A Love Like This (Book 1) Read Free

luggage.
    I pick up my purse and drafting supplies then turn to take a look around the room.   I worked at a fabric store five days a week after school and nearly every penny I earned went towards decorating my bedroom.   It is my private sanctuary.   I pee l ed up the old wo rn carpet and refinished the hard wood floors.   I painted the walls egg shell white with a pink accent wall behind my bed.   The whole room looks like a soft cloud with feather pillows, down comforters and fluffy rugs.   There ’ s also a white faux fur throw on an arm chair that I found at the goodwill and reupholstered myself.  
    My favorite part of the room is a black and white print of the Stimson House in Los Angeles.   It ’ s a   Richardsonian   Romanesque   style of architecture reminiscent of a medieval castle.   The house was built in the 1800 and it reminds me that buildings ar e   one of the few things that   have   the capacity to last forever.   I sigh as I wheel my bags towards the front door with   Nickie following closely behind.     My dad owns a construction company.   He built mom a commercial kitchen so that she could start her own catering business.   The house is always full of people, laughter and good food.  
    “ You ’ re going to miss this old house, ”   Nickie   says.
    “ Yeah, ”   I say trying not to cry.  
    Uncle   Pookie   is our father ’ s younger brother.   Pookie ’ s   real name is Jermaine Peterson.   Everyone in my family has a nickname.   Most of the names are simple:   Nickie   is Nick, Keisha is Key and I ’ m baby or baby girl because I ’ m the youngest in the family.   However, I have no idea where some of the names originated.   We have   Pookie,   Dayday,   Koolaid   and my favorite   Nogood.   I ’ m pretty sure I know where the name   Nogood   came from.     Nogood   will steal the shoes right off your feet if you stand still long enough.
    Pookie   is over six feet tall, handsome, intelligent and he is my best friend.   We can pass for brother and sister.   He ’ s a shade darker than me but we both inherited our Creole ancestors honey colored eyes.   I was the first person   Pookie   told he was gay.   When we were younger all of my friends thought they ’ d be the one to make him straight.   They relentlessly came on to him.     Wanika   a friend of mine from high school went so far as to show up at his house in nothing but a rain coat.     Pookie   politely told her that he was not interested in her or any other girl.   He said,   “ However, if I was to miraculously become straight I wouldn ’ t be caught dead with someone who ’ d wear such an ugly coat. ”
    “ Look at you baby girl. ”     He takes my hand and spins me around.     “ I can ’ t believe you ’ re leaving me, who will I shop with?   You know I ’ m coming up as soon as you get settled.   I hear Halloween in the Castro District is major. ”  
    I hug   Pookie   and kiss him on the cheek then reach for   Nickie ’ s   hand and pull her in for a group hug.    
    “ Oh I forgot something, ”   Nickie   says rushing back inside the house.     She comes out a few seconds later and hands me a Papyrus gift bag.
    We all hug again then quickly turn when we hear tires screech to a halt in front of the house.   Damian gets out of a silver Mercedes wearing a gray seersucker suit looking like a snake oil salesman.   There is something about this man that I have always hated but I can ’ t put my finger on exactly what it is.     I mean other than the fact that he ’ s an arrogant, demanding asshole.   He pounds on the roof of his car.   “ Nickie! ”   he yells.   She jumps nervously then hurries towards him without a word.     “ I ’ ve been calling you all morning.   Where have you been? ”     Nickie   stands in front of his car with her head lowered.   She ’ s wringing her hands and kicking at rocks on the side