Three days later, Ben accompanied his family to an address in lower Manhattan. They hadn’t been told why they were meeting there; it was simply another excursion that had been organised for them.

At what looked to be a soup kitchen, the place had been transformed into a festive room with fairy lights, Chanukah decorations and a large table groaning with food.

“I swear I can already feel the pounds creeping up on me with all the eating we’ve been doing,” his mother, Sally, chuckled eyeing the party food laid out.

There were about fifty guests, including all the Australians, the Olivaris and some of their closest friends.

Champagne was served and everyone seemed to be in a festive mood. Over the past few days the close families had gotten to know each other and firm friendships had been created. His parents, and, more importantly, Lisa’s parents, were more comfortable about their daughter leaving Melbourne to live in New York after falling in love with Gabe after a ten-day whirlwind romance.

Ben had always supported her decision because he trusted Lisa and knew she didn’t do anything impetuously. She was sensible, kind and generous. If she was leaving her family, it was because she’d met the right man for her.

Someone lightly tapped a glass with a fork, grabbing everyone’s attention, and Lisa spoke. “I want to thank you all for coming. Please take a seat and we’ll begin the festivities soon.”

Ben watched as his parents and others sat while he remained standing. He had a feeling he knew what Lisa was about to say and his belly bubbled in nervous anticipation for her.

Lisa and Gabe stood in front of family and friends, their arms around each other. Joy and happiness flowed between them and despite their hasty engagement and now wedding, it wasn’t hard to see they belonged together.

When the guests were settled, Gabe welcomed everyone, especially those who had travelled to be at their wedding. He also welcomed the Stones, an older couple who sat with his parents who Ben didn’t know. His words were full of thanks and praise for his and Lisa’s family.

Then Lisa spoke. She gazed around the room, giving everyone warm looks. “It’s Chanukah and we’re having a party but more importantly, we wanted to show off the venue we’ve secured for the next two years as a soup kitchen.”

There were oohs and aahs from around the room, and even Ben was impressed with the space, location and facilities to serve the needs of the less fortunate.

Lisa snuggled against her new husband. “When I first came to New York, I started working here and the place was due to close. There are people in this neighbourhood who rely on us to provide them food, warmth and friendship.” She paused. “Gabe has done an amazing job in finding a generous donor who has backed and will support this soup kitchen for the next two years.”

Ben nodded in admiration, knowing the effort Gabe had gone to, to achieve this.

“It’s incredible and I’m so thankful for his dedication to helping others. This is Manhattan and real estate is expensive, so to have this area remain a soup kitchen is incredible.”

There was enthusiastic nodding from around the room before Lisa continued. “I’ve asked my best friend and cousin, Ben Sassoon to stay on for a couple of months as we set up processes and implement some new ways of raising money.”

Ben’s belly clenched at being the centre of attention. Even though he knew about it, he was still uncomfortable with his work being discussed publicly. Even if it was amongst family.

Lisa continued. “Ben has done the most amazing work in Melbourne with garnering food donations, distribution and fundraising. I’ve asked him to help me set up the processes he created in Melbourne. Not only helping people but we can’t keep relying on donations. We want to become self-sufficient and earn money to pay for rent and continue supporting those who need it.”

Ben admired the spirit and fire in Lisa’s voice. Her convictions matched his own, and he was impressed that despite her world being turned upside down, worrying about visas and a wedding, she continued to think about others.

“Ben is also going to help me find someone who can run this place because I’m going to be a little busy in six months.” She paused, giving her husband a smile. “We have some unexpected news.”

Her mother, Rachel, cried. “You’re pregnant! My baby is having a baby.” And that ended Lisa’s beautiful speech as the parents jumped from their seats to embrace the newlyweds and congratulate each other.

Ben was the only one who had known about the baby, with Lisa privately confessing about the accidental pregnancy. They had been planning to wait a year for children but despite precautions, somehow, she was expecting and they couldn’t be more happy or excited.

