“Me neither,” she admitted. “The temperature gauge has been through the roof since I drove through that tunnel. I never knew the drivers up here were so crazy either! Those roads are insane!”
Jake nodded, “I’ll confess something to you. I hate driving up here too. Lori, my wife, is fine with it. She grew up here but I’m shit scared driving around Manhattan.”
“The Coastal Highway is going to feel like a deserted back road after this!”
“I’m just glad you made it safely. I was getting worried,” admitted Jake warmly.
“How big is this place?” asked Riley, starting to look round as her nerves settled.
“Huge,” declared Jake with a grin. “It is truly a gothic palace. Not sure what room Garrett is putting you in. I think you’re the floor above me. Jethro, the band’s manager is staying here too. He’s out for dinner tonight so you’ll meet him later on or tomorrow. We’ll sort out some dinner when Garrett comes back.”
“I’ve never been to New York before,” revealed Riley shyly. “Can we go out later? See some of the city?”
“Sure,” agreed Jake. “It’ll be cold out and dark but we can take a walk around. I’ll show you the theatre where the show is.”
A few minutes later, they heard footsteps echoing down the hallway then Garrett wandered into the kitchen. He sat Riley’s suitcase and her guitar case down on the floor then handed her the car key.
“I hope you don’t mind but I called my mechanic. I’ll get him to check your car out before you drive it anywhere else,” Garrett said warmly. “How old is that sedan?”
Shrugging her shoulders, Riley said, “It was my grandma’s. I think it’s about twenty-eight years old. My mom learned to drive in it.”
“How old’s your mom?”
“She’s dead,” said Riley, her voice barely a whisper then added, “She’d have been forty-six this year.”
“Hey, I’m sorry,” said Garrett, resting his hand on her shoulder. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“It’s cool,” replied Riley, smiling up at him. “She died when I was twelve. Cancer. My grandma stayed with my dad and me but she had to go into a nursing home last summer. She’s got Alzheimer’s. I got the car when she stopped driving last year.”
“I still can’t believe your father let you drive all the way up here,” commented Garrett bluntly. “Have you called him to let him know you’re here safely?”
Riley shook her head. “He’ll be out of it until tomorrow. I’ll message him.”
Exchanging glances, Jake indicated to Garett to let the subject drop.
Deciding to humour their young guest after dinner, Jake told her to grab her jacket and to wrap up warm. They took a cab up to Times Square and, when the teenager saw all the neon signs and bright lights and hustle and bustle, she squealed in delight. Her child-like enthusiastic reaction made Jake smile as he strolled along beside her. She stayed close to him, tugging on his sleeve occasionally if she wanted to stop or to explore a store. Slowly, he guided her down Broadway before turning right along W 50th Street.
“Radio City Music Hall!” she shrieked when she saw the iconic building. “I’d love to see a show in there.”
“Someday,” replied Jake with a grin. “Let’s take a walk round the Rockefeller Center then I’ll point out St Patrick’s Cathedral.”
“Oh, I hope I have time to visit all of those places before I need to head home,” sighed Riley. “I’ve dreamed about visiting New York for as long as I can remember.”
“We’ll see what we can work out,” promised Jake, remembering how he felt when he first visited the city with Lori. “It’s getting late. We should head back. You ok to walk back?”
“Definitely! I want to see as much as I can!”
Caught up in her infectious enthusiasm for the city, Jake tried to show her as many landmarks as possible on the way back to the gothic palace. He detoured them off Fifth Avenue so that she could experience Grand Central then, as they re-joined Fifth Avenue, pointed out the New York Public Library with its famous lions. When they reached the Empire State Building, Riley begged and pleaded to be allowed to go up it. Her remonstrations as to the fact she would “die” if she didn’t get to see the view from the top reminded him of his own kids when they desperately wanted something. Realising that there was going to be no dissuading her, Jake relented and agreed to take her to the top of the iconic building.
Almost an hour later, they stood side by side on the 86th-floor viewing deck, gazing out over Manhattan.
“Thank you,” said Riley quietly, as she took a few photos of the incredible view. “This really is a dream come true.”
“Give me your phone,” suggested Jake.
“Why?”
“I’m going to take your picture, Miss Riley,” he laughed as she handed her cell to him. “Smile.”
He didn’t need to ask her to smile twice.
“Selfie,” she declared as he passed the phone back. “You and me.”
“No selfies!”
“Oh, come on, sir! Please,” she begged.
“Riley, I’m not the class teacher now. It’s just Jake,” he corrected as she put her arm about his shoulder and prepared to take the photograph.
“Just Jake,” she said with a mischievous grin, “Smile!”
Knowing it was pointless to argue with her, Jake smiled for the photo.
“Awesome! Thank you. I’ll share it online later!”
“If you insist,” sighed Jake. “Tag it carefully, please.”
Their last stop before returning home was the Gramercy Theater on E 23rd Street. Silently, Riley gazed across at the building, lost in her own thoughts.
“I can’t believe I’m going to sing
