Page 100 of The Holiday Hate-Off
Bowie, who’s been watching us, must know it’s his moment to shine, because he hops onto the couch and curls up next to me.
“There,” Enzo says. “Now you can be comfortable.”
And I am. I feel safe and comfortable and cared for, and it blows my mind that he’s the one who made me feel that way.
It’s not as if I actually believe Enzo’s a devil worshipper, but I never expected him to be like this. To be sweet. To do something without expecting to get something in return.
So maybe he’s doing it to get sex, a voice in my head whispers.He’s already told you he wants it.
But that doesn’tfeeltrue.
I must fall asleep at some point, because the next thing I know, Enzo is sitting beside the couch with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a big glass of water. My stomach roils.
“I couldn’t possibly,” I say. “I think I could only eat cheese curls right now. Cheese curls are the best food on the planet. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. And I’m not talking the pretty, organic ones. I’m talking about the gross orange ones covered in fake powdered cheese dust.”
“You don’t have any,” he says, “but the sandwich might help. “The water definitely will.”
I sit up, still feeling dizzy, and Bowie climbs out of the way.
“I didn’t know you had a cat,” Enzo comments, as if the two of us have exchanged buckets of personal information instead of just letting out the occasional snippet.
“I don’t,” I say, then take a small bite of the sandwich. Actually, he may be onto something, because suddenly I’m starving. I eat it quickly, chasing it with gulps of water.
“This isn’t your cat?” he asks as Bowie rubs his head against my arm.
“No, I’m watching him for a friend, but I’dreallylike a cat. I keep looking at photos from the animal shelter. You know, when my phone works. I’m not supposed to have a pet, though. It’s in the lease and everything. But Eileen told me to play with animals today.”
He gives me a quizzical look, and I realize I’m probably not making much sense.
“Eileen. In her calendar.”
“That doesn’t help, Lucia.”
I yawn and take a final sip of water before slumping onto the couch. “She made me an Advent calendar to help me feel better. There’s a challenge every day. That’s what you found at the bridge that day, one of my challenges.”
“Ah, I see. Your boss told you to fuck someone? You know, they have whole HR departments to prevent that kind of thing.”
I roll my eyes. “No. She told me to?—”
“Make a wish,” he finishes, tugging my hat off gently. He smooths his fingers through my hair, and I lean my head into his hand like I’m a cat. “Why were you feeling badly?”
“It wasn’t because of you,” I say pointedly. “You don’t have that much power over me.”
“I wouldn’t want the power to make you feel badly,” he says softly, running his fingers through my hair some more. “That’s the only power I don’t covet.”
God that feels good. Why does that feel so good?
“My mom died last year,” I say, the words tumbling out.
Some unreadable emotion flickers across his face.
“I’m sorry,” I say, yawning.
“You’resorry?I’msorry. Jesus, I had no idea you’d been through that. You mentioned you’d taken care of her, but I’d thought…hoped…she got better.”
“It’s not tattooed across my forehead or anything. Anyway, I know men find that kind of thing a turnoff. I mean, you should have seen the way guys closed down after they figured out my mom was sick and I was taking care of her. It was actually pretty funny. Between that and the virginity thing, I put off a lot of guys. And turned on all the wrong ones.”
“Doesn’t sound funny,” he says in a harsh voice. “I’d like to teach them a lesson.”
