AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Gracie,” Julian whispered. “No matter what happens between us, please remember I never set out to hurt you.”
“Are you going to hurt me?”
“Sooner or later I’ve ended up hurting every woman I’ve had a long-term relationship with.”
“Oh.”
“Relationships aren’t my family’s strong suit.”
Even Morgan’s? I wanted to ask, but when I was with Julian, I did my best not to mention her. I didn’t think I would be able to hide my distaste for her.
He brushed his thumb across my hand. “My parents raised protégés, not human beings.” The bitterness in his tone was undeniable.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. And promise me, Gracie, you won’t let me make you sorry for the time we spend together.”
“How can I do that?”
He glanced down. “By keeping me at arm’s length.”
I dropped my hand and let out a deep breath. I was beginning to wonder if every man I was attracted to wanted me to keep my distance.
~*~
After Julian had walked me to my door and kissed my cheek, I had no desire to walk inside. Instead I sat on the porch, listening to the crickets chirp and the neighborhood teenagers play football in the road under the glow of the streetlights. It was in moments like these that I desperately missed my momma. She would know what I should do about Brooks and Julian. I was beginning to think those two needed to start a tormented men’s club or something.
I looked over to the Hamiltons’, and it struck me that there was a momma there tonight. June had practically moved in yesterday when Tom had come home. She’d made sure to mention she was sleeping in the guest bedroom. All I know was that Tom was one happy camper, even if he had to use a walker and was on a strict diet and several new prescriptions.
It was only nine thirty. Julian had dropped me off early because one of his patients had gone into labor. Surely Miss June would still be up and could talk with me. Unless she and Tom had decided to rekindle their romance. Yikes. Would that make Tom’s heart stop again? Maybe I shouldn’t go over there. Except I really needed to talk to someone. Not that I couldn’t talk to Daddy, but the man wouldn’t care if I ever left home. Honestly, I think if I got married, he would say we could just move in with him. Very Mr. Woodhouse–like. If only my Mr. Knightley would show up and not have a load of baggage like Brooks and Julian seemed to carry with them. Not that I wouldn’t help carry another person’s luggage, but they had to be willing to let me get close enough to do it. I was willing to assist them in unpacking, but they had to open their suitcases up to me first.
I stood and decided to go for it. I needed a woman’s and a momma’s opinion. I practically tiptoed down our brick path to the sidewalk. From there I leisurely strolled while listening to the boys in the street call out plays and children laughing in the distance. Someone was even shooting off fireworks. Tomorrow was Memorial Day, not the Fourth of July, but whatever. They were pretty in red, white, and blue. I loved this neighborhood. Though some neighbors had come and gone over the years, it still had the feeling of home and all things good in the world.
Tom’s yard was proof of the goodness that existed. “Welcome Home” signs dotted the lawn, and someone had hung a banner across the wraparound porch. It had brought Tom to tears yesterday when Miss June and I had brought him home. People had lined his walk, cheering him on as we drove up. Even Daddy had shed a couple of tears, so happy his best friend had made it. Tom wasn’t completely out of the woods yet. The next year would be telling, but Miss June was determined to get him in shape and force him to live.
There were lights on in the house, which I took as a good sign. I knocked on the heavy oak door that was plastered with paper hearts.
In no time, I heard footsteps and saw Miss June peeking out of one of the small windows framing the door. Her face lit up when she saw it was me.
Miss June swung open the door, showing off her floral nightgown and the fact that she wasn’t wearing a bra. Wow, did her babies hang. But, boy, did they still fill out the bustline. “Hey, darlin’, did you come to make sure we weren’t fornicating?”
I laughed instead of gagging like I wanted to do. “Uh, no,” I stuttered.
She smiled and reached for my hand. “I figured my son had sent you over to check on us. I got quite the lecture from him yesterday about living under the same roof as his daddy.”
