Chapter 16
CHAPTER 16
JULIA
T he hammering of her heart against her ribs drowned out most of the other sounds in the room. She stared up at Luke, her jaw hanging open. He still looked like Luke, more or less, but in the expensive suit with the new haircut, it seemed he had moved past his typical small-town look.
What was he doing with Lydia?
“Skipper?” Alex leapt from his seat with a grin on his face. “No way, man. We were just talking about you.”
“Really?” Luke asked as he extended his hand to Alex who pulled him into a half hug.
“Ava still talks about those Marina Mists.”
“Julia’s favorite. We don’t serve them on the menu but for friends…I can always make an exception.”
Ava rose from her seat to offer the man a hug as Julia’s stomach continued to ride the rollercoaster of her emotions. What was Luke doing here? With Lydia?
“Unbelievable,” Kyle murmured next to her.
Ava pulled back from Luke. “I didn’t know you were in New Orleans, too. What are you doing here?”
“Oh, ah, I’m not. I’m just…visiting for some business.” Luke shot Julia a glance as he answered.
“What business?” Grant grumbled.
“So glad you asked,” Lydia said. “Luke, have a seat. Our meal is getting cold.”
He helped Lydia with her chair before he took a seat between her and Sierra. Julia wrinkled her nose at the new man sitting diagonally from her.
Next to her, the grimace on Grant’s face made it obvious how much he detested the current situation. Already on edge with Alex’s playful personality, Luke’s appearance made the situation untenable.
“I’m still waiting to hear about this business,” he said.
Lydia sighed as she rolled her eyes. “Honestly, Grant, will you ever learn patience? Where is Worthington? The man is never here when I need him.”
Like clockwork, Worthington strode into the room to monitor the meal’s progression, and Lydia snapped her fingers at him. “There you are. Martini, please. Heaven knows, I need it. Grant is already on my last nerve.”
“Right away, madam,” Worthington said as he strode from the room.
“So, ah, Lydia, is it?” Alex said. “I’m confused. If the G-man ruffles your feathers, why are you living here?”
Lydia drew her chin back to her chest, her red lips tugging into a frown. “Well, aren’t you nosy? If you must know, it’s to be close to my daughter, Sierra.”
“Oh, please,” Grant groused.
Lydia shot him an incredulous glance.
“I’m with Daddy. We’re not close. You know, since you dumped me when I was five, it kind of ruined the whole Mommy-Daughter vibe.”
“I made the best choice I could for your well-being. You lived a wonderful life with your father in the lap of luxury.”
“While you flitted around the world in…well, the lap of several men,” Grant said as he downed his bourbon. “Where is Worthington? I’m going to need another one.”
“Me too,” Kyle answered on her other side.
“I’m going to need more than that,” Sierra answered.
Julia swallowed hard as the conversation devolved into a complaint session. She rubbed her sweaty palms against her pants as she considered pinching herself. Maybe it was all a dream.
More like a nightmare. One of the ones where you forgot to get dressed and every person from your life all came together to make this moment one of the most uncomfortable of your life.
She resisted the urge to flee from the table and hide in her closet until the storm passed.
Worthington appeared with Lydia’s martini in hand and another round of drinks were placed by every Harrington at the table except her.
She needed to keep her wits about her before she ended up doing something stupid. When she’d been in Harbor Cove, she’d nearly let the past sweep her away. With everything that had just happened with Lydia, she couldn’t lose sight of the present.
“Well, now that you’ve got your liquid strength in hand, I’d love to hear more about this business. Looks like you’re doing pretty good, Skipper. I may need to upgrade your name to Captain.” Alex shot a finger gun at him with a wink.
“I am. Thanks, Alex. Lydia actually approached me when you all were in Harbor Cove with the idea to expand the boat tours into a franchise.” He shot her a grin as she lifted her chin. “I think it’s safe to say it took off way faster than either of us expected.”
“Hold your tongue, Luke. I always believed in you.” Lydia grinned at him as she tapped his nose.
Julia arched an eyebrow at the flirty remark. She may have walked away from him, but watching your enemy flirt with your ex-fiancé was a new level of torture. The little bit of bisque she’d eaten on her first course threatened to reappear in a nasty way.
She reached for her wine, downing it in one gulp before she held the glass toward Worthington in a silent request for more.
“Wow, that sounds really interesting. I may want to get in on this,” Alex said. “Are you still looking for investors?”
“Well, we are considering an expansion to the west coast. We’ll keep you in mind, but with a healthy bottom line already, we’re not taking on anyone new right now,” Lydia said.
“What’s healthy?” Grant questioned.
