I am Leo (Book 3)

Chapter 19

John POVMy new place is absolutely stunning, I can’t believe Violet did all this for me. She made sure that all the colors I picked blended perfectly together. The walls are beige, the living room and kitchen are light blue, my room is emerald green and black and the hard wood floors brings it all together perfectly. She really is an amazing interior decorator, and an even better friend. She told me that friends of hers will be visiting for the weekend and they’re expected to be here around 5pm. I am currently cleaning the pool, I mowed the lawn after I nearly smashed the lawnmower to pieces, luckily the kid next door saw me struggling and helped me. Good kid, she’s smart. So basically, I made sure the backyard is presentable for her guests. I already cleaned the house, not that there was much to clean, she only sleeps here, she doesn’t live here. Sad actually, the house is magnificent. I wonder what she plans for dinner? As much as I like take out, I’m craving a nice home cooked meal. Do I know how to cook? Have I done it before? Well let’s try shall we

“Now where shall I begin?” I ask myself as I stand in her kitchen looking at all the cupboards

“The fridge” I say and open the fridge, it’s stocked with fresh fruit and vegetables, she buys it but doesn’t eat it, weird. I take out everything I can find placing it on the countertop and move to the freezer, okay nothing of interest in here. Going through every cupboard I find all sorts of interesting things, spices, pastas everything that is to be expected I think.

“Well we need meat, hmm but what?” I think as I glance at all the different items on the counter. Well I could make some roasted garlic mashed potatoes and a fresh salad.

“Let’s see how this goes” I say washing my hands, and the vegetables. I start with dinner, while the potatoes are boiling I quickly call her asking to get us some nice juice steaks, preferably sirloin and she agrees, asking all kinds of unnecessary questions which I dodge. I move around the kitchen, cooking, roasting and chopping. Soon enough I’m finished and leave to grab a shower, I still have about 45 minutes before her guests arrive and I want to make a good impression. As I walk to my pool house I glance at the pool, the sparkling blue water looks very inviting so I take off my shirt and shoes, and my shorts, clad in my boxer briefs I dive in and revel in the cool water enveloping my hot sweaty body. Damn this feels good. I start swimming a few laps, enjoying it so much I almost don’t want to get out, but I do. Lifting myself out of the water I feel eyes on me and glance back, but there’s nothing. I press the water out of my hair, shaking my arms and legs before I grab my clothes and shoes making my way to the shower. This shower is bigger than the one I had at the facility, I can actually stand under this one. She bought me everything, toiletries, underwear, clothes and 4 pairs of shoes. Sneaky little woman, she bought this before I moved, so when I got here it was already in the closet. I get dressed in a dark blue polo shirt, khaki shorts and sneakers

“Okay I look presentable” I assure myself and step outside

“You cooked?” Violet says handing me a beer, do I like beer? Let’s see

“I just made some side dishes, for the steak” I say and take a sip. Not bad

“I was going to get us something” she says rolling her eyes

“Yes, sorry didn’t mean to offend you but you had all the fresh food, didn’t want it to go to waste” I say and she smiles

“Full of surprises aren’t you?” she teases and I laugh

“I guess I am. So how was your day?”

“Urgh, client from hell. You know she wants us to build an outside barbecue and swimming pool, then we have to close it up” she says and I frown

“But then it wouldn’t make sense” I say and she laughs throwing her hands in the air

“Yeah, I know! That woman is senile. Anyway what you do today?”

