Page 66 of Twist of Date

“Get it together, Lays,” I mutter to myself then wonder how I went from cloud nine to the depths of hell in only a few hours.

Chapter 14

GRIN AND BEAR IT

COLE

I’m neverone to shy away from a good party, but a party thrown by my grandmother’s best friend may lack the normalcy I’m used to. Layla assured me that Ruth’s Memorial Day parties are wonderfully entertaining, but still I have my reservations.

I haven’t seen Layla this week and if I’m being honest with myself, she’s been a bit standoffish. Maybe meeting my brother and sister-in-law last weekend was too much. I’ll get to the bottom of it, though. I know she will be here.

We knew we couldn’t attend together but decided we wouldn’t shy away from each other either. So I’m looking forward to seeing the woman I can’t get out of my head.

Sliding my shades onto my face, I realize the lack of vehicles parked on the large front drive. I’m not early, so I wonder if I was supposed to park somewhere else. I look ahead and take in the house in front of me. It looks like your normal, family style home, but shit, it’s massive. I didn’t realize Ruth was loaded. Layla said Ruth’s neighbor to the right was the governor of Indiana. To her left, an heir to one of the largest property groups of malls and outlets in America.

I guess I shouldn’t be surprised at the size of the home when she lives on the historical North Meridian stretch. Known for the old, million-dollar homes.

Two men dressed in suits stand at the junction where the drive meets the walk up to the house.

“Good evening, sir. May I have your name?” the first man asks, holding a tablet.

“Cole Reed,” I say lightly. Well, isn’t this fun?

He looks down at what must be a guest list and nods. “Very good. Please give your key to James here and he will park your car in the special lot nearby.” Ahh. That explains it.

I hand off my key and the man who took my name guides me up the few stairs that lead to the front entry and opens the door.

I take a step inside and I’m not surprised that the space looks a lot like a museum. To my right, it opens up into a large sitting room. A parlor, maybe. There is a grand staircase in front of me that shows off an open space on the second floor. There is a bathroom to the left, and the foyer is open with a hall that leads to the back of the house. I bet that’s where I need to go since I don’t spot another person. I wonder how loud the echo is in this foyer.

Deciding to test it out, I offer a “hello?” into the space.

Sure enough, the echo doesn’t disappoint when I hear an all too familiar voice call back.

“My darling, Cole, is that you?” My grandma’s voice hits me.

“Grandma?” I look around, deciding the hall is the most likely direction. My theory is correct when she comes floating down the hall wearing a massive grin and her arms flung wide.

“Cole.”

I haven’t seen her in months and while I’m surprised to see her today, I’m thrilled. I cross the space quickly and embrace one of my favorite people.

“Darling, put this old woman down this instant.” She laughs.

I do, holding her away from me. “You’re a strapping young man, but you don’t need to show off.”

“I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“Surprise! I try not to miss too many of Ruth’s summer parties, and I wasn’t able to fly out last year. She told me you RSVP’d and I decided I needed to come as well.”

“I wish you had told me. When did you get in?” I ask her as she ushers me down the hall.

“Last night. I’m here through Tuesday. I expect all your time and all the updates.” She wraps her arm around my biceps as we walk down the hall that opens into a grand kitchen that leads out to a massive backyard.

“Well, I do have to work, but I always have time for you,” I tell her. Guess I won’t be spending too much time with Layla until Grandma goes home, I think to myself. I look around, taking it all in. Honestly, I shouldn’t be surprised this is how Ruth lives, but I am. Everything is so grand and while Ruth is a very sophisticated woman, this almost seems like too much.

“This place is rather stuffy, isn’t it?” my grandmother whispers.

I make a face in agreement. The home is stunning and it’s something I could see myself in someday, but with a family, of course. Filling this place up would give it such a different feel. Immediately I imagine Layla standing in front of the window, filling a glass from the sink, and a kid running around her as she laughs.

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