“That could work.”
“Seriously?” I threw my hands up in frustration.
He shook his head. “I don’t have all the details worked out just yet.”
David
I DROPPED LAYLA OFF AT the office and headed to my place. I pulled up to my house and let out a sigh. No one was home. I jumped out of my truck, grabbed my luggage out of the back, and headed for the front door. I fumbled with my keys and dropped them and let out a word that my mother would slap me for saying. I bent down and grabbed them, found the key, and let myself into the house.
After dropping my luggage in the mudroom, I made my way down the hall and up the stairs. Layla had pointed out all the little things the house was lacking, and I wanted to make sure I got what I could. I made my way to the guest room and opened the closet door and grabbed the spare comforter and pillow. I placed them on the bed as I headed for the connected bathroom. I pulled a stack of towels and washcloths from the linen closet and a couple bars of Mom’s collection of sample bath gels, shampoos, and conditioners that she kept there.
The stuff barely fit into the three garbage bags I’d brought up. One last stop in the garage to grab the camping kitchen set, and I made my way back to the front door just as mom was coming in.
“Hey sweetie. Happy birthday!” She came up and hugged me and stepped back. She glanced at all the stuff I was carrying. “You’re headed out again already? I wanted to spend some time with you on your birthday and hear all about the beach. What’s with the garbage?”
“Just taking out some stuff we don’t use.”
“I want to hear all about your trip.”
“I can’t right now. I promised Michael I’d be right over.”
“You’ve been with him all week. Mandy went home with Lori from church. I was thinking I’d pick up some steaks and a birthday cake, and we’d grill by the pool tonight and hear all about your trip.”
“Sounds good. I’ll be back by then.” I ran to the truck and threw everything in the back, got in, and sped off.
I pulled up to the old office, jumped out, grabbed the bags from the back, and raced to the door. I knocked and waited.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me, David.”
The door opened. Layla stood in the doorway and motioned me in. My breath caught just looking at her. I couldn’t believe I was going to get to spend the rest of my life with her.
“I got you blankets and towels and stuff.”
I dropped the bags in what used to be the waiting room and living room.
She opened the bags and started pulling things out.
“This blanket is so soft.” She cuddled it before placing it by the couch and laying the pillow on top of it. She grabbed the towels and bathroom things and took them down the hall while I put the kitchen things away.
She walked back into the room. “Now all we need are groceries.”
“I’ll take you down the street and get you some.”
We got in the truck and drove about three miles to the grocery store and walked in. She grabbed a buggy, and we started toward the produce.
I looked at all the stuff. “I don’t think I’ve been grocery shopping since I was a kid.”
She grabbed some apples and put them in a plastic bag and then bagged some grapes. I followed behind her as she got things for a salad, and then we continued through the rest of the store as she picked out items. I found myself walking closer and closer to Layla, but she didn’t seem to mind so I took the chance at placing my hand on her lower back as she walked toward the meats.
“David, what are you doing here? I thought you were going to Michael’s?”
My head shot around to see my mom standing behind me.
“I…” I glanced over at Layla. “He didn’t show up so I…” I then glanced between Layla and my mom, trying to think of something to say.
“Who is this?” Mom smiled at me and then Layla.
Layla extended her hand to Mom. “I’m Layla. David and I are old friends. I needed a ride to the grocery store, so he helped me out.”
Mom noticed my hand still on Layla’s back.
“Friends?” Her eyebrows rose as she said it.
I dropped my hand and let it fall to my side. “Right, we’re friends.”
“Well, I always love meeting David’s friends.” Mom turned to face me. “Why don’t you bring Layla over for your birthday dinner tonight?” She turned her attention to Layla. “Just steaks by the pool.”
I shook my head. “She wouldn’t—”
Layla interrupted me. “I don’t have any plans. I’d love to come.”
“Good, that settles it. We’ll grill around six and bring a swimsuit.”
“I look forward to it.”
Mom walked on, and I turned toward Layla. “What were you thinking accepting her invitation?”
“She’s my future mother-in-law. I should get to know her. She seems sweet.”
“But…what will we say? She’s going to have questions. Questions we can’t answer.”
“We’ll make it up as we go. It’s worked so far.” She turned back to the meats. “I plugged the fridge in before we left. I hope it’s cold enough for the food when we get back.
She finished grocery shopping, and I paid the cashier before taking the heavier bags and walking out with Layla. We put them in the truck and headed back to the old office. I waited on the sofa while she got ready to go meet my family. I looked around the room and realized it was quite boring. I’d have to at least find a radio to send back with her or something. Maybe a deck of cards to play solitaire.
She stepped out in a pink baby doll shirt and short khaki shorts and the wedge sandals she got at the beach. “How do I look?” She flattened her shirt with her hand. “I don’t have an iron here so…”
The blonde hair and dark lashes really did make her look like a Bond girl from the old movies Dad and I used to watch. My eyes were drawn to her frosty pink lips that matched the top. “I think you’re breathtaking.”
Layla lowered her head and glanced up under her lashes as her cheeks grew scarlet. “Thank you.”
