Live Love Rewind: The Three Lives of Leah Preston (2 page)

He said, “It’s a beautiful flower, native to Nevada and nowhere else. You’re going to love its red and purple blooms.”

“Do you give presents to all the new tenants?”

“You’re the first.” Belatedly, he remembered the ring on his finger. Lifting the hand away from her, he dropped his arm to his side so she couldn’t see it.

Leah was attracted to the gardener but attraction wasn’t enough. She didn’t want to fall in love with a married man. She wasn’t perfect but she wasn’t a home wrecker, either.

“I’m really not good with plants,” she told him. “I have a black thumb. I kill everything.”

“I can help. I’ll come by daily, I promise. Working together, we’ll force your plants to live.”

He waited expectantly. This close to him, she realized he had gold flecks in his brown eyes. Neal had so much of what she was seeking in a partner. He was sexy, hard-working, and definitely interested in her.

It was a shame he was also a cheat.

“Flowers aren’t really my thing,” Leah said. “Why don’t you give them to Rita?”

Chapter Three

Six months later

Agent Jon Wexler sat across from her, his long legs folded beneath the white circular top of her small kitchen table. Carved from some mystical flesh-colored marble, dressed in a suit and tie, he was seriously gorgeous. Amazingly, he appeared unaware of his own perfection.

“Why did you apply to the GJSA?” Agent Wexler asked. His voice had a comforting manliness to it.

“I’ve worked for the government before,” Leah said. “State government, not anything to do with the Security Administration. Well, you probably know that, all those papers in front of you.”

“In Mississippi.”

“My boyfriend and I broke up months ago –”
I’m single!
“– and I wanted a fresh start. Nevada qualified as a new adventure. Do you live around here?”

He gave a courtesy smile, the gesture accenting his strong jaw and perfect, even teeth. “You’re currently employed.”

“I took a new job when I got here. Middle manager stuff. Taking meetings, figuring out budgets.”

The change in location didn’t work out
, she felt like saying.
Not the way I’d hoped.

I traveled halfway across a continent, only to find myself doing the same kind of paper-pushing I did at the last place. I’m surrounded by clones of my former co-workers.

It’s so depressing. You know what else is depressing? My love life.

My last romantic relationship belched out an uncaring goodbye several months ago. I’ve had exactly one, totally disastrous, blind date since arriving here.

The highlight of my week is when
King and Country
comes on cable. As cute as “Chris Stark” is, the actor who plays him is never going to walk into my life. So far, no one else seems interested, either.

This is so much
not
the life I want to lead.

Leah said, “Can you tell me anything about the position? The posting said they were looking for an ambassador of sorts.”

The courtesy smile flashed briefly. Agent Wexler ran his finger along the top page in his hand, studying the file as he spoke. “Your father is deceased. No siblings.”

“Just me and Mom. She’s still in the South.”

“Is that likely to change?”

“She’ll never move.”

“No local friends.”

“I really haven’t connected with anyone here.”
God, I sound like such a loser.
“I still keep in contact with some of my friends from Stanton Grove.”

She could have added,
Mostly via birthday emails or Christmas cards. An occasional text but so occasional, I’m not certain of the last one. If it wasn’t for Facebook, I’d barely know what was happening in their lives.

I haven’t actually spoken with Mary Ellen Brewer, my semi-best friend, in months. She moved out to the coast and we’ve kind of lost touch. I haven’t heard from Astrid Iversen, my other bestie, since she found Mr. Right and went all New Age. She’s been busy in bed and I’ve been busy doing crossword puzzles.

God, I
am
such a loser.

“This type of clearance normally takes months.” The FBI man opened his briefcase, tucking his papers inside. “But in this particular case, this particular job, the process has been accelerated.”

“Has it?” She wondered why but knew he wouldn’t tell her. “Do you know when I’ll hear, Agent Wexler?”

“You’re familiar with the government, Miss Preston.” His dark eyes regarded her and, for the first time, his military manner softened. “Please call me Jon. If you get the job, we’ll be working closely together.”

“Call me Leah.” 

“I will.”

Remaining in the doorway, she watched as he followed the flower-lined pathway to the building’s parking lot. The view he presented as he left was almost as spectacular as when he’d arrived.

With a touch of his key ring, Jon unlocked his government-owned sedan. Never looking in her direction, he slid behind the steering wheel and drove off.

“Someone you know?” Holding a rake in his strong hands, Neal Terenzio crossed the lawn to join her.

“No,” Leah responded regretfully.

“He’s younger than you.”

“A few years younger, I think. Two or three.”
Four or five
, she admitted privately. She knew why Neal had mentioned the age difference. She was attracted to Jon and he’d noticed.

Pulling a handkerchief from his pocket, the gardener wiped at the nape of his neck. Not for the first time, she noticed that his ring finger was bare of jewelry. A faint circle of white remained on his sun-darkened hand, the only indication that his wedding band had ever existed.

She still found herself drawn to him but fought against her feelings. Weeks earlier, wondering if she might have somehow misunderstood the meaning of the ring on his finger, she’d finally decided to ask a neighbor if there was a Mrs. Terenzio.

It was Rita Talsman, of all people, who confirmed that Neal was a married man. Her metal walker in attack position, the old woman had peered at Leah suspiciously.

“Why do you ask such questions?” she demanded. “I was there, at the ceremony three years ago. It was on Valentine’s Day. Go away! It’s time for Wheel of Fortune!”

In reflection, Leah wondered why anyone would invite such a prune-faced witch to their wedding. It was another of life’s mysteries.