A smile tugged at his lips as he watched the family embrace each other over the excitement of a first grandbaby for each of the Sassoon and Olivari families.

“Looks like you’re going to be busy over the next couple of months,” a voice said. He turned to see Kate standing next to him. “B’sha’ah tova,” she said congratulating him on the news of Lisa’s pregnancy.

“Thank you. It’s very exciting,” he said with sincerity.

Her left eyebrow rose. “You knew about the pregnancy and came to help Lisa. That’s very generous of you.”

“You know how close we are. I couldn’t say no.”

“Lisa’s so nice and has a way with people. I actually helped her one Sunday afternoon for a couple of hours,” Kate confessed. “Don’t tell anyone. It wouldn’t do for my image.”

A smile tugged at his lips. “It might be good for your image.”

She replied with a genuine smile.

“And that’s the reason I’m here,” Ben said. “I was coming to the wedding, but when Lisa confessed about the unexpected pregnancy, I knew I had to help her.”

Kate nodded. “You always do the right thing,” she added with sincerity. “I’m surprised she was able to hide her news for so long.”

“It wasn’t easy but every time she was inclined to tell her parents, she knew they’d get concerned about her relocating, the wedding and all the work she does.”

Kate sipped her champagne. “At least both families received the happy news at the same time.”

“Exactly,” he said, a warmth of excitement spreading through his body.

“Where will you be living?” She tilted her head to the side.

“With Lisa and Gabe.”

“Will your girlfriend mind you living here for three months? That can’t be easy.” Her brows lifted with curiosity.

Ben almost corrected her, admitting that he didn’t have a girlfriend and had used that as an excuse to create distance between them. He cracked his knuckles, debating whether he should confess his lie to her. The convenience of maintaining the lie meant he could use his girlfriend as an excuse. . .should he need it. But he was an honourable guy and it seemed wrong to continue the charade.

Opening his mouth to tell her the truth, even if it did embarrass him, he was interrupted with a clap on his shoulder. Turning around to see Lisa’s father, Ben’s smile widened.

“Apparently you knew all along about their news and didn’t say anything,” the older man said with a twinkle in his eye.

“It wasn’t easy,” he confessed. “But I knew how important it was for her to tell you at the same time as the Olivaris.”

“I can’t believe I’m going to be a grandfather,” he gushed, clearly caught up in the exuberance of the moment. “Hello, sorry, I’m Robert Sassoon, Lisa’s father,” he said holding his hand out to Kate.

“I’m Kate Silver, a friend of your daughter’s. We went to school together.”

Robert clicked his fingers. “You’re the one living in New York?”

Kate’s eyes lit up. “That’s me.”

“Thanks for being a friend to Lisa. It means a lot to us, knowing she has friends here.” He pressed his palm against his heart.

Kate waved off his compliment. “Lisa makes friends wherever she goes. You don’t need to worry about her.”

“I’m her father, I can’t help myself. But I do like that she has someone here she can rely on. Thank you, Kate,” he said with a polite nod before walking away to give someone a hug.

“Are you feeling special now?” he asked with a chuckle.

“I’ve really been given the Jewish guilt treatment,” she said, with a roll of her eyes, pretending to be upset.

“It’s what Jewish parents do best,” he added with a grin.

There was a pause between them and Ben was reluctant to talk about anything serious, preferring to keep it casual. “How’s work?”

“Busy, as usual,” she said with a sigh. “How’s the family bonding going?”

“Surprisingly well,” he said. “Despite us spending so much time together, it’s been really nice. The Olivaris have organised a number of days for us to do sightseeing together.”

“The Empire State Building?”

“We’re going there after the party. Apparently, all the ladies want to go there because of their favourite movie.”

“An Affair to Remember.” She sighed. “Cary Grant was so delicious in that movie.”

His nose wrinkled. “You’ve seen it?”

“Of course,” she added with determination. “After seeing Sleepless in Seattle which mentions it about a million times, I had no choice.”

“I didn’t think you liked romance movies,” he said before a slow smile extended his lips.

