Chapter 4
JULIA
J ulia heaved a sigh as Grant strode from the room. The news from Harrington Global wasn’t good. And the emergency summons to the office spoke volumes. She could see the tension in every line of his face.
She glanced at her phone, wondering if there was any update from Alex. She found nothing waiting for her.
Sierra’s babbling next to her drew her attention away. “Yes, that’s what I said! Are you deaf?”
Kyle frowned at his sister who paced the floor in front of him. “I really want to go home. But I’m kind of terrified of Sierra.”
Julia slid her hand into his and squeezed. “I will be glad when you’re out of here. I really hate that Lydia just walked right in here.”
“Me too,” he answered, staring into space.
“Hey,” she said, tilting her head to catch his attention. “You know nothing Lydia said to you on that last phone call is true, right?”
“I don’t need to be handled like Sierra, Julia,” he said as he avoided her gaze.
“Really?” she asked.
He finally shifted his gaze to her and nodded. “Yep. I’m not…needy like Sierra.”
“It’s not being needy, Kyle. She said some really horrible things in true Lydia form, and I need you to know that none of that was true. None of us were moving on without you.”
“Not even Dad?”
“Not even Grant. You heard him…he…was really very upset when he found out what had happened.”
Kyle chewed his lower lip before he flicked a sideways glance at Julia. “While we’re speaking truths here, you know I’d never just leave, right?”
“I know. Which is why I kept insisting something had happened to you.”
“Insisting? Because no one was listening?” Kyle asked.
“Don’t,” she warned.
“No, I want to know. Because I suspect some of what Lydia said was true.”
Julia eased onto the edge of the bed. “Kyle, none of it was true. But some of the evidence we saw made it look like you just…walked away.”
“Mm-hmm, yeah. And let me guess, my dad insisted I’d disappeared in a fit of rage after our argument.”
“My sister, the cop–”
“Probably wanted me to die because of what I did in Maine. Which is why I need you to know that I’d never do that, okay? If I’m missing, please search for me.”
“I hope you’re never missing again,” Julia said with a sigh. “I don’t know how many more near-deaths I can take.”
“Me either. Especially when you’re the target most of the time. You really need to stop putting yourself in Lydia’s crosshairs.”
“Me?” she cried. “I think you did a pretty good job of that when you played double-agent. Lydia made it perfectly clear that your betrayal was what drove her to nearly kill you.”
Kyle shifted in the bed with a frown. “Don’t remind me.”
“Look, either way, you are family. No matter what arguments any of us have had in the past, we stick together.”
“Except–”
“Don’t say that,” she said with a wag of her finger. “Don’t say except Grant. Because he was very upset over what almost happened to you. We all were.”
He sucked in a breath. “Fine, noted.”
She tugged one corner of her lips back as she studied him, noting that he still avoided her gaze, intent on tracing the outline of the blanket covering him. “Kyle–”
“Julia, I’m fine. I’ll be better when I’m out of this hospital.”
She studied him. The tension in his jaw suggested he wasn’t fine. The weight of what happened would be enough to destroy anyone, but coupled with the emotional toll Lydia took when she dug at a would she knew would bleed, Julia worried it would be too much.
Sierra jabbed at her end call button with a dramatic sigh. “Well, that’s taken care of. I cannot believe the incompetence of some people, though. Don’t worry, Kyle, I made sure they had only competent people coming to take care of you.”
“Thanks, sis,” he answered, forcing a smile.
“Hey, Sierra, can you give us a minute?” Julia asked.
Sierra crinkled her brow, her gaze falling on their clasped hands before she lifted it to stare at Kyle. She wagged a finger at him, narrowing her eyes. “Don’t kiss her, Kyle.”
He lifted his eyes to the ceiling with a shake of his head.
“I’ll be back after I grab a coffee,” Sierra said as she stomped toward the door.
Julia watched her go before she twisted back to face Kyle.
“I’m not a baby, Julia. And I don’t need you to hold my hand and tell me I’m important like you do with Sierra.”
“No, you don’t need the same things Sierra needs. But you do need to know you’re important. Your…initiation into this family hasn’t been easy. And what Lydia said was designed to make sure she needled at things she knew would bother you. Things she knew would hurt you.”
“Well, good job to her. She’s very good at what she does. She managed to nearly kill Sierra when told her she was unloved.”
“And you, too,” Julia said.
“Actually, the physical beating did that, but…”
“I’m being serious,” Julia said. “Lydia’s calculated vitriol has no truth to it. I will always be there for you.”
“And please keep Alex Stone on speed dial.”
She grinned at the joke as his tension released a little. “I will. Though I hope not to need him again. This family has scared me way too many times.”
