Page 14 of The Pop-Up Cake Shop

I caught the eye of a young woman standing nearby and we smiled at each other. It was a knowing kind of a smile, and I wondered ifSleeplesswas one of her favourite movies, too. Maybe she was also meeting her lover here today.

‘It’s so amazing up here, isn’t it?’ she said with a smile, walking over to stand beside me.

‘Incredible,’ I agreed, and we both gazed down at the view of Manhattan.

‘Sleepless in Seattleis one of my favourite-ever movies. I watched it again for the zillionth time last week!’

‘It’s one of my favourites, too.’ I smiled at her. ‘You’ve got an English accent. Are you here on holiday?’

She shook her head. ‘I’ve come over to stay with my cousin. I’m a dancer and my dream has always been to work in musicals on Broadway so I decided to give it a shot... see if I can make it.’

‘Oh, wow. How amazing!’

She nodded happily. ‘I can’t believe I’m actually here. And even better, I’ve got my first audition tomorrow.’

‘Congratulations! Well done, you. I hope you get the job.’

‘Well, it’s a chance in a million, really,’ she said modestly.

I shook my head. ‘I really believe that if you want something enough, you can defy the odds and achieve it.’

She smiled. ‘That’s what my boyfriend always says. He’s so supportive. Whenever I’m feeling low because I have to take other work to keep my head above water, he always encourages me to keep going.’

‘That’s lovely. I’m Katja, by the way.’

‘Emily.’ She gave me a bright smile and I recalled how exciting it had been to be her age – late teens; twenty, maybe? – and have the whole of life and its apparently endless array of possible directions and opportunities spread out in front of you.

I smiled ruefully, admiring the way her glossy auburn hair fell in natural waves to her shoulders. And I felt a little pang of regret that, at thirty-two, some of my youthful zest for life had been drained away by the harsh realities of being human that everyone experienced from time to time.

‘Are you here on a city break?’ she was asking.

I nodded. ‘My boyfriend was transferred here a few months ago, so this visit is really special because we haven’t seen each other for ages.’

‘Oh, that’s soromantic,’ she gushed. ‘And you’re meeting him here, like they do inSleepless in Seattle?’

‘Exactly.’ I grinned. ‘Corny or what?’

She shook her head. ‘Not at all. What time are you meeting?’

I glanced at my watch. ‘Erm... about now, actually.’

‘Right.’ She glanced behind her and squeaked, ‘Oh, here’s my fella now!’ She turned and beamed at me, pressed my arm, and then started hurrying over to where – along with a small crowd of other people – a dark-haired man had just emerged from the lift.

I watched, entranced, as they ran together and embraced.

Love’s young dream, I thought to myself with a knowing smile.

He was bundled in a winter coat, turned away from me, but I could see Emily very clearly. She was smiling broadly as she lifted her arms to embrace him.

But her boyfriend was pulling away... it was as if he was putting her at arm’s length. He was literally holding her arms, keeping her at bay, and I watched as her happy expression vanished and was replaced by a look of sheer puzzlement.

It hadn’t been the ecstatic reunion Emily had been expecting, and my heart went out to her. She’d been all excited to see him. But clearly something was wrong.

Life could be so cruel at times.

Where was Richard? He should be arriving any minute...

And just then, as that happy thought was still drifting through my mind, I saw something that made my heart lurch with shock.

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