by Melissa Hill
He shook his head. ‘Like I said, I just haven’t been able to talk about it, especially with the holidays coming up…’
She reached for him then, and the two of them held one another for a long time, saying nothing, still trying to understand why – how – he had suffered through so much mental anguish alone. Yes, he might have been protecting himself, but knowing Danny as she did, Beth guessed there was some measure of trying to shield her from the reality too.
Then, as Beth tried to get to grips with that notion, her thoughts focused on the even more distressing prospect that her future could be devoid of the man she had loved for so long.
She swallowed hard and held Danny tighter. She understood now that he was, and always would be, the love of her life. Eventually she pulled away. ‘But people fight these things all the time, don’t they? You’re strong and still young and otherwise healthy, so surely there must be some hope, some chance…?’
But Danny was pulling away. ‘No, Beth. There’s no silver lining in this scenario. Adele says there’s something like a one in ten chance of beating it – and that’s only with a lot of expensive medication. We can’t afford that…’ He put his head in his hands again and Beth was anguished as she recalled how he’d suggested cancelling their medical insurance last year to save money when his hours were being cut. ‘It’s just … I don’t really know what to say … there’s been so much to think about.’
She sat forward, grasping on to the fact that there was some hope, however small. ‘Danny, we’ll do whatever we have to. Don’t give up just yet. I know you and you’re not a quitter. Neither am I – I found my way here, didn’t I?’ she teased, trying to lighten things a little.
But the very notion about how she had ended up here raised afresh the question that Danny hadn’t answered yet.
‘The hunt. This elaborate treasure trail. All over New York … the marina, Tiffany’s, the Met. The Waldorf. What was it all about Danny – why did you do it? Especially in the middle of all this?’
He sniffed and sat forward. ‘There was actually a different reason behind that to begin with, but then I realized…’ He seemed to be about to say something but then stopped and picked up the key. ‘Like I said, it was set up a long time ago, and I’d kind of forgotten about it until the people involved let me know everything was in motion. But this, the last clue in particular, was a last-minute inclusion.’ He indicated the key. ‘You remember when we locked our love on that bridge in Venice that time?’ Beth nodded. Of course she did. ‘Look, please understand that I only want you to be happy. That’s all I ever hope for you. That you are happy. With or without me. And ultimately, even though you now know the truth – especially as you now know the truth – I just want to give you that option.’ He turned the key around in his fingers, and looked away into the distance. ‘I know about Ryan, Beth.’
At once it felt as if all of the air had been sucked out of the atmosphere. ‘Ryan from work? What about him?’ she replied, baffled by this turn in the conversation. With everything else that was going on, at this point Ryan was almost a distant memory, and she couldn’t believe she ever thought he might ever have meant anything. It was a stupid dalliance, a boost to her ego. She was an idiot. But how could Danny possibly know anything about how she’d been feeling…?
‘Look … I don’t blame you for anything that might have happened with him—’
‘Danny,’ she said, immediately on the defensive. ‘Nothing happened, I promise you, I would never cheat on you—’
But he put up a hand, silencing her. He wasn’t angry, just resigned. ‘I believe you. And I know you wouldn’t cheat. But what I’m saying is that I know about Ryan. I met him, sort of. At the store. I saw you two together and well, I saw that you looked happy, too. Like you used to look all the time with me. Hell, I know that I haven’t been the best boyfriend, partner, lover, anything lately, and that’s why I understand if your head was turned. I’ve taken you for granted in a lot of ways, but I also love you enough to let you go if that’s what you want.’
He handed Beth the key, which she took limply and right then it dawned on her what it all represented. It was the key to the padlock from Venice, the spare. At the time neither of them had been sure what to do with it, and not wanting to ruin the romance of the moment, she remembered Danny had eventually just put it in his pocket and Beth had never thought about it again. ‘If you want to leave – especially after what you know now, I won’t stop you. I want you to be happy, Beth, even if it is with someone else. I won’t tie you to that promise.’
Her mouth fell open as she figured out what Danny was trying to tell her: that he was giving her the option of leaving him – of ending their relationship – if she didn’t want to deal with this new reality. No strings attached. He was giving her the option to unlock their vow.
But there was no way she was going to use the key – metaphorically or otherwise. She only wanted Danny. For a lifetime, just like they’d promised. Even if – she realized, her heart twisting – that lifetime might be short.
Still holding the key, Beth put her face in her hands and allowed herself to cry freely. She felt Danny pull her close, wrap his arms around her and breathe into her hair.
‘No, of course I don’t want anyone else. I don’t want anyone but you. No matter what. No matter if it’s years, months, weeks even – I want to be there for you. It’s you and me for a lifetime – we promised each other that years ago, on that bridge in Venice – and I still want that. You know me, inside and out. No one has ever known me the way that you do, but you are wrong about something.’ She grasped his hand, willing him to listen. ‘I can handle this and so can you. I’ve realized some things about myself lately, and I understand that life doesn’t always play out the way it’s supposed to. But I also know that we can always do the best with what we have. You have to trust me, though. You have to let me in.’
