New Beginnings

by Jeannette Winters

Leon rolled his eyes. Yes, I do. “Looking for a good deal on my property in—”

  “Please tell me it’s the one in Scotland. My wife, Tessa, would love a vacation home there, and if I’m right, you landed yourself a sweet deal a few years back.”

  He was almost tempted to sell it to Dean just to get out of where the conversation was heading. “Nope. I enjoy that one too much.” It was true. The place was so quiet and peaceful, the landscape stunning. There wasn’t a better escape than Scotland.

  “You’re lucky I didn’t hear about it before you.”

  “Oh, luck is what you call it?” Leon laughed. Dean laughed as well. He didn’t sound like the same guy he’d done business with years ago. Must be his wife.

  “Why don’t we discuss it over dinner on Friday?”

  “Wish I could, but I have plans.”

  “Then coffee. Because your mother is driving my receptionist crazy; she calls at least once a day, asking me if I’ve seen you. I’d really like to get her off my back.”

  For most that would sound cold, but Leon knew exactly how bad his mother could be. “Sorry about that. Just tell her we met and all is good.”

  “I wish it was that simple. My wife answered the phone this morning. They had a long talk. I’m not meeting you because of your mother or you. But when Tessa makes a promise, even when it includes me, she’s going to hold me to it.”

  “So just tell your wife we met.”

  Dean laughed again. “I can see you’re not married. Do you know the saying about happy wife, happy life?”

  “Yeah.”

  “It’s real. So, here’s your choice: dinner Friday or you can join us for our Sunday brunch.”

  “When did brunch come into play?”

  “That would be my wife’s idea. Which is it?”

  Leon wanted to tell him what he could do with his option, but it wasn’t going to go away for either of them until they met. “Sunday.” All he wanted to do was get it over with. If there was any talk about the holidays, he was going to let everyone know right up front he wasn’t interested. If he wasn’t spending it with his family, why would he want to be with the Hendersons?

  “I’ll text you the time and address. Then we can both go back to our lives.”

  “Sounds good to me.” And it can’t happen fast enough. That didn’t mean he was willing to cancel his date with Myla for it. She was the one thing that made him happy to be here. The only problem was he’d be leaving shortly after the new year began. That meant enjoying her only to a point. Anything else would only hurt her when he left. And I am leaving.

  Chapter Five

  Myla honestly enjoyed being back at the house with Ziva and Alex. Although she appreciated the independence of the dorm room, she liked sitting down for meals with them. She missed home terribly, but she couldn’t travel back home on her visa yet. It was too risky with all the changes taking place in her government. The last thing she needed was to go home and not be able to return. Alex said he would make sure that didn’t happen, but she’d seen too much in her short little life to trust anything. Greed had a way of controlling, and good people lost. She wasn’t going to be of any use if she didn’t finish her training and go back to teach science like she wanted. Education is freedom.

  “You’re looking all serious. Are you worried about your exams next week?”

  She turned and saw Alex standing in the doorway to the kitchen. “No. I think I’ve studied all I can.”

  “Since we rarely see you without a book in your hand, I would agree. What’s bothering you?”

  How could she say she wanted to go back to the dorm for one night because she had a date? That was pretty rude even when she thought about it to herself. There truly wasn’t any option except to tell him about Leon. She knew he was going to be texting her sometime soon about picking her up because their date was tonight. The last thing she wanted was to answer questions with Leon there.

  “I’m going out with a friend tonight.”

  Alex arched a brow and came over to sit at the table with her. Once seated he said, “You don’t need my permission to go out, Myla. We both know you’re not a child.”

  She nodded. “It’s just I’m nervous, that’s all.”

  Alex leaned back and watched her as he said, “So it’s a male friend. Got it.”

  “I thought it’d be easier if he picked me up at the dorm instead of here.”

  “Why is that?”

  She had to be honest with him. “This is your house. I don’t want him to get the wrong impression of me.”

  “I’m not following you.”

