Where the Light Glows Read online

  *

  Izzy seemed happy to see Mel waiting in front of her house when she got out of her car. “Sorry about tonight. I mentioned I was going to come by and get dinner, and Nancy kind of invited herself.”

  “That’s okay.” She unlocked the door and slid it open. “I know you work with her.”

  “We’re also friends. Been that way for a long time.”

  “So why haven’t you been spilling your guts to her instead of me?” Izzy dropped her keys on the entry table along with Mel’s set and headed into the kitchen. Mel smiled, noting that Izzy hadn’t really left her keys at home. She’d had them in her pocket all along.

  “She’s been kind of busy lately. She’s got a new girlfriend.”

  “So I’m a fill-in, am I?” Izzy pinched her lips together and winked.

  “No, not at all,” she said, concerned Izzy was upset. “She likes to tell me what I should do. You just listen.”

  “You ever go out with her?” She poured two glasses of wine.

  Mel hesitated, wondering if it would make a difference to Izzy. “Yes.” She accepted the glass of wine Izzy handed her and took a sip.

  “Just yes?” Izzy’s brows rose, creating a small wrinkle across her forehead.

  “It was nothing really. We went out for a while in college.” She took another sip of wine. “It didn’t work out.”

  “Why not?”

  “She’s just not my type.”

  “What is your type?”

  “Independent, outgoing, funny.” Someone like you. She picked up her glass and took a gulp of wine this time.

  “Like Jack?”

  “I thought so.” Mel found herself watching Izzy’s movements as she strolled across the room to retrieve the bottle of wine from the counter. Her walk was smooth and confident, way beyond sexy. She swept the length of her with her gaze. Small shoulders led to toned arms. A long torso that wasn’t cut with much of a waist. Her pants hung low on her hips, sliding against them slightly as she moved. They looked as though they were hanging on for dear life. All it would take to lose them was one swift tug. Stop it. She yanked her gaze away but couldn’t help letting it drift back slowly as Izzy turned. She shouldn’t have come, but she just couldn’t stay away.

  “What are you thinking?”

  Can’t tell you. Mel glanced up to catch Izzy’s deep-blue eyes and chugged down the rest of her wine. Izzy offered more, and Mel held her glass out. Izzy filled it with a mere twist of the bottle.

  “I was just thinking how sweet you are…I mean to invite me over like this and listen to my ramblings.”

  Izzy poured the last bit of wine into her own glass and set it on the end table next to Mel, along with her glass. When she slid down on the couch next to her, Mel’s pulse went into overdrive.

  “I don’t really mind, but I wouldn’t characterize myself as sweet. If I’d had tickets for tonight’s Warriors game, you’d have been out of luck.” Her eyes darkened, and when their legs brushed against each other, Mel’s stomach fluttered. She had to look away—now. She wasn’t ready for this, whatever it was.

  “I’d better go.” She stood up.

  “You just got here.” Izzy popped up after her.

  “I’ve got an early meeting. I just wanted to pick up my keys and apologize about earlier.”

  “You never have to apologize to me for someone else’s behavior.”

  “Thanks for being so understanding.” Mel hesitated and then gave her a short hug.

  Izzy took the opportunity to wrap her arms around her, pulling her body close. The jolt in Mel’s midsection unnerved her. She didn’t know what was going on; she’d never had such a strong physical reaction with anyone. Locked in her arms, she felt Izzy’s warm breath on her shoulder and the tender touch of her hands roaming up and down her spine. Mel backed up slowly, their cheeks brushing against each other’s. When her eyes met the dark pools of blue, she didn’t have a chance. Their lips met and her body was on fire. She pushed as Izzy pulled, one warm body against the other. Tongues clashing, the taste of wine mingling between them, everything went hazy. God, this woman can kiss. Mel could literally stay here all night like this, just kissing her.