“Well I cooked and cleaned the pool, and mowed the lawn” I say and she glances around

“Wow, you were busy” she says and downs her beer

“Slow down there, don’t want to carry you to bed” I joke making her laugh

“Would’ve been fun though huh?” she says over her shoulder and for the first time I look at her in a different way. She’s a very attractive woman, great personality but I can’t make a pass on her. It won’t be appropriate

“Hey they’re here” she calls from inside the house and I straighten out my shirt and follow her to the front

“Hey guys!” she says as the people step out of the car. The guy is tall, has a good posture

“Hi I’m Duncan and this is my lovely fiancé Jess” he says and gives me a firm handshake and a friendly smile

“John, pleased to meet you I say bowing and kissing Jess’s hand

“Oh lord have mercy, aren’t you a nice tall drink ‘o water sugar” she says and Violet laughs, I frown because I don’t understand a word from that sentence

“Hey I’m right here you know” Duncan says and she turns to him with a shy smile

“Oh I know” she says and the girls laugh again. Violet must’ve seen my expression because when I bend down to pick up their luggage she whispers in my ear

“It means she thinks you’re sexy” she says and winks

“She’s taken” I whisper back, but she just shrugs at turns around walking inside. Once they’re settled we’re seated outside chatting and Duncan gets up gesturing for me to follow him and I do, walking inside the pool house

“So John, how’s the memory?” he asks and I shrug

“Well, I can remember everything since the moment I woke up in the road, but everything before that is gone”

“Gone? Like there’s nothing?”

“Nothing, it’s like a black hole”

“Damn man, must be tough. So you have any skills?” he asks and I shrug

“I can cook, mow a lawn and clean a pool” I say and he chuckles

“Okay, not bad. Geez what does Violet pay for housekeeping?” he asks looking around

“Nothing, I clean” I say and he looks back

“You keep it like this?”

“Yeah”

“May I?” he asks gesturing to my room and I nod. He steps inside and then he whistles

“Don’t let Jess see this, she’s never going to let me live this down. Damn man, this bed is made with military precision” he says and I frown again. Really? That’s how I do it

“Dude, you keep your closet like this as well?”

“Yes?”

“Okay let’s get out of here before she sees this” he says

“Do you not do it like this?” I ask as we walk out

“Nah man, I live in organized chaos” he says with a smile

“That’s an oxymoron” I say and he laughs

“I know, but it’s true”

“Shall we start the grill?” I ask as we join the ladies and they nod

“I’ll give you a hand” Duncan says and we fetch the meat. We chat and he tells me about his job, sounds interesting, Jess is a nurse which is also cool. I wish I knew what I was

“Wow Vi, this is amazing” Jess says and Violet glances at me

“Thank the chef, I only buy the stuff” she says pointing her fork at me and Jess winks at me

“Well, ain’t ya just all a packet of gumdrops darlin’? Vi you gotta keep ‘em” she says and again I’m lost on her words. I need to learn how to speak, whatever language that is

“Again, right here hon” Duncan says and she laughs

“Aww, don’t ya go get your panties in a wad sugar, ya know I only have eyes for my man” she says and kisses him sweetly.

“You better. Now that was good thanks John” Duncan says and I nod standing up

“Where are you going?” Violet asks and I take the plates

“Just cleaning up” I say but she stands taking it from me

“No, you cooked I’ll clean” she says and Jess stands

“I’ll give ya a hand” she says and they walk into the house chatting

“So John, you in love with Violet?” Duncan asks and I whip my head around

“What? No of course not” I blurt out and he smile

“It’s okay, she is a catch” he says but I scowl at him

“I won’t cross lines man. She’s my best friend” I say and he nods

“Uh-huh” he says finishing his drink

“Hey I got ya something, wait here” he says and stands up heading inside. I’m a bit upset that he would insinuate something like that; I would never betray her trust or her kindness

“John” her voice breaks through my thoughts and I look up. The three of them are standing there and Violet holds out a folder to me

“What’s this?” I ask standing up taking the folder form her

“It’s yours” she says and I frown opening the folder. I gasp when I see the documents, flipping through them one by one

“Johnathan Anderson” I whisper and plop back down in the chair. I take a document that says birth certificate, my name is on it but where my parent’s names must be it says unknown. I’m an orphan, s**t this hurts. They didn’t want me

