The Gift by Cecelia Ahern Read Free Book Online Page A

replaced the coldness in his body, making his lips full and red and his cheeks nicely rosy instead of the frozen, pallid color of before.
    Lou didn’t quite know what to say, so, sensing a moment that was far deeper than he was comfortable with, he splashed around in the shallow end instead.
    “That stuff you told me about the shoes, earlier?”
    Gabe nodded.
    “That was good. I wouldn’t mind if you kept your eyes open for more of that kind of thing. Let me know now and then about what you see.”
    Gabe nodded.
    “Have you somewhere to stay?”
    “Yes.” Gabe looked back at his reflection in the mirror. His voice was quiet.
    “So you’ve an address to give Harry? He’ll be your boss.”
    “You won’t be my boss?”
    “No.” Lou took his BlackBerry again and began scrolling for nothing in particular. “No, you’ll be in another…department.”
    “Oh, of course.” Gabe straightened up, seeming a little embarrassed for thinking otherwise. “Right. Great. Thanks so much, Lou, really.”
    Lou nodded it off, feeling embarrassed, too. “Here.” He handed Gabe his comb from his pocket while looking the other way.
    “Thanks.” Gabe took it, held the comb under the tap, and began to shape his messy hair. Then Lou hurried him on and led him back out of the men’s room and through the marble lobby to the elevators.
    Gabe offered the comb back to Lou as they walked.
    Lou shook his head and waved his hand dismissively looking around to make sure nobody waiting by the elevators had seen the gesture. “Keep it. You have an employer number, social security number, things like that?” he rattled off at Gabe.
    Gabe shook his head, looking concerned. His fingers ran up and down the silk tie, as though he was afraid it would run off.
    “Don’t worry, we’ll sort that out. Okay,” Lou startedto move away as his phone began ringing, “I’d better run.”
    “Of course. Thanks again. Where do I go?”
    “Down a floor. The mailroom,” he said quickly, before answering his phone.
    Gabe looked surprised at first, and then his pleasant face returned, and he smiled at Lou.
    Lou knew that offering Gabe a job was a great gesture and that there was nothing wrong with the mailroom, but somehow he felt that it wasn’t enough, that the young man standing before him was not only capable but expectant of much more. There was no reasonable explanation for why on Earth he felt this—Gabe was as warm, friendly, and appreciative as he had been the very first moment Lou had met him—but there was something about the way he looked, standing there. There was just…something.
    “Do you want to meet for lunch or anything?” Gabe asked hopefully as soon as Lou snapped his phone shut.
    “No can do,” Lou replied, his phone starting to ring again. “I’ve such a busy day ahead, you know…” He trailed off as the elevator doors opened and people began filing in. Gabe moved to step in with Lou.
    “This one’s going up,” Lou said quietly, his words a barrier to Gabe’s entrance.
    “Oh, okay.” Gabe took a few steps back. Before the doors closed and a few last people scurried in, Gabe asked, “Why are you doing this for me?”
    Lou swallowed hard and shoved his hands deep intohis pockets. “Consider it a gift.” And the doors closed.
    When Lou reached the fourteenth floor a minute later, he was more than surprised as he headed to his office to see Gabe pushing a mail cart around the floor, depositing packages and envelopes on people’s desks. At the same time as his mouth tried to formulate words, his mind ran through how long it must have taken Gabe to get from the basement to this floor. It was simply impossible. He stared at Gabe, openmouthed.
    Gabe looked around and back at Lou with uncertainty, smoothing down the new tie he’d been given and checking to make sure he hadn’t dirtied it. “This is the thirteenth floor, isn’t it?” he asked.
    “It’s the fourteenth,” Lou replied breathlessly, speaking the