“Just because I’m a tough, hard-nosed lawyer doesn’t mean I can’t like some romance.”

“You surprise me,” he said with a lift of his eyebrow.

“I could say that I’m full of surprises but I’m not. My life is pretty standard for a corporate gal like me. I work a lot and any spare time I have is either spent exercising or watching movies with my cat.”

“You have a cat?” he asked with interest. “You always wanted one.”

“I know. My mum was allergic but I always loved cats so I got one. I called him Humphrey after—”

“Bogart of course,” he said with a knowing smile.

“You know me too well.” Their banter had been fun and playful, and it was a throw-away line. But to Ben, it struck a chord.

“To be honest, I thought I did. But in hindsight, I guess I didn’t.” He paused before taking her gently by the arm, drawing her to a quiet corner. “I thought I knew you, and that’s why your leaving hurt so much. I never realised the depth of your need to escape.”

A darkness flickered across her brown eyes. “I didn’t feel like I belonged. I had a mother who refused to work, relied on Government handouts and spent her days getting wasted on alcohol or drugs.”

“It couldn’t have been easy with her and her boyfriends.”

“It wasn’t,” she snapped. “My mother”—she spat out the word mother—“was an alley cat who had sex with anyone, and it didn’t matter if I heard her or walked in on her. I was a teen. It was awful and embarrassing.”

“That couldn’t have been easy.”

“It wasn’t. I never had friends home because not only did we live in a run-down house filled with crystals, and the smell of marijuana and incense, my mother was unpredictable, irresponsible and into free love.” She shuddered in disgust. “Can you imagine seeing your mother having sex in the living room when you come home from school?”

A flash of pain hit him in the belly as he remembered Kate crying on his shoulder, hating her home life, and wanting to leave. Over the years, he’d forgotten the damage her mother had unintentionally inflicted on her daughter. She wasn’t mean, she was free spirited and honestly hadn’t thought her actions were reprehensible.

“We studied together,” he said.

“We did. Your parents were normal and were really nice to me.” She paused. “I did say hi to them at the wedding and wished them mazal tov.”

“I’m sure you did Kate,” he added with sincerity. “Do you speak with your mother?” he asked interested to know what had happened between them since Kate had been living in America.

“She didn’t speak to me for two years, disgusted that I was studying law and worse, I was in contact with my biological father.”

“He paid for your degree?” He took a step closer to her.

“He did. I was prepared to pay him back but he wanted to, saying if he’d known he’d had a daughter, he would’ve paid child support.” She pressed her lips together, as though she was going to say something but stopped.

“That was generous of him,” Ben said scratching his chin.

“He had no idea he’d fathered a child because my mother didn’t tell him. He’d been in Australia travelling and had spent a few days with my mum. Apparently, he really liked her.” She paused, shifting her stance and looking down. “I wonder how things would’ve been if he’d known about me.”

“We could be here all night, talking about what-ifs.” Ben ran his hands through his hair. “I remember the emotions you went through when you found him living here in America.”

“I was eighteen and legally responsible.” She squared her shoulders and stood straighter. “It’s one of the reasons I wanted to leave Melbourne and, unfortunately, why I had to leave you.”

“We could’ve found and met your father together. I don’t understand why you pushed me away.” He felt his hands curling into tight balls.

“It was my journey,” she said squarely.

“And that’s the difference between us, I wanted us to do things together.” He couldn’t help but emphasise the last word, because it was true. Then, he would’ve done anything for her.

She paused and her brown eyes grew wider, then softened. “I’m sorry for hurting you. I had to do it alone. I had been named after the seven chakras. I wasn’t that person.”

“Kate, your name, Keshet, also means rainbow in Hebrew. A rainbow is God’s creation and reminds us of His presence and his covenant. You know that.” He wanted to remind her that her name wasn’t that bad, and there was something special about being named after something so beautiful, that there was a special prayer to say when seeing a rainbow.

