Chapter Thirty-One Juliette
THIRTY-ONE JULIETTE
Arguments with her father always follow a specific pattern that Juliette knows like the back of her hand. Unlike their argument in London, Juliette can’t muster the energy to be upset this time. She is light on her feet as she makes her way down the stairs to her room.
She knows she should feel apologetic and submit to her father’s intense gaze, but Juliette doesn’t regret a single moment of being with Luca. She does feel guilty for forgetting to text, but that doesn’t mean Antony had to fly to Miami to scold her.
After a significant amount of fake groveling and promising she wouldn’t worry him again, Juliette wants to turn around and go right back to Luca’s room.
Instead, she tells her father she’ll practice with him tomorrow for an extra hour and then goes to hit the gym to get rid of her excess energy.
When she returns to her actual hotel room, it’s still fresh and unused.
However, the couch is currently being dominated by one particularly pesky younger sister.
“Livia.” Juliette groans as she traipses into the living area.
Livia taps quickly on her phone. “Hey, Jules,” she says without looking up.
“What are you doing here?”
Livia sets her phone on her knee and dumps a handful of Skittles into her palm, letting them rattle around as she frowns at them. “I came with Dad,” she says, as if that explains anything.
“What about Claudia? Octavia? You’re supposed to be in London,” Juliette says, trying not to expose her frustration.
Livia finally looks up at and acknowledges her with a blink of her big brown eyes. “You need Instagram photos.” Juliette groans and slumps into the love seat opposite her. “Miami is the perfect place for new ones. We go to the boardwalk every year.”
“No, you go with Claudia every year.” Juliette lifts her sweaty hair off her neck and twists her curls around the hair tie. She desperately needs a shower, but with the prospect of Livia dragging her into the crowds, she’s willing to procrastinate.
“Okay, well, she’s in London, so that’s not going to happen. I already have enough content for her Instagram.” Livia plucks two yellow Skittles and shoves one in each cheek. “Want some?” She holds out her bag.
Juliette leans forward and watches the artificially colored candy land in her palm. “No red?” she asks, disappointed and a little suspicious at the probability.
Livia looks sheepish. “I ate them already, sorry.”
“The world is so cruel to me,” Juliette bemoans, tilting her head back and tossing all of the Skittles in her mouth, mostly to watch Livia’s horror as she chews them all together.
“So, are you taking me to the boardwalk or not? You could bring Luca.”
Juliette jerks and nearly chokes on the Skittles. Livia smirks at her.
“Why would I want to bring her?” Juliette asks, coughing to clear her throat.
Livia raises a singular brow in question. “Well, considering how you came to Miami early to spend time with her, I thought you might want to, you know, spend time with her.” Her words are pointed.
“How do you know that?” Juliette demands, her stomach churning. If Livia knows, who else does?
Livia sighs, exasperated. “Keep up, Jules. I know everything.”
“Everything?” Juliette asks, and Livia nods.
“Just ask her.” She stands up and crumples the now-empty bag of Skittles.
Juliette clears her throat. “I don’t think Luca would be comfortable with that. There are a lot of people on Miami Beach.”
Livia tilts her head, her wild waves barely held back by her glasses. “That’s exactly why it’ll be fine. No one is looking at you in Miami Beach. It’s the best place to be incognito.”
Juliette can’t argue with that. Livia flicks her shoulder as she passes. “Shower first. You’re gross. And wear something nice.”
“It’s not a date, Livia,” Juliette snaps, her cheeks heating.
Livia’s mouth twitches, and it’s clear she’s holding back a laugh. “Of course not, Juliette,” she drawls, clearly meaning the opposite. “This is for marketability. The stans want to see you looking gorgeous and perfect.”
Juliette fake gags and rolls her eyes. But Livia, as always, is right.
Juliette wonders if she should text Luca while she diffuses her curls.
The longer she waits, the less likely it’ll be that Luca will say yes.
Realizing it might be awkward to explain over text, Juliette finishes doing her hair and gets dressed.
She knows Livia will yell at her if she wears her beaten-up sneakers with her silky white midi skirt and simple white tank, but they’re comfortable, so she does anyway.
Unfortunately, she can’t procrastinate picking out her jewelry because Livia sends her the exact lineup.
A new diamond bracelet for a sponsorship post, gold rings, and her gold tennis racket necklace.