She tried to remain cool toward Neal as he continued to find excuses to stop by her apartment. She pretended he only wanted to develop a friendship with her but both of them were aware of his deeper feelings.

He said, “The man in the suit. Was he here about the job you mentioned?”

“The GJSA thing, yeah. He took some fingerprints – they use a clear gel now, it’s actually good for the skin – and asked a couple of questions.”

“What’s next?”

“I wait.”

“It’s never a pleasure, waiting,” he said, “but some things are worth waiting for. All the best things.”

His eyes locked with hers, inviting her to direct the conversation to more personal matters. As before, she pretended not to notice.

“Cross fingers for me,” she said. “The pay is good, there’s a chance to travel, and I’ll be working for the people who run our country. It has to be better than what I’m doing now.”

Chapter Four

“It’s so nice to meet you, Miss Preston,” Viola Stone told her. “I trust you won’t be tardy next time.”

Standing beside the flat screen monitor at the head of the class, Viola’s body was angular and her skin was as black as agate. She had the sweetest face Leah had ever seen but the tone in her voice suggested,
In the future, tardiness will not be tolerated.

Leah made a mental note to arrive at least a half hour early for all future classes. “Sorry I’m late. The man at the front desk sent me to the wrong floor.”

The classroom was fairly large, with chairs for at least thirty people. Except for the instructor, there was only one other person in the room. Sitting at the front desk, he turned at the sound of her voice.

Eli Rannell was slender and friendly-looking, his buzz cut and clean-shaven face lending him a military air. “I’m happy you made it,” he said. “I was starting to feel a little lonesome.”

Leah sat beside him. “I’m glad I’m not the last one here.”

“But you are,” Viola said. “Now that you’ve arrived, the class is complete. The two of you should be pleased. We had over three hundred applicants for the position. Of the nineteen candidates that met our criteria, only four made it through the screening process.”

“What happened to the other two?” Eli asked.

“They washed out. The medical eval.”

Leah understood what she meant. The medical evaluation had been brutal, lasting for nine full days. The testing, probing, and repeated blood draws soon felt all-consuming. She’d been clothed for the first week. Totally naked for the last three days.

No one in the lab had appeared to even notice her nudity. She’d never felt less sexy in her life.

“It went well past the ‘pee in a cup’ phase, didn’t it?” Viola said.

“When you were hired, did you go through it, too?” Leah asked her. “Does everyone go through that entire battery of tests?”

“Heavens, no. It’s terribly expensive.”

Eli gave her a look and Leah shrugged.

I know how you feel, Eli
, she thought.
What kind of career requires so thorough a physical evaluation? At the end of it, I was so exhausted, I could barely stand.

I assumed I was applying for another desk job. What exactly does an ‘ambassador’ for the GJSA do, anyway?

Eli said, “Which brings up....”

“Yes?”

“I’m still trying to get a feel for the job we’ll be performing. What are our responsibilities going to be?”

“In due time, Mr. Rannell,” the instructor promised. “First, I’d like to learn a little about the two of you.”

Leah reflected on the stacks of paperwork she’d completed and the series of interviews she’d undergone. When she saw her name on the file folder in Viola’s hand, she felt uncomfortable, just as she had in the laboratory: completely exposed and more than a little vulnerable.

Leah said, “There can’t be anything else left to know.”

“I’ve gone over your applications, I’ve studied your prior histories, and I’ve personally confirmed much of the information I was given. But an individual is so much more than just some words on paper, don’t you think?” Pulling up a chair, she sat across from them. “Tell me about yourselves.”

Later, Leah would reflect on how Viola had guided the conversation, revealing little about herself or the position they’d accepted. When she did speak of their new careers, the classroom leader provided generalities about the GJSA and offered vague promises of classified information to follow. Meanwhile, she expertly led each of them into discussing their hopes and fears. Seduced by her gentle coaxing, they each talked about their struggles in their early life and their dreams for the years to come.

When Eli spoke, Leah discovered some strong similarities in their histories. Both of them came from small families and neither of them had any brothers or sisters. Over time, and following a number of moves, Eli had lost contact with most of his close friends. He hadn’t yet found many new ones.

Like her, he’d reached a point in his life where he was ready for a chance at doing something different and interesting. He’d been spending too much time bored and alone.

Leah said, “I think I know what you mean. Most of my suppers are meals-for-one.”

“Never give up hope.” Eli glowed with happiness. “There’ll be no more Lean Cuisine Singles dinners for me. I’ve met the most wonderful man.”

Viola Stone grew silent with this revelation.

Too late, Eli realized he might have said too much. “That’s not going to be a problem, is it? I mean, I haven’t made a secret of my sexuality.”

“Have you discussed this with anyone?”

“Everyone knows I’m gay. Even my next door neighbor knows, for God’s sake, and he never leaves his apartment.”

Viola flipped through the sheets on her clipboard. “I see you met with Agent Wexler. You told him you weren’t dating.”

“I didn’t see where it was any of his business,” Eli told her defensively. “Besides, I thought it was just a fling. I didn’t realize it was going to get so serious, so fast.”

“Then things changed.”

“Roger has been completely under wraps. I’d have scared him off, talking about FBI men and security checks. He’d have freaked.”

Growing pale, Eli dabbed at his forehead with a paper tissue. He acted as if he was about to freak, too.

Soothingly, Viola said, “Take a deep breath, Mr. Rannell. This organization doesn’t discriminate based on sexual preference.”