  “Your house. Your money. I’m a poor woman from far away. I don’t want to have to answer any questions about why I’m here with you guys if I don’t have to. At least not on our first date, if you know what I mean.”

  Alex nodded. “Although I would like to see who this guy is, I know you wouldn’t be going out with him if he was a jerk. With that said, I get it. I wouldn’t align myself with the Henderson name either if I didn’t have to. Why don’t you get your things together, and we’ll take you back to the dorm.”

  She was surprised. She’d expected him to put up some fuss. “Really? Thank you, Alex.”

  “What are you thanking him for now?” Ziva asked as she entered the room.

  “We’re giving Myla a lift to the dorm,” Alex replied.

  “You can’t go now. Not tonight. I thought you had a . . . I mean I thought you were going to spend the weekend with us.” Ziva stammered over her words, and Myla thought it was so cute to watch her try to cover herself.

  Alex turned and asked, “Should I assume you know about her date?”

  Ziva blushed and shrugged. “I might.”

  “And when were you planning on telling me?” Alex asked.

  Myla stepped in. “Some things are supposed to be just between women.”

  Ziva smiled at her then at Alex. “You really didn’t want to sit in on the which-outfit conversation, did you?”

  Alex got up and threw his hands in the air. “Not one bit. Let me know when you’re ready.” Before he left the room, he walked over to Myla, pulled out a bunch of bills, and handed them to her.

  She looked down at it. “What’s this for?”

  “A lady should never go out without her own money, so she never feels trapped. If you don’t like him, leave. Call a taxi or me. Whatever you want, but never feel as though you’re stuck there or at his mercy. Okay?”

  Myla got up and gave him a quick hug. “You’re absolutely like the big brother I never had.”

  He kissed her on the top of her head. “Glad you didn’t call me your father because I’m not that old.”

  Ziva chimed in. “Hate to tell you, Alex, but she’s eighteen, and you’re almost forty. You’re old enough to be her father.”

  Alex let out a long sigh and said, “That’s not making me feel any better. And for your information, I just turned thirty-nine.”

  Ziva shrugged her shoulders. “I believe that was six months ago.”

  When he left the room, both Myla and Ziva burst out laughing. “I can’t believe you said that to him.”

  Ziva said, “It was priceless, and besides, he left himself wide open for it.”

  “Now I’m really glad Leon’s picking me up at the dorm. I have a strange feeling there will be payback for this.”

  “Yep, but I’m not complaining. Making up is fun.”

  Myla shook her head. “And that’s just another reason for me to sleep in the dorm tonight.” She got up from her seat and said, “I better go and pack before Alex changes his mind. Thanks again for the outfits.”

  “Myla, you have no idea what you being here means to me. You’re the closest thing I have to family. I have Alex and his family, but it’s not the same. They’re wonderful and genuinely try to understand, but they were born here and not in Tabiq.”

  She knew exactly what Ziva meant. It wasn’t just how they were raised, but what they’d witnessed. It molded them and made
them who they were. Sometimes that was a good thing and other times, not so much. It was hard to build close relationships or dream when you never knew if you had a future. Myla knew she and Ziva were the lucky ones. If it hadn’t been for Alex coming to Tabiq when he had, it was possible neither would be alive.

  So now they clung to each other, bonded first by necessity and now by friendship. We’re family, not by blood, but by choice.

  “Don’t you dare get me all sappy right before I have to get ready for my date. Once the waterworks start, I might not be able to stop them.” She was only half joking. There was something about this week that was throwing off her emotions. Myla had spent enough time analyzing why and figured it was because she was happy. Something she’d forgotten how to be. As it came back to her, she struggled to keep herself in check, afraid this time might slip through her fingers and be lost forever.

  Myla scooted past Ziva and ran to her room. To anyone else it’d look like she was anxious to get her things packed. In reality, she needed time alone. She was beginning to dread agreeing to the date. There were too many topics she wanted to avoid. Leon hadn’t talked much about himself so far. It was easier when they had their studies to keep the conversation going. Tonight there would be none of that.

