Love Never Dies by Loren Lockner

lot at stake here.”
    The monotone words issued reassurance again, and he shook his dark head in frustration. “Now, within twenty-four hours! Call me back on my cell phone,” and he dictated the number even though he knew the other party had it.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 4
     
    Christmas Eve was a wonderful affair at the Morris’. Jim and Helen Morris made their daughter’s boyfriend feel both comfortable and at ease. Once Angie and Paul arrived it was merry company and Seth spent most of the evening sitting back to enjoy the camaraderie and often tongue-in-cheek exchanges between Paul and his father, Jim. Julia’s grandmother Rose hovered about, moving between her relatives and often joining in the banter. She wasn’t the typical grandmother in the least, having lived hard and traveled widely. She voiced an opinion on everything from cooking to politics, and even whether Paul’s tie was a tad too wide.
    Several times during the evening Seth discreetly stepped to the oversized living room window and pulled aside the muted beige curtains. The silver sedan had parked a hundred feet down the street. He prayed he was mistaken and wanted to check out the sedan’s license plate number but a heavy drizzle settled over the Santa Barbara coastline and embarking upon a late evening walk was out of the question. So he sauntered back to his comfortable easy chair and watched Julia’s slender legs, draped in a festive red sweater dress, help her mother clear up the empty glasses of eggnog.
    She was chipper and happy and every once in a while cast a sideways glance to him, bestowing upon him that special sweet smile indicating no secrets remained between them. Of course, she was the only one completely honest and it grieved him that he felt obliged to keep the cause of his anxiety from her. In many ways Seth felt like a traitor, yet in no way wanted to burden his sweet lady’s mind by problems that just might amount to nothing. As he pondered his dilemma and practiced shielding his anxiety from the astute Julia, Rose Simpson settled her large frame across from him and began to bombard him with questions.
    “So you’re an architect?” she asked bluntly, eyeing him with a pair of shrewd blue eyes not remotely dimmed by the round spectacles she wore perched upon her nose.
    “That’s correct,” he answered easily. “I work in eastern Santa Barbara on the other side of the university.”
    “So how’ s Lenny?” asked Rose. “He graduated two years before my oldest son. What a prim and proper character he always was. Is he still so politically correct these days?”
    “I would say so,” laughed Seth, leaning back in the chair to eye the older woman appreciatively. She wore an expensive green cashmere sweater and exhibited a gaudy reindeer pin above her left breast, whose nose flashed every couple seconds or so.
    “Is he paying you enough?” asked Rose, ex amining Seth’s subdued gray and black striped sweater and sharply creased wool pants. “He always was a little tight-fisted.”
    Seth laughed out loud and it took a lot to make him laugh. Julia shifted her French-braided head to watch the lively exchange between her forward grandmother and lover. She listened to his response carefully.
    “I’ ve only worked at the firm for a scant four months, but yes, I would say he pays me well.” Realizing Rose was not to be so easily put off, Seth quoted his salary and savored the fact her bright blue eyes widened appreciatively.
    “That will do,” she said stoutly, “and keep my granddaughter very nicely indeed.”
    “Mother!” burst out Helen Morris who’d just deposited a round rum cake bursting with fruit and nuts upon the embroidered tablecloth; appalled that Rose would even breach the subject of Seth’s income. Her daughter’s boyfriend only laughed delightedly.
    “It’s alright,” he chuckled, winking at Julia’s mother. “She’s just taking care of her own. Don’t you worry; I have