by JN Welsh
Leona glanced back to find Paul dragging Ivy away and staring at her departing figure.
“Did I just assault Paul with a glass of champagne?”
“Yes. You. Did. Escape now, to the patio bar. I’ll meet you there.” Izzy addressed the crowd. “Show’s over, everyone.”
* * *
Leona rushed to the patio bar. She breathed in the warm night air and tried to calm her beating heart. One arm hugged her middle and her other hand pressed her left ear. She hated losing control, and with Paul of all people. Inhale one, exhale two. Center. Breathe. She prayed that the media people at the event didn’t moonlight for the gossip rags and that her tiff with Paul didn’t make the headlines.
“He better not renege on his deal with Abe,” she said to herself. “Let it go. Focus on what you can control.” She repeated her mantra several times.
The sound of her phone interrupted her thoughts. Luke’s name displayed on the screen and her heart thumped in her chest.
Leona picked up. “Hello?”
“Hey.” Luke’s voice tickled her ear with anxious excitement that she’d recognized in her own voice. “I sent you an email with your ticket information.”
“Whoa. Already?” Leona couldn’t keep the smile from spreading across her face.
“Yes.” His chuckle was deep and sweet. “That’s how much I want you here. I’ll see you Monday night.”
“Yes, Monday night.”
“Hey, you sound different. Stressed, maybe. Everything okay? You’re not having second thoughts, are you?”
“No, I’m at a gallery event with Izzy. I’m just waiting for her so we can leave.” She hugged the phone. She’d just assaulted Paul, and oh, by the way, Ivy cheated on Luke with her ex-boyfriend and the implications were freaking her out.
“Cool. Well, you ladies have fun.”
“And Luke?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m not having second thoughts. I’m looking forward to coming, too.”
“We’ll see,” was his seductive response.
She straight blushed and her clothes smothered her hot skin.
“See you soon, Leona.”
“You, too.”
* * *
“That was brilliant,” Izzy’s voice bellowed before Leona saw her. “I’ve been waiting a year for that moment, Leo. I’m so damn proud of you.”
Izzy ordered two beers from the bartender.
“I just need him to stay away from me.” Leona bypassed the glass the bartender offered and sipped her beer from the bottle.
“And you’re feeling all right?” Izzy studied her.
“It took a few moments for me to settle down but, surprisingly, yes. I’m all right.” Leona had no doubt that talking to Luke had had some strange calming effect.
Izzy nodded. “Now all you have to do is pull the curtain back on why that awful clown hasn’t produced a hit in ages and get your due.”
“Are you trying to calm me down or rile me up?”
“A bit of both, I suspect.” Izzy swigged her beer.
Leona smirked. “Moving on.”
“So you’re traveling again on Monday?”
“Yeah. I get to have Sunday dinner with you guys. These last couple of days off has been great. I mean I’ve been connecting with my team because I love my work, but being back in the city and seeing you and the fam is everything. Traveling will be nice though.” Leona smiled and could feel the corners of her lips tease a smile when she thought of meeting Luke. She didn’t want to be nervous but she was.
“What’s that about?” Izzy asked.
“What?”
“That thing you’re doing with your mouth. You did it earlier, don’t think I’ve forgotten.”
Leona went to drink her beer but Izzy guided the bottle back down to the table.
“Out with it, Sable.”
Leona felt a flush in her cheeks. This was her best friend, but she still struggled to divulge the information.
Izzy noticed her struggling. “Oh dear. It must be serious.”
Leona shut her eyes before blurting out, “I’m going to see Luke in California.” She opened one eye to see Izzy’s flat reaction to the news. Nothing.
“I know that already. You’ll be in San Francisco for one of Luke’s separate performance thingies, right?”
“Not like that, Izzy. Alone. Our break is ten days. I’m here for five days.” The intention in Leona’s words couldn’t be missed and brightness illuminated Izzy’s face.
“And you’ll be there for five,” Izzy expelled with soap-operatic flair. She put both elbows on the table and folded her arms. “Oh really? When did this happen? Tell me everything.”
Leona filled her in.
“I knew something was up when he landed that smooch on you in Denver.”
“We just...oh, I don’t know...”
“Get buck wild,” Izzy finished, rocking her pelvis.
“Do you have to say it like that?”
“Leo, love of my life, that’s what it is. Am I right?”
Leona let out a defeated sigh. “I guess.”
“This is juicier than what happened with Paul. You are just winning.”
Leona shrugged.
“Do you think you’ll really be able to not ask questions about his past? I mean you just saw his ex-manager with Paul. Surely you want to ask him about it? All you two will have is time and each other to spend it with. You, my love, don’t put things to rest easily.”
“Thanks.” Leona frowned.
“Anytime.”
Izzy spoke the truth. When Leona wanted to know something, she asked. Tommy had stopped her from pursuing additional information more than once. What would happen with no one around to stop her? What if Luke started his own inquisition and she had nowhere to run?