  She heard her phone ding. Picking it up, she read Leon’s text message.

  “Looking forward to dinner. Send me your address, and I’ll pick you up.”

  This was her chance. Tell him I’m sick. Or maybe that I fell and hurt my ankle. Or . . . She didn’t want to start by lying to him. It was bad enough she needed to hide things from him. Quickly she gave him her dorm address and put her phone down so she could pack. There was no doubt in her mind that Sunday brunch would be filled with questions about tonight. Hopefully, she had something good to say about it. Or maybe I can be sick on Sunday instead.

  Leon thought she was going to bail on him. He wasn’t sure why, but his gut told him she wasn’t sure about going out with him. He got it. Not much was warm and fuzzy about him. The issue with this course and being stuck in Boston for six months longer than he’d thought hadn’t left him in a good mood. The call from Dean only added to his frustration. None of this was Myla’s fault. He was going to have to make sure he didn’t let her feel as though it was. Of course, I haven’t told her anything, so she probably thinks I’m a jerk. It was better that way.

  Yet, as he stood at her dorm room door, he was there for one reason only: he wanted to be. Myla had caught his eye right from the beginning. His interest hadn’t faded; each time he saw her, she intrigued him more. She was not only stunning, but intelligent and driven. He found that extremely sexy. However tonight wasn’t about discussing courses they were taking. He wanted to know more about her. What are your dreams?

  He was about to knock when she opened her door. “I thought I heard someone here.”

  That shocked him because as he climbed up the three flights of stairs there wasn’t a quiet place to be had. How she could distinguish sounds was beyond him. He couldn’t help but notice she wasn’t dressed in her usual casual attire. She had her long brown hair pulled up, and she wore a grey dress that highlighted her small physique and perfect breasts, which normally had been hidden behind a bulky sweatshirt. I like this much better. Maybe a bit too much. “You look nice.”

  “Thank you,” Myla responded, a hint of her blushing cheeks didn’t go unnoticed. “I’m ready.”

  Leon looked down and noticed the lack of shoes. “Although I’d be happy to carry you, your toes might get cold.”

  Myla looked down. “Oh no, this is no way to start the night.” When she looked up at him, he could tell she was embarrassed. That wasn’t his intention.

  “I don’t know about that. You have very cute toes.”

  She headed back into her room but kept the door open. “And I like them where they are, attached to my feet.”

  He watched as she grabbed some boots and slipped them on. Her back was to him, and when she bent to zip them up, he almost lost it. It was sweet torture, and he was tempted to sweep her into his arms and gladly help her remove not just the boots, but everything else as well. It was undeniable. He wanted her like he hadn’t desired another woman before. It was going to take a lot of restraint to maintain his distance tonight. Hell, I’m not sure how I’m going to make it back to the car without kissing her.

  When she turned around, she seemed oblivious to what she was doing to him. That helped his situation, and by the tightness of his pants, he needed all the help he could get.

  Once they were inside his vehicle, he said, “You look too nice to go out for pizza. How about we go somewhere else?”

  Myla turned to him and asked, “Would you rather I change?”

  Hell no. “No, you look lovely, Myla.”

  “Leon, I don’t need a fancy place. I know how tight things can be when you’re in college.” She reached out and touched his hand briefly before pulling away. It was as though the heat from his fingers was more than her cold fingers could handle. He’d have to agree. Even the slightest touch ignited something in him. Something he couldn’t afford to explore right now.

  “Trust me, Myla; I can afford dinner.” Her comment meant she had no idea who he was or what he was worth. He’d had his fill with women chasing after him for his name or wealth. He wasn’t looking for a trophy woman. He wanted a partner in life who saw the need and wanted to do something good. If you weren’t so damn young. Fourteen years younger was too much for him deal with, no matter what his body was telling him. Morally it felt wrong.

  “I’m happy going out for pizza. Actually, I was looking forward to it.”

  Placing both hands on the steering wheel and gripping tightly, he answered. “Then pizza it is.”

