A New York Love Story

by Cassie Rocca

  “It must be hard to suffer in silence like that, seeing her surrounded by potential boyfriends…”

  “Eric consoles himself by watching Zoe’s relationships fail even before they start. She doesn’t have a very good taste in men… I’m afraid she’s attracted more by physical assets than brains. She feels less threatened. Perhaps she thinks that an intelligent man couldn’t love her…”

  “Funny! Since she’s adored by an obviously intelligent guy she sees every day!” Cade looked at her with a gaze of complicity.

  Clover suddenly was curious: “What happened with your cheerleader?”

  “She broke my heart by telling me I wasn’t her type. Shortly after that she got pregnant and married an idiot… then she let herself go. She lost her looks and gained at least thirty pounds.”

  “Ha! It serves her right!” Clover laughed.

  “I saw her again ten years later at a high school re-union. Of course, since I was becoming famous then, she immediately started to flirt with me.”

  “And?”

  “She got a polite, but unmistakable rejection.”

  “Bravo!” She laughed with her adorable dimples and Cade felt once again the impulse to kiss her – right there, in the middle of the street.

  Then she turned serious and asked, “What about your ex-fiancée in LA?”

  Cade became tense – it happened every time he recalled the mess with Alice.

  “Honestly, I think that our relationship started more out of boredom than a deep and lasting affection. In the beginning it seemed that we had a few things in common. At least we both had the same career that brought us together in an environment like Hollywood. But then I realized she was only using me and my fame to further her own career – to become known more as a star than as a mediocre actress.”

  “Well, it looks like she has succeeded with all the trouble she’s been creating…” Clover observed.

  “Yes, and I hope it will keep her warm at night!”

  “So, you aren’t suffering for her any more?”

  “Suffering?” Cade shook his head. “You can only suffer when you still have feelings. This is not the case. Alice is definitely attractive, and at the beginning she was also somehow stimulating… but I soon understood that she didn’t have any real love for me, beyond my movie star image. I probably just did what men do sometimes – I went with the flow – kind of passive, right? Now she has made me look ridiculous in front of half of America, and she’s trying to play the victim with a broken heart. Too late, baby.”

  “Ha! She’ll probably end up like your cheerleader, but even fatter and marrying an asshole!” Clover said, making him laugh.

  “Too bad for the husband!”

  “Ok, now to work. Who shall we start with?”

  “My father. He’s the hard one.”

  *

  After about three hours, Clover felt that she had a complete history – down to the smallest details – of the Harrison family. They started with Cade’s father, William. Clover learned about the loving relationship he had with his blonde and ethereal wife, Grace. She heard how Grace’s abundant energy and determination helped to soften the rather sharp edges of her husband’s difficult character. They had four children. Cade, who was the eldest; then Jake, now a successful writer; Heather, an interior designer, and Cecile, who was still in college.

  Cade had talked at length about each one of them. He knew their personalities well, but – by the end of the afternoon – they still hadn’t bought anything yet. Clover was surprised: he seemed to know his family’s taste and desires, and in similar situations she would have already accomplished everything in a couple of hours.

  “I thought it would be easy, but it looks like it’s going to take me some more time and work to find the right thing for everyone in your family…” she said, while they were walking through Central Park.

  “This time I really want their gifts to be special!” Cade walked head down. “But it felt like you had some very good ideas…”

  “Apparently, not that many! We have been in so many shops and we’re still empty-handed,” Clover clarified. “You’ve moved away from giving them anonymous checks to being way too picky… nothing seems exactly right. You’re a perfectionist!”

  “Aha! Maybe it’s your fault. You’re the one who introduced me to the joys of Christmas, and now I’m obsessed with the idea of buying the right gifts.” He put an arm around her shoulders, looking at her sweetly.

  To avoid a panic attack, Clover slipped away and pointed at a café. “Would you like a cup of heaven?”

  “I don’t know… what is it?”

  “You’ll see.”

  The interior of the café was pleasantly warm, but Clover preferred to sit outdoors, on a protected terrace with a view of one of the lakes in Central Park.

  “I always tell myself I should rent a boat and have a picnic on the lake; but I always end up here during the winter, when the lake is almost iced over!” Clover was sipping her hot chocolate with a pile of whipped cream on top.

  “None of your boyfriends has ever brought you here for a romantic boat tour?”

  Clover choked. “Pleeasee! Who would do something like that? If someone should propose it, I would immediately suspect a plot to commit a homicide. Drowning me in the lake could be a good way of making me shut me up.”

  “You pretend to be so tough! But I bet there is a sentimental romantic hiding under that crusty shell, and one day a man will ask you to marry him in one of those little boats, and our own little Clover will melt into a sea of tears, weeping with joy.”

  Oh Jesus! Don’t encourage my craziness… she thought, trying not to picture the romantic scene. But it was too late. Clover already started to imagine herself in that situation. The vision was coming together: the silence broken only by the lapping sound of boats moving slowly through the water and the chirping of little birds in the air – a perfect background for the sweetest marriage proposal she could ever imagine. A man, blonde and beautiful like a Greek god, was leaning towards her, handing her a small velvet box containing the most beautiful diamond ring… a light breeze as the boat glided through the water towards the arch of a pretty little bridge covered by fragrant jasmine…

  She made herself focus on her cup and changed the subject. “Hot chocolate, the best cure for every kind of pain!”