I opened the house door and motioned for her to exit, and then ran ahead of her to my truck to open the door.
“You are such a gentleman. I could get used to this.”
“Plan on it.” I reached out and touched her cheek with my palm. I just had to keep touching her to make sure she was real. That all of it was real.
“We need to get going. I don’t want to be late meeting your family.”
“Right.”
I jogged over to the driver’s side, got in, and pulled out of the driveway. We sat in silence for about a minute before I felt that I needed to prepare her.
“My mom is quite protective of me. I’ve told you the way she always discouraged me in my interest in girls. She’s got my life mapped out to parallel my father’s. Don’t be surprised if she starts out really nice but then turns a bit condescending.”
Layla nodded. “I remember you telling me at the beach.”
“Are you nervous?”
“Yeah, but I think that’s normal.”
“Then why did you agree to her invitation?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’m trying to get to know you, and knowing your family is part of knowing you.”
We pulled up to my house, and I parked in the drive. I stepped out and went around the truck to open the door for Layla, but she’d opened it already.
“I’m sorry. I’m just not used to people doing things for me.”
She looped her arm in mine, and we headed for the backyard. I opened the wooden privacy fence gate and motioned her in.
Mom was seated by the pool, watching Mandy and her friend Lori swim, while Dad used a spray bottle of water on the grill. Smoke billowed up as the fire hissed at the spray.
Mom noticed us and stood. “There you are. We were afraid you two were going to stand us up.” She grabbed me and gave me a hug. “I’ve missed you this week.
We all did.”
“I didn’t,” Mandy called from the pool.
“I didn’t miss you either, squirt.” I returned her gesture and stuck my tongue out at her.
Mom took Layla by the arm and led her to my dad at the grill. “George, this is Layla, David’s friend.”
Dad extended his hand to shake hers, only to realize he had an oven mitt on it. He shrugged his shoulders and laughed. “Sorry.” Then he took the mitt off and tucked it under his other arm. He took her extended hand and shook it. “Very nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you,” Layla answered and smiled. She glanced around the yard and up at our house. “You have a lovely home.”
“Thank you,” Mom answered as she motioned her toward the table she’d been sitting at when we first arrived. “Please have a seat.”
Layla sat down, and I sat down beside her.
“Are you a senior at Chesnee High School? I’ve never heard David mention you?”
“No, I don’t go to the high school.”
Mom opened a cooler. “Would you care for a soda?”
“Water would be fine.”
Mom smiled. “Let me run in and get you a glass.”
Layla shook her head. “No, please don’t go to any trouble.”
Mom stepped into the house through the patio doors, and I let out a sigh. I leaned closer to whisper, “We should just go right now.”
“We can’t do that. She’d hate me forever.”
Mom came out with the glass of water. “Here you go. So Layla, tell me again how you and David met?”
Layla looked at me and smiled and then at my mom. “I met him a long time ago, actually, and then we ran into each other at the beach this week.”
“Ah, so you two hung out all week at the beach?” Mom looked at me for that question.
“Sorta.”
“If you don’t go to Chesnee, which high school do you attend?”
“I…I don’t attend anywhere. I’ve already graduated high school.”
“I see. I didn’t think you looked like a high school girl. Exactly how old are you, might I ask?”
“Mom!” I felt my jaw tighten. “That’s kind of rude.”
“Only to ask women of a certain age.” Mom smiled at Layla. “I’m pretty sure she isn’t over thirty.”
“I’m twenty-four.”
Dad gave me a thumbs-up and a wink before mom turned to look at him, and he turned his expression to a somber one.
“Twenty-four?” Mom swallowed.
“Is there an age limit on my friends now, Mom?”
“No, I’m just…What could she possibly have in common with a high school kid?”
“I’m not a kid, Mom. Today’s my birthday—I’m eighteen. I’m now a legal adult.”
Mom glared at me. “Being an adult is about more than a number.”
“Mom did you invite Layla here to insult us both or to celebrate my birthday?”
Dad stepped over to the table from the grill and placed a hand on Mom’s shoulder. “David’s right. This is a welcome home and a birthday party. We want to hear all about the beach and the band.” Dad looked at me and glanced over at Layla and gave me a look of approval. He was standing just behind Mom so she couldn’t see. Then he said to me, “Why don’t you show Layla the house while your mom and I talk?”
I stood and took Layla’s hand and helped her up. “Come on, Layla.”
I pulled her to the back door of the house and opened it for her and followed her inside, before pulling the door shut. Then I turned to face her. “I am so sorry for that. I thought she’d at least be a little subtle.”
Layla shook her head and smiled. “She’s just being a mom. Someday when I have a son…” She stopped at that, and her expression changed, and she looked away from me.
“What’s wrong?”
She wouldn’t turn back to face me, so I stepped around to look at her. She was holding back tears, swiping them from her eyes with her hand.
“What’s the matter?”
She shook her head and choked back a sob. “I’m just realizing… I know too much about us.”
“Too much?”
“I’m understanding the curse of it.”