Lydia flicked her gaze to her ex-husband, a smirk on her painted lips. “We’ve done over ten million in business since we started six months ago.”
Julia’s chin dropped toward her chest as she slow-blinked at the number. No wonder he had an expensive suit. She swallowed hard as she wondered how much Luke owed her.
“Well, that is healthy, Captain,” Alex answered. “Cheers to you.”
“Thanks,” Luke said with a smile and a nod before he flicked his gaze to Julia. “I just…figured it may be time to step outside of my comfort zone, do something that knocked the small town out of me.”
Julia shifted in her seat, lowering her gaze to her half-empty soup bowl. The comment stung. It was a direct hit. She’d left him twice before, concerned about their differing views on life. She hadn’t been content to offer tours and bartend at the Thirsty Seagull while she penned her novel from quiet Harbor Cove.
Their differing views on life had led to a painful break-up. One that she wasn’t certain either of them were over. But she’d still walked away months ago again. Nothing had changed for him.
She raised her eyes to him. And now everything had.
She swallowed hard. Had Lydia been clever enough to do this on purpose?
“Oh, I’m certain Lydia can knock the small town out of anyone,” Grant answered.
The tension continued at the table over the next few courses. By the time the chocolate cake arrived, Julia, a little tipsy from too much wine, was ready to abandon ship and lock herself away.
Her mind stretched to find some excuse to skip the after-dinner festivities. The evening, which had started out so hopeful, had crashed and burned quickly with Lydia’s surprise.
As they rose from the table, Julia hung back, allowing the others to filter out first. A hand slid around her shoulders, startling her.
“Hey, you okay?” Grant asked.
She glanced up at him, forcing herself to nod. “Yeah. I’m just… shocked.”
“I’m not. Lydia did this on purpose. Where is she getting the money to bankroll him, though?”
“And how deep in with her is he?” Julia asked.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
She pressed a hand against her head as a dull ache thudded at her temples. “I probably had too much to drink.”
Grant heaved a sigh. She imagined he was frustrated with her at this point. After the kiss with Kyle, the annoyance of the dinner with her friends, and now her inability to handle the arrival of her ex, he probably was ready for this contract to be over so he could send her packing.
She offered a surprised glance, her brows knitting, as he rubbed her arms. “I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t have gotten through dinner without a steady flow of bourbon. And I can’t wait to have another.”
A chuckle escaped her as she flicked her gaze up to him. “I think I’d better quit and just put on my big girl pants and deal with this. It just…stunned me.”
Her lips moved though no sounds came out as she failed to be able to form words. She didn’t want to tell her husband that seeing him again had brought all the pain, uncertainty, and raw emotion she’d felt when she’d seen him last. A time when she’d nearly succumbed to the temptation to slip back into the warm familiarity of her past life.
Her mind flitted to those fateful days in Harbor Cove that had nearly changed things forever. She wondered if Alicia knew about this. She made a mental note to ask her sister when she realized her cell phone now sat at the bottom of a riverbed.
“I wonder if Ally knew about this. If she didn’t tell me…” Julia shook her head as she crossed her arms.
“Oh, speaking of, I had Worthington get you a replacement phone. I was afraid your sister may beat down my door if I didn’t.”
“Instead, Luke waltzed right through it.” She pressed her palm against her forehead.
“Hey, if you want me to ask him to leave…”
As much as she wanted to hide, she worried it would make the situation even worse. Lydia didn’t do this so Grant could toss Luke out.
She sighed and shook her head. “No, you’d better not. Let’s just hope this wraps up quickly.”
“And that your friend can do what he says he can. If we can take away even a little bit of Lydia’s power, this would be far easier.”
“I know,” Julia said. “Although I’m not sure how much easier it’ll be. Just because she can’t hurt Sierra doesn’t mean she won’t have something else up her sleeve. She’s already come after you how many times.”
“And you. That’s the one thing Kyle and I agree on. I want you out of the line of fire as much as possible.”
“I appreciate that,” she said as she grabbed his hand and squeezed. “We’d better get in there.”
“Yes, I don’t think we can avoid it much longer.”
She nodded as she took a step toward the door when he pulled her back. “Hey, if it gets too intense, let me know, okay?”
She smiled up at him as she slipped her hand into his again. “Thanks.”
She sucked in a deep breath as they headed into the living room to join their guests. Julia scanned the space as they entered. Worthington delivered a bourbon to Grant, and a brandy to Julia. “Forgive me, Mrs. Harrington, but I felt you may need it.”
She smiled at him as she accepted the glass. “Thanks, Worthington. You are correct.”
