Mistletoe, Baby. Donna Hill

“Fine. Everything is great. I was asking Milton about the supermarkets in the area. I want to pick up a few things.”

      Graham placed the linen laundry bag with the building’s logo on the desk. “Can you send these out for me? The usual. Light starch on the shirts.”

      “Sure thing, Mr. Stone.”

      “If you don’t mind some company, I’ll walk with you,” Graham offered.

      “Great.”

      Graham extended his arm toward the front door.

      * * *

      The early-evening weather was still warm. Couples walked hand in hand and families strolled along the avenues pushing baby strollers, while others jogged to the rhythm of the tunes coming from their headsets and earbuds. The towering trees had begun to bloom, filling the air with the sweet scent of awakening.

      “Great neighborhood,” Alexis said as they made the turn onto First Avenue.

      “Yes, it is.”

      She tilted her head to look at him. “You don’t sound convinced.”

      He laughed lightly. “Oh, I’m convinced.” His eyes quickly roamed the street. “Who wouldn’t be?”

      Alexis studied his profile for a moment, watching his countenance stiffen then relax as if he’d seen something he wished he hadn’t.

      Graham pushed out a breath and turned his megawatt smile on her just as they approached Gristedes. He pulled open the heavy glass-and-chrome door. Alexis walked in ahead of him. Every aisle was lined with shoppers and the incredible assortment of goods was beyond imagination. It was a food lovers paradise.

      “Take as much time as you need,” Graham said. “I have a few things to pick up myself and we can share a cab back.”

      “Great. Thanks.”

      “I’ll meet you up front when you’re done.”

      She nodded in agreement, grabbed a shopping cart and started off. She probably should have eaten a full meal before setting foot in this emporium. She was tempted to purchase everything that she laid her eyes on and wished she’d brought a list. She selected a case of imported water, fresh vegetables and baked bread, fish, chicken and seasonings, sorbet, yogurt, fruit and mixings for salads. She could easily spend the day here, but her cart was nearly full. She pushed her cart to the checkout line and watched the numbers add up. New York prices were enough to send her into a sticker shock.

      Alexis took out her credit card and reluctantly swiped it. Good thing this job pays well. She watched the groceries being bagged. Graham was standing at the store’s exit talking on his phone when she pushed her loaded cart next to him.

      His eyes skipped over her purchases and hers were agape at his. He had two carts filled to the rim and she could only conclude that he hadn’t shopped in months.

      Graham ended his call. “Get everything you need?”

      “I sure hope so.” She lifted her chin in the direction of his carts. “I see you must have gotten one of everything.”

      His eyes crinkled in the corners. “A few things.” He stepped away toward a cab that was lined up at the curb. The driver got out and opened the trunk.

      “You think there will be enough room?” Alexis asked with a laugh.

      “We’ll make it fit. Won’t we?”

      Her eyes leaped to his face, but he was concentrating on getting the bags into the trunk. The muscles of his arms and back flexed as he lifted and deposited each sack. A lick of heat flamed in the center of her stomach. She swallowed.

      “All in,” he said, turning toward her with a glimmer in his eyes. “Off we go, eh?” He shut the trunk and opened the cab door for her. Alexis slid in and moved over to make room for Graham.

      Gone was the scent of his enticing cologne. It was replaced with a cool water fragrance that was even more alluring in its subtlety. She licked her lips.

      “Liking the flat so far?”

      She blinked rapidly and focused on him. “It’s fabulous. More than I could have ever imagined. I can’t thank you enough for arranging it.”

      “You do a good job for R.E.A.L. and that will be thanks enough.” He smiled ever so slightly.

      Alexis linked her fingers together on her lap while her gaze flicked across his face.

      Within moments the taxi was pulling up in front of their building. Glen hurried toward the cab with a luggage cart and helped to unload the bags of groceries and wheeled them inside.

      “Don’t know whose is whose,” Alexis said.

      “We can sort it all out upstairs.”

      They followed Glen onto the elevator. “Where to first?”

      “Stop by my flat first, then you can help Ms. Montgomery.”

      “Sure thing, Mr. Stone.”

      They rode the elevator to Graham’s floor while Glen whistled some off-tune melody. Exiting, Alexis followed the two men down the hall to Graham’s apartment. He opened the door. Alexis lingered at the threshold.

      “Come on in. You can help sort through.”

      Alexis came in and looked around. The set up was similar to hers but the decor was decidedly different. Graham’s furnishings were in a deep chocolate. A leather sectional that could easily seat ten dominated the living space. At least she thought it did until her gaze landed on the mammoth television. She held back a laugh. Boys and their toys. One wall was covered from floor to ceiling with a bookcase that held at least two hundred books. Impressive. She wondered if he’d read them all. The tabletops held framed photos of Graham in a variety of situations. Most were with people who she believed were students, in others he was at banquets, and there were several with senators and one with President Obama.

      Graham and Glen sifted through the bags and deposited all that belonged to Graham on the kitchen floor and on the counters.

      “All done,” Graham announced by the time Alexis made her way to the unloading zone. “Glen will take yours down to your place.”

      “Thanks. When did you get to meet with the president?” she asked while Glen wheeled her groceries to the door.

      “I was on his education committee during his first term. That particular photo was taken during a fund-raising dinner for his second term.”

      “You travel in pretty high circles. I had no idea you were part of the education committee.”

      “It’s not something that I broadcast.”

      “Why not during his second term?”

      “As much as I wanted to help President Obama further his agenda, it took me away from mine. My focus needed to return to R.E.A.L.”

      She nodded her head in understanding. “Good choice.”

      He grinned. “I’m glad you think so.”

      “Good night.”

      “Good night.”

      Graham stood in his doorway and waited until the elevator door swished closed. He slowly shut his door and hoped that he hadn’t made an awful mistake in hiring Alexis Montgomery.

      * * *

      Alexis had finished putting away her groceries, seasoned a piece of salmon and was waiting for it to finish broiling when her doorbell chimed. She frowned, wiped her hands on a towel and went to the door and pulled it open.

      “Graham. Mr. Stone.”

      “Graham is fine.” He held up one of the Gristedes bags. “This was mixed in with mine.” He extended the bag that was filled with salad greens.

      “I thought it might