Her Little White Lie (BWWM Romance) by Cj Howard Page A
Authors: Cj Howard
Tags: United States, Romance, Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction, Urban, African American, Two Hours or More (65-100 Pages)
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back and looked proudly at it. Then I noticed how bare my little tree was. All that green and not one decoration.
I opened and closed every drawer in the place to see what I could decorate my tree with, but couldn't find a single thing to put on it. I remembered the idea of stringing popcorn on Christmas trees. I had corn so I started popping great big bowls full of popcorn, letting them cool down before stringing them all together. It was the first time I'd used my sewing kit.
The popcorn was a start, but the tree needed lights and it needed baubles, too. I rushed back out again and practically cleaned out the local store of all the remaining decorations. Well, I figured I had years of decorating a tree experience to catch up on, so I might as well go for it.
Soon my little tree was weighed down with so much glitter it looked like Earth, Wind and Fire were doing a show in my living room.
When I had finally finished, I sat cross legged next to my tree with a cup of hot chocolate and suddenly felt a pang of loneliness. The only thing I could think about was Mikey.
So, I snapped out of it and left the apartment to visit Mr. Iglesias at the hotel and take him some flowers. I knew if I bumped into Miss Poole, she would have a few questions to ask, but I really didn't care, I was off duty and Mr. Iglesias was my friend.
When I got there, he was up in his suite. He was sitting on the sofa in the living room wearing his pajamas and dressing gown, reading a newspaper with his feet up.
“These flowers are for me? Thank you, Grace. But I am the one who should be giving you presents. You saved my life.”
We hugged each other and I took off my coat and sat on the sofa opposite him. The suite was one of the more expensive ones with large vases and alabaster figurines on the mantel. The upholstery was soft cream and the woodwork was solid oak.
Mr. Iglesias loved the flowers and we talked about his health, but in no time at all the subject of Mikey came up.
“I'm really sorry, Mr. Iglesias, I know I shouldn't be bothering you with my problems when you're supposed to be resting.”
“Grace, I'm feeling perfectly well, you know that.”
“I feel stupid. I know Mikey doesn't feel like I do. I guess I just had to talk to someone and get it off my chest. I'm sure I'll get over myself. After Christmas things will be back to normal. I think I got swept away by the festivities and I just don't know myself anymore.”
“Oh you know yourself perfectly well, Princesa. And maybe it's time to take the situation into your own hands.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, to me it seems that this Mikey and you could be the perfect couple and that maybe he just needs convincing that you are the one for him.”
“But I'm not, though. Not really. We're so different. Mikey is a slob, he has a crappy work ethic, and he just sees me as one of the guys. He always has.”
“Well sometimes best friends become lovers and sometimes there is no better person to marry than the person who knows you best. I married my best friend.”
“Well, I'm not talking marriage or anything. I just want to go on a date with him. Speaking of which – what are you doing Christmas Day? I know it's just a humble place, but I'd love it if you could join me. What do you say?”
“Oh, my Grace. I should have told you. I won't be here. I'm going back to Argentina tomorrow. I'm going to spend Christmas with my sister and her family. She has been inviting me every year, she cannot bear the thought of me being alone in New York the way I always used to be.”
“Well, that's really good news, Mr. Iglesias.” I got up and gave him a hug. “And I won't be worried about you being lonely now. But...”
“But what?”
“That means you won't come to New York anymore.”
“Well, maybe not at this time of year but I would come again. And I hoped one day you might come to visit me at
I opened and closed every drawer in the place to see what I could decorate my tree with, but couldn't find a single thing to put on it. I remembered the idea of stringing popcorn on Christmas trees. I had corn so I started popping great big bowls full of popcorn, letting them cool down before stringing them all together. It was the first time I'd used my sewing kit.
The popcorn was a start, but the tree needed lights and it needed baubles, too. I rushed back out again and practically cleaned out the local store of all the remaining decorations. Well, I figured I had years of decorating a tree experience to catch up on, so I might as well go for it.
Soon my little tree was weighed down with so much glitter it looked like Earth, Wind and Fire were doing a show in my living room.
When I had finally finished, I sat cross legged next to my tree with a cup of hot chocolate and suddenly felt a pang of loneliness. The only thing I could think about was Mikey.
So, I snapped out of it and left the apartment to visit Mr. Iglesias at the hotel and take him some flowers. I knew if I bumped into Miss Poole, she would have a few questions to ask, but I really didn't care, I was off duty and Mr. Iglesias was my friend.
When I got there, he was up in his suite. He was sitting on the sofa in the living room wearing his pajamas and dressing gown, reading a newspaper with his feet up.
“These flowers are for me? Thank you, Grace. But I am the one who should be giving you presents. You saved my life.”
We hugged each other and I took off my coat and sat on the sofa opposite him. The suite was one of the more expensive ones with large vases and alabaster figurines on the mantel. The upholstery was soft cream and the woodwork was solid oak.
Mr. Iglesias loved the flowers and we talked about his health, but in no time at all the subject of Mikey came up.
“I'm really sorry, Mr. Iglesias, I know I shouldn't be bothering you with my problems when you're supposed to be resting.”
“Grace, I'm feeling perfectly well, you know that.”
“I feel stupid. I know Mikey doesn't feel like I do. I guess I just had to talk to someone and get it off my chest. I'm sure I'll get over myself. After Christmas things will be back to normal. I think I got swept away by the festivities and I just don't know myself anymore.”
“Oh you know yourself perfectly well, Princesa. And maybe it's time to take the situation into your own hands.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, to me it seems that this Mikey and you could be the perfect couple and that maybe he just needs convincing that you are the one for him.”
“But I'm not, though. Not really. We're so different. Mikey is a slob, he has a crappy work ethic, and he just sees me as one of the guys. He always has.”
“Well sometimes best friends become lovers and sometimes there is no better person to marry than the person who knows you best. I married my best friend.”
“Well, I'm not talking marriage or anything. I just want to go on a date with him. Speaking of which – what are you doing Christmas Day? I know it's just a humble place, but I'd love it if you could join me. What do you say?”
“Oh, my Grace. I should have told you. I won't be here. I'm going back to Argentina tomorrow. I'm going to spend Christmas with my sister and her family. She has been inviting me every year, she cannot bear the thought of me being alone in New York the way I always used to be.”
“Well, that's really good news, Mr. Iglesias.” I got up and gave him a hug. “And I won't be worried about you being lonely now. But...”
“But what?”
“That means you won't come to New York anymore.”
“Well, maybe not at this time of year but I would come again. And I hoped one day you might come to visit me at
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