She drained her wine and placed the glass on a nearby table. “Perhaps,” she said with a shrug. “I couldn’t let go of the frustration and annoyance of my home life. I had to create the person I wanted to be.”

A heaviness settled in his belly. “You couldn’t do that with me?”

“No, I had to do it on my own. As much as I loved you, living in Melbourne and getting married scared me.”

His gut twisted at her words. “I loved you and would’ve done anything for you, and my parents would’ve as well.” He clarified to remind her that despite her background and the emotional baggage she carried, his family would’ve welcomed her.

“I know that. But you need to understand that I didn’t feel worthy of being part of your family.” Her arms hung by her side.

He froze and the words became stuck in his mouth. Never once had he ever considered she would feel that way. His skin prickled with agitation and he took some deep breathes to slow his racing heart. “How could you ever believe that?”

“Ben.” She gulped hard. “I was young and impressionable. I believed what I believed. And it may sound trite now, but I’d overheard your aunty speaking and it reaffirmed that I made the right decision.”

He knew exactly which gossiping aunt she meant and it hurt that she’d made a judgement on someone else’s interfering nature rather than his devotion. “I wish you’d trusted me.”

Tears welled in her eyes and she looked at him beseechingly. “I do too,” she said. “But even if I had, I would still have come here. The opportunity to study and live here has been amazing.”

His jaw clenched with bittersweet frustration. “I’m glad you got everything you wanted. I just thought you wanted me, too.”

“I did want you. But how could I be a good wife to you when my heart was aching to do something else. It wouldn’t have been fair to you or your family.”

For the second time in a few minutes, Ben’s mouth froze as he reflected on her words. She was right. It wouldn’t have been fair to either of them. It would have been akin to placing a tiger in a small cage. It needed to be outside not trapped.

“I wish we’d had this conversation a few years ago.” He swallowed a lump of remorse, stuck in his throat.

She took his hand in hers. “Perhaps, we weren’t ready to have it?”

He ignored the warm press of her skin against his and how right it felt to have the soft physical touch of her. “Perhaps. Better late than never.” He tried to make light of the situation when the reality was, his insides were shredded and the beliefs he’d held on to for twelve years were crumbling, making him doubt himself.

“We should go back to the party.” Her head inclined to the family standing around the buffet, chatting and laughing.

“Not really in the mood for festivities,” he confessed, needing time to reflect on what she’d said. “You go. I need a couple of minutes.”

“Okay.” She brushed her lips against his cheek. “Thanks for understanding, Ben,” she said before walking away from him.

He watched her go, the sharp dark suit hugging her curves without being too sexy. Totally appropriate corporate wear that was foreign to his everyday life of working with society’s needy and disadvantaged.

He turned his back to the party, placed his elbows on the table and buried his head in his hands. For so long, he’d been angry with her for leaving him, but he’d never considered that she didn’t feel that she belonged.

She was right. They were young and she needed to find herself. Unlike him, who’d been raised in a loving home with two parents, siblings and a large extended family, Kate had not.

Kate’s mother had been single and purposely detached herself from her family. Ironic that Kate had started to see her maternal grandparents privately, and it had been them who’d organised for her to apply for the scholarship and they’d paid for her uniform and all the activities that the scholarship hadn’t covered. Kate’s mother had been horrified but had eventually accepted it.

If Kate hadn’t attended that school, they would never have met. And how different his life would’ve been.

He’d had a crush on her since she’d started in high school, but they’d been friends till they were sixteen and he’d eventually plucked up the courage to ask her out on a date. From their first kiss, they’d been inseparable and he’d believed she was the one for him, for always.

What a mess, he blew out a long breath of annoyance.

A hand pressed on his shoulder and he didn’t need to turn around to know it was his father’s.

“Ben, we’re all going to the Empire State building soon. You coming?” His presence was a comfort, a reminder that he wasn’t on his own and that if he needed support or advice, his parents would be there for him.