“Curse, how can it be a curse? If you know about a problem already, you can do something about it. Fix it.”
She nodded and gave me a half-smile. “Maybe. I will be thinking about how or if I can.”
“You could tell me, and we could think about how to fix it together.”
Layla
I LOOKED INTO THOSE BLUE eyes glowing with the innocence of youth and grinned at him. His words were proof of his age and inexperience. He didn’t know what was ahead. He was eighteen with his whole future ahead of him. To him the future was paved in gold from the end of a rainbow. There was no way I would ever take that from him. I knew my job—it was to save everyone else.
I forced a smile as I lied. “Maybe I’ll tell you later, but not tonight.” I took his hand and looked him in the eye. “What I was going to say about your mom is, she wants the best for you. She’s older and lived longer and knows more. She’s just trying to guide you somewhere good. Somewhere safe. That’s what I would do if I ever had a son.”
His face turned pouty. It was going to take some getting used to that this David wasn’t the more mature, more adult David I knew about in the future. I looked at him and reminded myself that he would get there. That I would help get him there. I started for the door beside me. “Now, show me around this huge house. This is three times the size of any place I’ve ever lived, except the girl’s home.”
He took my hand and pulled me toward the adjacent room. “This is the den…”
Chapter 9
David
I PULLED THE TRUCK UP to the old dental office and put it in park before cutting the engine. We sat in silence until Layla spoke. “Your dad was friendly.”
I smiled and let a small laugh escape. “My dad was impressed.”
“Your little sister is sweet too. I always wanted a sister.”
“You are welcome to have mine.”
“Very funny.”
I finally opened the door and stepped out of the truck, slammed the door shut, and jogged around to Layla’s side. She finally waited for me to open the door.
“I remembered to wait.”
“You did.”
She stepped out of the truck and moved closer to me. The air between us grew still, and I swallowed before I grabbed hold of her wrists and pulled her closer. The energy between us was fully charged. She lowered her head, and then glanced up at me under her long dark lashes, and bit her frosty pink lips. I moved my hands from her wrists to her face, as my thumbs caressed her cheeks. My fingers brushed her blonde hair away from her face. I leaned in and our lips touched.
She made every sense become a thousand times more aware. Her hair was pure silk to my fingertips. She smelled like a garden after the morning dew, all clean and floral and like sweet fruit all at once. She tasted like salt and sugar. I felt so much in that moment–I had no known words to express the feelings. Maybe the words didn’t even exist for mortal tongues. It was like the flashes but magnified and made into real flesh. I had to wonder if falling in love felt like this for everyone, but at the same time thought that impossible. This had to be rare. It was too perfect.
She pulled back and caught her breath. “We need to stop now.”
I nodded, took her hand, and walked her to the door. “Can I come in?”
She hesitated. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. We seem to be moving so fast, no matter how we try to slow the pace. We’ve known each other a week.”
“But you’ve known me longer.”
“Not this you. I mostly knew you from a distance before.”
“I won’t stay long. I just want to make sure the place is empty, you know, go through and check the closets and all before I leave you here.”
Her expression looked like she wanted to say, ‘awww.’ “Okay, you can
come in and make sure I’m safe.” She stopped and pointed at my chest with her index finger. “Just make sure I’m safe from you, too.”
I put up two fingers. “Scout's honor.”
Layla let us in, and I stepped in front of her to stop her from entering first. Then I stepped in and looked around for any signs of changes or disturbances, and I listened. I walked to the kitchen and pulled open the pantry and the cabinets large enough for a person to hide. I stalked down the hall and checked behind doors, and each room and closet before I walked back to the front door. “All’s clear.”
She stepped in and made her way to the bathroom and closed the door. “Thank you for checking the house out. I’ve never had a guy act so protective of me before.”
“What kind of guys do you date in the future?”
She called out from behind the door. “I don’t date often. Most guys want a girl who will earn her dinners by the third date. I usually Dutch date for that reason. But then they think that means a hookup immediately because it’s not a date, just connecting to meet needs. I don’t want to feel obligated to anyone. I guess you’ve noticed that about me?” She stepped out of the bathroom wearing my t-shirt and boxers just like at the beach.
I swallowed and nodded and tried to concentrate on her face and her words. “I thought guys were supposed to take a girl out because he enjoyed her company and to expect no more than a thank you in return.”
She stepped toward me and put a palm to each of my cheeks. “That right there is why I love you.”
I sucked in a breath as my eyes grew wide.
She let go of my cheeks and turned and walked to the couch. “Not that kind of love…not yet anyway.”
I let the air out with that and followed her. She grabbed the comforter I’d brought and the pillow and started making a bed for herself on the couch.
“We will get to that though so be prepared.” She plopped on the sofa and pulled the blanket up around her. “Remember, I know things. From what I understand of our future, we are the real thing.”
I stepped closer and crouched by the couch to be at eye level with her. “But knowing things is a curse too. You said so.”
Her expression turned melancholy. “Some things. I’ll spend most days pretending I don’t know those things. Or figuring out a way to change them.”
Forever Layla: A Time Travel Romance Page 8
