The Publicist Book One and Two (15 page)

“He’s going to break your heart, Kate.”

“We just went to dinner.”

“Stop lying to me.”

Kate fumbled with the edge of a blanket that was thrown across the top of the couch.

“It’s not like that, Grace.”

Grace took her hand.

“It is exactly like that, Katie. Now tell me what happened.”

“We just…” To her own surprise, Kate felt herself fill with emotion. “It happened, and at first I tried to stop it. Then I didn’t want to.”

“It will end, Kate. And when it does, it will hurt so bad you’ll wish you were dead.”

Kate blinked. “Thanks for the cheer, Grace. Maybe I should just go…” Kate started to stand. Grace grabbed her arm.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so blunt. I have…well, I have some experience with this kind of thing.”

“You?” Kate was surprised.

“No, but someone I knew once. I watched her go through this. It wasn’t easy.”

“I know you’re only trying to be a friend, but—”

“You love him.”

It was the first time she’d heard that said, in the context of Mac. The words warmed her and frightened her at the same time. Loving Mac would be the end of all of it.

“No,” she insisted, “I like him a lot and we have fun. It works. For now.”

Grace sighed; it had already gone too far. She knew that even before Kate did. She would kill Mac if he hurt Kate, which he surely would.

“Let’s go shopping, Kate. Let’s go see how many tourists we can offend with our rude New Yorker routine.”

Kate laughed, relieved that Grace dropped the topic of Mac.

For now.

Chapter Thirty-Three

The train swayed on the tracks. The overheated car felt uncomfortable. Mac immediately shed his coat after he boarded. Some trains were running with a slight delay because of the snow, but most were still running on time. He was glad he wouldn’t miss seeing his boys arrive. His thoughts drifted to Carolyn. How long had it been since he’d seen her? Two months? The holidays were always tough. Parties to go to. The festive nature of the holiday. Inviting family and friends to their home was awkward, and Carolyn always liked to keep up appearances with their neighbors. Mac was not looking forward to it. He snapped open the paper and tried not to think about Kate, which was near impossible.

…

Kate and Grace spent the afternoon shopping. Although to be exact, Kate shopped and Grace just came along for the ride. Kate was grateful to have her friend there. It kept her mind from drifting too much, wondering what Mac was going to do later that day.

With his family.

In Connecticut.

“Let’s go have tea and warm up,” Grace suggested. “I’m hungry, too.”

They left Macy’s and headed to a teahouse in Chelsea Market. The Market was one of Kate’s favorite places. The teashop was called Bloom. The name was derived from the flowers they often let bloom in the glass teapots.

“I’ll get us something,” Grace smiled. “Let me surprise you. Go find us a seat. The place is packed today.”

Kate found a spot by the window, a tiny table tucked in the corner. Her phone buzzed in her purse. She scooped it out and hit the button, assuming it was Mac.

“Hey,” her voice soft and deep.

“Eh, Kate, this is Nicholas, Allan’s nephew. Look, I, eh, I’m so grateful that you’re so close with my uncle, and I wondered if you might have time for lunch tomorrow. I’m in town through Christmas and thought that, well, maybe we could grab a bite.”

Nicholas sounded awkward. Kate smiled. No doubt, Allan had put him up to it. He was forever hopeful that they would end up related somehow.

“Sure,” she smiled into the phone. She was, after all, single—however oddly so.

“Great. How about lunch at Hangawi? Have you ever been there?”

Hangawi was a pricey Vietnamese vegetarian restaurant, one of the best in New York.

“Not in a while, but I love it. Their ginger tea is amazing.”

“Yeah,” Nicholas replied, “I try to get there whenever I’m in the city. How about twelve-thirty?”

“Perfect, see you then.”

Kate clicked off just as Grace walked up to the table, carrying two steaming cups of Orange Pekoe.

“You’ll see whom tomorrow? Please tell me it’s not Mac.”

