Read Online All I Want For Christmas Is You by Dahlia Rose - Free Book Online

morning after their confrontation, and Casey was once again alone. Christmas was long gone, and New Year’s festivities were about to take place.
     
    “I need her number, Jeff.” Casey had made him the first call in search of finding Ileana and righting the wrong he had made.
     
    “It’s about damn time,” Jeff had grumbled. “You didn’t even ask her for the number, jeez, kid.”
     
    After getting off the phone with Jeff, Casey had called Ileana’s number, only to find it disconnected. The second step was to go to her apartment, and again, Jeff had the information Casey sought. He once again was chewed out before he could get one iota of information. He took the tongue-lashing, knowing it was the truth and he deserved it for messing up. The trip to Brooklyn took forever until he pulled up in front of Ileana’s building and rang the buzzer. There was no answer. He pressed it again and again but to no avail.
     
    “Hey, buddy, you looking for someone?” Casey turned to see a chubby man with a stubbly beard stood behind him.
     
    “Uh, yeah, the girl from five C, Ileana . . . .”
     
    “Yeah, the looker. She moved out about a week ago.”
     
    “She moved out? Do you know where she went?’ Casey asked.
     
    “I’m the super here not to keep tabs on everyone,” the man snapped. “All I know, she was behind on her rent. She got kicked out of the joint.”
     
    Casey turned and left without a word before he punched the mouthy superintendent of the building. The information stunned Casey. She knew she had no money when she left. But still she threw everything back at him and still spent the weekend knowing she would be evicted when she got home. The anger he had turned toward himself for the fool he had been. He had to find her now and make amends. He would find her and beg her to come home with him and ask her not to stop loving him. He got back into the car and directed his driver to go to Jeff’s office building. On the way there, he came upon a plan that made him laugh. All he needed was to pull a few strings, and if Ileana was in New York City, she would know he was looking for her.
     
    * * * *
     
    New Year’s Eve and Ileana sat on her friend Beth’s sofa and watched the people clamor in Times Square. They swarmed with excitement to see the ball drop and usher in two thousand ten. She wanted nothing to do with celebrating. She only wanted to curl up on the chair she now slept in until she could get back on her feet, and cry herself to sleep. Dressed in long fleece pajamas and thick socks, she watched the TV as it showed Dick Clark’s face as he spoke and then showed the celebration as it went on live from other states. She should be happy, but instead, she was moping and eating chocolate cookies straight from the box.
     
    “We should really go out.”
     
    “Too cold,” Ileana said around a mouthful of cookie.
     
    “It’s a night of new beginnings. We should go and be among the masses.” Beth gave her a nudge with her shoulder.
     
    “Beth, I’m homeless. If you hadn’t given me your couch to sleep on, I’d be among the masses in Central Park looking for a box to sleep in.”
     
    “Okay. If you say anything that depressing for the rest of the night, we need more than cookies, more like tequila.” Beth snorted. “It’s not the homeless part that gets you. It’s the Casey thing that still hurts, and you know it.”
     
    “Whatever. I’m over him.” Ileana stuffed another cookie in her mouth.
     
    “Gimme those cookies before you gain twenty pounds just sitting on my couch.”
     
    Beth made a grab for the bag, and Ileana held them away. She glared at her friend. “Listen, short stuff. These will not deceive or lie to me, so leave me and my cookies alone.”
     
    “Honey, I just want you to get over this guy and be the Ileana I know and love.” Beth pulled her into a hug.
     
    “I know, but this has been a hell of a year.” Ileana sighed as tears pricked her eyes. “I need