CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Elijah reached out and cupped Julian’s shoulder. “Ready to go home?”
His voice came through the headset Julian wore as they prepared for takeoff in the helicopter for the final stretch of the trip to the estate.
“I have mixed feelings,” Julian admitted.
He could have just agreed that he was ready to go home and left it at that, but he and Elijah had forged a friendship over the weeks they’d been together in the treatment center. And they’d pledged to always be honest as they held each other accountable.
Honesty was an odd concept for Julian. Not that he’d been dishonest in his dealings with people, but he’d spent most of his life hiding how he truly felt. How he was dealing with things. He’d never known someone he could be open with, while also being confident that they wouldn’t betray him.
“I don’t have a lot of happy memories at the estate,” he said. “I spent a lot of my time there drunk.”
“Well, maybe it’s time to make some new—happy—memories there.”
Julian hoped that was possible, but there were a lot of bad memories to overcome.
“How do you plan to deal with Kiara?”
Julian glanced over at him as the helicopter lifted off the ground. “What do you mean?”
“You’re married,” Elijah stated, as if Julian could forget that. “Do you plan to try to build a relationship with her?”
Julian frowned. That hadn’t been his plan. His and Kiara’s marriage was the one thing they hadn’t discussed at length, but he thought he’d been pretty clear on where they stood with regards to their marriage.
“I plan to build a friendship with her,” he said. “That’s why I’ve been writing to her. I know that it’s best for our son if he has two parents who get along while they co-parent.”
Elijah didn’t push the topic, but his question had put the thought in Julian’s mind that people might have some expectations about him and Kiara now that they were both going to be at the estate.
It could make things really awkward if people started hinting that they needed to make something more of their marriage than they’d intended.
He didn’t think Kiara had those expectations as their letters have never held a hint of wanting things to be different than they were. He felt like she understood that he was trying to help them establish a foundation on which to build their parenting relationship.
“This is a really beautiful part of the country,” Elijah said as he looked out the window next to him.
“Yes, and the estate has some beautiful views of the mountains.”
“While Texas has some mountains, we don’t live near them.”
“Have you ever skied?” Julian asked.
“Nope.”
“Well, come winter, we’ll have to go skiing.”
“I think I’d rather water ski than ski down a mountain.”
“We can do that too,” Julian said. “We have a boat that we can take to a nearby lake to go skiing.”
“Do you plan to stick around here for awhile?”
“For a bit,” he said. “But I want to go to Singapore soon. Do you want to come with me?”
“I’m not sure what I’d do.”
“You could be one of my bodyguards.”
Elijah chuckled. “Just because I look like I could beat someone up, I’m not sure I actually could.”
“Jude could teach you.” Julian hesitated, then said, “Actually, I wouldn’t mind having you along as an accountability partner. Especially when I first start going into environments where I previously used to drink a lot.”
“I don’t have a problem traveling with you,” Elijah said.
“But at some point, I have to figure out what I’m going to do with my life, separate and apart from my dad.
I don’t have any real skills beyond my ability to write songs, sing, and play a few musical instruments.
I don’t have to work thanks to an inheritance from my grandparents, but I want to do something productive in my life. Something honoring to God.”
Focusing on work was about the only thing that had kept Julian from going completely off the rails. He understood why Elijah would want something like that to focus on.
For the next week at least, they’d be at the estate. Julian really wanted to go to Singapore, and he did want Elijah to travel with him. Anthony would, of course, go with him as his bodyguard, but Julian kind of looked at Elijah as a guard for his sobriety.
Just as he was capable of protecting himself if he had to, he was also capable of remaining sober by himself. However, both would be easier with nearby help.
Tipping his head toward the window, Julian stared out at the familiar landscape. It was a short trip from Coeur d’Alene to the estate, and all too soon, the estate came into view.
Was he ready for this?
It didn’t really matter whether he was or not. It was happening. Thankfully, with Angela’s wedding that weekend, he wouldn’t be the sole focus of people’s attention.
The helicopter slowly lowered, then settled on the helipad. They removed the headsets and unbuckled their harnesses.
When the door swung open, Julian spotted Anthony waiting for them with an SUV. Elijah followed him off the helicopter, then they walked to where Anthony stood.