Grace scrunched up her nose and set the cups on the table.

Kate sighed. Her friend’s disgust with the situation wasn’t going to let up.

“No. It was Allan’s nephew, Nicholas.”

Grace sat down.

“The hunk you met the other day?”

“I didn’t call him that.” Kate sipped her tea.

“You didn’t have to; the description you gave said enough. Is he single?”

“Yes, but don’t get excited. He lives in California.”

“He’s still more available than Mac,” she smiled.

Chapter Thirty-Four

It was snowing when Kate left her apartment and headed uptown to meet Nicholas. Thick flakes fell from the sky and added a fresh white layer to the snow already on the ground. Part of the problem with snow in the city was that it didn’t last. In a few days, all of it would turn to slush. When it did, only ice grey, half-melted mush would be left, and trudging through it was always a problem. Kate learned soon after she moved to New York that finding sturdy boots that could take the snow and still look stylish were a must if she was going to survive in a city that had more women with shoe fetishes per capita than any other city in the world. Shoes were a statement in this city, although there were days when she missed her flip-flops.

Heaven forbid she ever admit that in public.

Hangawi was located on a tight, busy street in Korea Town. Even in the snow, hundreds of people trudged the streets. Kate pushed through her way up Thirty-Second Street on the narrow sidewalk crowded with people and conversation. She stepped into the restaurant through heavy wooden doors. Kate quickly pushed back her hood and brushed herself off. She saw Nicholas standing by the hostess—tall, blond, tan, and looking relaxed and casual. He spoke softly to the hostess who smiled and giggled, no doubt slightly smitten. Who wouldn’t be? Nicholas was, in a word, hot. He reminded her of an actor, but she couldn’t place who it was.

“Kate, great to see you!” Nicholas spotted her and strode over; he reached an arm around her wet coat, hugging her.

“Shoes!” The hostess, no doubt disappointed that Nicholas’ lunch date was with a woman, ordered Kate to take off her boots. She nearly forgot. The restaurant had a strict no shoe policy. Kate hoped her socks matched. She’d been in a rush to get out of her apartment.

Kate slipped her boots off, relieved. Both blue. The lunch already looked promising. Her phone buzzed, a text message.

“Sorry,” she threw an apologetic smile to Nicholas, “I have a big author coming in this week, and I need to be sure it’s not from one of her people.”

“Of course,” he nodded.

“Your table. I take you to your table.” The hostess seemed impatient. Kate slipped out of her coat and handed it to the impatient girl. Kate looked to see who was trying to reach her.

A text message from Mac. “Miss you.”

Kate wasn’t mad anymore. She actually hadn’t been mad at all.

Annoyed.

Connecticut.

He was in Connecticut with his family, and she was here in New York with a handsome single man who had offered to take her to lunch. Kate dropped the phone back in her purse without responding.

…

The restaurant was dim, and the tables were all set into the floor with bench-like seating that was covered with pillows. They were seated at a table behind a semi-sheer curtain. It was a small and intimate setting. Kate slid into the seat as the server arrived.

“May I get you something to drink?”

Nicholas smiled across the table at her. “Two ginger teas?”

Kate nodded, “I wish I could make it at home. It’s almost worth the trip across town just to get it.”

“It’s worth the trip from California, too. And the company makes it even better.”

A redness crept into Kate’s cheeks.

“Thanks,” she smiled. “You’re sweet to do this, Nicholas.”

“First off, call me Nick. And second, do what?”

Kate spread her hands out. “This, lunch, you know…” she hesitated for a moment. “I have a feeling Allan put you up to this. He’s been after me for years to meet his eligible nephew.”

Nick smiled, “Well, he’s been after me, too, but I only do what I one hundred percent want to. And once I met you, I knew I wanted to do this.”

His smile lit up his entire face. Kate felt her cheeks redden again.

“I’m glad you did.” She smiled back. “So, I think this is the part of the lunch where we tell each other about ourselves. Allan says you are doing something with health food?”

