boredom than a deep and lasting affection. In the beginning it seemed that we had a few things in common. At least we both had the same career that brought us together in an environment like Hollywood. But then I realized she was only using me and my fame to further her own career â to become known more as a star than as a mediocre actress.â
âWell, it looks like she has succeeded with all the trouble sheâs been creatingâ¦â Clover observed.
âYes, and I hope it will keep her warm at night!â
âSo, you arenât suffering for her any more?â
âSuffering?â Cade shook his head. âYou can only suffer when you still have feelings. This is not the case. Alice is definitely attractive, and at the beginning she was also somehow stimulating⦠but I soon understood that she didnât have any real love for me, beyond my movie star image. I probably just did what men do sometimes â I went with the flow â kind of passive, right? Now she has made me look ridiculous in front of half of America, and sheâs trying to play the victim with a broken heart. Too late, baby.â
âHa! Sheâll probably end up like your cheerleader, but even fatter and marrying an asshole!â Clover said, making him laugh.
âToo bad for the husband!â
âOk, now to work. Who shall we start with?â
âMy father. Heâs the hard one.â
*
After about three hours, Clover felt that she had a complete history â down to the smallest details â of the Harrison family. They started with Cadeâs father, William. Clover learned about the loving relationship he had with his blonde and ethereal wife, Grace. She heard how Graceâs abundant energy and determination helped to soften the rather sharp edges of her husbandâs difficult character. They had four children. Cade, who was the eldest; then Jake, now a successful writer; Heather, an interior designer, and Cecile, who was still in college.
Cade had talked at length about each one of them. He knew their personalities well, but â by the end of the afternoon â they still hadnât bought anything yet. Clover was surprised: he seemed to know his familyâs taste and desires, and in similar situations she would have already accomplished everything in a couple of hours.
âI thought it would be easy, but it looks like itâs going to take me some more time and work to find the right thing for everyone in your familyâ¦â she said, while they were walking through Central Park.
âThis time I really want their gifts to be special!â Cade walked head down. âBut it felt like you had some very good ideasâ¦â
âApparently, not that many! We have been in so many shops and weâre still empty-handed,â Clover clarified. âYouâve moved away from giving them anonymous checks to being way too picky⦠nothing seems exactly right. Youâre a perfectionist!â
âAha! Maybe itâs your fault. Youâre the one who introduced me to the
joys
of Christmas, and now Iâm obsessed with the idea of buying the right gifts.â He put an arm around her shoulders, looking at her sweetly.
To avoid a panic attack, Clover slipped away and pointed at a café. âWould you like a
cup of heaven
?â
âI donât know⦠what is it?â
âYouâll see.â
The interior of the café was pleasantly warm, but Clover preferred to sit outdoors, on a protected terrace with a view of one of the lakes in Central Park.
âI always tell myself I should rent a boat and have a picnic on the lake; but I always end up here during the winter, when the lake is almost iced over!â Clover was sipping her hot chocolate with a pile of whipped cream on top.
âNone of your boyfriends has ever brought you here for a romantic boat tour?â
Clover choked. âPleeasee! Who would do something
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