Page 33 of Ungodly Rich

“Julia!”

At first, she thought she’d hallucinated Harry’s voice. Then she saw him sprinting through the terminal: weaving around small children, jumping over suitcases like a track star clearing hurdles. He was wearing athletic shorts and one of his old work T-shirts that readKawarau Bridge, making him look more like himself—more like the Harry she knew—than Julia had seen in days.

When he reached her, Harry didn’t seem the slightest bit winded. “Please, can we talk?” he asked, eyes beseeching.

Julia held her boarding pass out to the gate agent. “I’m getting on this plane.”

“Then so am I.”

Had Harry known where she was headed and bought a ticket on the same flight? No, Julia realized, he wasn’t pulling out a boarding pass at all. Instead, he withdrew a black ID card from his wallet and handed it to the gate agent.

The woman blanched, eyes widening, then began frantically tapping at the screen. “Sir, there are no more first-class seats. Please allow me a moment to reallocate the passengers so that I can accommodate you.”

It took Julia a moment to realize what the airline representative meant. She was going to boot someone from first class and give the seat to Harry.

“That won’t be necessary; I’ll sit next to my traveling companion.” Harry gestured to Julia.

Ignoring him, Julia made her way toward the jet bridge.

“Actually,” she heard Harry say behind her, “would you mind holding the plane for a few minutes?”

“Of course, Mr. Ellene,” the gate agent murmured.

Julia quickened her steps, but Harry jogged to catch up and reached for her bag. “Please, let me take that,” he offered.

She tugged it away from his grip, whirling on him. “You’re seriouslyholding the plane? What was that card you showed her, anyway?”

“An Aegean Airlines black card. The airline only issues ten of them; that gate agent had probably never seen one in person before. I only got it out because I’m desperate.” Harry’s words had all come out in a single breath. “Please, Julia, talk to me. Why did you run off without telling me?”

“I needed to get off that island, okay?”

They had reached the end of the jet bridge, where a few strollers and a wheelchair were lined up with pink gate-check tags. Harry ran in front of Julia and spun around, putting his hands on her shoulders. His broad, muscled body seemed to draw all the air from the space, or perhaps all the light, because Julia had the disorienting sensation that he was glowing in the dimness. He was as golden and beautiful as the sun and had just as much gravity.

“What happened?” he pressed.

All the fight drained out of her, and she turned her face up, tears pricking at her eyes. “Is it true? You slept with Valentine?”

Harry’s breath hitched. “Who told you?”

Well, he wasn’t denying it. Julia wasn’t sure what she would have done if, on top of everything else, Harry had lied to her. Again.

“Does it matter?” she asked wearily. “I just care that it’s true.”

“Please, Julia. What happened between me and Valentine was a one-time thing, and it was a terrible mistake.”

She hitched her bag higher up on her shoulder. “So you didn’t bring me to your family reunion to make her jealous?”

“What?” Harry asked, startled. “Of course I didn’t bring you tomake her jealous. I didn’t even want to come to Greece at all!You’rethe one who insisted upon it after we ran into Dylan.”

“Oh, so now it’s my fault?”

“You know that’s not what I meant,” he pleaded.

A few other passengers got onto the jet bridge, casting Harry and Julia curious looks before weaving around them onto the plane. Julia ignored them all. She kept staring at her boyfriend, trying to make sense of the past twenty-four hours.

“I don’t get it, Harry. What were you thinking, having an affair with her when she was married to your brother?”

“Like I said, it happenedone time.I was so angry, and confused, and all of a sudden she wasright there—”