“What the hell am I thinking? I can’t go.” Leona plucked her phone from her clutch and dialed Luke’s number. The first thing she felt was a hard slap on her hand and the next thing she saw was her phone flying across the low lit bar area.
“Izzy! What the fuck?”
“I’m saving you from yourself. You are going to California, even if I have to put you on the plane.”
“But you’re right. When I’m in hot pursuit, I don’t give up. Why would I agree to try to do something that I am obviously going to fail at achieving?”
“Because failing is better than not trying at all.”
Leona was silent for a moment. “I’m a mess. It’s been a long time.”
“Clearly.” Izzy targeted the motion of Leona’s hand as she fiddled with her ear.
Leona sighed and folded her hands on the table.
“You’re just a little rusty. Once he’s naked and in front of you with those eyes, and that body, and those hands, it’ll all come back to you.” Izzy’s accent made the words sound less raunchy.
“Will you stop, please?” Leona couldn’t help but enjoy comedy hour with Izzy.
Izzy retrieved her phone, wiping it off with a beer-dampened napkin before handing it to her. “Here you go. All disinfected and everything.”
“Great.” Leona wrinkled her face and pinched the phone between her index finger and thumb, placing it on the table.
Izzy gave her the thumbs-up.
“This stays between us,” Leona warned.
Izzy’s face fell flat. “Really?”
Whatever she told Izzy was kept under an ironclad lock and key, but she said it anyway. “I know.”
“I can’t wait to hear all about it.” Izzy raised her beer glass. “To you, my sweetest Leo. To finally getting some.”
Leona groaned but raised her bottle and clinked it with Izzy’s, nonetheless.
Chapter Seventeen
Leona’s plane touched down in San Francisco on Monday night.
Her stomach was as tight as the knot on the bright green string that distinguished her luggage from the others. As she exited the airport a man in a suit displayed her initials on a small white board. She worried about Luke’s discretion, but so far he had done a stellar job with her arrangements. She hopped into the waiting vehicle while the driver handled her luggage.
As they drove along the coast, she was overwhelmed by the thought of seeing Luke. The sky neared dark but there were still surfers along the white foaming waves. Luke had excitedly mentioned the coast and surfing a few times during the tour, and Leona now imagined him out there gliding over the waves.
The car arrived at a set of wooden gates and the driver buzzed the intercom. Luke’s voice transmitted briefly before the locked gates opened. Her heart was pumping so hard it felt lodged in her throat. She was here. This was happening.
As the driver continued, a quaint stucco house with adobe ceramic roofing tiles came into view. Once stopped, Leona got out of the car and the driver wheeled over her luggage.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, miss.”
Large garden windows at ground level welcomed her as they glowed against the night. A few lush, decorative bushes that sprinkled the front provided privacy and rustic landscaping. Before she reached the front door, Luke was out of the house and making his way toward her. The butterflies in her stomach wouldn’t quit and her breathing accelerated.
He hugged her for a long moment.
Leona let go of her luggage and held his waist, sinking into the strength of his arms.
Luke breathed her in as he spoke against her ear. “Was the flight okay?”
Leona smiled as his breath tingled her ear. “Yes. Thanks for sending a car.”
“My pleasure.” Luke finished up with the driver, who bid them good night and departed.
Luke carried her luggage and motioned her to the house. “Come in and let me show you around.”
From the outside, the house seemed deceptively small, but inside, the space opened into a modern haven. The living room functioned as the central part of the house and, even without the sun, was bright. The TV was on and Luke quickly shut it off, placing the remote control with his now familiar computer and other music items lying on the couch. A huge picture window overlooked the ocean and another framed the grounds.
“This way.” He led her to two separate stairways that led to respective sides of the house. Even with its modern comforts, the house had endless nooks and crannies, giving it a cozy feel.
They arrived at Luke’s bedroom and the first thing Leona noticed, besides his musky fragrance, was a large window on the opposite side of the room with a view of the ocean. The masculine room had light gray walls and black furniture. Large gray rugs lay on dark brown hardwood floors. A gray folded throw sat atop off-white bedding, and white and red pillows decorated the black headboard of a canopy bed. Leona immediately recognized Luke’s style.
A colorful mosaic painting of a beach scene hung on the wall facing the bed and, though in contrast with the room, complemented the décor. No matter where you were in the room you were in view of the ocean or its representation.
This man loves the ocean. “This is gorgeous.” Leona’s eyes continued to scan the bedroom. Some of Luke’s items lay on the dresser, but it was neat and clean.
Luke set her luggage down. “There’s a bathroom through here.”
The adjoining bathroom was white with color coming mostly from the hand towels and decorative marble tiling. Leona was surprised to see his and her porcelain bowl sinks in the bachelor pad.
“You must be hungry. I made you dinner,” he said.
Leona’s stomach was so nervous she wasn’t sure she could even eat. “You did?”
“Don’t sound so stunned.” He feigned wounded.
“I didn’t... I mean, I’m sure you did a great job.” She chewed the inside of her lip and lowered her eyes. “Do you mind if I freshen up?”
“Make yourself at home. Can you find your way back to the kitchen?”