“Good to see you again, Anthony,” Julian said as he held out his hand to the man.
Anthony greeted him with a smile as he took his hand, then he reached out to clap Julian on his shoulder. “It’s good to have you back. You look good.”
“This is Elijah,” Julian said, gesturing to him. As the men shook hands, he added, “This is Anthony, the man responsible for keeping me safe and mostly out of trouble.”
While a couple of guys were taking care of their luggage, they climbed into the SUV and headed for the house.
When they reached it, his dad and Elizabeth were waiting there to greet them. Julian tried to ignore the knot in his stomach as he greeted them, then introduced them to Elijah.
“It’s lovely to have you here,” Elizabeth said with the graciousness she always showed. “And Julian, welcome home.”
She approached him and took his upper arms in her hands as she smiled up at him, then offered her cheek for his kiss. They’d never been super close, but she had always been kind to him.
“The girls have gone to pick up the dresses for Saturday,” Elizabeth said. “But they should be back soon. In the meantime, let me show you to your room, Elijah.”
Before they could move, Duncan said, “Julian, you might need to contact your mother sooner rather than later. She’s been hounding me about you for the last few days.”
Julian winced. “I’ll give her a call later.”
He had no idea what she would say to him, but he suspected it would be something along the lines of him not having a drinking problem.
Prior to going to the treatment center, he would have appreciated hearing that.
But now, having addressed his drinking, he knew he certainly had had a problem with alcohol.
Elizabeth led them upstairs to the wing opposite Kiara and Angela’s rooms. Julian always stayed in the same room, and Benji’s was just down the hall.
“Here you go,” Elizabeth said, stepping through the open doorway opposite Julian’s. “If you need anything, you just let us know.”
“Thank you,” Elijah said. “This is very nice. I’m sure it will be fine.”
“Wonderful.” Elizabeth gave him a smile. “I’ll leave it to Julian to give you a tour, but I hope you’ll make yourself at home. You’re very welcome here.”
After she’d left them, Elijah turned to Julian. “She seems very nice.”
“She is,” Julian agreed. “She was our nanny after my parents divorced following the kidnapping, but she’s always been closer to Annie than to me. My mom was still very active in my life, so Elizabeth never took on the role of mother for me the way she did for Annie.”
“She reminds me of my mom,” Elijah said. “I’ve always wondered how she ended up with my dad. At least your dad seems to be a decent enough guy, unlike mine.”
“He is.”
Though Julian still had mixed feelings about his father, if Duncan was one thing, it was respectable. He might be a hard nose in the business world, but he was fair.
“Speaking of parents, I need to call my mom and let her know we’ve arrived safe and sound.”
“I’m sure Elizabeth and Duncan would be fine with her visiting you here, if you’d rather have her come here instead of you going to where she is.”
Elijah stared at the phone in his hand. “I might do that. I’ll see how eager she is to see me.”
They were interrupted by the arrival of one of the security team with their bags and Elijah’s guitar case. He’d had the instrument at the treatment center, but Julian hadn’t heard him play it yet.
“When you’re done talking to your mom, do you want a tour?” Julian asked. “We should have time before dinner.”
“Sure. This shouldn’t take me too long.”
Julian had barely finished unpacking his bag when Elijah reappeared.
“Ready to go?” Julian asked.
At his nod, they left Julian’s room and headed down the hallway.
As they walked, Elijah said, “Were you surprised that Kiara wasn’t here to greet you?”
“A little,” Julian admitted, trying to stick with his desire to be open and honest with Elijah. “But I understand that they are in the midst of wedding prep, and Kiara is matron of honor, so it makes sense that she has things to do with Angela.”
Before heading down the stairs, Julian pointed out the other wing as well as the rarely used sitting area on the landing between the two wings.
He’d never brought someone to the estate before, and he was kind of surprised that Duncan had agreed when he’d asked if Elijah could come back with him. It probably helped that Elijah was wealthy in his own right—though not as wealthy as the Burkes—and wasn’t after their money.
As they descended the grand staircase, Julian couldn't help scanning the entry hall for any sign of Kiara. The space remained empty except for one of the housekeepers dusting a side table.
"This place is even more impressive inside," Elijah commented, his voice echoing slightly in the high-ceilinged foyer.