Chapter 8 #2
“Now, I’m going to bed. I would recommend everyone else do the same. I’m sure we’ll need all our strength to deal with this lunch date tomorrow.”
“You know, Julia,” he said as he shifted his icy blue eyes back to hers, “Alicia’s approach leaves something to be desired, but I can’t say I disagree with her entirely.”
“Noted,” she answered, ice entering her voice.
“Sorry, but I’m worried about you.” He hesitated for a second before he released his grip on the door. “If you need anything, I’m here for you, Julia.”
“Thank you. Good night.” She slid the door closed and flicked the lock before she wandered back to the bed. After she forced herself to change, she crawled between the covers and stretched out.
In the dark, everything seemed so much worse. She couldn’t stop emotions and memories from creeping into her mind. Random images, unbidden and unwanted, marched through her brain. Dancing with Grant. Dancing with Luke. Moonlit nights on the sea with Luke. Strolling through Paris with Grant.
She covered her face as she rolled onto her back, wishing it would stop. Should they cut their trip short? Maybe she just needed to get back to her normal life.
She imagined Alicia’s reaction to that. Then again, her own reaction left something to be desired. She had no idea what her normal life was anymore. Was it the charade she’d been hiding behind in New Orleans or was it here in Harbor Cove? Which one was the lie?
The moon rose overhead as she allowed a few tears to fall before she managed to doze off for a few hours, her dreams haunted by both her past and her present.
She awoke before the sunrise. The house, still quiet, felt like a tomb, and she desperately wanted to get away. In the dim light filtering through the curtains, she spotted the car key Ethan had given her the night before.
Still weary, she rose from her bed, pulled on clothes, grabbed her key, and sneaked down the stairs to the kitchen. With a note posted on the refrigerator, she slipped out the front door.
The scent of Balsam trees surrounded her, soothing her as she slipped behind the wheel and fired the engine.
She wound through the familiar roads, guiding her car to a popular spot for sunrises. As she climbed to the peak, memories continued to taunt her. She hoped some quiet time would help her face the day.
With her car parked, she wandered to the edge of the highest point in Harbor Cove and settled on the flat rocky summit as the sun painted the sky brilliant shades of pink and red.
She’d missed the simple beauty of her hometown. That much she was willing to admit. As for the rest of it, she hadn’t been able to untangle the emotions knotting her heart yet.
A voice behind her startled her, pulling her from her own musing. “It never gets old, does it?”
She twisted to find Luke behind her. Duchess trotted over and nuzzled against her. “I didn’t expect to find you here, but I’m glad I did.”
She climbed to her feet, uncertain she wanted to have this confrontation.
“Easy, Julia,” he said before he offered her a soft smile. “I’m not here for anything other than the sunrise and a chat with an old friend.”
She studied him, trying to discern the truth in those dark eyes. Guilt washed over her. He’d been the one who’d stayed in Harbor Cove. And he’d loved the sunrise. She was the intruder. “I can go.”
He held out an arm to stop her, his hand brushing hers. “There’s no need for you to go, Julia.”
Her brain pushed her to run, but her heart said no. She took a step back with a single nod.
He offered her a fleeting smile before he settled on the flat rocks. “So, how long are you here for?”
“Ten days,” she answered as she settled next to him. The dog settled at their feet.
“Well, that’s not nearly long enough for a visit to Harbor Cove.”
She smiled at him. “Probably not. But we have a lot going on.”
He draped his arms over his knees as he stared at the ever-changing sky. “Important city things, huh?”
“Something like that.”
She flicked her gaze to him, finding his eyes on her. “Look, Luke, I really feel like I should address this whole marriage thing.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m not here to question your choices. I’ll let Ally do that.”
Julia clicked her tongue at the light-hearted comment. “And she is.”
“She loves you. She knows you. She wants what’s best for you. And she’s missed you. Like crazy, Juju. We all have.”
Julia’s chest lifted with a sigh. She’d missed everyone, too. “I know.”
“It’s good to see you.”
She smiled at him, some of the awkwardness slipping away. “It’s good to see you, too.”
Silence stretched between them as the sun continued to rise over the calm seas. The quiet moments eased away some of her tension.
“So, you hiking today?”
The question brought a smile to her face. “I think so. I miss it.”
“Not much hiking in New Orleans, huh?”
She chuckled. “No, not really.”
“Well,” he said as he climbed to his feet and offered her his hand, his smile broad and easy, “come on. We’d better get as much in as we can, then.”
She grinned at him, slipping her hand into his as she climbed to her feet.
They spent the morning traversing the wilderness on trails she’d fondly remembered hiking during her time here.
The trail wound through a canopy of towering trees, their leaves and pine needles whispering secrets from the past. Sunlight filtered through, casting a golden glow that mirrored the warmth of nostalgia enveloping Julia.
With each step, the tension eased away. Conversation got easier, laughter got louder.
Memories flowed easily and without as much pain as they had the night before. As they stopped to admire a sweeping view of the ocean in a break of the evergreen trees, Luke offered her a bottle of water.
Their laughter echoed, a familiar sound in the forest’s embrace, as they discussed getting lost. A bittersweet memory that led to another easy, shared laugh, a reminder of a time untainted by current complexities.
“Thanks. I should have brought mine, but I haven’t been hiking in so long,” she said with a sigh.
“You shouldn’t have moved, Juju. Maine is in your soul.”
He wasn’t wrong. Her heart was happy here. It was easy and familiar, just like their relationship. Maine was in her soul. Just like Luke.
She twisted to face him to respond, finding him closer than she’d expected. Her eyes searched his for a moment before they leaned closer to each other, her eyes sliding closed and her lips parting as she readied for a kiss.
The buzzing of her phone made her jump back. Her heart thudded against her ribs as though she’d been caught with her fingers in the cookie jar.
She avoided eye contact with Luke as she pulled it from her pocket and glanced at the screen.
Her pulse quickened again as she spotted the message from Grant.
Her fingers trembled as she read it, a knot of guilt tightening in her stomach.
She was torn, caught in a web of what was and what could be.
Hey, I hope you didn’t forget about lunch. Please don’t leave us with your sister.
Julia swallowed hard as her present situation smacked her in the face again. She had fallen back into old habits so easily on the walk that she’d forgotten completely about the rest of her life.
She’d nearly missed lunch. Her heart thudded as she found herself, once again, plunged into a whirlwind of emotions, caught between her past and present, with no idea which way to step.
As she gazed at his message again, the serene landscape blurred before her eyes. Her heart ached, a poignant reminder of the life she’d built and the love she’d left behind. At that moment, Harbor Cove became both a haven and a horror.