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Also, I don’t think I’m ready to see the way the bikini looks on her entire body.
“And what would we do in here?”
I guide her to the edge of the pool so she’s more comfortable.
“We could talk,” I say with a shrug.
“Talk,” Juliette muses. “I do have some questions. Promise you’ll answer them.”
I nod. “Within reason.”
She beams. “Alright. First questions. Why are you called Xander instead of Alex?”
Okay, that’s an easy one.
“My dad’s name was also Xander and everyone called him Alex. I’m Alexander Callahan the third, actually. They started calling me Xander because I hated the name Junior as a kid.”
“Are you and your parents close?”
“We were. They passed away a long time ago.”
“Was it hard dealing with their death?” Juliette asks.
I’m a little surprised by the question. Most people simply say they’re sorry and hurriedly move past it when the subject is brought up.
“It was a little hard but I was a full-grown adult by the time it happened. My dad passed away when I was about 25. A few days after the completion of my first hotel, actually. Then my mom died a year later. They were pretty great. A little absent and emotionally unavailable, but they gave me the best life and pushed me to go after my goals and passions.”
“Are any of the tattoos for them?” she questions.
“Yeah. These two are for them,” I tell her, pointing at the tattoos etched into my side.
They’re pretty simple. Two birds flying away.
“So, you get tattoos anytime someone close to you dies?”
“Not necessarily death,” I inform her. “One of my tattoos is for someone that is still very much alive. I guess the tattoos signify me moving on.”
“That’s beautiful,” Juliette says softly. She hesitates for a second before asking, “Which one did you get for your wife?”
I look away. For a long second, I don’t say a word. Then I let out a harsh breath.
“None of them. I haven’t gotten one for her yet.”
Juliette falls silent. I don’t have to look at her to realize she’s very confused right now.
“Let’s get out of the water,” I tell her. “It’s getting a little too cold.”
I climb out and pull her out as well. Then I grab the shirt I tossed so she can put it on again. I wish I didn’t like seeing her in my clothes so much. I lead her to the lounge chairs so we can sit down and dry off.
“How about your parents?” I ask her after a few minutes of silence.
Juliette sighs. “My family life is pretty complicated.”
“I’m sure I can understand.”
“Okay,” she says, taking a deep breath. “I grew up with pretty traditional parents. My family’s old money but not quite wealthy anymore, if that makes any sense. The Landers were a pretty influential family in the 90s but our resources have dwindled. My family’s company isn’t what it was back then. We’re still much more comfortable than most other families, though. I attended private schools as a kid and we had help in the house.”
She stops to sneeze and I smile.