“John?” her soft voice speaks up again and when I look up I smile

“Y-you did this? You found out who I am?” I ask and they nod

“Johnathan Anderson, I’m John Anderson. Violet look, this is where I grew up, San Diego California” I say excitedly, although nothing I’m reading brings back any memories, this is me. This is who I am

“That’s cool John” she says

“Oh look I played football in high school and I have a business degree from UCLA. Oh wow I know stuff!” I say excitedly and I hear her choke a laugh. I look up and see Violet is crying

“Vi, what’s wrong? Hey don’t cry please” I soothe her dropping the file and taking her in my arms. She wraps her arms around me and does that weird thing women do when they happy cry. You know where you laugh and cry simultaneously, yeah that thing

“I’m just so happy that you’re happy John” she says as I rub her back

“Thank you all so much. I don’t know how to repay you” I say looking at the others, they just nod smiling

“Is UCLA a good school?” I ask and she laughs

“Yeah, they’re good” she says stepping out of my arms

“Now, we just need to get you a social security card and then you can get a job” Duncan says and I smile

“Can you help me with that?” I ask and they nod

“Yeah sure, we can go on Monday when they go dress shopping” Duncan says and my smile widens

“Thanks man, and thank you for looking out for Violet” I say and they chuckle

“Well Mr Anderson, you ready for some dancing?” Violet says and I smile

“Always, let me just put on some trousers, be right back” I say, taking my file and walking into the pool house. To say I’m happy will be a lie, I am absolutely overjoyed right now!

Violet POV

“I don’t know how you did it, but didn’t you go a little overboard? You made him 23” I whisper to Duncan as we walk upstairs to get ready

“Hey, you said make it believable. My guy decided on the age”

“No I said make him an orphan, that would be more believable”

“Well 12 of the one a dozen of the other” he says shrugging and I roll my eyes

“This will all check out?”

“Yes it all checks out”

“Okay are you a secret agent or something?”

“I wish. Nah I have friends in high places” he says and I eye him suspiciously

“Look, the same people who do new identities for federal witnesses did this, it’s all I can say”

“Fine, but if this backfires”

“It won’t, I told you iron clad” he says and I nod, nervously biting my lip

“What if he knows nothing about business?” I ask and he shrugs

“He can learn, let him work with you or something” he says and I sigh

“Killian is going to flip”

“Killian must never know. Your goody-two-shoes brother will screw everything up”

“Hey, lay off my brother. He’s just honest, and I was too”

“Violet, just forget about it. It’s only the three of us that knows, if we don’t say anything…”

“Yeah, yeah I get it. The money is in the bedside drawer” I say and close my bedroom door. An hour later we’re standing in a club, yelling at each other

“Vi you want to dance?!” John yells and I nod. He takes my hand leading me to the dance floor, the glares and stares I’m getting is mind blowing. I don’t think there’s a single woman in here who is either envying the s**t out of me or who probably wants me dead right now. I don’t blame them though, he looks amazing. Well girls, the best is yet to come. This man has moves, eat your hearts out ladies. I think an evil grin on my face. The song starts and he takes me in his arms, his hips gently swaying to the beat as he leads me into a dance. We tear up the dance floor, good gosh this man can dance.

“Thank you my lady” he says bowing and I curtsy, like he taught me

“Thank you kind sir” I say and he holds out his arm to me, I place my hand in the crook of his arm and we join the others. They found us a table in a quieter side of the club and the rest of the night is spent drinking, dancing and really having a blast. I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun. The waitresses and other woman flirt relentlessly with John, but he pays them no mind.

“Hey you guys wanna head home?” I ask and they nod

“Yup, let’s call it a night” Duncan says and we leave, outside the club the bouncers are breaking up a fight, John instinctively tuck me behind him, wall of muscle to protect me, we avoid the brawl or so I thought. I take out my phone to call an Uber when I sharp pain shoots through my head and I stumble forward into the road. Duncan and Jess grab for me but I fall face first on the road