  “After an afternoon with me, you really needed it, right?”

  If I think that you’ll leave and won’t ever remember me, yes I need it, she thought. Better start stocking up lots of sugar.

  But she answered, “In a way, yes… being successful at my job is one of my few certainties, and with you it didn’t work. This hot chocolate helps to soothe me and accept the failure.”

  “There is no failure at all! I just wanted to think about it all a little longer… but I know I will end up following all of your suggestions. My father will be crazy about the complete Star Trek DVD collection with Leonard Nimoy’s autograph… and the tickets for David Garrett’s concert will absolutely thrill Cecile…”

  “Yes, that could really be an unforgettable experience, especially if we could get her a pass for backstage. But we would probably need your movie star power and influence to do it, my dear.”

  “Of course! I will definitely do that for my little sister…”

  “She’s a lucky girl; she has a brother who can grant her wishes, like the genie from Aladdin’s lamp!”

  “It was your idea, not mine…”

  “Yes, but you were wise to ask for my advice. My brother wouldn’t ever do something like that for me,” she said, with a shade of sadness in her voice.

  “Oh, poor little lamb…”

  “Very funny… but don’t patronize me. I can still see you fretting over every idea that I dreamed up!” Clover mumbled, trying to ignore her inner desire to simply be hugged. The more Cade talked about his family, the more lonely she felt. She would have loved to be as valued by her family as he seemed to value each member of hi
s.

  “Hey, I wasn’t rejecting any of your ideas, I’m simply a procrastinator. I’m sure we could still come up with brilliant new ideas before Christmas. So, you must give me some more time to convince me that these are the best gifts we can get…” Cade stared at her with his deep blue eyes.

  Damn! How could he do this? How can he make her feel in raptures with just a look? She didn’t feel any different from all his stupid adoring fans, and she didn’t like it. Clover put down her cup and suddenly stood up. “Let’s go.”

  They walked in silence for a few minutes. Central Park was less cheerful after dusk. People were rushing to get home and there was a sense of melancholy in the air.

  “Something wrong?” Cade asked.

  “Not at all, but it’s time to go…”

  “You got up all of a sudden, and I thought that I had upset you by asking for another date.”

  “Another date? We didn’t have a date today. I was just doing my job.” Her voice was uncertain…

  Cade put his hands in his pockets. “Ah, yes! I had forgotten. You would never go out with me for any other reason, because you despise my way of making a living.”

  “No, I don’t despise it… I guess I just don’t trust it… to trust someone who acts for a living is like putting a loaded gun in the hands of a child.”

  “My god! Do you think it’s easy to be on the other side? It’s difficult for me to trust too. It’s difficult to understand who really cares about me and who is just interested in me as the famous actor.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to be mean. After all you’re a nice person and you deserve to be appreciated for who you are beyond your fame.”

  Cade seemed pleased. “Did I really hear a compliment coming from you?”

  “Don’t get used to this. I change my mind quickly!” Clover made a face.

  “Yes! You have changed your opinion about me. I know you like me… I can tell… admit it!”

  Clover didn’t answer and diverted his attention by pointing at a souvenir stand. “Look! Snow globes…”

  “You’re avoiding my question, young lady.”

  “I used to collect them years ago. Every time I visited a place I came home with a new snow globe…”

  Cade came over to her, but she moved away, towards the souvenir stand.

  “Now that I think about it, I don’t have one from California.”

  “Ok then! I will send you one.”

  “In that case, I should return the favor…”

  “Yes, you could do it by answering my question.”

  Clover looked at the snow globes, ignoring him. Suddenly she felt buoyant, like a young girl playing with the boy she liked. It was fun to leave him hanging.

  She bought the snow globe that would best remind him of his days in New York. The metal base was engraved with the Manhattan skyline, and inside the globe the snow whirled around the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. She handed it to him ceremonially with a great smile, “Here, for you. So when you’re back in LA you will remember me.”

  “I couldn’t forget you, even if I wanted to.”

  With her heart in her throat Clover turned and headed towards the park’s exit. “You will be back in your city full of sun, palm trees and beautiful women… so, forgive my scepticism, but I don’t think you’ll remember these days for too long. I could pretend to believe it, just to please you…”

  She couldn’t finish her monologue. Cade had grabbed the two ends of her scarf to stop her and was pulling her towards him. She stepped back until she felt his chest against her. It was a good thing he couldn’t see her face. She wasn’t sure she could hide the powerful attraction she felt at this moment. She hoped that the noise of the traffic around them was enough to cover the loud beating of her heart.

  Cade put an arm around her waist, pulling her even closer and they touched cheeks. “You should believe me, because I don’t have any problem expressing what I feel… as opposed to someone who avoids difficult questions.”

  Clover wanted so badly to let her face feel the texture of his, but she didn’t do it. She simply abandoned herself to the warmth of that closeness. The thought of being in the arms of a movie star, who was throwing caution to the wind to flirt with her in the middle of a public park, was overwhelmingly exciting.