  It didn’t take long to get there because there still wasn’t much traffic on the roads. If it weren’t for four-wheel drive, he probably would’ve canceled. The snow had stopped but everywhere they passed, people were outside cleaning the sidewalks and driveways. If they were having pizza, it was being delivered.

  They had the place to themselves. That suited him just fine. He hoped they could sit and chat without interruption or someone hovering over their table. The waitress took their order, a large veggie lovers with extra cheese.

  When he’d made the offer for Myla to order, she didn’t hesitate. She knew exactly what she liked and rattled off the order for them both. That was a different experience than he’d had with other women. Usually, they bounced it back to him to order for them.

  “You seem so much older than eighteen.”

  Her eyes widened, and she stammered. “Why . . . why would you say that?

  It was the first time she seemed caught off guard. His statement wasn’t meant to be anything but a compliment. Somehow she wasn’t taking it that way.

  “Don’t worry. I’m not saying you look old. It’s your maturity level.” He noticed her looking at her hands, clamped together in a nervous knot. “I didn’t think it would bother you. I’m sorry if it did.”

  She finally looked at him and said softly, “You didn’t say anything wrong. I’ve been judged by my appearance a lot. It’s a sore spot for me.”

  “I get it. I’m sure people don’t expect you to have a brain in that beautiful head of yours. I’d like to think I’m better than that.” Not sure I am, but I would still like to hope.

  She smiled and said, “Can you believe someone at the dorm told me my first week here I’d have more friends if I played dumb. I’m not sure what that means.”

  Leon totally got it. “People can be a bit intimidated when they meet someone who has the whole package.” And you surely do.

  “You don’t seem to be.”

  Leon laughed. “Hardly. In fact, it’s what I like about you.”

  Myla’s cheeks turned pink again, and he loved the glow about her. The look in her eyes was one of happiness. Knowing he’d put it there pleased him.

  “So tell me about yourself. I can tell by your accent you’re n
ot from here.”

  She didn’t answer. Instead, she threw that question back to him. “I could say the same about you.”

  “You’re correct. I’m from Italy.”

  “And you live here now?” Myla inquired.

  He was tempted to turn the tables, but he knew this was where she felt comfortable. He would have to be the first to open up. Not something he’d planned on doing at all, never mind first.

  “I’m only here for school. My home is still in Italy.”

  “And will you be going home for the holidays?”

  “No, I won’t. It makes no sense to be traveling back and forth.”

  “I know. It’s so expensive. Although I miss my family, I’ll be here as well. I have . . . friends who’ve invited me to join them. Maybe you’d like to join us?”

  “Christmas is only a week away. That would be mighty short notice to give your friends that you’re bringing a . . . guest.”

  “I hadn’t thought about that. I have a wedding to attend on New Year’s Eve. I’m sure I can bring a . . . friend to that.”

  Wedding? That’s worse than going home to my parents. He was about to deny her offer when the kiss at midnight entered his mind. Leon didn’t want any man’s lips on hers but his. “Now that I can do.”

  She grinned and said, “Thank you. Now I won’t feel so out of place.”

  “Why would you? They’re your friends.”

  Myla shrugged. “Everyone there is family or have known each other for many years. I only met them when—”

  Leon arched a brow. “When what?”

  “When they came to Tabiq. That’s where I’m from.”

  He’d heard of the place, although he’d never been there. It wasn’t a third-world country like he’d been spending his time in lately. Yet, he’d heard stories, very unpleasant ones about things that went on there. Looking at her more closely, he now understood why she seemed so mature. If she grew up in Tabiq, she probably didn’t have a life of comfort. Never mind what she may have seen or had done to her.

  Leon felt anger building up inside him. He wanted to know if she’d been hurt, violated, or anything of the sort. If she had, he’d hunt down the bastards and—What’s wrong with me? I help and heal, not hurt people. Looking in her eyes, he had a light-bulb moment. One that scared the shit out of him. For her, he’d do anything. Even something against his moral fiber. Because overall, he wanted to protect her. Make her happy.