Page 105 of A Secret Cornish Wish
‘I have several now,’ Mack says without a hint of bragging in his voice. ‘We’ve expanded.’
‘How does your family like living in New York?’ I ask.
‘They don’t,’ Mack says again without any particular emotion in his voice. ‘They stayed in LA.’
‘Oh.’ I don’t really know how to respond to this. ‘Do you commute back and forth?’
Mack smiles. ‘Hardly, it’s five hours plus flight time.’
‘Really? I had no idea. Can’t you fly from London to New York in a similar amount of time?’
‘You can indeed. The US is one big country! But to answer your question, my kids come and visit – they love NY, and I go back to see them sometimes too.’
The question is hovering in the air. So Mack answers it before I have to ask it.
‘My wife and I split up a couple of years ago, just before I bought the first bar, and our divorce came through almost twelve months to the day.’
‘Oh, Mack, I’m sorry,’ I say, meaning it.
Mack shrugs. ‘It happens. I can’t say I miss my wife all that much, but I do miss my kids. The twins are a similar age to your Rosie.’ Mack looks over to where Rosie is drawing in the sand with a piece of driftwood, and then colouring her outline in by scattering rose petals over the top.
‘Samuel and Benjamin, right?’ I say, impressed not only by my own memory for once, but by Rosie’s creativity too.
‘Yes, well remembered. I take my hat off to you looking after a baby all on your own. It was hard enough with two of us.’
‘But you had two babies, so I guess that’s one each.’ I smile. ‘Makes us even, I reckon.’
‘Perhaps. I wouldn’t have fancied it all on my own, though.’
‘You do what you have to.’
‘Yes, that’s one of the reasons I moved to New York. My marriage was over, but I still needed to support my boys. When a pal of mine offered me the chance to come in with him on the purchase of a bar it was just too good an opportunity to turn down. I knew I’d be able to provide for the boys and give them a better life – and it’s proved to be true. That’s why we’ve been able to expand our brand to several bars across the city.’
‘Well done you. I’m sorry you’re not nearer your children, but you seem to be doing very well with your businesses.’
Mack nods. ‘Did you ever visit New York? I don’t suppose you remember, but we discussed you visiting the Met Museum when I was last here?’
‘I do remember. But, no, I haven’t ever got there . . . yet. There’s still time, especially now Rosie is older. I’d love to take her one day.’
‘Make sure you look me up when you do,’ Mack says, smiling. ‘It would be my pleasure to show the two of you around the city.’
‘Don’t you worry, I’ll be banging on your door the minute we get off the flight.’
‘Hey, you two!’ Eddie and Dexter are making their way past us with Rosie in tow. She’s looking up in awe at both of them as she skips along between them, holding their hands. ‘Stop whispering sweet nothings to each other and get yourselves inside. We’ve got some serious partying to do!’
I blush at Eddie’s words – even though I know he’s only joking.
‘Shall we?’ Mack asks, holding out his arm.
‘Let’s,’ I say, taking it, and we follow the three of them inside to the immediate warmth of the birthday party that’s now a wedding celebration too.
‘Can I get you two a drink?’ Mack asks as we sit back down again at the table with the others. There’s currently ten of us sitting here – Nixie seems to have deserted Rob for now and he has been joined instead by Alice, who looks like she’s hanging on every word he says.
Rob glances at us as we return to the table.
‘That would be lovely, thank you,’ I reply. ‘Rosie will probably have a Coke in a bottle if they have them, and I’ll have a gin and tonic, please.’
‘Alice, don’t bother Rob too much,’ Claire says, looking with concern across the table at her daughter.