After a sip, she strode further into the room. Alex grinned at her as Grant approached Sierra. “Hey, Sunshine, looks like a cloud is raining all over your sweet personality.”
Julia raised her eyes to Alex. “Yeah, it’s…complicated.”
“I can imagine. I don’t know what happened between you and Luke, but having your ex-fiance hanging out at your dinner table with your current husband seems…tense.”
“You have no idea. We were in Harbor Cove a few months ago and…things didn’t go well. Anyway, I’m sorry for the difficult dinner.”
“No worries, kid. I found it most entertaining, although I missed that fabulous smile of yours.” Alex flicked his gaze to Lydia. “I assume the Iron Lady is responsible for this little…social awkwardness.”
“She did it on purpose. She knows Grant and Luke don’t get along and that the situation is complicated between us.”
“Don’t worry,” he said after a sip of his drink, “I’ll have her leverage scattered into cyberspace in no time.”
“Thanks, Alex,” she said with a squeeze of his arm.
“Anytime, kid. Looks like the old man isn’t taking the latest development too well.” Alex arched an eyebrow as he cradled his drink in his crossed arms.
Julia followed his gaze, noting the tautness in Grant’s jaw as he stared at Lydia and Luke who laughed over a drink. She didn’t feel much different, though she questioned if it annoyed her that Lydia was trying to disrupt her marriage or if the annoyance came from jealousy over Lydia’s closeness with her ex.
“No, I can’t imagine he is. Maybe I’d better get over there.”
“May have to split your time between him and Junior G-man. They’ve got matching clenched jaws which I must say I did not expect considering he doesn’t seem to get along with big daddy.”
“Their relationship is complicated, but they both dislike Lydia and Luke.”
Alex narrowed his eyes at the two men before he raised his eyebrows and shot an amused glance at Julia. “Ohhh, the plot thickens. We have ourselves a good old-fashioned romantic quadrangle. It’s like a soap opera only with better drinks and no commercial breaks. Three men, one woman. Who will win her heart?”
Heat rose in Julia’s cheeks as she realized he’d summed up her life succinctly and posed a question that even she couldn’t answer.
“You’re blushing. Dare I say the lady isn’t certain of where her heart lies just yet?”
“I’m married to Grant.”
“Mmm, but you’re speaking to a man who understands how complex marriages can be. Married doesn’t mean happily in love, kid. No one knows this better than me.”
She furrowed her brow, picking up on the cryptic remark he’d just made. “So…you and Ava…”
“It’s complicated, too. Maybe more complicated than your little situation. All I’m saying is that I have no judgment, but I hope you figure it out soon. You deserve to be happy.”
“Thanks,” she said, squeezing his arm. “Now, I’d better get over there before one of them does something we’ll all regret.”
“Good luck, kid.” Alex clicked his tongue as he winked at her.
She gave him a tight-lipped smile as she crossed toward Grant. Kyle cut her off before she reached him. “Hey, how are you holding up?”
“Better than you and Grant, apparently. Alex picked up on how tense you both are.”
Kyle shot a sideways glance at Luke who was chatting with Ava. “No wonder. I can’t believe she did this. I thought we were rid of him.”
Julia stared at Luke’s tall form, memories of their past filling her mind. He was a different man now, though, she told herself. Successful, wealthy, possibly not even interested in her.
“Julia, hello?” Kyle growled at her. “Please stop staring at him like that.”
“Like what?” she asked.
“Like you did in Maine. I don’t need another reason to hate that guy.”
Julia’s shoulders slumped as she held in a sigh. “I’m married to Grant.”
“Do you really want to have that conversation right now?” Kyle questioned.
“Hey, everything okay here?” Grant asked as he sidled up to them.
“Yes,” Julia said with a nod. “Alex is intent on getting rid of Lydia’s leverage as soon as possible, so with any luck, one of our problems will soon be gone.”
“We can only hope,” Grant said.
“How is Sierra holding up?” Julia glanced at her stepdaughter as she chatted with Ava and Alex.
“She may need that reminder you promised her sooner rather than later,” Grant told her. “She’s incredibly upset that her mother brought Luke here.”
“Aren’t we all?” Kyle answered.
“I’ll talk to her,” Julia said with a nod.
“Thanks, Juls. I tried, but apparently, I don’t do it right. At least that’s what she said.”
“Can I trust you two not to get into a fight if I leave you this close together?”
“Don’t worry. We have a common enemy in the room. That automatically prevents any fights between us,” Kyle answered.
Julia held back from rolling her eyes, though she couldn’t stop the curl of her lips as she walked away from them.
