by JN Welsh
He’d been out there for about an hour now. He loved the water and had made it a point to tell her to schedule a significant break in the tour to be in California. He must have needed this.
Luke rode the wave for about eight or ten seconds before he “wiped out.” “Oooh!” Leona laughed at his awkward tumble underwater.
He disappeared from view. When his head broke through the surface of the water and he shook his hair, Leona exhaled and her shoulders eased back to neutral.
“Whoa.”
Soon, Luke glided in on his board, and paddled toward the beach. Once on land, he tucked his board under his arm and ran to her.
I’m in an episode of Baywatch.
Leona hopped off the rock as elegantly as possible so as not to dirty her white jeans. She put her hand up and gave him a high five. “That was cool.” She wanted to kiss him, but hesitated.
“Thanks.” Luke hooked his free arm around her waist and kissed her with ocean-seasoned lips.
“This wetsuit is getting very uncomfortable.” Luke mumbled against her lips.
“Yeah?” She continued to kiss him.
“Yes.” Luke pulled her closer.
“Well, I have just the thing for that.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Mmm-hmm.” Leona grabbed the water and gave it to him.
Luke laughed out loud and nearby seagulls squawked at the disturbance.
“You said you love the water. I aim to please.” She cheesed. “I thought you’d be thirsty.”
Luke downed half of the bottle. “Thanks.”
“See? I’ve got you covered.” She grabbed her coffee mug and they strolled along the beach to the house.
“I’d love to teach you how to surf. It’s a travesty you don’t swim.” He swigged more water. “I could teach you.”
“Many have tried and failed.” Leona recalled her near drowning experience when her brother Mitchell decided that all she needed was to be thrown into the deep end.
Luke glinted at her. “I’ll teach you one day.” There was sureness to his statement.
Leona’s stomach growled.
He stopped short. “What the hell was that?”
She blushed and rubbed her stomach. “I’m hungry from all that...our...activity.”
“Then let’s get you fed because we haven’t even gotten started yet, Leona.”
Her bare feet stumbled in the sand and she almost spilled coffee on her turquoise tank top.
Luke chuckled. “C’mon. I know a place.”
They arrived at the house and Luke left her briefly to secure his surfboard in the garage, and then peeled out of his wetsuit. Leona’s eyes stalked his naked body, taking in the lethal combination of his powerful thighs and tight, muscular ass. She reminisced about how his strong chest rippled against her torso. Then, the vision of him was gone as he dashed to the bedroom to shower and dress.
While Luke got ready, Leona checked her phone for emails and messages to make sure that social media for Luke remained active. She saw he had posted something early in the morning.
“Feeling inspired. New music coming soon.” She didn’t read into the message and was happy that even with her presence, he was communicating with the fans as usual.
A few emails needed her response, but no emergencies. Thank God, nothing about the gallery surfaced. She didn’t want to keep scanning and taint her time with Luke so she shut it down. Luke had his one-off performance in a few days and their time would be over.
You just got here. Stop, before you freak out and leave.
“Ready?” He returned and interrupted her thoughts.
Luke was dressed in tan cargo pants, a gray V-neck tee shirt and a faded brown cap. He wore a black woven leather bracelet on his wrist. His scent drifted over and she wanted to gorge on every part of him.
“Yeah. Let me grab my bag.”
“You don’t need it,” Luke called to her as she jogged up the stairs to the bedroom.
“I always need it.” She was back in an instant.
She followed him to the garage, a part of the house she hadn’t seen yet.
Luke set the alarm before he closed the door. The filthiest pickup Leona had ever seen greeted them.
“Sorry about the truck. It’s really for off-roading and surfing in some remote areas. I rarely clean it, but I should have at least rinsed it off.” Luke guided her around to a Land Rover that shined like new with a dark gray exterior. He opened her door for her and Leona climbed into the plush elegance of the vehicle.
As he mounted the SUV, the car waddled with his movements.
“All buckled up?”
“Buckled.” Temped to fiddle with all the gadgetry in the vehicle, Leona shook her head. “Boys and their toys.”
“Yup.” Luke started the ignition and the car roared to life. “And you know what the best part about this toy is?”
“Do tell.”
Luke turned the stereo on and up. “The speakers.” His boyish grin spread to his ears and he bobbed his head to the music.
She flipped him the sign of the horns and stuck out her tongue as the bass vibrated around her. “Nice.”
He opened the garage door with the press of a button and they were on their way.
* * *
On the drive into town, Luke pointed out a few landmarks and promised to show her more after they ate. He parked in an eclectic area with tattooed pedestrians and a cool, communal vibe. Whenever Leona had been to San Francisco she was working. It was nice to experience the scenery carefree.
“I love it here.” Leona mused at the graffiti art, the colored houses, and the shops.
Luke intertwined his fingers with hers as they crossed the street.
“This is the Haight-Ashbury part of San Fran. It’s my favorite part of town. There’s a place I go called The Naked Café. They’re a bar slash restaurant slash club. Basically, it’s an everything kind of place.”
