Page 28 of A Gift of Time
“Is it okay if I hang up some of my clothes?” he asked once we’d set down the suitcases. “I don’t want my shirts getting wrinkled.”
“Go for it,” I said. “Need any help?”
Of course, he didn’t, so I left the room to give him some space to get settled. Neither of us had eaten dinner, but it was too cold outside. I didn’t want to go back out in it, if I could avoid it.
“Is Chinese okay?” I called from the kitchen. “I can order it and have it delivered.”
“That’d be excellent!” he answered from my bedroom before sticking his head out to look at me. “I’ll have—”
“Sweet and sour chicken with a side of fried rice and an eggroll, right?” I asked without thinking as I pulled up the search engine on my phone to get the number of the restaurant.
I scrolled down the list and clicked on the one we both loved. Not receiving an answer, I looked up to see his stunned expression, and I realized my slip-up.
It was what Caden always ordered. But I wasn’t supposed to know that.
Immediately, I tried to think of an excuse as to why I knew his order, but nothing came to me.Shit.
His brows pulled together and his mouth opened a little, as if he was going to say something, but then it closed.
“Cay… I—”
“When you came into my store the first time, you asked if I knew you,” he said, walking closer. “Why did you ask that? When I told you no, you said you were mistaken, but you seem to know things about me, Jack. And honestly, it’s freaking me out a little.”
“I’m psychic?”
Oh for fuck’s sake, I did not just say that.
“Psychic,” Caden said in a disbelieving tone, cutting his eyes.
“Just kidding,” I said, smiling through my nerves. “That’s what I was going to get, so I thought I’d be smooth and try to guess your order. So, I was right?”
Fortunately, he seemed to fall for the lie, because the distrust vanished from his face and he returned my smile. “Yeah, you did. You’re freaky, Jack.”
Another bullet dodged. Thank god.
“But I’m harmless,” I said, lifting a brow. “I mean,you’rethe axe murderer, so you have nothing to fear.”
Caden giggled, and it was one of my favorite sounds in the world, even though he despised it.
“Dammit, don’t make me laugh. It’s embarrassing,” he said before covering his mouth.
“Whatever, Sir McGiggles a Lot,” I teased, using the nickname I gave him after I first heard it four years before.
Of course, the Caden in front of me didn’t remember that.
He didn’t recall any of our funny memories, or the countless times I’d made love to him, slow and tender just the way he loved. The kisses we’d shared or the way his lips fit so perfect against mine. All of that was lost to him.
“Can you stop teasing and order the food now?” he asked as he fought a smile. “I’m starving.”
We can make new memories.
If I failed and couldn’t get him to fall in love with me by the deadline, I could spend the rest of my life inthisreality with him.
Once the food was ordered, I poured us a glass of wine and started the fire—it was one of those electronic ones that wasn’t an actual wood burning fire—before sitting on the couch.
He walked closer to the fire, studying it, before his gaze lifted to the clock on the mantel. “Oh my god. This is gorgeous.” His fingers lightly glided along the green exterior and traced the gold designs. Glancing at me over his shoulder, he asked, “Where did you get this?”
“Some small Christmas shop,” I answered, trying my hardest not to show my revulsion for the damn thing. “I think it’s closed down now.”
