Once You've Tasted Love

Chapter 23

*3 weeks later*

It was a week until Christmas now. I was sitting on my sofa in my little flat. Yes, I was back at home since the beginning of December, but it didn't feel like home anymore. It felt strange to sit here, alone, in a place I actually barely knew cause I hadn’t been here much, knowing Gary was only about a 10 minute drive away. Not that Gary and I weren't happy together, but I missed not being at his. It wasn't the size or the furnishings of the house, it was the smell of Gary in the house that made me feel nice and comfortable. 

Another thing that was bugging me was that I had no idea what to get Gary for Christmas. I knew what he liked, but what could you buy a man who basically has everything or was able to get himself everything he wanted that could be bought? This was mission impossible. Of course I could go into the next perfumery and buy him a bottle of his favourite aftershave, but I wanted to give him something a bit more special. I decided to ask one of the boys and called Mark as he was the one I had thhe most contact with.

"Hello?" 

"Hi Mark, it's Clara." 

"Oh, hi love. Something wrong?" 

"No no, I just wanted to ask you if you could give me an idea of what to get Gary for Christmas." 

"Uhm... let me think....That's it!" 

I feowned "What?" 

"Is there an amount of money you want to spend?" 

"Not really. As long as it's not a million of pounds, cause I haven’t got that much money." 

"Okay, meet me in half an hour at that café you and Kennedy meet sometimes." 

I frowned again "What for?" 

"You and me are going christmas shopping." 

"Oh, okay, nice, see ya."

I freshened up a little and headed into the city. Half an hour later I was sitting in the café, drinking a hot chocolate while I was waiting for Mark. My inner fangirl made a short appearance, I was waiting for Mark fucking Owen. I wasn't anyone anymore, yet still, I couldn’t quite wrap my head around it. 

"Hi love" Mark gave me a hug. 

"Hi. Why did you want to meet me?" 

He grinned "Because you need a present for Gary and I need some presents too and an opinion from a woman could help me." 

I laughed "Oh god Mark!" 

We both sat down as he wanted something to warm him up too and he ordered himself a cup of coffee. 

"So what is your idea for me?" I was really excited to know what he had in mind. 

"It's just an idea but Gary was talking to me yesterday about some production pedals he had seen and he really liked. I’m sure you know that geeky side of his by now.”

I giggled and nodded, knowing exactly what Mark meant by Gary’s geeky side.

He continued "Somehow he said he wasn't going to buy them though, he wanted to spend more money on you." 

I blushed "Aww he is so adorable but I told him more than once he needn't buy me anything. However, I think that's a good idea Markie... If he spends his money on me instead of those pedals, then I'll spend the money on them." 

"That's the spirit!"
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"You know I really owe you one. I hope he likes them." 

"He will, otherwise blame me. But you could do me a favour."