Page 2 of Until Kendal
Now that sounded exactly like Roxanne Norouzi. She always found time for all her boys. “Going from here to being a Norouzi wasn’t just a culture shock.”
“I can’t imagine.”
Of course not. He’d been born into his world, but more than half of us in the Norouzi home had been adopted from all over the US. “And this is why I loved the world of videogaming.”
Unlike most people who lost themselves in the story when gaming, Arman and I often sat there and analyzed user experience or broke the coding apart on our laptops.
Arman said, “The funny part about you when we were kids, you were already on the programming side, which makes you a perfect partner.”
That was fair. I probably did more coding, though he sold himself short with his talent.
Arriving at the hotel, I pulled into the parking lot then led Arman into the lobby of the three-story building with maybe twenty rooms, and his gaze narrowed like he’d never seen green wall-to-wall carpeting.
I put my hand on my stomach and laughed. “Seeing you in a three-star hotel is already the highlight of the trip.”
We walked to the restaurant in the back, where the window overlooked a small fountain. Children with their parents and other family members were all around us. Arman normally ate at five-star Manhattan or Beverly Hills restaurants or had the family chef leave him dinners to eat at home.
He tightened his grip on the napkin as he sat. “I’ll do anything for my family, and I promised to get you to the beach house in a few weeks.”
We ordered right away. Once the waitress left, I said, “I’ll be there. We haven’t been all together there as adults in years, so it will be great to catch up.”
Arman glanced to both sides then whispered, “Sure you want to stay here and not come back to New York straight away?”
Normally, I threw myself into work. But first, it was time to make up for the past. “I’m sure. Please inform everyone I’m fine and happy to see them soon.”
Our food came at the same time the helicopter landed in the parking lot.
People all stood to get a look. Arman drank his beer and ate his cheeseburger fast. I took my time, but I'd paid the waitress ahead of time so I had the option to leave in a hurry.
The second he finished, he said, “Don’t be long. The company we launched needs both of us.”
Usually, I didn’t blink at luxury, but a helicopter landing in a parking lot so close to my old life grounded me. This wasn’t normal for most people. I stood and walked him out. “I trust you, Arman. Have a good flight.”
We hugged, and I headed back inside. As I rounded the corner, I bumped into a small woman in a white T-shirt and black pants, her eyes red and teary.
I stilled. The frizzy brunette had captured my attention, and I wanted to wipe her tears. Holding back the impulse, I asked, “Are you okay?”
She shoved her phone into her back pocket and said, “Don’t get involved.”
My brother’s take-off made talking impossible.
Once the noise lessened, I motioned to the hotel door. “I’ll get you a drink or call a service for you if it’s your car.”
She shook her head. “No, thank you. My car is fine.”
Then before I could ask her anything else, she rushed off. My heart lurched like I'd missed someone important to me, but I headed inside to finish my meal. Hopefully, whatever her issue was, she would work it out.
ChapterTwo
Kendal
Last night, instead of going home, where I'd known I wouldn't be able to sleep, I’d driven down the small one-lane road to my mom’s house, remembering the last time I'd seen my dad, Gene Brown.
He had just been released from prison, and my mom was black and blue, with a bruise on her face and lip. At fourteen, I didn’t believe her lie that she'd done it to herself. So a drug bust had saved my life—and my mother’s.
I’d always been grateful that police had taken Fred Avery out of my life, and over the past ten years, I’d managed to finish high school, work, and pretend I wasn’t broken.
Last night, I’d raced to our old home to make sure mom was okay, but she’d been sleeping. This morning, I woke up in my childhood bed, but I didn’t dare make coffee. My heart was racing too much already. I rushed to clean myself up and headed into the great room, where I could see all the bedrooms clearly.
