“I love that he’s funny.That’s my favorite thing.”
“I can see why.So, about the surfing… I told him it’s only if you say it’s okay.”
“It’s okay.He’ll probably love it.”
“I’m sure he will.Most people do once they get the hang of it.If you give me your number, I’ll get the stuff we need and hit you up about a date.For the surfing, that is.”
She smiled.“That’d be very nice of you.Thank you.”
“My pleasure.I truly enjoyed every minute with him.”
“As do I, except for the second-grade math, that is.”
Carson laughed as he followed her to the foyer, where she asked for his phone to put in her number.
When she handed it back to him, her hand brushed against his, making him feel like he’d been touched by electricity itself.
Over his shoulder, he said, “See you later, Ty.”
“Bye, Carson!Thanks for the ice cream and stuff.”
“My pleasure.”To Cresley, he said, “I’ll text you, so you have my number.If there’s any more trouble with the ex, don’t hesitate to call me.”
“I won’t.”She reached her hand out to shake his.“Thanks for everything.”
Later, he’d wonder what’d come over him as he took her hand and brought it to his lips, brushing a kiss over the back of it, realizing his error when the scent of roses and spice enveloped him in a cloud of fragrance he wanted to get much closer to.
“I’ll be in touch,” he said.
“We’ll look forward to that.”
He would, too.In fact, as he walked out to meet the Uber he’d take back to his car, Carson couldn’t wait to be in touch with her and her adorable son.
ChapterEighteen
Julian’s day had been a mess from start to finish.In addition to getting Cresley out of lockup, he’d dealt with a screaming fight between divorcing spouses at mediation, and Bryan McDavid tried again to sign his sons out of school, a clear violation of the restraining order, which had led to a warrant for his arrest.That was still pending when Julian took the elevator to the parking garage.He’d made sure Rachel and her sons were in a safe location before he left the office, promising to update her if he heard anything from the police, who were looking for Bryan.
Julian removed his suit jacket and tie and laid them out on the back seat.As he drove home, he realized he hadn’t eaten since the bagel he’d had for breakfast and tried to think of what he had at home.Not much.He hung a left onto Laurel Canyon Boulevard and headed up the hill, stopping at the Laurel Canyon Country Store to pick up something for dinner.
He thought of Isla as he parked in the lot.When he’d told her about their historic neighborhood, he should’ve mentioned the prodigious history of the store, where Cass Elliot had once lived in the basement.The Doors had included a mention of the store in their song “Love Street.”But he couldn’t tell her that or anything else while she was dealing with something so tragic and heavy.
Hopefully, he’d get the chance to tell her all about it someday.
The store was cramped and crammed with grocery items, and he was careful not to knock anything off the shelves as he made his way to the freezer section in the back.He rounded a corner and nearly slammed into a woman, managing to save her from falling by grasping her arms.
He looked down to find Isla looking up at him.
“Oh,” she said.“It’s you.”
“It’s me.”Julian drank in the sight of her sweet face, noting her eyes were rimmed with red and framed by dark circles.As she gazed up at him, her chin quivered, and her eyes filled.
Without thinking about implications or complications or anything other than whatever she needed, he put his arms around her and held her close while she sobbed.When she tried to pull back, he said, “Shhh, it’s okay.I’ve got you.”
She sagged into his embrace.
Her hair brushed his face, filling his senses with the essence of her, an herbal-tinged fragrance that he wanted to memorize for time immemorial as hers.
Isla’s.
