A Love Like This (Book 1) (37 page)

“That’s the architectural firm right?”

“Yeah, I have an interview for an internship next week,” I say clutching my stomach and groaning from the pain.

“Do you want one of my special pills?”

“Maybe later,” I say rolling onto my side.

“I’m all packed,” Sarah says zipping her bag.
 
“Aren’t you going to get dressed,” She asks looking at my sweats and baby-T with disdain.
 

“I’m not feeling very motivated.
 
Tucker and Mike won’t be here for over an hour.
 
I need a nap.”

“No, you will not be a big slug this week.
 
Your birthday’s coming up and we are going to paint the town.”

“Sarah the last time I went out with you I ended up married.”

“And look how well that turned out,” She says.
 
“Okay, I know your birthday isn’t for a few days but you need to open my gift now.
 
It’ll motivate you
 
to get up.”
 
She pulls a Barney’s New York Box from under her bed and my eyes nearly pop out of my head.

I tear into it and inside
 
is
 
the most beautiful
 
black strapless dress I’ve ever seen. I quickly remove all of my clothes and slip into the dress.
 
It’s knee length with an
 
elongated draped back panel.
 
I rub the cool smooth silk and feel all tingly inside.
 
“Sarah it’s gorgeous.
 
This dress had to cost at least a thousand dollars.
 
How can you afford it?”

“I borrowed my mom’s credit card.
 
She spends so much money at Barney’s that she’ll never miss it.”

“I’ll have to suck in my stomach.
 
The period bloating and the chocolate muffin I had for breakfast have given me a pot belly.”

“What are you talking about?
 
You’re as thin as a rail.”

“According to Tucker’s ex-fiancé Samantha I’m a real porker.”

“You didn’t tell me Samantha was there this weekend.”

I tell Sarah the whole story about Samantha and Shauna, about falling, and about the rings.
 

“I can’t believe you let that bitch get away with kissing Tucker and calling you fat.”

“It wasn’t my finest moment but what was I supposed to do?”

“You should have scratched her eyes out but it’s too late for that now.”
 
Sarah gets a mischievous look on her face.
 
“I think you need to teach your new husband a lesson.”

“I can’t stay mad at him.
 
I’m so weak,” I say falling onto my bed.

“You don’t have to get upset.
 
I just don’t think he realizes how lucky he is to have you.
 
When we get to the airport we’re going to do some harmless flirting.
 
It’ll just fan the flame a little.”

“I don’t see the point but I’ll play along,” I say climbing off the bed to finish dressing.

I place
my hair in a high messy bun before
add
ing
lengthening mascara to my lashes.
 
I apply sh
in
y eye shadow and red lip stick.
 
I put on silver hoop earrings and cover myself in orange body butter being extra careful not to touch my new silk dress with greasy fingers.
 
Sarah answers the door when the driver arrives.
 
I slide into six inch strappy silver heels, pick up my carry on and red satchel then follow Sarah out the door.
 
The driver wheels our luggage behind us.
 
Tucker and Mike step out of a black SUV when they see us.
 
I ignore the stares and whispers of onlookers.
 
I’ve gotten use to the attention that comes with my new entourage.
 
Mike takes Sarah’s hand and helps her into the car.
 
Tucker walks over and takes my carry-on bag.
 
He hands it to the driver and embraces me as if we haven’t’ seen each other in weeks.
 
In reality it’s only been about two hours.
 
He rubs his hands down the sides of my dress.

“Is this new?”
 
He asks with his lips just inches from mine.
 

“Birthday gift from Sarah,” I say.
 
He rubs my butt and kisses me.
 
I pull away feeling breathless,
 
“Remember we’re not going to tell anyone else we’re married.”

“Ok,” he says moving his lips back towards mine.

“No, I’m serious.
 
Telling your family was a disaster and my family is twice as crazy as yours.”

“I won’t say a word to anyone,” he says kissing me.

“Will you two get in the damn car?” Sarah yells.
 
I laugh and pull Tucker towards the car.
 
When we get to the airport Sarah and I walk a few feet ahead of Tucker and Mike.
 

I hear Mike say, “I feel like a theme song should be playing when your girl walks by.”

“I married her.
 
She’s my wife not my girlfriend and she’s totally out of my league,” I hear Tucker reply.
 
I just shake my head and walk a little faster while he and Mike discuss the details of what will forever be known as the drunken wedding.
 

Sarah nudges me with her elbow. “Look,” She says motioning her head towards a few gawking TSA workers.

“Sarah I don’t want to flirt with strange men.”

“Trust me it’ll be good for him,” She says.
 
We check in at the ticket counter and walk towards the security gate.
 
Sarah and I lead the way.
 
I smile at one of the guards at the security checkpoint and hold his gaze for a few minutes longer than necessary.
 
I know that the guard is still watching so I stick my butt out a little further than usual when I bend over to take of my shoes.
 
 
I place my shoes and purse in one of the plastic boxes and slide it through the surveillance machine before walking thru the metal detector.
 
