Somebody to Hold (Tyler Jamison #2) - April Wilson Page 0,52
eating outside on the back patio so you can enjoy the lake view. Ian, I hear you like the water.”
“I love it,” I say, surprised. Oh, my god, Tyler must have told her about me—about us.
“Then you’ve come to the right place,” she says. “Follow me.”
As we follow her inside, she says, “We haven’t seen much of the family lately, not with Beth being so far along. Shane’s leery of letting her travel right now, in light of what happened when Luke was born. So, your presence is a very welcome distraction.”
“What happened the last time?” I ask.
Elly’s eyes widen. “You don’t know the story? Good lord, the poor girl went into labor in a convenience store during an armed robbery. Thank goodness Lia was with her and managed to hide her and keep her safe until Shane and his men could rescue her and the baby. It was awful. Luke was born premature, and his lungs weren’t fully developed, and he had to be hospitalized. It was a harrowing experience.”
Shocked, I glance at Tyler. “Why did you not tell me this before?”
He lays his arm across my shoulders. “I’ll tell you all about it later, I promise.”
Elly pauses inside the foyer to point up a grand, curving staircase. “The suites are up on the second floor. I’ll show you to your room after dinner.” Then she gives us a quick tour of the main floor—the library, a huge dining room that seats a dozen, the kitchen, and a great room. “There’s a movie theater downstairs, as well as a swimming pool, if you’re so inclined.”
Now I know why Tyler told me to bring my swim trunks.
Next, she leads us through the great room, with its soaring ceiling and massive stone hearth that extends up to a second-floor balcony. The exterior glass wall provides a sweeping view of the back lawn, which slopes down to a private beach and a dock, where several boats are moored.
We step through a pair of French doors onto a rear patio that includes a number of small bistro tables. One of the tables is already set with a white linen tablecloth, a candelabra, and a glass vase holding freshly-cut daisies. A bottle of red wine is sitting out, along with two glasses.
“Have a seat and relax,” Elly says as she lights the candles. “I’ll bring your dinners out shortly.”
Tyler pulls a chair out for me, and I sit. Then he takes his seat and pours us each a glass of wine. “Think of this as a mini vacation. While we’re here, none of the worries back home exist.”
“That’s easier said than done,” I say.
“I know, but let’s try. After we eat, we can walk down to the beach and look at the boats.”
I glance toward the private dock, where a small yacht is moored, along with a pontoon boat, and a small speed boat.
The back patio is decorated with outdoor lighting, and solar lights illuminate the path that leads down to the water.
“This place is magical,” I say as I lift my glass for a toast. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
“My pleasure,” Tyler says, as he touches his glass to mine. “How about a toast? To us.”
I smile. “To happy endings. Please, Tyler, tell me we’ll get our happy ending.”
Tyler’s smile falls. “We have to have faith in the process.”
Before I can reply, Elly walks out of the house carrying two dinner plates. “Chicken parmesan over linguine, with my own homemade marinara and freshly-baked bread.” She sets our plates in front of us. “And I made Tiramisu for dessert. I hope you enjoy it.”
“Thank you, Elly,” Tyler says.
The food looks and smells amazing. On impulse, I reach out and squeeze her hand. “Thank you, Elly. This is divine.”
Beaming, she goes back inside and leaves us to our meal.
As soon as I taste the food, I moan in appreciation. “This is as good as a five-star restaurant.”
Our delicious dinner is followed by dessert and a second glass of wine. “You’re not trying to get me drunk are you?” I ask Tyler.
He grins. “If it means I get lucky tonight, then yes.”
When we’re through eating, we walk down the path that leads to the lake. It’s quiet down here and very private as there aren’t many boats on this section of the lake tonight. I sit on a fallen log and take off my shoes and socks, then roll up the legs of my jeans so I can walk barefoot in the surf.