“I think I can manage.” She wasn’t sure why she would have an issue finding her way.
Luke left and Leona went into the bathroom. As she dried her face, she regarded her image in the over-the-sink wall mirror. “What am I doing?” She sighed. She knew damned well what she was doing and there was no turning back.
Once she was done, she navigated her way through the house. Navigating back to the kitchen wasn’t as easy as she thought it would be and now she understood, more fully, Luke’s question. Minutes later, she found him in the kitchen.
“Feeling better?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
Luke took her hand and led her through a sliding partition to the dining room. He seated her at the table. A bowl of salad and cut Italian bread sat between two place settings.
“Wow. The bread is so fresh I can smell it from here. Do you need any help?”
“Let’s see. Do you like wine?”
Leona raised her hand. “Admitted wino, right here.”
“Red okay? We’re having beef.” His face showed concern. “Wait. Do you eat red meat?”
“No. I’m vegetarian.” She wore the most serious face she could muster.
“Oh.” Luke scratched his head. “Uh...okay.”
Luke’s concern made it impossible for her to keep a straight face. She finally cracked. “I’m teasing, Luke. You’ve seen me eat on tour. I eat everything.”
“Is that right?”
She straightened at his seductive tone in an effort to keep her guard up at least through dinner. “Red is fine.”
Luke smiled, left for a minute, and returned with an open bottle of Chianti. He poured a bit in a glass and swirled it before inspecting the color against a white napkin. He inhaled the liquid’s bouquet, then tasted.
“Mmm. You’ll like this one,” he assured. “Would you mind pouring wine for us?”
“Sure.” She cradled the outstretched bottle with both hands and stared at his back as he tended to the food. Who the hell is this refined, wine tasting guy? Where’s The Musical Prophet?
Luke brought over two plates of lasagna and sat in the chair opposite her.
“A toast.” He lifted his glass. “To good wine, great company, and other simple pleasures.”
Leona raised her glass. “Cheers.” She wanted to gulp down the wine to chill her nerves, but sipped it instead. “You’re right. I really like this one.” She took a bite of lasagna and the combination of seasoned, herbed meat, cheese, and pasta filled her mouth. “This is delicious.”
“It’s my mother’s recipe.” Luke beamed.
Her heart skipped a beat. “Is she the one who taught you how to cook?”
“Yes, and my sister, Jane.”
She drank more wine and had a couple more bites of salad. She ogled him enjoying his food. Damn, he even made chewing sexy. She picked at her food, taking heartier sips of wine.
“You have family in New York, right?”
She nodded. “In Brooklyn. Not nouveau gentrified Brooklyn. Real Brooklyn.”
“You’re not the first Brooklynite to note the difference.” He laughed. “Your family must’ve been happy to see you.”
“Yeah. I really miss them when I’m working. Since I haven’t managed in over the past year or so, I had time to do things with them.”
“Why didn’t you manage clients for a year?”
Well, it sure didn’t take long for baggage to pop up. Leona tried to shrug away the tightness building in her neck. “That’s off-limits, remember?”
“Ahh.” He picked up his wine, taking a long sip.
“Let’s just say I was riding out a pretty tumultuous storm.”
“Paul?” he stated more than asked.
“Bingo.”
They sat in silence for a bit. Small talk
proved to be a challenge with their agreement to keep their issues on lockdown.
Leona didn’t give up. “The lasagna was amazing. You have to thank your mom for me. Let her know you executed the recipe well.”
“Maybe one day you can tell her yourself. She’d like you.” He slid a forkful of food into his mouth.
Leona cleared her throat, strangely honored at his decisive statement. “What makes you think she’d like me?”
“You’re tough. No...” His eyes narrowed as if psychically receiving information. “Resilient. You know what you want, Leona, even if you don’t always know exactly how to get it. It’s kind of fun watching you figure it out.”
“It’s cool that she values those traits.”
His mouth cleaned the remnants of lasagna off his fork. “Something we both share.”
Her pitter-pattering heart was out of control. He was good. Too good.
“Can I ask you something?” She didn’t wait for him to respond. “Why do you like those animal crackers?”
Luke wiped his mouth with a napkin and sat back in his chair. “Have you ever looked at them?”
“Not really.”
Luke got up and grabbed a box. When he sat back down he emptied a few into his hand. “Check it out.”
Leona observed the details of Luke’s sculpted tanned hand before she focused on the lion cracker. She had to admit, someone had spent a lot of time giving the tiny cracker extremely realistic detail. “Wow.”
“Yeah, wow,” he said as if he’d taken part in its artistry.
His features turned pensive and Leona wanted to question him about it but waited.
“When I was younger, my parents went through a bit of a rough patch. They argued a lot. I was a kid, maybe six or seven, and would get upset. I didn’t want them to be mad at each other. To calm me down my mother sat with me, assuring me things were okay and that grownups argued sometimes. But every once in a while she’d give me a box of these crackers, dangling them in front of me by the white string. Together, we’d marvel at the detail and eat them.”