“Thank you, Julia. Not just for finding me, but…for saying what you said. I needed to hear it.” He slid his eyes closed and shook his head. “I’m needy like my sister.”
She patted his hand. “It’s okay. I like reminding you all that you’re important.”
“As long as you remember you are the most important. You’re the glue that holds us all together.”
“Well, I am here to stay.”
“For six months,” he answered as she rose and checked her phone again.
“Nope. For a lifetime. I told Grant while you were in surgery. I’m not leaving. You’re stuck with me.”
He smiled up at her. “Really? So, we don’t have to worry that my dad will screw up?”
“Nope. I’m here to stay.”
Sierra stood in the doorway, her eyes wide. “Seriously, Julia? Did I hear that right? No more trial period?”
Julia shook her head. “No more trial period. I’m here to–”
Her words were cut off as Sierra pummeled her, wrapping her arms around her and squeezing tightly. “This is fantastic news! This is the best day ever!”
Julia slid a lock of Sierra’s hair behind her ear. “I’m glad you think so. I was pretty excited, too.”
“We’re a real family! You’re my forever mom now.” Sierra’s eyes went wide. “You should adopt me. Then you could never get away from me. We’d be forever tied together. You’d always be my mom.”
“Oh, uh–”
“Wait what about me?”
“You can’t be adopted, dummy. You’ve kissed her too many times to qualify. It would be gross.”
“I just want her to tied forever to me, too.”
“Well, yeah, duh. You wanted to marry her. I mean, what are you going to say in your application? Since I couldn’t marry her, I’d like to have her as my mom?”
“We can talk about all of this later. Let’s just work on getting Kyle home. Where is that nurse with those discharge papers? I’m going to go see.” Julia left the two siblings behind arguing about adoption procedures and slipped from the room.
She tugged her phone from her pocket, finding no messages from anyone. With a sigh, she approached the desk and asked about Kyle’s paperwork.
“I’m just printing it now. We’ll have you out of here in the next few minutes.”
She breathed a sigh of relief, happy to escape the hospital that she’d spent far too much time in as both a patient and a concerned family member.
Within the hour, they finally arrived at Harrington House. Julia breathed a sigh of relief as they stepped into the quiet foyer.
“Welcome home, Dr. Carter. We have all missed you.”
Kyle shifted his gaze to Julia. “Did you pay him to say that?”
“I didn’t. I told you that you were important,” she said with a grin. “Now, upstairs where that capable medical professional Sierra arranged can take your blood pressure every twenty minutes.”
Kyle heaved a sigh. “I’m going to pay for all that medical attention I insisted you have, aren’t I?”
“Doubt it,” Sierra said as she followed behind them. “We all know you only did that so you could ogle Julia.”
“I wasn’t ogling her. We’re friends. I was genuinely concerned about her well-being.”
Alicia emerged from her room as they passed, her forehead creasing as she followed behind them.
“Uh-huh, right. You were genuinely concerned about your lips on her well-being.”
“Will you stop badgering me?” Kyle asked as they snaked through the halls.
“No, I won’t. Daddy is busy right now, so, it’s up to me to keep reminding you that you can’t put the moves on our stepmother.”
Julia puffed out her cheeks as the argument between them ensued.
“Never a dull moment, huh?” Alicia asked as they reached Kyle’s room.
“Not around here,” Julia admitted.
“I’m not putting the moves on her, Sierra.”
“Oh, right, sure. Well, you’re not going to on my watch. Now, get in that bed and stay there.” Sierra poked a manicured nail at his bed.
“You’re really terrifying sometimes, you know that?”
“Good,” she answered, crossing her arms. “Don’t worry, Julia. I have this under control.”
“Great, that’s wonderful. I really appreciate you keeping an eye on your brother.”
“I’m in bed,” Kyle said with a raise of his hands. “You can leave now.”
“Nope. I have family time planned with you. It’s my way of saying I’m sorry for calling you crazy. We are going to do sibling things.”
Kyle creased his forehead. “Sibling things?”
“Yep. Video games, movie marathons, board games. Take your pick. What do you want to do first?”
Julia arched an eyebrow at the list of planned events Sierra had.
“Wow,” Alicia whispered, “she’s really taking the whole sibling thing seriously. I thought she was kidding when she said that at the hospital.”
Julia wrapped her arm around her sister. “Sierra takes things very seriously.”
Across the room, Kyle shook his head. “None of those. I don’t want to do any of those.”
“Well, Kyle , you should have thought about that before you almost died. Fine, I’ll pick for us. Since it’s your first day back and you’re probably looped out on drugs, we’ll watch movies.”
“I’m looped out on drugs.”
“Whatever. Rom-com or thriller?”