Chapter 13
Thirteen
The next morning Michael sat at his desk lost in thought. He couldn’t believe the way he had bared his soul to Juliana the night before. He didn’t regret anything, though. Everything he told her was true.
She hadn’t said a word to him on the way home. Once they arrived she went straight up to her room and closed the door. Despite her silence, Michael knew she had feelings for him, too. He could see it in the way she looked at him when she thought he wasn’t paying attention.
That she was still mired in a ten-year relationship gave him pause.
“But hey,” he said out loud, “she’s living in my house and not even talking to him.
” The thought made Michael feel better about his chances with her until he remembered how wrong he’d been about Paige.
But Juliana was different from Paige in every possible way. “That’s one thing I know for sure.”
His assistant, Angela, came to the door. “Talking to yourself, Michael?”
“Huh?”
“Your mother’s on line two.” The demands from the press had gotten so out of hand in the last few days that Angela was screening his calls.
“Thanks.”
Angela left him to take the call.
“Hi, Mom.”
“How are you, Michael? They mentioned your trial on the Today show this morning.”
“We’re getting a lot of attention. Too much.”
“How’re you holding up, sweetheart?”
“Good. I’m ready to go.”
“You know we’re all pulling for you. So how was the cotillion in Dixie last weekend?” His mother had long ago stopped pretending to approve of the Simpsons or their lifestyle.
“It was interesting. I’ve actually been meaning to call you since I got home.”
“Oh? Why?”
“Well, I’m sorry to report the engagement is off.”
“What? Are you serious?”
“Try to contain your euphoria, Mother,” Michael said with a dry chuckle.
“What happened?”
“It’s a long story. Suffice it to say I finally saw the light.”
“Hallelujah! Your sisters will be thrilled to hear this.”
“I’m sure.”
“Are you all right, Michael? I know you loved her. I’ll never understand why, but I’m sure you must be upset. I don’t mean to make light of it.”
Michael laughed. “Yes, you do. I’m fine. Believe me, by the time the whole thing blew up, I could hardly remember what it was I loved about her.”
“She must’ve taken it well.” Maureen’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
“Yeah, not so much. In fact, I’m quite certain I haven’t seen the last of her. But right now all I’m thinking about is the trial.” Well, not all, but he wasn’t ready to tell his mother about Juliana. Not yet.
“I know you’re busy, so I won’t keep you. I’m sorry if you’re hurting, Michael.”
“I’m fine. Really.”
“Keep us posted on the trial. We’ll have our fingers crossed for you.”
“Thanks, Mom. Give my love to everyone.”
“I will. You know you have ours.”
She ended the call promising to check on him in a week or so. He smiled when he imagined the news of his broken engagement burning up the phone lines in Newport’s Fifth Ward and had no doubt he would hear from his sisters before the day was out.
On her way home from her mother’s that evening, Juliana stopped at Collington Street where she cleaned out the fridge, took out the trash, and stashed the mail in her purse to deal with later.
She was in and out of there in ten minutes.
Even after the emotional exchange with Michael the night before, she still couldn’t bear to be in the house she had shared with Jeremy.
Michael’s words had haunted her all day as she made polite small talk with her clients. How could he be falling for me? It’s preposterous. We haven’t even known each other a week!
But there was something, Juliana acknowledged. She had felt it herself. More than once. It wasn’t love, though. No way. Things like that happened in the movies, not to real people.
At times she wondered if her head would just explode from thinking too much. Ironically, though, she hadn’t had the urge to call Jeremy all day.
Letting herself into Michael’s house, she flipped on the lights and supposed she could consider it her house, too, since she had written him a check for two hundred and fifty dollars. It wasn’t much, but it was all she could afford. He took the check only when she insisted.
In the microwave, she defrosted the pork chops she brought from the freezer on Collington Street and put two potatoes in the oven.
While the chops defrosted, she went upstairs to gather clothes from both their bedrooms and threw in a load of darks.
All the while she tried not to think about anything other than what she was doing. Her brain was tired and overtaxed.
Back downstairs she put the seasoned pork chops under the broiler, tossed a salad, and went through the mail she had picked up earlier. Mixed in with the junk mail and bills was a letter from Jeremy.
She sat on one of the kitchen stools and opened it with shaking hands. Just the sight of his familiar handwriting made her heart beat faster as anticipation battled with anxiety and dread.