Turning her face to his, she felt all the barriers that had been put up between them over the past few weeks come crashing down. And she knew that Danny had accepted her words, was thankful for them even, when he took her face in his hands and kissed her with abandon.
He kissed her the way he used to when they first met – when he and Beth had nothing but time available to them. Beth vowed to herself that no matter what, they would make the most of what little they had left.
‘No more wasting time, Danny,’ she whispered. ‘It’s us – in this together. We’re a team. And I’ll be with you every step of the way.’
Danny put his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. ‘Are you sure?’
She encircled his neck with her arms and covered his face with kisses.
‘I’ve never been surer of anything,’ Beth said. ‘I’m not giving up on you just yet; I’m not giving up on us.’
Satisfied, Danny kissed her again and finally raised a smile. Beth was pleased to see some of his former self in his eyes and she breathed a sigh of relief. It was true that she was a perpetual optimist, and she wouldn’t give that up. Nor would she give up hope. It was too precious – and powerful.
Feeling her relax a little in his arms, Danny broke their embrace.
‘OK, well, in that case I guess I should tell you there’s one more clue. The one I had in mind all along to give you when I started this thing. Before I got sick.’
‘What do you mean, you had something in mind all along?’ Beth said, confused and a little taken aback by this unexpected turn in the conversation. ‘I thought the whole point of the trail was the key?’
Danny was smiling. ‘Nope. Actually it was something entirely different. I just had to change direction a little when Ryan came into the picture, just in case…’
He reached under the bench and presented her with the final clue. ‘But I have a feeling you’ll solve this one easiest of all.’
Epilogue
Beth sat quietly, in a private space called the ‘Reflection Room’. It was located in a wing of the church not far from the nave. Out fro
nt, so many people were gathered, waiting for the ceremony to begin.
She wasn’t quite ready to face them all yet. She needed just a bit more time to herself. And reflect she did. It had been a whole year since that day by the East River, but it felt like an eternity. So much had happened.
Much of it was still very raw to Beth, and now, as she stood up – thinking quietly about Danny’s last few weeks in the hospital – she realised that despite everything they had been through, all of the worry and suffering, there still was something to be thankful for.
And she still had hope. Beth had promised Danny that day on the bench that she would always have hope and she intended to continue to live by that promise.
She crossed to the lone window in the room and peered out. From this vantage point she was able to see the snowy parking lot of the church where people were still arriving.
This whole affair was a lot bigger than expected, but then again, everyone loved Danny.
Beth had chosen the church that Danny had attended while growing up in Queens. While she wasn’t overly religious, she knew it was important to Mae and Rick for the ceremony to be held in their church, and she didn’t argue.
Suddenly, she saw some familiar faces filing in, all bundled up against the winter cold with hats and fur coats. Yuri Yussopov, and his wife, Lin, who it turned out was a good client of Danny’s. The Madison Avenue firm had been involved in the marketing and advertising of the Manhattan Sailing Exhibition, and explaining his intentions for the treasure trail, Danny had in advance enlisted Lin and her husband’s help with the boat and the hotel.
She watched the Russian couple in their mink coats and hats hurry inside. Danny and Beth had much to thank them for over the last year – not only for playing a pivotal role in bringing them together, but also for sending a lot of additional business to Danny’s firm – saving his job, his income – and being so incredibly over-the-top kind while he was in the hospital. Beth felt her eyes mist up thinking about Yuri and Lin’s overwhelming generosity. She promised herself not to cry, however – not yet.
Turning her attention elsewhere, she then saw Courtney, their teenage dog walker and neighbour, with her boyfriend, Steve, another participant in setting up the hunt, who worked as a part-time bellboy from the Waldorf for the holidays. The Tiffany’s salesperson was another one of Danny’s business contacts and, like all the other players, had promised in the early days – before he’d got sick – to help him out with the hunt once he’d explained the reason behind it.
Then there was Adele, Danny’s doctor and a woman whom Beth had also become very dependent on over the last twelve months. She was kind, but formidable, as if helping Danny through his illness was some kind of personal mission for her. Yet there was no doubt she’d been a tremendous support through it all.
As had Billy. Beth smiled when she saw the doorman approach, hand in hand with his girlfriend, Claire. Far from a potential suitor for Beth, the Scotsman had been wooing a different woman entirely, but hadn’t wanted to reveal anything about his new relationship while it was still in the early stages. It seemed Beth had interrupted him wrapping a gift for Claire when he’d been flustered in the lobby that time.
Another thing she’d got all wrong.
Her thoughts moving automatically to Ryan then, and Beth wondered how he was getting on back in LA. Apparently he’d decided that New York wasn’t the place for him and had quit his job in Carlisle’s in the New Year, and moved back to the West Coast. Beth guessed she had more reason than he to be embarrassed about what had happened, but of course, she had other things on her mind by then.
