A Gift from Tiffany's: A Novel (A New York City Christmas) - Softcover

MELISSA HILL is the #1 international bestselling author of many novels, including The Truth About You, Please Forgive Me, Before I Forget, The Last to Know, and A Gift from Tiffany's. Her books have been translated into 18 different languages. She lives with her husband Kevin, daughter Carrie, and dog Homer in South Dublin.

Chapter 1
 
 
The significance of what he was about to do wasn’t lost on Ethan Greene. It was a big moment in his life; it would be in any man’s, he guessed.
But as he battled through the Manhattan crowds on possibly the busiest shopping day of the year, he wished that he’d chosen a better time.
Christmas Eve on Fifth Avenue? He must be mad.
Taking a deep breath of the cold air, which was refreshing and not as damp as it usually was in London, he couldn’t help but think how little had changed since the last time he was in this city and, at the same time, how much had.
Arriving in New York only two days earlier, he’d surprised himself by how well he remembered the landmarks and how easily he found his way around. The jostle of the subway ride from midtown to downtown and back again, the scent of well-worn vinyl taxi seats and the endless hum of a billion sounds – human or inanimate – buoyed him. The unmistakable buzz of the place put a new spring in his step, something he hadn’t felt in years.
But now Ethan was in a hurry and acutely aware that the minutes were ticking by and the crowds seemed to be growing thicker. There wasn’t much time left.
Alongside him Daisy squeezed his hand briefly as if sensing what he was thinking, yet she couldn’t possibly know what he’d planned. All he’d said was that he needed to make one more stop before they returned to the warmth of their hotel. Conscious of how much he hated crowds (and shopping for that matter) she was probably just trying to put him at ease.
How would she react? OK, so the idea had been on the cards for a while and had been mentioned more than once recently, so by rights today shouldn’t really be too much of a surprise. While she seemed keen, Ethan now realised that he really should have spoken to her about today – it was unlike him not to discuss such matters with her in more detail – but the truth was that he was nervous. What if her reaction wasn’t as positive as he’d anticipated? As he wondered, an anxious lump appeared in his throat. Well, he’d find out her reaction soon enough, especially when they reached their destination.
She looked especially pretty today, he thought, wrapped up in a multitude of layers to keep out the teeth-chattering cold, her blonde curls creeping out under a dark woollen hat, and her red nose appearing above a black embroidered scarf. Despite the cold, she was loving New York just as he’d known she would, and everyone knew there was no better time than Christmas to visit the city that never sleeps. Yes, this was a good idea, Ethan reassured himself. Everything would work out fine.
Finally, having negotiated their way through the mass of last-minute shoppers, they reached the corner of Fifth Avenue and Fifty-Seventh Street. He looked at Daisy, and her eyes widened in surprise as he took her hand and steered them both towards the entrance.
‘What’s going on?’ she squealed, glancing at the familiar nameplate beside the doorway, its typically clean-line wording on polished granite today surrounded by verdant pine branches especially for the Christmas season. ‘What do we need here?’
‘I told you – I need to pick something up,’ Ethan replied, leading the way and giving her a brief wink as the revolving glass doors deposited them in the hallowed halls of Tiffany & Co.
Daisy was immediately captivated by the vast, high-ceilinged sales floor and its column-free design, and she gazed in amazement at the long rows of glass-fronted cases, their precious wares twinkling alluringly under the spotlights.
‘Oh wow, it’s all so beautiful,’ she whispered in awe, standing in the middle of the aisle as crowds of equally spellbound shoppers and tourists milled around her, each one fascinated by the breathtaking jewellery displays. The store was one of the few in Manhattan that didn’t utilise lavish festive decoration; its sparkling wares required little embellishment, and combined with the unmistakably romantic Tiffany’s allure this was more than enough to create that magical Christmas feeling.
‘It is, isn’t it?’ Ethan agreed, his nervousness dissipating somewhat now they were here. He took her arm and guided her between the various display cases and down towards the elevators at the back, his tired feet temporarily soothed by the soft-carpeted floor.
‘Where are we going?’ she asked, moving forward reluctantly. ‘Slow down a bit! Can’t we take a look around? I’ve never been here before and ... Where are we going?’ she repeated, bemused, as the elevator doors opened.
