Dates, Duds & Mistletoe

five

Walking north along Lexington, Hailey was bundled in a knitted toque and warm scarf, her hands dug deep into the pockets of her winter jacket. Though the sky was clear and there was no snow in the forecast, the temperature was hovering well below freezing. It was a typical December in Manhattan, and while it might've been smarter for her to take the subway up to meet Elliott, Hailey couldn't deny she loved traveling by foot and seeing the festive decorations color the streets.

Christmas trees, tinsel, and at night, the lights transformed the city into a majestic wonderland.

Zigging and zagging through the crowds, Hailey tried to take it all in, but when she came to the crossing for 89th, her gaze arched over the street several times, searching for Elliott. When she didn't spot him, she pulled out her phone to text him, only to see a message had come in just a few minutes before.

Waiting for you in the coffee shop.

Spotting the coffee shop across the way, she waited until the traffic light changed and hurried across the street, pushing the door to the shop open to the tune of a bell above her head.

"Hailey, hey," Elliott said, noticing her immediately from his seat right next to the door, and she turned to smile at him. Standing, he grabbed the two drinks on his table and offered one to her. "How do you feel about a walk through Central Park?"

"That's your big surprise?" she mused, taking a sip of the drink to taste the deliciousness that was hot chocolate. "You're making me spend more time out in the cold?"

He lifted an eyebrow, a flicker of genuine worry on his features. "It's not the surprise, but, uh, if you'd rather do something else...?"

Hailey let him sweat for a moment, but couldn't keep her face straight for long. "No." She shook her head. "I'm up for anything, even an outside adventure."

"Good, that's good," Elliott said, motioning her back towards the door. "Shall we?"

"We shall."

The two of them headed west, entering the park along with several others before making their way south.

"So, how long have you lived in the city?" Hailey asked, sipping at her drink.

"I moved here right after I finished law school to start at a firm down in the Financial District, so three years. Maybe a little less."

Hailey's brows lifted. "You're a lawyer?"

Elliott grinned as his eyes flickered her way with amusement. "What? Not what you were expecting."

"Not at all," she admitted honestly. "I don't know, you seem a lot less by-the-book and more like a creative person." She shrugged. "At least that was the vibe I got from you."

"Playing a mediocre guitar is about as creative as I get." He laughed, running his fingers through his hair. "But I get that a lot. I don't fit into the typical city lawyer stereotype, with my lack of willingness to wear a suit and tie unless I'm working, but I love what I do. It's not always the result I'm hoping for, but I've helped a lot of innocent people and families being a defense attorney."

The truth was clear as day on his face—the happiness shining through as he talked about the good he'd been able to do.

"That's awesome," Hailey said, "and it makes my job in advertising seem so much less impressive"

Elliott shook his head, denying her claim. "Not at all, especially if you're good at it."

"I like to think I am," she replied softly. "I'm hoping to be promoted come the new year, but we'll see. I've only been working here for a little over a year."

"Why the move to the city?"

Hailey clammed up slightly, hesitating as she answered. "I was working in Seattle, and, uh, living with my boyfriend when he got an opportunity out here, so I came along." Her eyes were on her feet. "It didn't take me long to find a company that wanted me, but after falling in love with the city, I realized my ex was falling out of love with me."

Elliott whistled, the sound echoing around them. "Damn, that sucks, Hailey."

She shrugged. "It is what it is."

She'd learned a lot from the relationship, particularly towards the end, but thinking about it didn't hurt anymore. It made her who she was now, nerd and all, and she'd learned to thank her past self for moving across the country with an absolute idiot, because without him, she would've never discovered her love for Manhattan.

"Well, I hope I'm not too forward with saying that it's his loss," Elliott said, bumping his hip gently with hers to perk her up. "Because I don't know many women who would sit alone and read at a bar, and that's a sign of a winner if I ever saw one."

Hailey laughed. "Good to know little-ole-nerdy me could catch your attention."

"You caught it before that, when we bumped into each other earlier that night," he said. "Man was I hoping to be matched with you."

"Well," Hailey said, smiling shyly at him, "it all worked out, didn't it?"

He nodded in agreement before directing her off the path they were on, entering a more open space where laughs and voices echoed loudly off the surrounding trees.

She should have realized where they were headed—what Elliott's true surprise was for the afternoon—but the man beside her and the conversation they were having absorbed all of her attention. So, when the skating rink came into view, Hailey stopped in her tracks.

"This was your plan?" she asked, turning in astonishment. "Ice skating in Central Park?"

The corner of Elliott's lips turned upward. "What do you think?"

"I've never been ice skating in Central Park before, but it's always been on my list of things to do... some day."

"Well, I guess today's that day."

The way he was looking at her made her insides quiver. Gone was the fun and playful, replaced with a quiet intensity that had her heart beating faster as he took a step closer. In the back of her mind, she knew since the moment she'd walked into the coffee shop earlier to see him waiting there with a hot chocolate, she'd wanted him to kiss her. She wanted to believe that love was in the cards for her again, and that Elliott hadn't walked into her life by chance.

So when he leaned in closer, holding her gaze for a long beat as his free hand rose to cup her rosy cheek, she anticipated it. Waiting several moments until she couldn't any longer, she closed the gap between them and shut her eyes, giving herself over to the kiss as Elliott took the lead.

And holy moly was it good.

His mouth moved over hers, soft and sure, while his thumb caressed her jawline, making her whimper against his lips. The warmth of the kiss contrasted greatly with the cold air surrounding them, but all she could focus on was him. How this single kiss was making her feel more than anything she'd ever felt before, especially when he deepened it, twirling his tongue with hers until a moan of satisfaction fell between them.

And neither knew who had made the sound, or if it was a blend of both of their desires.

"Wow," Hailey whispered when they finally pulled apart, immediately blushing with embarrassment as Elliott chuckled.

"Yeah, wow," he agreed, pecking her lips once again before extending his hand. "Now, how about a skate?"

Something swelled in Hailey's chest, something very akin to joy, and as she took Elliott's hand, she couldn't help the genuine smile that grew on her lips.