As she let her gaze linger on them, she failed to see the figure approaching her. She collided with Luke, spilling some of her brandy onto his suit.
“Ohhhh, I’m so sorry,” she said with a wince.
He flicked some of the liquid away with a chuckle. “It’s okay, Juju.”
Worthington hurried over to dab at the wet spots on the dark material. Luke slid the napkin from his hands and patted his jacket. “Really, it’s fine.”
Worthington backed away silently, leaving them alone. Julia glanced up at him through her eyelashes.
“So, I’m sorry for the surprise. But it’s great to see you again.”
“It’s…I’m so glad you’re doing so well,” she managed to say, her words laced with a mix of pride and a pang of something lost. Luke’s success, so starkly laid out before her, was a mirror to the path not taken, a life she might have shared had she not walked away from him.
“Yeah, I’m doing great. It was quite a whirlwind, but…I’m…” His eyebrows pinched as he set his eyes on her. “Can we talk? Privately?”
She sucked in a breath before she swallowed hard, flicking her gaze to the liquid left in her glass. “Luke, I don’t think this is the best time–”
“When your friends leave then. Please, Julia, it’s really important.”
“Everything okay over here?” Kyle asked as he approached, slipping a protective arm around her.
Lydia sashayed over, slipping an arm through Luke’s. “Well, well, well, what’s going on here? Are we trying our best to step into Daddy’s shoes?”
Kyle narrowed his eyes at her.
“Oh, I’m just joking,” Lydia said with a cackle, “but I would love to have a word with you, Karl.”
“Kyle,” he said through clenched teeth. “If you’d really love a word, you could at least get my name right.”
Lydia glowered at him as she pulled his arm away from Julia and tugged him away from them.
Julia eyed them as they left, her stomach clenching as she wondered if Lydia merely dragged him away to allow Luke more access to her or if she had something to tell him.
Grant conversed with Ava across the room. She hoped to get away from Luke soon. She twisted back to face him, finding him closer than before.
“Julia, I’d really like to talk privately before I leave. I just…there are somethings I think I need to say.”
Julia pressed her lips together as she stared up at him. Maybe it was best to get this over with and clear up any tension now rather than allow the pall to remain over all of them. “Okay, fine. Come on.”
She set her glass down before she led him from the room. The quiet hush of the library surrounded them as she stepped inside. Tension tightened her muscles as she spun to face him, her heart stopping when she spotted the softened gaze and flicker of unreadable emotion in his eyes.
“Luke–” she began when he interrupted.
“Julia, please. I…I’ve thought about you so often since Maine. When you left…it just never sat right with me.”
She chewed her lower lip as he spoke, her features pinching. “Luke, I’m with Grant.”
“Not really, though. And…if my math is correct, you won’t be with him for much longer.”
Julia fluttered her eyelashes as the fact slapped her in the face. “But–”
“But nothing, Julia. You’re not happy with him. You can’t be. This…this is all fake. We were happy together. And the only thing that kept us apart was my small-town mentality. But I’ve gotten rid of that.”
He flung his arms out, showcasing the fancy suit. “I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone. Made millions. And now I’ve come back for you. I’m not letting you walk away from me again, Julia.”
Before Julia could respond, Luke cupped her face in his hands. “I love you too much for that,” he said before he pressed his lips against hers.
Stunned by the impulsive kiss, she froze, her mind racing, a whirlwind of memories and unspoken emotions. Despite his new, polished exterior, Luke’s kiss awakened a familiar warmth. Her heart ached with a blend of nostalgia and confusion. He pulled back, his hand still caressing her cheek.
Her eyes slid sideways as she tried to process what had just happened when she caught sight of the ajar door. Her stomach clenched as she stared at Grant, his hand still on the doorknob. Shock, hurt, and anger danced across every line of his face.
“Grant,” she gasped, a tremor in her voice.
Grant’s eyes, a stormy mix of betrayal and pain, locked onto her for a heart-wrenching moment. Her heart sank as the complicated scenario spiraled into a nightmare.
He opened his mouth to speak to her, but no words came. Finally, he said, “Sorry to interrupt.”
A lump formed in her throat as he spun on a heel and strode from the room, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.
“Grant, wait,” she called as she took a step toward the door. “I can explain.”
Luke’s fingers wrapped around her arm, stopping her. “Let him go, Julia. You don’t belong with him.”
Julia twisted to study him, her eyes wide as emotions brewed like a storm inside her. She glanced back at the empty space in the door before she shifted her gaze to Luke. His statement echoed in her head, but the truth was she had no idea where she belonged.