He sat the contraption down then looked at me. “You should’ve shopped for clothing yesterday. Your clothes are not going to be acceptable.”
I hadn’t known about clothing. Was that why he paid me early? To buy new clothes?
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t aware I was supposed to use the money left for clothing.”
Hale frowned. “Felicity didn’t explain that?”
I liked Felicity. She was very good at her job so telling him “no, she hadn’t,” felt like ratting her out. “I’m, uh, sure she did and I missed it somewhere.”
“Use the card. I’ll leave a list of stores for you to shop at to buy a new wardrobe. The clothing you brought doesn’t need to leave your suitcase. My world expects different. Understand?”
I nodded because I was beginning to understand. He had changed my name and now he was changing my clothing. But then, I thought, I am his employee and I need to look a certain way. I should accept that and not get so annoyed.
The words “yes sir” almost came out of my mouth.
“Good,” then his face softened and he smiled. That sexy sweet smile that I remembered from the days he bought me cupcakes. He walked over to me and his hand cupped my cheek. It seemed intimate and I froze, startled by the touch.
“I like having you here when I arrive. I missed you,” he said, with a tenderness he hadn’t used with me before.
My stomach fluttered and I wasn’t sure how to respond.
“Ezra will be here for a few hours. Less, if I’m lucky. We’ll go shopping together if you’d like.”
The idea of shopping with Hale frightened me. I wasn’t going to know what kind of clothing he expected me to buy and the pressure of having him watch and study me didn’t sound fun at all.
“You wear your thoughts so clearly in those eyes,” he chuckled. “It’s okay Sam. I’ll help you shop.”
I simply nodded. His hand fell away and my face still held the warmth of his touch. “I’ll take the wine out. You can go ahead and start on lunch. If I were alone I’d have you join me, but Ezra is a business partner and I’ll need some privacy.”
I frowned. What kind of business partner could he be? “He doesn’t look like you or your world,” I said without thinking.
“He’s from Texas,” Hale replied, as if that explained it all.
“He’s also rude and seems rough.”
Hale laughed as he lifted the two glasses of wine. There was a drip from the bottle and his pour had been off center, though he had found the drop and thumbed it. The kitchen was perfect again. “He is. That’s why he’s good at his job.”
I didn’t say anything else, watching as Hale left the kitchen.
I had to figure out what lunch was. I knew the list of groceries Felicity sent said something about meal preparation. I knew how to cook just fine, but I was concerned that the fancy food Hale would request might be difficult to make. Instead of walking around cleaning all morning I should’ve been going over food and putting a menu together. Lesson learned. Next time I’d know.
Luckily there was a lunch example Felicity sent to prepare me in case of an emergency. Fresh crab with an Asian salad, their cost combined like buying a calf, but of course this was New York City. I fixed a plate with both of these, adding a side plate of hummus with pita chips and a mixture of vegetables. This was one of Hale’s “go to meals.” I felt safe serving them this.
She said to “take out the hummus first.” This was an appetizer.
I wished I didn’t have to see Ezra. I’d have to get over my aversion to him, sooner better than later.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Hale and Ezra paused their conversation every time I delivered something. Hale lifted his empty wine glass. His way of telling me they needed refills. Momma would’ve slapped his face. Things in this world were different. More formal, and way less friendly.
Fortunately, Hale didn’t look at me oddly when I served their courses of food. I suppose I was doing it correctly. I had to look at the bright side of this. At least I wasn’t bored. Him being in town gave me something to do. And besides that was my job.
I kept busy in the kitchen cleaning and deciding what dinner would be. I wish Felicity had sent me a cookbook. That would have made things easier. The stuff I knew how to cook wasn’t the food he wanted. Smiling, I thought about frying up some chicken with a pot of mashed potatoes and maybe some collard greens. That would be hilarious.
The kitchen door opened behind me. I put the last dish away and spoke: “I was about to come check and see if you needed anything more.” Then I turned around.
It wasn’t Hale. It was Ezra.