Avenue, the world-famous shopping mecca. I immediately felt a thrill of excitement when I spied the huge giant snowflake hanging above the centre of the street, signalling where we were.

“Come on, this way,” Blake urged, leading me further down the avenue.

We came to an imposing building across from the park entrance and slowed our pace when arriving at the front of it. The Bergdorf Goodman department store. I looked up at the windows and squealed with delight. The festive displays were beyond words.

It was an outdoor White Christmas scene. The setting was a winter forest and mannequins wore long sequinned designer gowns in Victorian style.

They were draped in white fur capes that trailed several feet behind them. The background was full of Christmas trees and various branches and shrubs all decorated with artificial snow and glitter, which also covered the ground.

Everything was white and the light reflecting off the scene in the city darkness made the entire window glow.

Even the accessories were white, including the glittering diamond bracelets and necklaces worn by the mannequins. It was a vivid, magical wintery scene and I was completely absorbed in it, trying to take it all in.

So much so that I almost forgot I wasn’t alone.

“Do you like it?” Blake asked.

“I love it! It’s everything I could have hoped for. This is the exact kind of thing I longed to see,” I rambled on.

Blake laughed at my enthusiasm and said, “I’m so glad. I rush by here every year and never really stop to take a closer look. I guess because in the back of my mind, I knew I wanted to share it with someone.”

I looked up at him. Every second longer I spent in his company I was falling for this man, and it was scaring me. I watched him look at the window, smiling. I could stare at him forever.

“There’s another great one further down the street at Saks if you want to keep going?”

My eyes widened, “Saks?” I repeated in barely a whisper.

Blake chuckled, obviously delighted by my enthusiasm. “You are too cute.” Then he looped my arm in his and led me further along the busy street.

We stopped at another street vendor along the way.

“Can’t go see the Saks windows without hot chocolate,” he insisted.

“But I’ve already had one today.”

“Oh, do you have a chocolate limit or something?” He joked. “It’s the holidays. Enjoy yourself. And at Christmas, hot chocolate is definitely a New York tradition.”

I laughed. “Well, I am a bit cold, and I do like traditions.”