Read Online Keeping Her Love by Tiger Hill - Free Book Online Page A

nice Asian fusion place, watching the bay as they waited for their names to be called.
    Everything had turned out so well. They enjoyed their meals, spent some more time shopping down at Union Square, and then got on the BART to go home. The day had gone by so fast after the exciting events earlier in the day, and the two of them were exhausted. When Tula began resting her cheek on Rhett’s shoulder on the ride back to the car, he knew that making love was probably out of the question that night. Not that it bothered him too much considering how perfect the day was, but it would have been nice to complete the day with more intimacy than they were accustomed to in the last few months.  
    When they finally reached their stop in Concord, Rhett decided to be gallant by lifting Tula up with all of her shopping bags and delivering her to the Camaro. Rhett was glad to see that the car was all in on piece, waiting for him under the light of a lamp pole.
    Maybe I should get a cheap little Japanese car for when I go to the Bay Area, he thought as he laid Tula on the brown leather seat. Nah. I mean, we don’t come here that often. Everything seems to have gone well enough.
    Tula curled up on the passenger seat, pulling her white peacoat more closely to herself. Rhett went to his trunk, grabbed a little flannel blanket, and then gently threw it over her. She squinted her eyes briefly at him, smiled, and then pulled the blanket close to her as she passed out again. The ruby ring shone in the light next to the blanket; right where it belonged, on her beautiful finger. He shut her door, got in on his side, and then started the car up. The ride home was as quiet and peaceful as could be expected. He didn’t want to turn on the radio and potentially disturb Tula from her sleep, so instead he sat with his thoughts.
    It’s been so weird for the last while, he thought. All of it strange, I feel like everything went without a hitch when Tula and I first started dating. It was like a wonderful dream. Now… Well, things are fine between us, but the strangest things keep happening ever since.
    He stared out at the white lights on the opposite side of the freeway, wondering if he should fully form the thought he was thinking. Then he gazed at his hands on the wheel—hands that had grappled around the neck of an old woman. He tried to keep his focus on the road in front of him.
    Hopefully nothing more unusual happens. Maybe it’s just a lot of strange flukes. I feel like there’s some kind of weird government conspiracy out there watching and trying to mess with me. Why me, I don’t know. I just can’t shake the feeling that this has all been some kind of setup.  
    Max… Okay, yes, Max. He’s never shown affection for me. Something in my gut tells me that he’s had something to do with all of this. The oven bullshit, the reception area cancellation, the jackhammer on Valentine’s Day morning… There’s something going on with that guy. I don’t know what’s going on in his head, but it’s super strange. Then again, I’m making huge assumptions. Tula’s parents had seemed nice enough to me when we first met, but I’m wondering if they’re having second thoughts about me.
    They were the ones who had called us about the oven. Tula’s mom is sure getting uptight about all of the wedding stuff. With all the things Tula is telling me about her crazy cousin in Sacramento, I don’t even want to know what’s coming ahead concerning the wedding planning madness. Would Tula’s mom cancel the reception location on purpose? She seemed to make a huge deal out of the Baptist church nonsense. I guess I’ll have to keep an eye on her.
    And then there’s Tula’s dad. I don’t have a lot of dirt on him yet. Hell, he could have done any of those things, though I guess I think of him mostly in the context of what happened this morning. I’m sure he doesn’t like the thought of a man nailing his daughter, especially under his own roof.