She fluffs out her hair and pops on her cherry lip gloss before slinging her satchel over her shoulder and heading upstairs to Luca’s room.
Nerves twist in her stomach as she knocks. She should’ve called instead. Easier to be rejected over the phone.
It doesn’t take long for Luca to open the door. “Oh, hey,” she says, blinking as she takes in Juliette.
“Hi,” Juliette says. She feels overdressed and a little stupid. Luca is in an oversize T-shirt that hangs over the edge of her shorts—if she’s even wearing any. Part of her hopes that she isn’t.
“Sorry, I have the curtains open,” Luca says, a sheepish smile on her lips.
Warmth spreads in Juliette’s chest. “It’s okay.” There goes her idea of pushing Luca into her room and going down on her again. Probably for the best. Livia would kill her if she’s late. “I wondered if you wanted to come to the boardwalk with me.”
Luca’s eyes widen. “Oh, okay. You want to be seen with me? In public?” Luca asks, tilting her head and brows furrowing.
“My sister, Livie, is coming too. It’s a casual thing,” Juliette says, wanting to cringe the moment she does.
She hates how she can’t read Luca’s expression whenever her mouth slides into an impassive line.
“She wants to take pictures, get food, dip her toes in the water. Anyway, it’s okay if you don’t want to.
I know we’re just…” Juliette trails off, unsure of what to say.
Luca seems to be struggling with words too.
“It’s probably weird meeting my little sister and hanging out with us.
It’s fine if you don’t want to. Really.”
“I’d love to come,” Luca says suddenly, and she tucks her hair behind her ear. “Livia is the only Ricci sister I haven’t met, so I might as well remedy that, right?”
Relief washes the tension from Juliette’s shoulders, and she smiles, a little breathless that her clumsy offer somehow worked. “Great! I’ll meet you in the lobby in half an hour?”
“Yeah,” Luca says, her smile widening and exposing her dimple. If they weren’t in the middle of a hallway where anyone could spot them, Juliette would’ve stepped into Luca and kissed it.
“See you soon,” Juliette says, giddier than she has any right to be.
Especially because this is not a date.
“This is absolutely a date,” Livia says as she sits at the hotel bar, one leg crossed over the other.
“Shut up,” Juliette hisses.
Livia glances up at her from under her long lashes. Once again, she’s dressed much cuter than Juliette is used to. It’s like she raided Octavia’s wardrobe, with her striped blue-and-white shorts, white crop top, and a white button-down that Juliette is almost certain was Leo’s at one point.
“And who are you trying to impress?” Juliette gestures at Livia’s outfit.
Livia blinks. She isn’t wearing her glasses, and Juliette can see she has on mascara. “No one,” she snaps, a touch too defensive.
Juliette narrows her eyes.
Livia presses her lips together. “I won’t call this a date, and you won’t ask questions. Deal?” She jabs a finger in her face, and Juliette smirks, but nods.
Livia hops off the stool and waves across the lobby at Luca, abandoning her cola.
Juliette rolls her eyes and tosses a couple of bills on the bar to pay for it before following after her.
“Luca Kacic! I don’t believe we’ve met,” Livia says, holding out her arms and wrapping Luca in a hug. Luca looks surprised, but she indulges Livia by returning the hug. Their height difference is comical, and Juliette stifles a laugh.
“Livia Ricci?” Luca says as she pulls back, and Livia nods.
“The one and only.”
Juliette looks over Luca. She’s wearing light-wash mom jeans with a white V-neck top tucked into them.
Juliette is reminded of their indoor practice when the sprinklers soaked them both.
Her hands are itching to slide beneath the soft white cotton and touch Luca again.
Luca slips her hands into her back pockets and leans on one hip.
She is long and lean and looks so tan in white. Juliette wants to eat her.
“Juliette?” Livia snaps her fingers in front of her face, and she realizes Luca is smirking at her.
“Yes, pipsqueak?” she asks to annoy her.
Livia glares and elbows her. “The Uber is here.”
As they head out to the car, Luca leans in close. “I meant to tell you earlier, but you look really good.”
Juliette looks up, and Luca’s smile has softened. “Thank you.” She knocks her elbow against Luca’s, since she can’t take her hand and twine their fingers in public. “You don’t look half bad either.” She dips her voice, flicking her eyes down Luca’s body.
Luca’s cheeks turn the most adorable rosy color, and it’s Juliette’s turn to smirk.