Dear Jule,
I haven’t spoken to you in two days—the longest two days of my life.
You said we couldn’t talk to each other, but you never mentioned writing.
I hope you’ll read this and not just throw it away.
I can’t believe I agreed to this foolish plan of yours, but I also can’t believe how stupid I was.
If I could hit rewind and undo anything in my life it would be that conversation we had on the beach.
I’ve discovered since you left that freedom is a funny thing.
Last week I longed for it. This week I’m terrified of it.
I don’t want anyone but you. I know you won’t believe me because of what an ass I’ve been, but it’s true.
I tried to go out with someone else. We went to dinner, but everything was wrong because she wasn’t you.
I didn’t care about what she was saying, I didn’t want to kiss her, and I certainly didn’t want to have sex with her.
I only want you. I’ve made a terrible mistake, Jule, and I know if I lose you I’ll be sorry about it for the rest of my life.
All I think about is that you’re going to meet someone else.
I worry about that constantly. It keeps me awake at night.
Please don’t meet someone you like better than me.
I think that would kill me. I’ve let my boss know I’m leaving here in three months whether the install is done or not.
Even if I have to quit my job, I’m coming home to you.
I’ve made mistakes. I know I have. We should’ve been married years ago. It’s my fault we aren’t, but I plan to rectify that as soon as we’re together again. Until then, I want you to know I’m thinking about you all the time.
All my love,
Jeremy
Juliana read the letter again. All the things she had waited years to hear, mixed in with a few things she could have lived forever without knowing.
He had longed to be free. Free of her. And it had taken him just two days to go out with someone else—the same day he sent the roses. He sure had been busy that day.
After several minutes spent processing the letter, she got up to flip the chops and pour a glass of wine.
When everything was ready, she pushed the food around on her plate without really eating much of it.
She made a plate for Michael, wrapped it in foil, and left it in the oven on warm.
The doorbell rang just as she finished cleaning up the kitchen.
Looking through the peephole, she swallowed hard and had to think for a second about what she should do. Reluctantly, she opened the door.
“Who are you?” Paige asked, pushing past Juliana. She carried a large shoulder bag and disregarded Juliana the way she would the hired help.
Juliana cleared her throat and extended her hand to the other woman. “I’m Michael’s roommate, Juliana.”
Paige ignored her outstretched hand. “Michael doesn’t have a roommate.”
Juliana dropped her hand. “He does now.”
“Where is he?”
“At work.” Juliana noticed that Paige still wore her enormous diamond engagement ring.
“Fine.” Paige took off her coat and plopped down on the sofa. “I’ll wait.”
“Suit yourself,” Juliana said on her way upstairs.
“Thank you, I will,” Paige said in a bitchy tone.
Juliana closed the bedroom door and reached for her cell phone.
“Hey,” she said when Michael answered. “Where are you?”
“Why? Do you miss me?”
“Really. Where are you?”
“Juliana? What’s wrong?”
“Um, Paige is here.”
He groaned. “Tell me you’re kidding me!”
“Sorry.”
“Oh, God, that’s the last thing I feel like dealing with tonight.”
“I shouldn’t have let her in, but I didn’t know what to do.”
“It’s fine. She would’ve waited for me. At least this way I’m warned. Are you okay? Was she nasty to you?”
“She wasn’t thrilled to discover you have a roommate, especially a female roommate.”
He laughed. “I don’t imagine she was. I’ll be home in about fifteen minutes.”
“Should I make popcorn?”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying this,” he joked.
“I’m only kidding. I’m not enjoying it.”
“I know.”
“Michael?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t let her hit you again.”
After a long moment of silence, he said, “I won’t.”
Michael parked on the street and rested his head on the steering wheel. He had put in a fourteen-hour day, and all he wanted was to have some dinner, put his feet up, and just be with Juliana. Instead he was steeling himself for yet another showdown with Paige.
After giving himself one last moment to prepare, he stepped into the living room.
Paige jumped up. “Oh God, Michael! What did you do to your hair?” She made a face. “Well, it’ll grow back before the wedding.”
He counted to ten before he allowed himself to speak. “What are you doing here?” Inside the front door, he dropped the bag of work he hoped to get to that night and pulled off his coat.
Paige followed him into the kitchen. “Who’s that girl who says she’s your roommate?”