Forget Me Not, Books I, II and III

New York, New York

A mini-chapter for you as well as a fan-made trailer set to Moonlight Serenade, one of Forget Me Not's theme songs.

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Despite the irritation Calvin caused her, Teddi was happy to hear he wouldn't be spending Thanksgiving alone.  Of course, she refused to tell him that. Admitting something like that could be dangerous. Friends. They could not be friends again. Not after everything. So she made up her mind to keep the conversation thin and busy herself by staring out of the window or reading the atrociously written dime novel she'd picked up at the depot.

About midway through the trip Calvin asked Teddi if she would like to have lunch with him in the dining car. She, however, declined, insisting that she was not hungry and that she would eat in New York. She'd been lying, of course, and felt rather foolish doing it. She was acting like a child. But having lunch with Calvin would be too much like a date. And she didn't want that at all. No, not at all. So, she buried her head in her book and continued to think about all of the reasons she needed to continue ignoring Calvin Wynne for the rest of the train ride.

It didn't help when he returned to the train car with a chicken sandwich wrapped in a napkin and said he didn't want her passing out because she hated him.

Her heart squeezed when he had said that. She didn't hate him. She was just afraid of him. Why couldn't he understand that?

When they arrived in New York, Calvin insisted on helping Teddi with her luggage and seeing her outside of the station. "I'll get you a taxi," he said as they made their way through the bustling atmosphere of Penn Station.

"That's not necessary," said Teddi, trying to keep up with his long gait.

Calvin stopped and turned around when he realized she was no longer by his side. He waited until she was in front of him before giving her a winning smile and saying, "I know that, but I'm doing it anyway. Now, let's get going."

Teddi fought the wobbling of her knees bravely and followed him up the steps and onto the street.

It was as if she'd stepped into another world. People were rushing down the gray streets in every direction. The cars seemed to be doing the same thing. And the buildings, they were so tall and foreboding. She made up her mind right then and there. New York City was the antithesis of Brookhurst. It was alive and bursting at the seams. And she was ready to experience it.

She noticed that Calvin managed to find a taxi, and the man driving it, who wore one of those cabbie hats she'd seen in the movies, was getting out of the car and taking her luggage around to the trunk.

"Where to?" the man asked Calvin sharply, throwing her large valise in.

"Where to, Teddi?"

Teddi moved toward the open cab door, "The Plaza Hotel."

Calvin raised his eyebrows. Well, that worked for him. He clapped the cab driver on his shoulder. "Plaza Hotel," said Calvin, grinning as he watched Teddi climb into the taxi. He handed the man his bag and went around the street side of the car and slid in beside Teddi. He felt a familiar stirring in two very distinct places as he watched her eyes go wide, her cheeks hollow, and her skin flush.

"What on earth do you think you're doing?"

Calvin slung his arm across the seat behind her. "Coming with you."

"What do you mean, coming with me?" Teddi scowled.

"Turns out we're sharing hotels, sweetheart."

Teddi's jaw dropped as the driver pulled the car away from the curb and set off down the street. "Don't call me that."

He took his arm down and folded it across his chest and regarded her for a moment. "Snookie?"

"Calvin," she sighed, folded her arms beneath her chest.

He waggled his eyebrows. "Sugar pie?"'

"If you don't stop that, I'm going to get out right now."

"In case you haven't noticed, the car is moving."

"Very funny."

"Look, Teddi. The empire state building."

"I've seen it before," she said, looking out, her expression unable to hide the sense of wonder.

Calvin took a deep breath as she shifted closer to him to get a better look and shuddered. She still smelled sweet, like lilacs and jasmine and something all together uniquely Teddi. He struggled desperately to keep his hands from running through the beckoning strands of her hair. No one else could cause such a reaction in him. He wanted to hold her so badly, talk with her, be with her again. But he couldn't. Not now.

"You know what my mother used to say?" Teddi said, abruptly turning to him. "Know your heart and you will see the truth is there for you and me."

Calvin licked his lips and stared into her eyes, breath caught in his throat. "Oh, yeah?"

"Yeah. And you know what truth my heart says?"

"I don't know."

"That you, Calvin Wynne, need to stay out of my way. Understand?"

He nodded, thinking she couldn't really expect him to adhere to such a restritction. Calvin couldn't have been more shocked to see her on that train just those few hours ago. But it meant something. There was a reason it had happened. He and Teddi were supposed to work things out here, alone, with no grandmothers or pompous boy-next-door suitors to get in the way. It had to happen. He had to make it happen. Of course, there was one problem. Riley.  He couldn't let Riley see Teddi, and if he did see her, he could never know that she was a Donovan.