‘The second floor, please,’ Ethan requested.
‘Certainly, sir.’ The besuited lift attendant complied, graciously bowing his top-hatted head. He smiled at Daisy. ‘Madam.’
‘But ... why would we be going there?’ she asked, her voice hushed, and he deduced she’d read from the directory display overhead what was on this particular floor. She was certainly taken with the place, but however enthralled she’d been downstairs, he knew she would really be impressed by the second floor.
Ethan’s heart began to hammer in his chest as the elevator doors closed. Would she be OK with this? Again, he probably should have just come right out and asked, but he figured that she’d enjoy the surprise, and he also thought it was important that she felt very much a part of it.
His voice was light. ‘Like I said, I need to pick something up.’
Now Daisy gazed open-mouthed at him. ‘You’re not...’ she gasped, immediately understanding, but from her expression Ethan still couldn’t quite gauge her reaction, and he guessed the presence of the attendant was intimidating her into asking no further questions.
Within seconds, the elevator doors reopened and he and Daisy stepped out into the wood-panelled room on Tiffany’s famed Diamond Floor, where he had come to collect his purchase.
‘I can’t believe this!’ she was saying as they approached one of the hexagon-shaped wood-and-glass display cases, her head swivelling from left to right as she watched various happy couples around the room being served champagne while they made what would arguably be the most important purchase of their lives. ‘I really can’t believe it! This is what you’re picking up?’
Ethan smiled nervously. ‘I know I should have said something but—’
‘Ah, Mr Greene.’ An elderly and distinguished sales assistant addressed Ethan before either had a chance to say anything more. ‘Pleasure seeing you again. Everything is in order and ready to go. We weren’t sure, and I forgot to ask on the phone, if you preferred your purchase already gift-wrapped, or wanted to show the lady first...’ He smiled at Daisy, who beamed back at him, wide-eyed.
‘Oh yes, let me see, please!’ she exclaimed and then put a guilty hand to her mouth, conscious that she really should be showing a little more decorum – especially in a place like this.
Ethan hid a smile.
‘Well, here we are,’ the older man said, his voice low and gentle as he presented them with the world-renowned little blue box. Placing it ceremoniously on the glass display in front of Daisy, he pulled back the lid to reveal the platinum marquise solitaire Ethan had chosen a couple of days before.
The ring had needed to be sized correctly, which was why he was picking it up today, and now considering it afresh he was pretty sure he’d made a good choice. It was the classic Tiffany setting: the diamond lifted slightly above the band and held in place by six platinum prongs in order to maximise the stone’s brilliance.
‘So what do you think?’ he asked Daisy, but it was pretty obvious that she was captivated by the beautiful ring, although that wasn’t really the question Ethan was asking.
But when she turned to look at him, her delighted expression told him everything he needed to know.
‘It’s the perfect choice, Daddy,’ Ethan’s eight-year-old daughter assured him, ‘and Vanessa is going to absolutely love it!’
*   *   *
Thank goodness her reaction had been positive.
All day – no, strike that, all month – Ethan had worried about how Daisy would feel about this. Especially when this New York trip held a special significance for both of them.
Earlier that day, over a couple of hot chocolates in a midtown café, he had watched his daughter pick at an iced lemon cupcake, and known that something was on her mind. Just as her mother had always done, Daisy got that squinty look in her eyes and offset her jaw ever so slightly when deep in thought.
‘Did you like Times Square?’ he asked, fishing. ‘With all the lights and everything?’
‘Everything’s just so beautiful,’ she replied and then paused, looking out of the window at the bustling street. ‘Mum said Manhattan was like one big Christmas tree at this time of year. She was right.’
‘You really remember how much your mother talked about it, don’t you?’ he asked.
She gave a little smile. ‘I know I was only small, but I loved hearing about it.’
Ethan nodded. ‘Of course, she was right about it being like a big Christmas tree. Your mum was right about lots of things.’
Suddenly, the significance of sitting here with his daughter in the city that her mother had adored so much washed over Ethan and almost took his breath away. Swallowing hard, he tried to gather his thoughts.
‘You know what else she was right about?’ Ethan added, and Daisy looked intently at him as she always did whenever he had something about her mother to relate. It wasn̵...