  Izzy’s hand roamed up her side, and she ripped her mouth away, took a ragged breath trying to settle her body, and Izzy did the same. Izzy’s eyes were dark, clear with desire. Mel’s pulse raced and she was hot, so hot. She couldn’t remember when she’d ever been this turned on. Get out of here—now. She weaved as she moved to the door. Her head was spinning, and it wasn’t just the wine that made it happen. Again, she was in no shape to drive home.

  “Whoa, hang on. Are you all right?” Izzy held her by the shoulders.

  “I shouldn’t have had that last glass of wine.” I shouldn’t have had any wine.

  “Come on. You can stay here tonight.” She took her hand and led her down the hallway.

  Was that some kind of invitation? The thought sent Mel’s nerves jumping. “I can call a cab.” She twisted to go back the other way.

  “No, you don’t.” Izzy wrangled her back around. “I have a guest room. You can sleep in there.”

  “Oh, okay,” she said, relieved yet oddly disappointed.

  Izzy put her arm around her and took her down the hallway. “The bathroom’s here.” She pushed open the partially closed door. “And your room is at the end of the hall on the left.”

  Mel headed to it, glancing into the master bedroom just across the hall before turning in. Queen-size bed, just enough room for two. She shook her head. Stop it right now. You are not a free woman.

  Izzy brought her an over-sized T-shirt with AC/DC World Tour printed across the front. Looking at the T-shirt, Mel chuckled. “Oh my God! I think I went to this concert.”

  “I had backstage passes. It was pretty wild as I recall.”

  “I would’ve never pegged you for a hard rocker.”

  “Nor I you,” Izzy said with a tilt of her head.

  “Well, I guess we’ll have to swap stories about it sometime.”

  “Definitely.” Izzy leaned up against the doorjamb. “I’d enjoy learning more about your past.”

  “I have many things in my past you might not expect.”

  “As I already found out tonight.”

  “Oh yeah, sorry.” Mel’s cheeks warmed. “Just give me a little wine and I share way too much.”

  “I’ll have to remember to buy more wine.” Izzy twisted her lip into a half smile and handed her the T-shirt. “Stay as long as you like,” she said, and closed the door.

  Mel pulled off her clothes and slipped on the T-shirt. She ran her hands across her breasts and down the front of the shirt. There was something very intimate about sleeping in another woman’s clothes, especially a woman who made her body sizzle the way Izzy did. She slid between the sheets of the queen-size bed and wondered whether Izzy ever slept here. She pressed the side of her face into the soft down pillow. When she was with Izzy, she didn’t have any cares. But tomorrow she would still have to deal with Jack. She pushed the unwelcome reminder from her mind and thought about her beautiful hostess as she quickly fell asleep.

  *

  Dana drove by the house, went to the end of the block, turned around, and drove by again. Who the fuck’s car is that? The same one was here last night. She pulled up to the curb and slowly rolled to a stop. She cupped her hand and squinted to see through the car window on her way to the door.

  She knocked on the door and Izzy pulled it open immediately. She must have heard the engine.

  “Why are you here?”

  “Two nights in a row?” She motioned to the car. “Who is she?” She tried to push her way inside.

  “That’s none of your business.” Izzy stepped outside and closed the door. “Stop driving by my house.”

  “Are you seeing her just to get back at me?” A hundred random thoughts whipped through her mind. “Is it that brunette from the restaurant? Did you fuck her?”

  “Why do you care?”
r />   She moved in close and whispered in Izzy’s ear. “Of course I care, baby.” She put her arms around her neck, pulled her head down, and kissed her hard. She heard a groan escape Izzy’s lips and backed her up against the door, pressing the full length of her body against her.

  Izzy yanked her hands from her neck and shifted to the side. “Stop.” Her voice was low and ragged. “We are not getting back together.”

  “Please just let me come back home. I know you miss me.” She tried uselessly to free her wrists from Izzy’s grip. “I bet she can’t make you come like I did.”

  “I can’t do this with you again.” Dana’s shoulder burned as Izzy pulled her to the Mustang parked on the street. “Now go home.”

  Dana yanked her arm free and slid into the driver’s seat. She watched Izzy walk back to the porch and wait for her to leave. “You can fuck every girl in town and you’ll never be over me.”