“I guess so,” he muttered before slowly turning around. Lisa had privately confessed that she and Gabe had first kissed there. And she wanted her family to see the amazing sight of New York City from the dizzying heights of the building. Great! That’s all he needed. To be surrounded by a group of chatty women, talking about love and romance. Gah.

“I’ve invited Kate to join us and she said yes.” He paused. “I hope that’s okay. You two have been talking for a while.”

“It would be rude not to include her,” he said in a calm manner, despite his stomach being twisted in knots and privately wishing she hadn’t been invited.

His father nodded. “It’s the seventh day of Chanukah.”

“I know. So?” He said with a nonchalant shrug.

“You know that seven is a lucky number. It equals blessing and luck.” He paused to look at Ben. “You’ve achieved so much over the years and your mother and I are proud of you. But there was a part of you that seemed unsettled. I thought you should stay away from Kate but perhaps you should take the opportunity to fix things while you’re here? Help you let go of the past.” His father always had a way of looking at situations, and finding a positive light to them.

“I feel like everything I believed in is upside down,” he confessed, surprised to hear the crack in his voice.

The older man placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “It’s been twelve years, a long time to hold on to your frustrations and hurt. You’re both older now and might be able to understand each other better.”

He shook his head, his heart filled with disappointment. “There’s nothing to understand.”

“I meant, use this time to talk,” his father reassured with a gentle smile. “Come on, or we’ll have to walk there.”

An hour later, the family stood at the top of the Empire State building admiring the view. The parents were chatting and Ben found himself alone with Kate again.

“It was very nice of your parents to include me,” Kate said. “I’ve actually never been up here.”

Ben gasped with surprise. “You’ve been living here for years and you’ve never visited?”

“Never.” She looked around, then back to Ben. “When I was first here, it seemed to be a frivolous expense. Even though Dad paid for my degree, I worked to pay for my board and expenses. I just didn’t have the money to spare.”

He nodded, a smile of satisfaction spread across his lips. “You really worked hard, didn’t you?”

She stood straighter, her shoulders back. “I did. I waitressed, worked in a bar and did everything to pay my own way.”

“That couldn’t have been easy.”

“It wasn’t, but I was determined to succeed.” She gave him a soft smile. “I have a brilliant career, an apartment on the upper east side of Manhattan”

“And a cat named Humphrey,” he added.

“Yes.” She said brightly. “I don’t have a lot of friends but I’m happy,” she confessed in a low voice.

“I’m glad you are,” he said honestly. He’d loved her once and despite the heartache she’d inflicted on him, he wasn’t the type of person to wish ill on someone.

They walked around together looking at the sights of the sprawling city beneath them.

Kate looked up and pointed to the spire. “It’s blue”.

“It’s blue for Chanukah.”

“One more day left. I guess then it’ll become green and red for Christmas.”

Ben massaged his heart through his winter coat and pretended to look away, finding interest in the view. Lisa had come here with Gabe and they’d kissed, and now they were married and going to have a baby. He wished he didn’t know that because it was messing with his head.

He was thirty and still, stupidly, hung up on his childhood girlfriend who’d dumped him twelve years ago. He’d focussed on the hurt she’d caused him, but he’d really never taken the time to think about why. And now he understood her pain and her need to get away from Melbourne. It wasn’t that she had left him; she’d left her life and her mother so she could recreate herself to become the woman she wanted to be.

The air whooshed from his lungs and his legs were as unsteady as wet paper mâché. “I need to sit,” he confessed. Stumbling, he found a bench and sat, his head in his hands and his belly about to turn inside out.

“Ben, are you okay?” Kate’s arm came around him and the subtle perfume she wore teased his nose. He could feel the warmth of her body despite the outside cold. Their closeness took him back to a time when it was just the two of them and he was so in love with her that he could barely think straight.

He wanted to tell her the revelations were messing with his head and that he wasn’t sure of himself. Until he’d come to New York, he’d truly believed he’d moved on from his broken heart and that they weren’t meant to be together. Her confessions and insights had been his undoing.