How nice of them all to come, she thought. So many people, going out of their way to be here for us.
At that moment, a quiet knock came from somewhere behind her and Beth turned towards the sound. ‘Come in.’
Jodi poked her head in and Beth immediately caught a whiff of all of the flowers – their gorgeous scent wafting from the church all the way to this room. She had briefly glanced in earlier – she had never seen so many flowers in her life.
‘They’re ready to start,’ her friend announced quietly.
Beth took a deep breath. She needed to steel her nerves. She had known this day was coming for a while now and she had agreed to keep her side of the bargain. She’d promised Danny a long time ago to love him for ever, and she was determined to honour that promise.
After all this was over, it might be fitting to return to Venice for a while; to reflect, revisit some happy memories, regain some equilibrium – something that Beth knew would be very much needed after all this.
‘Are you ready, sweetie?’ Jodi asked her.
Pausing to take a deep breath, Beth grabbed Jodi’s arm. ‘Hold on, just a second. I just need a moment.’
Her friend nodded, understanding. ‘Of course, take all the time you need. They can’t start without you.’
Turning back to Jodi, Beth nodded. ‘OK, I’m ready.’ Straightening her shoulders, she swallowed, and offered a small smile.
Jodi stepped forward and took her arm, providing her support as they left the room. ‘The place is packed to the rafters. You have so many people who care about you and Danny,’ her friend commented. ‘Trevor can’t believe it. He says he’s never felt so much love in a room.’
Much of it coming from the woman beside him, Beth thought smiling. She and Trevor had been going strong for a year now, and she was delighted that her friend had found her happy ending at last.
Happy endings …
Beth once again felt tears in her eyes. ‘I’m glad that we’re doing it all like this. It feels right.’
‘It is right,’ said Jodi, squeezing her arm. ‘Everything is just how it is supposed to be.’
The pair walked down the hallway towards the church porch. The interior doors were closed and Beth knew that once they opened, all eyes would be on her. The significance of the occasion once again rested on her shoulders, and while her nerves were definitely going haywire in her stomach, she owed it to Danny to handle it right.
OK, here goes … Exhaling deeply, she looked down at her feet.
Bridie’s vintage ostrich feather and jewel-encrusted heels – the final piece of Danny’s treasure trail – sparkled in the late afternoon sunlight, as if winking at her.
She had made him a promise last year by the river when he’d presented her with the final clue – one that she was indeed able to solve instantly. Though it had nothing to do with a movie, its significance was unmistakable.
Beth looked up at her dad, who stood to the side of the entrance smiling, waiting to take her arm and lead her up the aisle.
It was Christmas Eve. And today was the greatest gift that anyone could ever give her. The gift of a lifetime – with Danny.
So today, wearing her grandmother’s vintage shoes to marry the love of her life in her beloved city of happy endings, Beth was placing her bets on the ‘for better’ part of that promise.
It made for a much better finale.
Acknowledgements
Lots of love and thanks to Kevin, to my lovely Carrie, and our family and friends for their continued support.
Special thanks as always to Katie, Becky, Alice and all at Curtis Brown, especially the wonderful Sheila Crowley – I’m incredibly lucky to have not only a terrific agent, but a great friend.
Huge thanks to the lovely team at Simon & Schuster UK for their enthusiasm, kindness and Trojan efforts on my behalf, in particular my brilliant editor Jo, who is a joy to work with and whose suggestions improved this story no end. And the inimitable Sara-Jade Virtue; such a terrific champion of women’s fiction, always tireless and passionate in her efforts and support of authors, to whom this book is dedicated.
To the fantastic Jennifer Weis and the lovely people at St Martin’s who do such a great job with my books in the US and give me a wonderful excuse to visit NYC (as if one was ever needed).
Also big thanks to Helen, Simon, Declan and the team in Dublin, who look after m
e so well, and heartfelt thanks to all the booksellers in Ireland, the UK and beyond who give my books such terrific support, and who are always so lovely and welcoming when I visit.
Last but certainly not least, massive thanks to readers from all over who buy and read my books. I’m so very grateful and love keeping in touch through Facebook, Twitter and my website www.melissahill.info. I really appreciate your support and very much hope you enjoy The Gift of a Lifetime.
Also by Melissa Hill
Something You Should Know
Not What You Think
Never Say Never
All Because of You
Wishful Thinking
The Last to Know
Before I Forget
Please Forgive Me
The Truth About You
A Gift from Tiffany’s
The Guest List
A Gift to Remember
A Gift of a Charm
About the Author
MELISSA HILL is the #1 international bestselling author of more than ten novels, including The Truth About You, Please Forgive Me, Before I Forget and The Last to Know. Her books have been translated into twenty-five different languages. She lives with her husband Kevin, daughter Carrie, and dog Homer in South Dublin. You can sign up for email updates here.
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