It doesn’t beep but the guy I smiled at rushes over with a metal detecting wand.

“Step to the side please,” he says.
 
I pick up my shoes and purse and follow him a few feet away from the security stand.
 
I slide into my shoes and mentally kick myself for listening to Sarah.
 
I adjust the top of the dress, lift my arms and look for Tucker hoping he doesn’t see the guard smiling as he slowly moves the wand over my body.
 
Thank God Tucker’s slipping on his shoes and doesn’t seem to notice.
 
Mike is on his cell phone oblivious to his surroundings and I have no idea where Sarah disappeared to.
 
“So what’s your name,” the guard asks. According to his badge his name is Hector.
 
He’s a good looking guy and under different circumstances I wouldn’t have a problem talking to him.
 

“Leila,” I say feeling my voice catch in my throat.

“Where are you headed?”
 
He asks still scanning me with the wand.

“I’m going to LA.
 
Did something I’m wearing set the monitor off?”

“Nope, you’re just
 
hella
 
fine,” He says with a slight Spanish accent.
 
So I brought you over to
 
holla
 
at you for a minute,” He says with a grin.
 
He’s still waving the wand over my body and my arms are killing me.
 
“Do you have a boyfriend?”
 

I manage to get the word, “I” out before Tucker interrupts the conversation.

“No she has a husband,” He says from behind me.
 
I swing around to face him. Tucker looks pissed. “So we’re done here,” he says.

“You’re free to go,” Hector says looking equally irritated.
 
 
Tucker takes my hand and walks so quickly that I have to nearly run to keep up with him.

I snatch my hand away from him.
 
“Why are you angry?”
 
I ask.

“Why were you talking to that man?”

“Really Tucker, you’re asking me about talking to a TSA worker when
 
just a few days ago you were kissing your ex-fiancé.”

“I told you she was never my
 
fiancé
 
and she kissed me.”
 
He looks down at me angrily.
 
“And why don’t you want me to tell people we’re married?”

“So that’s what this is about.
 
It’s not that I don’t want people to know.
 
I just think it’s too soon,
 
besides I don’t even have a ring.
 
Who would believe we’re married at all?”
 
I’m
 
PMSing
 
and ready to cry at any moment so I cross my arms over my chest and walk away before he can respond.
 
I sit down near the entrance to the plane and take out my phone to text
 
Pookie.
 
Tucker heads over to the newspaper stand and does his best to ignore me.
 
Mike and Sarah materialize.
 
They come over and sit on either side of me.
 
They’d been watching the whole seen play out.

“So I take it operation
 
teach
 
hubby a lesson failed,”
 
Sarah says.

“Trouble in paradise,” Mike asks with a smirk.

“I could slug you both,” I say.

Chapter 17

 
 
 
 
 
The last time Tucker and I fought
 
we made up by making love.
 
Since that isn’t an option right now our trip from Oakland to Los Angeles is mostly silent.
 
Tucker is polite and protective as always but he’s not saying much.
 
He rents an SUV and Sarah and I sit on the backseat talking as we navigate through the streets of LA towards Long Beach.
 
I glance up at the rear view mirror every once in a while and catch Tucker watching me.
 
When we get to my family home a few of my cousins are loitering on the front lawn.
 
They put on their mean mugs when the car stops in front of the house. Their tattooed arms are folded menacingly over their buff chests.
 
I’m so excited to be home that I don’t wait for Tucker to open my car door.
 
The minute the car comes to a halt I jump out and run towards my cousins.
 
 
Dayday
 
is my Aunt Clara’s oldest son.
 
He’s spent the last two years in jail for possession of narcotics.
 
He lifts his dark shades
and
 
smiles at me. “Girl you are fine as hell,” he says hugging me a little too tight.
 
If you weren’t my cousin----“

“Yuck,” I say quickly moving away from him and hugging my uncle’s son’s
 
Nogood
 
and
 
Koolaid.
 
 

I look towards the house and see DJ standing in the door way.
 
“Granddad,” DJ yells. “Auntie Leila’s hear with some white people and a
 
narc.”

“Come here boy,” I say walking up the stairs to hug him.
 
I can’t believe how big he’s gotten.
 
I turn around and look over at Tucker pulling bags from the trunk; Sarah sitting on the back seat putting on makeup and Mike sitting on the front seat texting.
 
Life was so much simpler a few weeks ago.
 
I walk back down the stairs and over to the car where Tucker’s standing.
 
“Can we talk,” I say.
 
Tucker and I have spent every waking moment together since we got married.
 
Not speaking to him is breaking my heart.
 
We walk a few feet away from the car. “I’m not sure if you know this,” I say placing a hand on his stomach, “but you’re my first love.”
 
He smiles down at me and I bite my bottom lip.
 
“You were my first everything really.”
 
He takes my hand brings it to his lips and kisses my palm gently.
 
“You don’t need to worry about TSA workers or any other man because you have a place in my heart that no one else could ever fill.”
 
He wraps his massive arms around me and I feel so safe.