“Ben, talk to me, I’m worried,” she pleaded.

The concern in her voice touched his heart, and he sat up to look at her. “I came to New York for a wedding and to help my cousin out. I knew I’d see you, but I didn’t expect this.”

“What’s this, what do you mean?” Her face was etched with worry, and he could see the strain around her eyes despite the dark night.

He didn’t know where to start and he certainly wasn’t prepared to open his heart, confess everything and have her shred it…again. “All this talking about us and you. . .” His voice waivered as he struggled to find the right words.

“I’m sorry,” she said in a low voice and he could hear the genuineness in her tone.

“Don’t be. I think we should’ve done more talking years ago.” He knew deep down that the pain of losing her all those years ago had shut off his heart and he hadn’t been willing or interested in more candid openness between them.

“I should’ve talked more, not you.” She placed a reassuring hand against his chest. “In my need to get away and find myself, I hurt you and I am sorry. You were the best thing that ever happened to me. You were my friend, my best friend, the boy that was always there for me.”

“I thought my love wasn’t enough for you,” he said simply. It’s what he’d believed for so long. If it had been, surely she would’ve stayed and not left him.

“No, that’s not right. I wasn’t enough for you,” she said with dismay.

His mouth opened and he just stared at her, unable to grasp the revelation. “No…”

“Ben, listen.” She sat so close to him that their breathes mingled. “You’re this amazing guy with a wonderful, loving family. Despite your inherited wealth you work with people in need, fundraise and make this world a better place for so many people.” Her shoulders slumped. “I can’t seem to get the right words out but seriously, you’re so incredible in your kindness, generosity and willingness to help. You’ve even come to New York so assist your cousin with her soup kitchen.

“You’re a dream guy with looks and everything going for him. But I didn’t see myself as good enough for you.”

“Kate…” He wanted to tell her she was good enough.

Her eyes darkened. “Let me finish. My mother didn’t bother with creating happy family memories through Shabbat and Jewish festivals. It was only when I reconnected with my grandparents and when we were dating that I saw how other people lived. I wanted that.” The words, the confessions, all tumbled from her lips with sincerity.

“You could’ve had it, with me,” his voice came out in a strangled sob.

“But I needed to get away from my mother. And the only way I knew at eighteen was to live on the other side of the world and find a way to become the person I wanted to be. Strong, independent and financially secure.” She added with pride in her voice.

A lengthy pause hung between them before her gloved hand came up, and her fingers trailed along the side of his face. “Ben, your family means everything to you. I couldn’t take you away from them.”

“I don’t know what to say,” he said. Because he didn’t. Her confession was like being dumped all over again. He could see her reasoning but the frustration that she hadn’t tried and work things out with him gnawed at his belly.

“I can see why you did what you did, but I don’t agree with you. You could’ve spoken with me. We were in love.”

She sat back, creating distance between them. “It was puppy love,” she said.

“I was in love with you and would’ve done anything you wanted. My family used to joke how I used to “trail” after you.”

She leaned forward to speak in a low voice. “We were both virgins, we’d only been with each other.”

He took her hand in his. “Kate, let’s not argue. We don’t agree and we should just accept that we see things differently. Can we be friends?”

Her face softened and the harsh lines around her mouth dissipated. “Thank you, Ben. I would like to be your friend. To be honest, I don’t have many.”

“Perhaps while I’m here we could do some of the touristy things that you’ve never done.” The words tumbled out before he thought about whether them spending time together was a good idea. Probably not.

“That would be nice. I would like that.” She nodded, her eyes filled with hope and happiness. She leaned towards him to kiss his cheek but he moved and instead her lips brushed his.

Her eyes widened in shock which only confirmed that it was an accident.

Their eyes locked and he could see her fighting the same emotions that he was fighting. Should he get up and leave or lean in for another quick kiss.

Her breathing quickened and indecision filled her eyes.

Darn it, he couldn’t hold back and bugger the consequences. He leaned it and pressed his mouth against hers.