all out and challenged everyone to donate the price difference between then and now to the food bank. I thought that was a pretty good idea.”
“It was.”
“There’s three days left, and people are still pretty pumped. Oh yeah, you met the Cooper twins. They performed a duet and have started giving free piano lessons.”
“Wow.” She looked like she really missed Evergreen, but had she missed him? He wanted to know.
“How about you?” he asked. “Is Christmas in the city everything you wanted it to be?”
Katie hesitated, and he gave her the time to answer even though the silence hung. “I don’t know,” she finally admitted. “Something about this Christmas feels…different.”
“Anything I can do?”
She took a bite of her pancake and looked up with a sly grin. “Actually, there might be. What time is your train?”
“Right after this. I wanted to see you.”
“Could you take a later one? Come to a thing with me?”
He leaned in. “What kind of a thing?” She sparkled, just as he’d remembered.
“Just say yes. You’ll see.”
He sat back in his chair. She’d taken a later train for him before. The least he could do was the same. “Okay. Yes.”
They finished their pancakes, then headed to the thing, which she was still keeping close to the chest.
The streets of New York bustled. People moved with purpose, balancing glossy shopping bags and gift-wrapped boxes. As in Chicago, there was that hum of life in the streets. He’d forgotten how much he loved that. The store windows were decorated for the season, and there was a line for Santa that wrapped around the street corner in front of the famous toy store.
At the next corner, Katie stopped in front of a glass door. “We’re here,” she announced.
He looked up at the tall office building. We’re not in Evergreen anymore.
A doorman opened the door for them, and Ben placed his hand on the small of her back as they walked inside. Katie led the way and signed in with the guard, who checked in their coats, then led them to a private elevator that took them straight to the top floor.
When they stepped out of the elevator, live music played loudly, and well-dressed people mingled in the large space. In a corner, a few people dressed like Santa’s elves filled big red bags with toys and canned goods, that were then stacked in bigger boxes near the freight elevator.
Ben looked out the window. “Would you look at this view? Amazing.”
“Wow. It is.”
“You’ve never been up here at night?”
“Never been up here at all. Mom’s office is on the eleventh floor. That’s as far as I’ve been. This is the first time I’ve ever come to the Christmas party.”
“Well, thanks for bringing me.”
“Thank you for coming.”
Inside, long tables made up an assembly line; some people wore Santa hats as they boxed food donations. Next to that, others wrapped presents.
Across the room, a buffet stretched for what had to be thirty or forty feet. Troughs of seafood were iced down, and shiny silver trays held warm dishes. A photographer made the rounds, capturing memories.
“So, office Christmas party?” Ben followed closely. “A big one.” There had to be a couple hundred people here.
“Yes. Not mine. My mom’s. For the magazine. First, we do some good by helping with the gift and food donations, then we have eggnog and eat—”
“After all those pancakes?” Ben shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“Or dance if you’re up to it.”
“This is definitely a thing.”
“It is.” She squeezed his hand. “Thanks for coming with me.”
Her hand fit right into his hand, small and delicate. He wouldn’t want to be anywhere else tonight. “You’re welcome. I’m glad we got to spend a little m—”
“There she is.” A red-headed woman ran over to Katie. “You’re here. You did make it.”
“Hi, Mom. Ben, this is my mother, Pam.”
“Hello.” He extended his hand. “Very nice to meet you.”
She nodded, kind of giving him the once-over. “Ben? Hi, nice to meet you too. It’s Ben from Vermont, right? I have heard a lot about you.”
“Okay. Wait. Not a lot. I mean, I mentioned you, but…” With a blush, Katie tried to soften the statement, but it made him happy to know she’d missed him enough to at least mention him to her mom.
“Your office party is also a charity event? That’s some real Christmas spirit,” he said.
“Yes. It’s evolved over the years.”
“It really is amazing, Mom.” Pride poured from Katie in a way that made him want to make her proud of him,