Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86068 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 430(@200wpm)___ 344(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
“It looks even better up here.”
“Would you like to keep it?” Rhett adds, watching me instead of looking at the skyline.
Something flutters low in my stomach as my head comes up sharply. “No, of course not. It’s too expensive.” I then pretend to be deeply invested in a passing guy dressed as Batman.
“It’s yours if you change your mind,” Rhett says under his breath, but he lets me change the subject, and I ask him which Batman he prefers.
We people watch for a while, watching tourists with their cameras, locals darting past like they’re immune to the madness, and kids begging their parents for various souvenirs. A woman bursts out laughing so loudly it carries even through the din, and the sound makes me laugh too, though I don’t know why. It’s like everything here is contagious: the joy, the chaos, the light. Finally, Rhett stands up and holds out his hand.
“Come on. Time for our next stop.”
I let him pull me up, curious. “Where now?”
“You’ll see.”
We weave through the crowd again until we find a caricature artist tucked to the side of the square. The samples taped to his booth are wildly exaggerated, with giant heads, goofy grins and huge noses. I laugh as soon as I see them.
“You cannot be serious.”
“Oh, I’m serious,” Rhett says, smirking. “Sit.”
I drop into the folding chair, still giggling.
“This is going to be terrible.”
“Yes, perfectly terrible,” he says, settling beside me.
The artist sets to work, glancing up at us, his pencil flying across the page. I try to sit still, but I keep dissolving into nervous laughter. Twenty minutes later, he flips the pad around, and I almost choke. My head is enormous, my smile exaggerated into cartoonish sparkle, and the ring, oh god, the ring. It is drawn bigger than my entire hand. I burst out laughing.
“I look like an alien who swallowed a disco ball,” I announce.
Rhett grins, clearly delighted. “You should frame it.”
“Never.” But I roll it up anyway, because I know I’ll keep it. Some things are too ridiculous not to.
We meander after that, letting the crowd carry us along, the neon glow sinking into our skin, the city’s heartbeat thudding beneath our feet. The ring catches every color it passes, flashing like it was made for this place.
And maybe, for tonight, it was.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Pippa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqXUpe3jlkA
-its raining men-
The neon is still burning into my retinas as we duck into another souvenir shop. This one smells of cheap plastic and cinnamon-scented candles, which is a combination I didn’t know existed until now. I guess I’ve smelled worse things.
The walls are stacked from floor to ceiling with merchandise. There are shelves of mugs, racks of sweatshirts, and piles of stuffed animals dressed as the Statue of Liberty. It’s like Times Square condensed into a closet-sized retail explosion. I am learning that nothing here is done at less than one hundred and fifty percent.
Sandra and Lucy have been spamming me with emojis all day, demanding proof of life in New York, begging for pictures of Rhett, teasing me about the engagement. Suddenly, the presents I got for them in the other shop seem too nothing.
My eyes land on a white ceramic mug stamped with the classic I heart NY in garish red letters. Sandra’s the type who collects mugs from everywhere; her kitchen cupboard is a mismatched museum of cities. But what makes this mug more special is the fact that the heart is covered in rhinestones. It sparkles just enough to be a bit extra, just like Sandra. This will be the crowning glory of her collection.
“Perfect,” I murmur, holding it up.
Rhett peers over my shoulder. “Perfect for who?”
“Sandra. She’ll think it’s hideous and cherish it anyway. Also, she likes things that sparkle, so I’m pandering to that too.”
“Good idea,” Rhett says solemnly.
If Sandra is getting two presents, then so is Lucy. She has a soft spot for things that are both kitschy and oddly charming. I find a snow globe with the Empire State Building inside, surrounded by tiny taxis that go off swirling when you shake it.
“This one is definitely for Lucy,” I say, giving it a shake. Glitter and tiny taxis float down like confetti. “She’ll keep it on her desk and make it snow during meetings when she’s bored.”
Rhett nods, his lips twitching. “Perfect gift.”
I spot a cotton apron printed with a map of New York City. It’s bright and colorful, with the subway lines snaking across the fabric. That’s perfect for my mother. I run my fingers over it, imagining her wearing it while making Sunday dinner, humming like she always does. And I get all sentimental.
“My mother will love this.”
Rhett glances at me sideways, something softer in his expression, but he doesn’t say anything.
If my mother is getting two presents, my dad shouldn’t feel left out. I start looking for something for him too. He’s practical and never fussy, but he does have a secret weakness for puzzles. In the corner, I spot a one-thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle of the Manhattan skyline at night, the whole city glittering.