Nick laughed, “I love my uncle, but he has no idea what I do. I run a health food store—actually, a chain of them. After my parents died, I inherited some money and decided to invest it in something I’d always wanted to do. It paid off.”

Kate had no idea; she didn’t hide the fact that she was impressed.

“Really? I think that’s fantastic. How many stores?”

“Five. We just opened the fifth this year in San Diego. I have two in Orange County, one in Los Angeles, Irvine, and Newport Beach. It’s a lot of work, but I love it.”

Kate watched his face light up as he talked. It was obvious that he loved his work.

“Is it like a Whole Foods?” she asked.

The server came back to the table with the ginger tea and took their order.

“No, it’s very different, actually. We don’t carry produce, or anything perishable for that matter. Although I do have a bakery I work with that has started to produce a series of amazing vegan baked goods. We have a smoothie bar, though, in only one store right now, but we might expand it. Two of our stores offer Yoga and Pilates classes.” Nick chuckled softly. “It’s a bit of a mish mash, really. A place for people to go for information because being healthy can be confusing, and we try to support local suppliers as much as we can. So, each store is very locally focused. We offer jams that are organic and made locally—that kind of thing.”

Kate was impressed. Allan had never let on that his nephew was such an entrepreneur.

“What about you, Kate? Allan says you make people famous.” He winked.

Kate sipped her tea and smiled. Leave it to Allan to say that very tongue-in-cheek statement.

“I publicize books and try to save authors from themselves.”

Nicholas laughed, “That sounds about right.”

“I love my work,” she sighed. “It’s the industry that gets to me at times. So much about publishing is changing. It’s like we’re standing on shifting sand.”

…

Lunch lasted two hours. Kate was surprised that Nicholas was so easy to talk to. When they were done, Nicholas insisted on escorting her in a cab to her apartment. When they arrived, Nicholas asked the driver to wait as he walked Kate to her door.

“I’d like to see you again. I know we’re going to spend Christmas at my uncle’s, but perhaps this coming week for dinner? Since Christmas is Saturday, perhaps Tuesday?”

Kate felt herself nodding.

“I’d like that,” she smiled. Nick bent in and kissed her lightly on the cheek.

Just then, Nick’s phone buzzed.

“It’s my uncle’s neighbor. Hang on… Hello?”

Kate watched Nick’s face turn from curiosity to sadness. He clicked the End button on the call.

“Uncle Allan has died,” he said, his voice choked with emotion.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Allan Lavigne, who
The
New York Times
had once heralded as the brightest star on the publishing scene, died at seventy-three from an apparent heart attack. He was alone in his apartment when it happened. The neighbor came upstairs when Allan didn’t show for their weekly poker game. He found Allan face down on the floor.

When Kate and Nick arrived at Allan’s apartment, the coroner was just taking Allan away. Seeing this, Nick reached a hand out.

“Wait,” he said to the somber looking man, “can I have a minute?”

When the coroner pulled the cover back, Kate felt her eyes burn with tears. Her dear, sweet Allan. She had loved him like family. Now he was gone. Nick put an arm around her.

“Thanks,” he said in almost a whisper.

The coroner covered up the body, and they began moving him out of the apartment. Neighbors were circulating in the hall. Nick closed the door, leaving him alone with Kate. He hugged her and she cried.

“You were such a good friend to him, Katie. I’m very grateful to you for that.”

Kate cried into his shoulder.

“He shouldn’t have been alone; he never took care of himself. I’m so sorry, Nick.”

“You have nothing to be sorry about,” he whispered into her ear.

Kate pulled back, wiping her face. She looked around. Although he’d tidied up for Nick’s visit, Allan’s apartment was a mess again. His cleaning phases never lasted long. She knew in the days to come she’d be helping Nick sift through Allan’s belongings and pack up his life. The thought seemed impossible. Allan was gone. It just didn’t seem real.