Leona was an admitted people watcher and here, the melding sea of bohemian and hippie culture mixed with the rawness of the city streets. She felt welcomed even among strangers and tourists. Strangers and tourists with cameras aimed at graffiti on buildings and in her direction.
Photographers. Paparazzi. Leona came to her senses. She and Luke promenaded. In public. Together.
She chewed the inside of her lip. “We’re really exposed here, Luke. I wouldn’t advise this. I—I...” Leona scouted for media. The whirling motion made her dizzy and she swayed in her stance. They shouldn’t be here. She shouldn’t be here. Unprotected like this, they were fodder for the media.
“It’s cool, Leona. I blend.” He pulled a baseball cap out from one of his cargo pants pockets and fitted it on his head. He continued onward against her objections until he noticed she wasn’t moving.
“Hey.” Luke repeated a few times and squeezed her hands in his but she withdrew.
“This is a bad idea.” She continued to search her surroundings.
“What are you looking for, Leona?”
“Paparazzi. They hide everywhere—parking lots, behind your parents’ car, your bathroom. They’re relentless.”
“Come inside.” Luke led her into a small sunlit foyer before the main dining area of the restaurant. He rubbed her shoulders. “Breathe.”
She inhaled a heaving breath and as she let it out, her chest ached. She anchored on Luke and chugged a bit more air until her paranoia ceased. The anxiety had been the catalyst for her yearlong hiatus. She had been managing it with breathing and hadn’t had frequent attacks anymore, but she was still susceptible to the occasional freak-out.
“I’m sorry,” Leona whispered. Despite the cap Luke wore, the sunlight streaming into the foyer found his face and she saw the stress lines around his mouth.
“It’s okay, baby.” Luke’s soothing strokes ran up
and down her arms. “I know how sadistic the media can be.”
They’d had such an amazing morning and she didn’t want to ruin their time together. “I didn’t mean to lose it like—”
The part of her brain that produced words came to a screeching halt when Luke lifted his hand up to massage her left ear. The tenderness in his strokes made her eyes water.
“Is this okay?”
She nodded.
“What else can I do? Tell me what you need. We can go back. Whatever you need, baby.”
Her breathing decelerated and deepened. “Just give me a minute.” Her hand went to his forearm. “Don’t stop.”
“I won’t.”
People entered and exited the restaurant but she focused on Luke as he did on her.
“I’m better,” she announced. The ball in her chest dissolved and her stomach growled. “I’m really hungry.”
Luke smiled, yet stress lines continued to crease his face. “That, I can help with.”
The Naked Café was lively, but not packed. Its open beach feel with rustic wood walls and nautical memorabilia on the wall was a treat, even post-mini-meltdown.
“Wait here. I’ll get us some seats.” Luke dashed to the bar and greeted the bartender.
A sharp, loud whistle cracked the humming chatter in the room. “Bobby,” the bartender called and pointed to Luke. Luke said something else to the bartender, who handed him a glass of orange juice.
A very tanned, and heavily bearded man in a black tee shirt and khaki shorts greeted and hugged Luke.
She smiled at the greeting between the two men.
Luke chatted with the man and they both glanced in her direction. Luke motioned her over.
“Bobby, this is Leona Sable.”
The man was shorter than Luke and wore a charcoal cap atop his uncombed, dirty blond hair. He was fit, yet old enough to house quite a bit of gray hair in his beard.
“Nice to meet you, Leona.” Bobby gathered her into a gentle hug.
Leona stiffened, taken aback by the kindness in his hug, and wondered if Luke had mentioned her meltdown. It didn’t matter since the nurturing embrace reminded her of her father, easing her worries.
“You, too. Please, call me Leo.” She peered up at Bobby and could tell the man spent a lot of time in the sun.
“Welcome to The Naked Café.” Bobby ran a hand over his beard. “Me and this guy go way back.”
Luke handed her the glass of orange juice he’d been holding. Her post-meltdown headache started to needle over her left eye. She took a long sip.
“When I first started out,” Luke said, “I was broke, with just some turntables and records. Bobby fed me, sheltered me, and let me play here. He was the one that introduced me to surfing.”
Leona’s heart warmed at their familial relationship. “It must be pretty incredible to see how popular he is now?”
“Oh yeah, but he’s still the same, grounded boy.” Bobby slapped Luke loudly on the back.
Luke winced and Leona delighted in their horseplay.
“Well, let’s get you guys a spot. I hear you’re starving, Leo,” Bobby said.
“Yes.” She nudged Luke.
Bobby seated them outside and the cool air aided in her recovery.
“Thanks, man.” Luke seated her.
“My pleasure. I gotta get back but Taylor and Kim will be by with beverage service and your food in a little bit.”
Luke stopped him. “I know you’re busy, but come by and sit with us for a little bit before we go.”
“Yes. I want to hear some embarrassing Luke stories.” Leona flickered her eyebrows at Bobby.
“Only the clean ones.” He winked. “Enjoy your meal.”
Luke studied her as he sat. “You good?” he asked when Bobby was out of earshot.
“Yeah, I mean, my head hurts a little but this OJ is giving me life.” She drank some more.
