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Julia’s brother sidled up to them. “Heads up—Dad’s coming this way. He wants to talk to you about getting married in the church that held his and Mum’s wedding.” The idiot started to laugh. “If I ever get married, I’m eloping to Vegas.”
Joe looked hopefully at Julia, who shook her head. She was adamant that she wanted to get married in the place where they’d first met, and she knew he’d give her the world if he could.
“Last I heard,” Julia said, “he also wants to talk to you about your wild living. He thinks it’s time you settled down and grew up.”
The twenty-two-year-old balked. “Time for me to go.” And the coward headed for the door.
“If his fans ever knew their favourite superhero was a wimp, he’d never make a movie again,” Joe said.
“He doesn’t need to be courageous in real life. It’s acting,” Julia teased him. “He’s pretending. For money.”
He looked down at her. Damn, but he wished he wasn’t in a room full of people. He’d much rather be alone in the bedroom of the apartment they’d bought close to the office.
“How come you don’t act anymore?”
Julia’s mother had made him sit through the DVDs of Julia’s childhood TV show. She’d been electric on camera. Her presence lit up the screen, and she stole every scene she was in. Although he could have been a little biased in his assessment. He hadn’t yet made it to the recordings of her singing, but he knew her mother had them all set aside for his next visit, much to Julia’s dismay.
“Well, for one, I don’t lie well.”
“This is true.” And something he loved about her.
“Two, I tend to have panic attacks when people are focused on me. Not all the time, but it can happen.”
“Only people you don’t know well.” She hadn’t hidden behind one plant since she’d come back from Peru. Although she had been known to duck under the desk when Callum was in a rage, which seemed like all the time these days.
She leaned in and whispered, “Three, I thought it was boring.”
Joe threw back his head and laughed. He imagined such a confession was close to sacrilege in her family.
“What’s funny?” Elle said as she came over to them, Ryan and Rachel at her side. Her hair was currently daffodil yellow, and made him think of Big Bird every time he saw her. He hoped this colour phase didn’t last.
“Nothing,” Julia said as she looked past them. “Where’s Callum?”
Elle’s face dropped. “He wouldn’t come. I think he’s still trying to get used to his new prosthetics.”
Rachel snorted. “He’s in a huff. He’s been in one for months. His fragile male ego was damaged along with his legs, and he doesn’t think he’s macho enough anymore. He needs therapy. Or a smack on the head.” Her eyes went wide. “Oh, good, Cumberbatch is here. I have a bone to pick with him.”
She charged off after one of Britain’s best-loved actors, looking completely at ease in the room, dressed as she was in designer clothes and her trademark red-soled shoes.
“I hope we don’t have to hide another body,” Ryan said as he watched her go. As usual, he’d already visited the buffet, and was armed with a plate piled high with finger food.
“Any luck with the DNA database searches?” Joe asked Elle, who shook her fluffy yellow head.
“Nope. I’ve hacked all the countries I think are likely, but there’s no match anywhere. Maybe I would have had better luck with fingerprints.” She eyed Joe. “If you see David again, steal a print, will you?”
“Absolutely.” He’d get right on it. After all, how hard could it be to get a print off a man known as a ghost who could kill Joe with his little finger?
Elle bounced up and down with joy at his agreement to help, and Ryan smothered a laugh.
“There you are.” Julia’s gran rushed up to them.
She was dressed in a formfitting silver dress that hugged her cur
ves and made her seem twenty years younger. She was followed by Alice, who was dressed as a parrot and looked her age.
“Darling.” Patricia hugged Julia tight.
“You all set for your trip?” she said when her gran released her.
