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Mariel snorted. “She has learned how to act the act, which is a good thing, but I doubt she ever truly lets anyone in. Underneath she is so vulnerable and could be taken advantage of so easily. Many days when she is supposed to be in class, or maybe when you think she is out with friends, she is visiting with me.”
“At the family’s penthouse? Do you still live there?”
“Yes to both,” Mariel said. “Sometimes we go out to the food markets or shop for clothes, but most of the time we stay home and talk while we sew together.”
“Sew? As in stitching material together?”
Mariel laughed. “You are a funny one. No wonder she likes you so much.”
Noah latched onto the “she likes you so much” part and nearly missed the rest of Mariel’s answer.
“Yes, stitching material together. I started teaching Julie when she was only six or seven. She loves to sew. But she doesn’t like to cook, so I always make her something
special to eat. But lately she keeps talking about this boy named Noah.” She shook her head. “In my day it would never be allowed.”
“You mean having a male and female living as roommates?”
Mariel nodded. “She’s never had any roommate before, much less a boy. But I think her Uncle Scotty was worried about her. She is a tender soul and too trusting.”
“She never brings any guys here. Or girlfriends either. And I would never do anything to—”
“I know. I can sniff out bad guys, and you have already passed the test, Noah Taylor.”
“Well, uh…thank you.” Rubbing a hand over his face, Noah tried to process this new version of Julie. Yes, he had seen glimpses of it, but Mariel painted a picture he’d never expected.
Just then the door opened and Julie walked in. The moment she saw Mariel, she went running to her and threw her arms around the older woman. “What are you doing here? It is supposed to be your day off.”
Mariel swatted a hand in the air. “I’ve been shuffling around the penthouse lazy and bored with nothing to do since you and your brother are back in school.”
“You should be out on the town with some charming man,” Julie said.
“Hah. I’ll look for one when I’m good and ready and maybe I never will be.” She nodded at Noah. “I wanted to meet this boy who is living in your space and see if I approve.”
“You will love Noah, Mariel. I already do.”
He tried not to blush hearing Julie say that. He already had a crazy mad crush on her, but he kept telling himself not to get his hopes up. What she said to Mariel only meant he was a good roommate.
“Let’s see if he likes my coconut chicken stew.” Mariel ambled to the kitchen.
“You made your coconut stew for me?” Julie squealed in delight, bouncing on her toes. She turned to Noah. “That is my very favorite dish of anything I’ve ever eaten. Wait till you taste it. You will start dreaming of it.”
Noah laughed and helped Julie set the table as she handed him filled water glasses and cutlery and napkins. He knew the only thing he would be dreaming of would be the way her face looked right now. Excited and happy and warm and sexy. A child and woman all wrapped into one incredible bundle.
The three of them sat by the sunny window, Julie and Mariel on one side of the table, Noah on the other. He felt both of them watching him, so he began talking to steady himself. Getting lost in ideas always did that for him.
“Is this a Caribbean recipe, Mariel? Is that where you are from?”
“Yes, but I’ve been here since I was much younger than Julie and it seems like forever at this point.” She touched her mouth with her napkin. “Do you cook?”
He grinned at her. “I can microwave leftovers.”
“You made me scrambled eggs one morning,” Julie said, giving him what he could swear was an affectionate gaze.
“That is not real cooking,” he said. “Not like this. Thank you, Mariel. This is fantastic.”
“What kind of food does your mother make?” Mariel asked. “Your family is…Irish, I’m guessing from your name?”
“My dad is from a long line of Irish cops and firefighters who were in New York since the early days, but my mother’s family is Greek, so we eat things like spinach pie and souvlaki. But also plain old burgers and meatloaf too. These days I’m always racing to get my schoolwork done, so I grab whatever is fast.”
