Friends Once More
Chapter ten
Waiting was torture, and Christopher had a hard time remaining still.
He wanted to shake her, demand she answer him.
Yet he did not. Instead, he watched a range of emotions play over her lovely face, her green eyes guarded as though she did not dare allow him even a glimpse of what went through her mind.
“Did you?” Christopher whispered again when the silence became too weighty.
Juliet swallowed, her gaze once more focusing on his, the look in her eyes telling him all he needed to know.
Christopher’s heart sank.
“I don’t think it would be wise,” Juliet said as she stepped back, her hands touching his arms, urging him to release her. “We’re friends.” A hitch in her voice gave him pause, and he frowned when he saw a smile come to her face.
A smile that looked forced, as though it were a shield she was holding up in front of her as a defense.
“Are you certain?”
Instantly, Juliet nodded, two quick steps carrying her to the edge of the pavilion.
“Race you back to the house?” Her voice was trembling, and Christopher could see how she rapidly blinked her eyes to discourage the tears that were collecting there.
Still, that smile—the defensive smile—continued to linger.
Christopher knew she was lying. She was putting on a brave face when truly she was close to breaking down. But why? He wanted nothing more but to push her for the truth, but he did not dare.
Not now.
Never had he seen Juliet like this. She seemed to be hanging on by a thread, dangling over a deep abyss, terrified of plunging down into the dark at any moment. Something frightened her. If only he knew what it was.
“Very well,” Christopher finally said with a quick nod.
Still, he knew this was not the last time they would speak of this.
He would have the truth from her, even if it was not today.
Perhaps this day could simply be about getting to know one another again, about reminiscing, about rediscovering all those little things they used to know.
Tomorrow would come.
Christopher would make certain of that.
“On the count of three?” Juliet asked, relief upon her face as she looked at him.
Christopher nodded, moving to stand beside her. “On the count of three,” he agreed, fighting the urge to reach out and pull her into his arms. “One.” Her hands grasped a fistful of her skirts. “Two.” Leaning forward, she raised her skirts a little to keep herself from tripping over them. “Three!”
In a dash, they both shot from the pavilion back out into the rain. Christopher blinked as water ran over his face, blurring his vision. His breath quickened, and his legs felt heavy.
Beside him, Juliet seemed like a water sprite, her brown hair flying in the wind behind her, its strands soaked and darker than he remembered.
It had come undone, and Christopher tried to remember the last time he had seen her with her hair flowing freely down her shoulders.
It made her seem younger, unburdened, and he loved the sparks that lit up her eyes.
Once, Juliet almost stumbled and fell, her legs entangled in her wet skirts. But she caught herself in the last moment, doubling her efforts as she raced ahead.
Christopher laughed, knowing he ought to do his best, that she would be furious with him if he did not. Still, he only pushed on enough to pull even with her, reveling in the sight of her flushed face.
Together, they reached the terrace, darted across, and then burst through the double doors and into the drawing room, panting and out of breath.
“You could have won easily,” Juliet accused as he had known she would. “Why didn’t you?” Her cheeks burned a deep red, and her chest rose and fell quickly with each rapid breath as her enchanting green eyes stared into his chidingly.
Christopher wiped the rain from his face, grinning from ear to ear as he looked at her. “I take no pleasure in winning,” he told her, laughing, mesmerized by the sight of her.
Juliet frowned. “What do you take pleasure in?”
Christopher’s grin broadened, and he loved the flustered look that came to her face when she grasped his meaning.
He moved toward her, his breath still coming as fast as hers.
Her eyes were wide; yet she did not retreat.
“I enjoy seeing you like this,” he whispered, then chuckled when he saw her teeth once more brush over her bottom lip. “Red-faced, panting for breath—”
Juliet rolled her eyes at him. “What a nuisance you are. A gentleman would not speak like this.”
Christopher chuckled. “Well, perhaps I am simply not a gentleman.”
“Then what are you?”
Inhaling a deep breath, Christopher swallowed. “I’m your friend, am I not?”
Holding his gaze, Juliet nodded, her eyes luminous. “Friends, yes.” She smiled at him; a smile more genuine than the one before, but still one that held sadness.
Christopher took a step closer. “Only friends?” he asked before his gaze darted to her lips, temptation urging him closer still.
Juliet’s eyes widened once again, her mouth opening and closing as she no doubt searched for something to say. Yet before she could make up her mind, they were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat in a highly disapproving way.
Christopher closed his eyes, for he knew before even turning toward the door who it was.
Troy.
“Your brother truly has impeccable timing,” Christopher murmured under his breath before moving a step away and facing his friend’s dark scowl.
“Troy!” Juliet exclaimed, a slight tremor in her voice as she moved toward him. “Oh, I better not step any closer.” She laughed nervously, then looked down at her soaked skirts. “I suppose we got a little wet.” Grinning, she looked over her shoulder at Christopher.
Christopher laughed. “The understatement of the year, my lady.” He bowed to her formally, and she shook her head at him.
“You’d better go change,” Troy said in a tight voice, his pale blue eyes narrowed into slits, “before you catch cold.”
Juliet nodded, then strode past him. Yet before she vanished, her green eyes once more returned to look into Christopher’s and he could feel the effect of that brief moment all the way to his toes.
As his sister’s footsteps receded down the hall, Troy stepped into the drawing room and closed the door behind him. “What are you doing?” His voice was hard, and a warning burned in his eyes.
Christopher swallowed. Indeed, what was he doing? He could not deny that thus far he had lived in the moment, ignoring all that lay ahead, decisions he would be forced to make and consequences he could not escape.
Running a hand through his wet hair, Christopher shrugged.
“I don’t know,” he said quietly before stepping forward and meeting his friend’s gaze.
“I assure you nothing happened.” But was that the truth?
Indeed, Christopher could not deny that ever since returning to England, ever since seeing Juliet again—speaking to her, looking into her eyes, simply being near her—he felt like a changed man.
Troy regarded him carefully, doubt in his eyes as he considered what to say. “When you left, it broke her heart.” His voice was a dark growl as he stalked toward Christopher, rage radiating off him. “I will not see her hurt again; do you hear? Not again.”
Christopher blinked, surprised not only by his friend’s words but also by the dark expression on his face. “I assure you I would never—”
“Be certain,” Troy snapped, his jaw set and a finger raised in warning. “Be absolutely certain of what you want.” He drew in a slow breath and then spun around and stalked back toward the door.
It was the pain in Troy’s gaze that gave Christopher pause. He had seen it before. Years ago, when he had been uncertain what it meant. Now, he knew.
“Perhaps,” Christopher spoke up the moment Troy’s hand settled upon the door handle, “we should not speak of your sister,” he paused as did his friend, “but of mine.”
For a long moment, Troy remained immobile, his back to Christopher and his hand on the door handle. His shoulders slowly moved with each breath he took, and Christopher wondered if the day would ever come that they could speak about what had happened five years ago.
Christopher knew he had failed his friend. He had not known it then. But he did now. Would he ever get a chance to make amends? Was this it?
Without another word, Troy opened the door and left, leaving Christopher behind with nothing but regrets. He had made mistakes. More than one. He knew that. Only he did not know what to do about them. How to fix them…if indeed they could be fixed.
Some mistakes once committed could never be undone, could they?