  Her cell phone rang the special tone for Jess. “Hey.”

  “Hi. Are you on your way home?”

  “Yeah. I’ll be there soon. I had to stop and get gas.”

  “Okay, love you.”

  “Love you too.” She threw the car into gear and hit the gas. The tires squealed and the Mustang fishtailed down the street.

  Chapter Ten

  Izzy lifted her hand to knock on the guest-room door but let it fall to her side instead. She slowly turned the doorknob and cracked the door slightly. Mel lay on her side, dark hair mussed around her face, lips partially open. Almost the same position she was in the night before when she’d checked to see if Dana’s rant had woken her. She watched her for a few minutes before she pulled the door closed and moved on down the hall to the kitchen.

  She set the coffee next to the French press, then scribbled a couple of words on a notepad and left it in the middle of the counter. She would pick up a cup on the way into the city. She needed to get out of there as quickly as possible. Izzy didn’t know if she had the strength to resist Mel this morning.

  Izzy drove up Mount Tamalpais and parked, then sat in her Jeep with the windows rolled down and watched the sunrise. The mountains were exceptionally beautiful today. Mount Tam, in all its glory, peaked majestically above the rest of the landscape. Sprinkled with forests of redwood, fir, and eucalyptus, it seemed to be permanently green. She took in a deep breath, a hint of eucalyptus floating into her nose. The crisp, unique scent made it known that the mountain was a living sliver of beauty between the ocean and the densely populated region of Mill Valley.

  Last night had been perfect until Dana showed up. Izzy’s body had betrayed her, making it clear the attraction was still very much there. When Dana had kissed her, she’d had to create some much-needed space between them to keep it from taking over. The kiss had been hard. Demanding. Tumultuous. Just as their relationship had been. She was not going back there again.

  On the other hand, Mel’s kiss lit every one of her nerve endings. The sensation blazing through her system was new; she’d never felt something so intense before. She’d gone further than she’d planned last night, but she couldn’t resist the chance to feel Mel’s soft body pressed against hers. When she’d stroked her back, she’d felt Mel’s breath catch. In her wildest dreams, she’d never imagined the kiss that came next. Soft, slow, and deep, Izzy had become lost in it, but then Mel was out of her arms as quickly as she’d fallen into them. She didn’t care if she was gay or straight. Izzy wanted to do unspeakable things to her body, wake up next to her, and do them all over again. She shook her head. It was way too soon for that.

  Torture. That’s what it is. Pure torture. She should keep as far away from Mel Thomas as she could. Instead, she’d asked her to stay just a few steps across the hall. What am I gonna to do about this? She fired the engine and drove back down the mountain.

  *

  Izzy reached into her mother’s refrigerator and took out a carton of eggs. “You want pancakes this morning, Momma?”

  “No. Just eggs. I’m getting a little thick in the middle.”

  “Ah, Momma. You’ve never been thick in your life.”

  “That’s what Mary Elizabeth says. She thinks I should put on a few pounds.” She waved her finger in the air. “I still have eyes. I can see in the mirror.”

  “This Mary Elizabeth seems pretty observant. Maybe I should meet her.” She cracked the eggs and dropped them into the pan.

  “You may be too late. I think she may have found someone. She’s seemed very happy lately.”

  “Well, then maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.” She slid a plate of eggs and toast in front of her mother and plated another for herself. “You want another cup of coffee?”

  “Just a little warm-up, dear.”

  She refilled her mother’s cup as well as her own. “So, tell me. Where did you meet your friend Mary Elizabeth?”

  “At the community center.”

  “Oh? What was she doing there?”

  “She and another woman came around with the director and took some pictures. She stayed and asked some of us for our opinion of the place during lunch.”

  “Like an interview for the newspaper?”

  “Yes, like that.”

  “So, how did she happen to take such a liking to you?”

  “Just lucky, I guess. She said she’s been to the restaurant a few times, and the food is always delicious.”

  “You told her about the restaurant?”

