Page 15 of Love is Grand

“I’m not going to bill you, Shell. For God’s sake, I’m one of the best. People actually want to use me in their negotiations. If he wants to give up his family, he should pay.”

“No, he doesn’t want to give up anything. He just wants to be free, and I don’t want to talk about this.”

“Okay, so put the earrings on and offer me a drink.” I didn’t want to spend any of my precious time with her talking about the deadbeat anyway.

Shell brought the earring to her ear and slipped it into her naked lobe. I held the box while she finished putting on the first and then handed her the second.

“Gorgeous,” I murmured. Unsure where this tenderness was coming from, I cleared my throat.

Shell gave me an apologetic look. “I don’t have any booze to offer you. I wasn’t expecting company. But I have a bottle of red.”

“Good.” Although I really wanted a Scotch to put out the fire of emotion in my throat, I said, “Let’s have a glass.”

I wandered to the kitchen, which was nothing like my gourmet one back home. I found a couple of wineglasses in the glass cabinet while Shell uncorked the bottle. For two people who were practically strangers, we navigated the tight space like seasoned lovers. That thought should have scared me, and it damn well did.

“Merry Christmas, Shell,” I said as she poured the wine.

“Happy Hanukkah, Cal,” she said back, highlighting yet another difference between us.

Skin color, age, religion, economic level, countries of residence—our differences were endless. Yet, standing here in Shell’s imperfect beach shack, broken-down and in need of repairs, I felt perfectly at ease.

With all my tensions melting away, I downed a deep sip of wine and then set it aside. I took Shell’s glass and set it next to mine, then brought my lips to hers. I gathered her close, my arm around her waist, holding her tight, giving her the support that no one else did. Then I kissed the fuck out of her like I’d wanted to for weeks.

Suddenly, some godawful noise started ringing through the kitchen.

“What the fuck is that?” I muttered as Shell whirled out of my arms.

“Work. My alarm. I thought maybe I’d catnap, so I set it,” she said while turning it off.

“This is when you turn into a pumpkin?”

“I think you have the story mixed up. The carriage turns into a pumpkin, but Cinderella changes back to the working-class stepsister. And this woman right here has to go to work.”

I kissed her again, wanting to shut up all her working-class bullshit. Not that it wasn’t true, but in my mind, Shell was a goddess.

Why couldn’t I tell her, though? Maybe that was a question for the shrinks.

“Can I see you later?” I asked when our lips broke apart.

“It’s Christmas Eve, Cal. I have a daughter who will want to run home as soon as the sun comes up, so she can open her gifts and drink hot chocolate.”

“Shit. Yes, of course.” I shook my head slightly, annoyed with myself. “After the holiday? I’m here until the thirtieth.”

“Of course you are. Who wouldn’t want to be in New York when the ball drops?”

“You mean, home to start work in the New Year?” I said to correct her, even though she wasn’t wrong.

“Right. I’ll see what I can do. Weez is on break, so I’ll see if my mom can watch her.”

“Good. I’m off to Ry and Adam’s for the holiday.”

Shell smirked. “Don’t tell them I said hi.”

“Have the merriest Christmas,” I said, ignoring her jab. Opening the front door to leave, I turned and added, “So crazy there’s no snow.”

Shell glanced at the blue sky. “I’ve never seen it.”

Shaking my head, I wanted to say I’d show it to her, but thought better of it. We were secret fuck buddies, and it was probably best to leave things that way.

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