"It's my fault," I said in a rush. "I'm trying to be less mean spirited. I gave Homeless Santa ten dollars just now."
"That was a bit much," she said with a frown then checked her watch. "I need to shop or it's going to be too late to cook for you."
"I'll come with you," I said. I didn't want her to pay for ingredients.
"The grocery store where we shop for the show isn't far," she said as we wove through the rush-hour crowds. There was a Santa outside ringing a bell collecting for the Salvation Army.
"Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas!" he said.
I expected to be in and out of the store quickly, but Chloe had to stop and inspect every single item. She looked over every turnip, examined every potato, and spent an insufferable amount of time arguing with the butcher. I wandered around in the area, bored. There was a Santa looking at the pasta. Christmas just couldn't leave me alone.
When the butcher handed her the meat wrapped in wax paper, I thought we were finally finished. But no, Chloe wanted to go back to the fruit and vegetable aisle.
"Are you buying eggplant?"
"I might," she said, putting the eggplant back and picking up an identical one and placing it in one of the baskets she had me carrying. She smiled at me. "I like having a handsome man following me around and carrying my stuff."
"Speaking of following," I said. "I don't want to alarm you, but I think that Santa is watching us."
"Of course he is," she said, turning to glare at the Santa. He noticed us staring and hurried towards the exit.
"Do you think it's Homeless Santa?" I asked.
"Who knows," she said.
"You just attract the crazies, don't you," I joked.
"Yeah," she said. She didn't seem her usual bubbly self. Instead she seemed lost in thought as I paid for all the food.
She was silent on the walk back to the tower.
"I want to cover you in frosting and lick it off every inch of you," I said, trying to rouse her.
"That's nice," she said.
"What’s wrong?"
"Nothing." We walked the rest of the way in silence.
"Speaking of crazies," Chloe said when we returned to the tower. Hartleigh was waiting in the lobby.
"I knew I saw you two leave," she said.
"I hope she won't make things too difficult for you," I murmured to Chloe.
"I'm used to crazy people," she said, her mouth a flat line.
23
Chloe
Ireally couldn't catch a break. I knew exactly who that Santa Claus in the grocery store had been: my cousin Cody. I thought he was supposed to be in jail. I itched to look him up online. Maybe they had released him early.
I steamed as I prepped dinner.
Jack was sitting on one of the barstools near the counter watching me work. His suit jacket was off, and his sleeves were rolled up. I wanted to trace my fingers along the veins of his forearms.
He seemed concerned. I didn't want him to think I was mad at him. I just wished real life wasn't intruding on my Christmas fantasy. Oh well, there was nothing I could do about Cody's sudden appearance right now. I was safe in Jack's penthouse making a nice meal for a wealthy, handsome man who might hopefully, maybe, like me.
