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I nodded and then slapped a quick but meaningful kiss on her cheek. “Message received.”
Her eyebrows lifted in surprise, and she touched the spot where I had smooched her. “What was that for?”
“I just wanted to thank you for being an awesome mother-in-law and not—” When I lifted a meaningful glance toward the retreating back of Nia’s mom, Eva let out a breath and touched my arm.
“She just lost her child, Luke,” she scolded me for my judgment. “I’d be a complete train wreck right now if I were her.” Shuddering because of how close shehadbeen to experiencing what Nia’s mom was, she then leaned closer and winked. “But you’re welcome.” After touching my arm, she moved away to give Julian one last minute with his wife.
I knew I was supposed to go too, but instead, I stepped forward.
He glanced at me wearily. “I think she’s done with the flowers,” he said to dismiss me.
I nodded and slid my hands into my pockets, turning slightly as if I was going to leave. I didn’t know how to talk to a widower. I sucked with polite platitudes and pleasant bullshit.
So when I veered back around to face him, I didn’t give any. Instead, I blurted, “Do you blame Chloe?”
Julian spun toward me and blinked. “What?”
“For Nia,” I said, wincing and hoping I hadn’t stepped into a whole hornet’s nest with my blunt question.
Julian furrowed his brow and gaped at me as if I’d lost my mind. “Of course not. She was just as much a victim as—fuck, Luke.Seriously. How could you even ask me that?”
I shrugged and squinted at him in apology. “I don’t know. She’s blaming herself pretty hard right now. She’s afraid to go anywhere near you because she’s convinced you must feel the same. She thinks that her evenbeingin your presence will hurt you more and remind you that she’s the one who brought that fucker into our lives. And I know you’ve already got enough on your plate right now, but if you could just mention to her sometime that youdon’tblame her…” I shrugged and shook my head, feeling like an inconsiderate asshole for doing this to him, especially on the day of his wife’s funeral…and right in front of her casket, too. “I don’t know,” I mumbled, blundering through anyway. “I just think it’d go a long way in helping her to forgive herself.”
“Christ.” Julian blew out a breath and shook his head at me after he wiped a tired hand down his face. “I’ve been so steeped in my own shit to even notice what she must be going through. God, I’m an idiot. Ofcourse, she blames herself. If I were her; I’m sure I’d blame myself, too.” Then he glanced around and asked, “Where is she?”
“She was over by the twins last time I saw her,” I said, motioning in the direction that I’d left her.
With a single nod, Julian started marching that way.
“Julian…” his mother-in-law called, returning again as if something else had occurred to her. “Do you think you could—”
“In a minute,” he cut her off in a hard voice and kept striding past. “I’ll be right back.”
She seemed startled and indignant by the brush-off, but he didn’t seem to notice. “Chloe!” he snapped when he finally caught sight of her.
She jumped as if she were in trouble and popped to her feet from the concrete bench she’d been sitting on with Bella, her eyes wide with worry.
“Come here,” he told her roughly.
Her face paled, but she stepped forward as if she were facing a firing squad and was prepared for him to fully reject her and accuse her of everything she’d done wrong. But instead, he pulled her into a hug and kissed her hair.
“I love you, little sister. That hasn’t stopped, and it wouldn’t, even if youhadbeen responsible for this…which you arenot. Do you hear me? This isn’t on you.”
She pulled away, shaking her head as tears of regret flooded her face. “But I—”
He grabbed her shoulders, forcing her to stop. “ThenI’mjust as responsible as you are. Why didn’t it occur to me that he had a tracker on your car? It seems so obvious now. Why did I never even think to get that checked out?”
“But no one else—”
“Or Trick…” Julian cut in harshly. “He knew how much you liked Luke way back when you were younger. Why did he say nothing? Maybe you and Luke could’ve been together this entire time, in which case you never would’ve gotten involved with Freston at all, and Nia could still be alive today. Maybe this is all Trick’s fault.”
“No.” Chloe shook her head emphatically. “That’s ridiculous. How was Trick to know I’d bring a freaking murderer into the family and—”
“Yeah, itisridiculous,” Julian agreed. “Just as ridiculous as it is foryouto think you should’ve known he was insane enough to drive your car off the road before even bothering to check if the driver was his blond-headed ex or not. I mean, who the fuck could’ve foreseen that? This isnoton you. So you’re going to have to get over this guilt or whatever the hell it is, and soon, because I will need you more than ever from this point on…” As he started to cry, Chloe sobbed and covered her mouth. “Yourgoddaughteris going to need you,” he added. “So please don’t stay away from us. We need you.”
“I…I won’t,” she promised and lunged toward him for another hug. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m here for you, for whatever you need.”
“Right now, I just need youhere,” he assured and kissed her hair just as his mother-in-law called his name yet again.