  “If I don’t have an answer right away I will sell you out to the journalists as the cruel New Yorker who has rejected the Prince of Hollywood. They will persecute you and you won’t have peace any more for a while!” He faked a menacing laugh and squeezed her tighter.

  “This is a low blow!” She giggled, freeing herself from his hug. Finally, she looked at him with a solemn expression and affirmed, “Ok, if you need to reassure your ego… I like you enough, Harrison. After all, there are worse people than you around.”

  “That is a very cool way to give in, O’Brian!” He gave her a passing touch that suddenly became a warm caress. They looked each other in the eye for a very long minute. Clover felt the city disappear around them, but the magic spell broke too soon.

  All of a sudden, the loud voices of passers by woke Cade from his reverie. He grabbed her arm and made to leave immediately. “Shit!” he whispered, accelerating.

  “Why such a hurry? I think they’ve already recognized you, if that is what worries you.” Clover sighed, trying to catch up with him.

  “But they haven’t had time to take photographs yet. You know, if the word spreads, we’ll find ourselves chased by paparazzi in a minute. Frankly, I would like to avoid that.” Cade waved to a taxi, quickly helped her in and gave his home address. With a sigh of relief, he leaned back on the seat. “You’re too different from the women I usually see. I have never acted so recklessly before, like a school boy… and in the middle of the street! For a moment I had really forgotten who I am… and this behavior could become dangerous.”

  It was like a cold shower. Clover felt her enthusiasm die and her body go stiff. God! She felt so stupid. It was obvious that Cade didn’t want to get photographed with a woman like her. She was too different from the women that he usually was seen with: she wasn’t up to his high standards. He had a reputation to uphold.

  For a moment she had forgotten that Cade Harrison was a Hollywood star… how could she forget something like that? He had played the latin lover with her, just to prove to himself that he could eventually conquer her, since she hadn’t immediately fallen at his feet, like every other woman he met. But once he felt he had won her in spite of her reservations, fame overtook the man and he realized that he had to be more cautious.

  A woman like Clover was definitely not enough for a man like him. That was the sad reality and she had to remember it.

  6

  Cade could tell something was wrong. Clover looked at him coldly. He couldn’t figure out why. Suddenly she seemed like another person. What he had just said was more than he had intended, but he had spoken instinctively. He certainly didn’t think his words would cause this kind of reaction.

  “You’re right,” she said tersely. “I wouldn’t want to appear in some trashy tabloid either, with some sort of caption. I prefer to remain anonymous.”

  “You’ve lost me, Clover,” he looked at her. “Why are you so angry now?”

  “Angry? Not at all. You’re wrong – to get angry one has to be in an argument, and I’m not.” Clover crossed her arms and stared out the window.

  “What did I say to upset you?”

  “Nothing.”

  “So, where did our friendly conversation go? I thought we understood each other…”

  “It all went to hell when you started to curse and panic at the thought of being photographed with a woman like me!” She burst out, looking at him. Her icy eyes were furious now.

  Cade was trying to follow her crazy reasoning, while she continued. “Let me refresh your memory. I was minding my own business, when you came up with the brilliant idea of asking for my help to find special gifts for your family. I accepted the job happily. I spen
t three hours of my day guiding you through New York’s streets, even accepting the fact that you rejected most of my ideas! Then, all of a sudden you started flirting with me, fishing for compliments and reassurance, otherwise your ego – the size of Texas! – would go into withdrawal. And how does this fairy tale end? With us running like thieves, and of course it’s my fault because I’m just too normal for you – this made you act like a school boy in the middle of the street, while the real Prince of Hollywood would obviously need someone who continually reminds him he’s a famous movie star!”

  Cade gave a worried glance at the driver, who was following the argument whilst looking in the rear view mirror.

  Clover noticed it and almost shouted, “And now what? Are you wondering if the driver will sell you out to the journalists?” Then looking at the taxi driver, she asked, “You know who he is, right? Don’t say you don’t, because you may hurt his self-esteem!”

  “Sure, I recognize him.” The driver smiled, slightly embarrassed.

  “Listen, please do me a favor. Don’t spread around that you’ve seen me with him! I don’t want to risk attracting the press. I’m a normal person, thank god! And just for the record, I am not his mistress, nor do I have any intention of becoming his mistress. I wouldn’t ever want to ruin Mr Harrison’s reputation.”

  “… ruin my reputation?! What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Seriously, I get it. You need someone who reminds you all the time that you’re Cade Harrison, right? I can try. Maybe I should ask you about all the Hollywood parties you go to… about Julia Roberts or Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie… whatever!”

  “Clover, are you crazy?” He grabbed her arm to stop her. “You didn’t understand anything at all!” Cade didn’t know if he should laugh or bang his head on the taxi window.

  “Actually, I don’t even have stupid questions about Hollywood’s big stars. You’re right, I’m too different from the people you hang out with…” She addressed the driver, who at that point seemed really amused. “Help me, please. What questions should I ask a famous, arrogant actor?”