A Love Like This (Book 1) (31 page)

“
Hi Leila,
”
 
Joan says walking over to hug me.
 
 
“
I know our resident busy body here told you everything.
”
 
 
Sharon lowers her head and focuses on her basket.
 
 
“
I
’
ve wanted you to meet my son for weeks now.
 
He
’
s a really nice guy but he has horrible taste in women.
 
I was planning to invite you to dinner tonight but he just called and said he
’
s bringing some girl.
”
 

“
I just started dating someone,
”
 
I say.
 

She pulls up a chair next to me.
 
 
“
Is it serious?
”

“
Pretty serious,
”
 
I say.
 
She looks down at my hand.
 
I forgot to take off the ring.
 
 
“
It
’
s just a promise ring,
”
 
I say.

“
That
’
s some promise,
”
 
she says with a raised eyebrow.
 
 
“
Anyway, I know you two would be perfect for each other.
 
Will you just come for dinner as a favor to me?
 
I told him he wasn
’
t allowed to bring his dreadful new girlfriend.
”

“
You should give her a chance you might like her.
”

“
The stories I could tell you about some of the women my son
’
s dated.
”

My cell phone buzzes in my
 
purse.
 
I excuse myself and read
 
the text message.
 
The message is from Tucker.
 
He says he needs to reschedule dinner and that he
’
ll call to explain soon.

“
Well it looks like I
’
m free for the night.
 
I
’
d love to come for dinner,
”
 
I say to Joan.

“
That
’
s wonderful,
”
 
she says reaching over to hug me.
 

“
This is not a set up.
 
I
’
m in a committed relationship.
”

“
Oh sweetie you
’
re only twenty.
 
Commitments can change like the weather at your age.
”
 
 
Joan writes down her address.
 
 
“
Come around five.
 
I know you love architecture.
 
I
’
ll give you a tour of my house.
”
 

Sharon who has been quietly listening the whole time says,
 
“
Looks like you
’
re
 
gonna
 
have a new boyfriend soon.
”

______

Tucker and Mike meet at The Cave for lunch.
 
They seat themselves and order Buffalo wings and a pitcher of beer when the waiter comes to their table.

“
What happened to you this weekend?
 
I thought you were going to hand out with us.
”

“
I got tied up at work.
 
I had to settle a few accounts at my old job while preparing financial proposals at the new job.
 
It
’
s been crazy.
 
Did you guys have a good time?
”

“
Yeah we flew to Las Vegas, drank too much the usual.
 
So what else have you been up to?
 
We haven
’
t really talked in a while.
”

“
Just work,
”
 
Mike says looking down at the table.
 

“
What
’
s on your mind Mike,
”
 
Tucker asks.

Mike smoothes his napkin on the table trying to gather his nerve.
 
He exhales loudly,
 
“
Nothings on my mind I
’
m just overwhelmed with work.
 
I really need to get away.
”

“
We
’
re flying to LA next week.
 
Its Leila
’
s birthday you should come with us if you can get away.
”

“
I haven
’
t been to LA in a while.
 
I might take you up on that offer.
 
I have a few clients down there.
 
I can make this a business trip and charge it to the company.
”
 
 
Their food arrives and they eat in silence for a few minutes.
 
 
“
I talked to Samantha today,
”
 
Mike says.
 
“
She wanted us all to go out together.
”

Tucker replies without lifting his gaze from his plate.
 
“
That
’
s not a good idea,
”

Mike nods his agreement as he tears into his plate of wings.
 
“
So you
’
re really into this Leila girl.
 
Samantha told me that a woman answered your phone when she called over the weekend.
”

“
That was probably Sarah or Leila
’
s sister
 
Nickie.
”

“
You had three girls at your house this weekend?
”

“
Yeah but it
’
s not what you think.
 
I
’
m in love with Leila.
”

Mike looks up from his plate of food in astonishment.
 
 
“
In all the years I
’
ve known you I have never heard you say those words.
”

“
It
’
s never been true before.
”

“
Not even with Samantha,
”
 
Mike asks.

“
I loved Samantha but not like this,
”
 
Tucker says.
 

_____

Joan
’
s house is located at the top of a mountain that looks completely uninhabited.
 
We drive up to the gate that surrounds the house.
 
John rolls down the car window and presses the intercom button.
 
I ask him to,
 
“
Tell the person on the other end that Leila Peterson is here for Joan Noland.
”
 
 
 
I know giving them the last name Bradley would raise questions.
 
The gate swings open and we careen up a winding stone drive way.
 
I step out of the car feeling under dressed.
 
The houses in Marin are usually designed to
fit into their surroundings.
 
They have lots of cedar sidings, natural colors and they
’
re
 
surrounded by trees.
 
This house is far from being a typical Marin home.
 
It
’
s white with huge pillars on the second floor veranda.
 
It has to be at least 15,000 square feet and the scenery from the cobble stone walk way
is breathtaking.
 
I look past
the rolling green hills to a view of the bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.

“
Leila,
”
 
Joan says as she walks up to hug me.
 
She
’
s wearing a Saint John dress with flared sleeves that make her look like a bird in flight.
 
 
“
I
’
m so happy you came,
”
 
She says taking my hand and leading me up the walkway.
 

“
Your home is so beautiful.
”

“
Thank you dear.
 
You recognize that,
”
 
she says pointing to a trail of plants
 
along the walk way.

“
Yes, that
’
s purple love grass.
”

“
My son and I planted it after I saw your picture.
”

“
About your son,
”
 
I say stopping on the walk way and turning to face her.

“
Here he is now,
”
 
She says.

I stop breathing for a full minute and everything in my path goes black.
 
“
Isn
’
t he handsome,
”
 
Joan says as Tucker approaches the place where I stand frozen.

“
Tucker is your son,
”
 
I manage to say,
 
“
But your last names.
”

“
Noland is my maiden name,
”
 
she says.
 
 
“
How do you know Tucker,
”
 
She asks.

“
She was in one of my classes,
”
 
Tucker says.
 
I
’
m still too stunned to speak.

“
Honey
 
are
 
you alright?
”
 
Joan asks.

“
We should get her inside,
”
 
Tucker says.
 

“
Tucker this is Leila by the way,
”
 
Joan says as we walk into the house.
 
I sit down at an enormous kitchen table.
 
 
“
I knew you
’
d forget all about whomever it is your dating when you met my son.
”

“
But,
”
 
I say looking back and forth from Tucker to Joan.
 
I
’
m not sure why I didn
’
t see the family resemblance.
 
They have the exact same midnight blue eyes.
 

“
So this is the woman you
’
ve been telling me about,
”
 
Tucker says taking a bottle of water from the refrigerator and handing it to me.
 
 
“
You
’
re right she is beautiful,
”
 
Tucker says staring down at me with a look of amusement.