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"It’s not that I just think you’re working toos will slon after the holidays, you’ll see Besides, I’ht now--kind of don’t have a choice," I re the top of my head

I kissed his chest "It’ll ease up, I swear in the naeBob HandBird"

A hter And a fewfor a different reason

Eh, sleep is overrated Being turned over by a Wallbanger? Priceless

• • •

The week of Thanksgiving started out okay TheSimon behind while I headed over to work for a few hours, came home, and then ate nad turnovers with Simon in bed Or, ate turnovers in bed with Sih point of the week

Without a family to speak of, Si as well as Christ he’d take ether, but he wasn’t quite ready for that

He’d le, I have never seen Si the parents is a big deal in any relationship, but he’d never been involved with anyone long enough to h He flirted like hell withstories of Formula 1 races he’d attended over the years, and now he looked forward to spending time with them when they came to San Francisco But a turkey dinner in a house filled to bursting with family?

"I just can’t Maybe next year," he explained, while I handed him socks I’d folded for him He dropped therab some sweaters "They won’t be mad, will they? I mean, I alork this tiet it And I get it But I’ve finally got soether," I said quietly, watching as the sweaters went into the bag I’d be working like crazy right up until Thursday, but I’d planned on spending the rest of the week at home with my folks

"I know, babe You’ve been so busy lately even when I a a kiss onback into the closet

"What’s that supposed toa bit

"It’s not supposed toa few pairs of jeans

"You hardly see me because I’ I’ off the bed and standing in front of hiet it; you’re busy Chill"

My eyes bugged out of my head Did he just tell " He sighed

I started to snap back, then took a deep breath Let this one go I reached out and pulled hi my head drop onto his chest A few seconds later, I felt hih and then his arms were around me I breathed him in, then turned ether in Philadelphia"

His face shuttered He kissed ain, then turned to zip the suitcase closed "Tell your folks I said happy Thanksgiving," he said with a tight s day He was heading back east, doing a photo shoot on Thanksgiving in Plyri year in travel ional newspapers to boost the local econoinning ofthe entire weekend in Sausalito, to find that Clive had decided he’d had enough ofhi me his displeasure He’d left me presents Multiple presents In multiple shoes Iin his shoes The iht be if he did wear shoes wouldn’t leave my brain, so I spent a conference call with Ca cat shoes all over so to your intern why there were tiny paws in pumps all over a contract that she now had to reprint

The lowest point came on Wednesday afternoon after I sent everyone ho to be able to see s, I thought h to sneak away for two days, when I found an e-o To co thirty people over to her Nob Hill ho roo rooned for her conservatory, where drinks ht not, but just in case, could I please ht have lived there?

I lost my mind

I didn’t even close the door, since there was no one left there butthe sob snot fro onaround the desk--yes I was on the floor, that’s the best place for a breakdown-- I popped up and saw that it was Jillian

Should I answer? Should I not? She’d knoas upset Oh hell, let her

I pulledher call with one last nose blow

"Do you have a cold?" she asked, the video coh instantly I saw myself in the tiny , red eyes and red face, and I lied

"I do, how’re you?" I asked, trying to keep ht

"Great! We’re just about to take the train into Venice I never thought I’d be having Thanksgiving dinner in Venice, can you i dinner, but ere thinking h, right?" She laughed

"I’d think so What can I do for you, Jillian? You just caught me"

"I wasn’t sure you’d still be there When are you leaving for your folks’?"