  “Of course, dear. Why wouldn’t I? I’m very proud of what you’ve done with it.”

  “Bella, you can’t just go telling strangers all about your business.”

  “She’s not a stranger, Isabel. I’ve known her for months.”

  “Momma, you just have to be careful. I don’t want anyone taking advantage of you.”

  “Don’t worry, dear. She’s a nice girl. She would never do anything to hurt me.”

  Izzy just shook her head. Bella had no idea how charming people could be when they were conning someone. “I’d still like to meet her.” Izzy wasn’t going to let up on meeting this Mary Elizabeth. She needed to know who this woman was who might be influencing her mother. “Do you remember her last name?”

  “I’m not sure, dear. You can ask her yourself, if you want to come back later. She’s coming by for a visit this afternoon.”

  “Okay. Call me when she gets here, and I’ll come over.” Izzy hoped it would be before the dinner crowd, so she could break away for a little while. Once she found out her last name, it might be worth a Google search to check her out.

  Izzy rinsed the dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher. “I’ve got to get moving. I need to go to the market.” Izzy bent down and kissed her mother on the cheek.

  “Okay, dear. Be careful.”

  “I will. Don’t forget to call me this afternoon.”

  *

  Izzy threw her Jeep into park and ran around the back to get the groceries. She’d spent too long at her mother’s and had totally underestimated her time at the market this morning. She rushed through the back door of the restaurant and dropped everything on the prep table. “Did you start the sauce?”

  “Of course I started the sauce. It’s after ten. Where have you been?” Tony didn’t sound happy.

  “I went by and fixed Mom some breakfast before I went to the market.”

  “How is she?” Tony took the bag of groceries and put them in the refrigerator.

  “I’m worried. Apparently, she has a new friend visiting her a couple times a week.”

  “When did that start?”

  “According to her, it’s been going on for some time now.”

  “I had no idea.”

  “Maybe you would if you stopped by and saw her once in a while.” She knew that was a low blow, considering their strained relationship. Tony’s relationship with Bella mirrored that of Izzy and her father’s minus the gay issue.

  “Don’t start, Iz.”

  “She’s still your mother.” She glanced over her shoulder at Tony, who had
a funny look on his face and nodded toward the door. “What?” She whipped her head around and saw Mel standing in the doorway, gorgeous as always. She wore a sleeveless, black button-up blouse matched with gray-cuffed dress pants. “Hey. What are you doing here?”

  “You were gone when I got up.”

  “I went to see my mother. I thought I’d let you sleep in.”

  Tony chuckled, and Izzy pulled her aside out of earshot. “Besides, you seemed so peaceful. I didn’t want to wake you. Did you find the fruit in the fridge?”

  “Yes.” She smiled. “And the coffee too. Thanks.”

  “Good. I wasn’t sure if you knew how to use a French press.”

  “If you keep treating me like this, I’m going to want to move in.” Her cheeks flushed as though she’d suddenly realized what she’d said. “Listen, about last night. I’m sorry you had to sit through all my sad stories again.”

  “They weren’t all sad.” Izzy lifted her chin with a finger. “We had a couple of laughs, didn’t we?”

  “After the third glass of wine.”

  “Now we know where to start next time.”

  “Or when to stop.”

  “We didn’t have to stop.” Izzy jerked her lip up to one side.

  A blush rushed across Mel’s face, and Izzy’s insides flipped. She didn’t know how anyone, man or woman, could ignore a woman as vibrant and beautiful as Mel Thomas.

  “I don’t have to work late tonight.”

  “You coming by for dinner?”

  “Can I eat in here…with you?”

  “I’ll reserve you a stool.”

  Mel’s lips tipped up. “Then I’ll see you tonight.”

  She nodded and Mel turned. She couldn’t help but check out her ass as she strolled out the door. Her slacks hung perfectly from her flawlessly rounded rear.

  “Late because of Mom, huh?” Tony gave her a sly grin. “Sounds like you had a late night with your new lady.”

  “She’s just a friend, Tony.”