Luke continued his inspection.
“I’m okay. Really.” She played with her hands. “Thanks for helping.”
Luke’s chest inflated with questions but she was glad that he didn’t push for answers. “I went ahead and ordered for us,” he announced.
“What did you order?” Leona scooted her chair closer to him.
“Breakfast.”
Perplexed, Leona persisted. “Yeah, but what?”
“No clue,” was Luke’s innocent response.
Leona shook her head.
Luke adjusted his hat to the back so she could see his face. “I’m not being funny. Check out the menu.”
She picked up the menu and true to Luke’s words the menu read “Breakfast Food” under “Breakfast,” and the same format continued for lunch and dinner. There were no further descriptions under the headers, just the prices.
“What the...?”
“Told ya. It’s kind of an adventure to eat here.”
Leona went back to the menu and read the statement on top. “We cook what seems like a good idea for the day. Everything is organic, delicious, and good for you. We promise. So, if you have allergies or specific dietary restrictions, this may not be the place for you to eat. We get it! We have a great bar. So, come have a drink with us, even if you can’t eat with us.” Leona laughed. “Seriously? That’s so unlike a Californian place.”
“The menu’s been like that ever since Bobby opened the place over twenty years ago.” Luke stole the menu from her hands.
“I’m excited to see what they bring out.”
Two servers arrived moments later with a variety of food on their trays. It was like having a buffet at their table.
“So, here’s how this works.” The young man’s spikey dark brown Mohawk remained a gelled sculpture atop his head. “Take whatever you want. Don’t worry. We have lots more cooking. Think of me as your own personal server. I’ll provide you with whatever you desire.”
Leona raised her eyebrows. She couldn’t miss the double meaning in the young man’s words. His blue eyes lingered on her.
“Hey,” Luke called to Mohawk guy.
Leona jumped at Luke’s volume. Her eyes shifted between the two males and she stifled a laugh.
“Sorry.” Mohawk guy’s lips twisted to one side.
“This guy loves the ladies.” Luke shook his head. “She’s with me.”
The young lady laughed and focused on her service. “I have all the yummy bread kind of food, like toast, hash browns, and pancakes. It can get overwhelming, so if you can’t make a decision, we’ll be back.”
“Oh, I know what I want.” Leona began taking food off both trays.
“That’s her ‘I love food’ dance.” Luke referred to her twirling arms as he piled food onto his plate.
“We’ll be back.” Mohawk guy’s eyes again lingered on Leona.
“I’m right here, man.” Luke’s voice boomed at the young man.
“He’s harmless.” Leona giggled. “And cute.”
“I’m going to give him an ass whupping if he keeps it up. I know where he lives.”
She giggled. “Come on. Let’s eat.”
Leona was so famished she ate quicker than usual, inhaling bites of her eggs and hash browns.
“It’s so good,” she said in between savory sweet bites of bacon and pancakes.
The young servers arrived with beverage service. They navigated around the restaurant, never missing a single person, and socialized like they were feeding friends.
“That’s amazing.” Leona watched them move.
Luke swallowed his food. “What?”
“How they never bump into each other with this moving buffet.” Leona ate more of her food.
“Yeah, it took me a while to figure it out.”
Leona didn’t want to tell him she already knew how it worked.
“Let me
guess, you just did.”
She nodded. “They’re moving in overlapping figure eights.”
“It took me much longer,” Luke grumbled.
“I like to solve puzzles. You know, figure things out.” She blushed. She must have sounded like a geek. “Dorky, huh?”
“I think that’s cool.” He chewed his food.
Her blood sugar started to level out and though she continued to eat, her movements slowed. “I love this place.”
“Bobby makes this place awesome. Before my sister moved out here, he was the closest thing to family I had.”
“He has a welcoming spirit. It’s good to have people like that in your life.”
“He’s made a lot of friends over the years. We keep coming back.”
Luke hadn’t just brought her anywhere. He’d brought her to a place that was special to him and his family.
“Are you close with your family?” she asked, sipping her coffee.
“Yeah. I see my sister, Jane, regularly. She and her husband come out to my shows when they can.”
“And your parents? Do you see them often?”
Luke wiped his mouth, pausing a bit longer. “Not so much.”
He didn’t say much more and Leona wondered if they had a falling out.
“Are you close with them, too?” She should have stopped her inquisition, but she was close with her family and was curious about his.
“I love my parents very much, Leona. We just... I have some things to work on before I see them again.”
“How long has it been since you’ve seen them?” Leona Sable. Stop.
He sighed and shifted in his seat. “It’s been a while. Almost two years.”
Leona would have understood if he snapped at her. She had a hard time letting things go even when it was an obvious sore spot.
“They must miss you. I’m sure you miss them, too.”
“Yeah, I do. I hope to see them again soon. Maybe when the tour hits Chicago.”
Chicago was his hometown. That would be a great opportunity for a reunion.
Luke finished his food and then reached for her plate and swapped it with his empty one.
“Hey. I’m eating that.” She reached for the plate but Luke moved it away from her.