A Fresh Start for Two (6 page)

He caressed her cheek with his finger. “Do I have a chance? Will you give him up, or do you love him?”

“No, I don’t love him.” Her eyes misted as she stared off into the distance. “I don’t even really like him. I used to believe I loved him, but…”

“But?” He leaned his back against the car and tucked her next to him.

“It’s complicated.”

“Engagements are. But I want you to know I’m interested. I really like you. But I don’t want to be your plaything on the side, any more than you would want to be mine. It’s not my style.”

She peered into his eyes, trying to read down into his soul. “Are you interested in more than one night?”

“Yeah.” He sighed, then pinched the bridge of his nose. “Look, Julia. I can’t make any promises, not yet, but I would like to get to know you better.”

“Me, too, but…”

“But? You’re afraid of him, aren’t you?”

She nodded and a tear slid down one cheek. “Yes. I want to break up with him, but I don’t know how to do it without infuriating him. He’s been acting more and more unstable lately. And he won’t just be upset because I’m leaving him…he paid for the ring and has told his family. I know it’s not your affair, but how can I make sure he doesn’t—” she took a deep breath and whispered, “—hit me harder?”

“First, no matter what happens between the two of us, I want you to know you will be better off away from him. It’s like I told you when we first met, men like that escalate. If he’s hitting you when you’re engaged, he’ll beat the crap out of you when you're his wife. As a police officer, I see it all the time.”

“I believe you. I can feel it from him. He gets angrier and angrier, and sometimes I know what I did, but sometimes I don’t. And my mother just yells at me for not keeping him happy.” She swiped a tear from her face.

“Isn’t there anyone on your side? Your sister?”

“No. She wants his money as much as my mother, but she’s young. He’s always bringing them gift cards, handing out hundred dollar bills. It’s easy to turn Tiffany’s head with a little cash and a new phone. I do believe she’s starting to see the real Vincent, though. We get along usually. The only one truly on my side is Lucia. She hates him.”

“If you’re living at home and your mom doesn’t support you, you’ll need a safe place to go after you break up with him. You’re welcome to come to my place, but if you’re not comfortable with that, can you stay with Lucia? Does she live alone?”

“Yes, but I don’t want to bring trouble to her doorstep. She lives in an apartment, but not far from her family. Her mother and father live down the street. She has three older brothers that would protect her, but she has a little sister they all fuss over. I’m worried about what he might do.”

“Okay. Let me think about this for a while. We’ll talk at the library this week. Then we can include Lucia on the conversation, too. I want her to be aware of it. How does that sound?”

“It’s a plan and a start.” She cupped his face in her hands. “Thank you, Jake. You have given me more hope than I’ve felt for a long time.” She kissed him quickly. “I’ll see you in class.”

“Julia, before you go, take your phone out and put my number in it.”

She started to shake her head adamantly.

“No, listen,” he said, running a hand down her arm. “Call me Jackie from class or something. I want you to be able to call me if you’re ever in trouble. We’re past the acquaintance thing. You need support from someone, and I want to be there for you.”

She pulled out her phone to do as he asked, though what she really wanted to do was lean against him and build a cocoon around them to keep out the rest of the world. He recited his number twice and she plugged it in blindly. Now that the time had come to part from him and have a final conversation with Vincent, the thought of doing so made her nauseous.

But he was right. The break up had to be official before she could have her fresh start.

Chapter Six

The next morning, a surprise awaited Julia when she came downstairs after getting out of the shower. Vincent sat at the kitchen table with her mother. She hadn’t seen him since the day he had hit her. Her mother was sipping on a cup of coffee, clearly bubbling over with happiness just to have him at her table.

A bouquet of red roses sat on the kitchen counter, and Julia halted before them, a sick feeling in her stomach.

“Morning, Julia. Look what your considerate fiancé brought you.” Her mother grinned as she pointed toward the vase, as if to say
see I told you so
, as if flowers could make up for any of it.

“Good morning.” Unsure of which direction to go, she finally decided to take a closer look at the flowers and read the card. Her fingers trembled as she opened the card to see the one word handwritten message inside. “Sorry. Vincent”

She turned toward the table to look at him. “Thank you, Vincent. They’re lovely.” The bruise still showed on her face, but she had attempted to cover it with make-up.

“Come, sit.” He patted the chair next to him.

She eased into the chair, still wary, not wanting to get within reach of him. He wouldn’t hit her in front of her mother, would he? She slid down the back of the chair and folded her hands in front of her. Her bruised cheek was angled away from him.

“Do you like them, Julia?”

His smug expression made her want to run as far away from him as possible. She couldn’t marry him, she just
couldn’t
. Jake was right. It didn’t matter if they had a future together or not, she could not continue to be in a relationship with Vincent. Even his scent caused her to recoil.

She glanced at him and smiled. “Of course. As I said, they’re lovely.”

He must have noticed her cheek when she angled her head, because he grabbed her chin and turned her face so he could examine her skin more closely. She blushed under his scrutiny.

“Your mother agrees with me that this was your fault. You shouldn’t have made me so angry. If you would just do as I ask, these things would never happen.” He dropped his hand, flinging her chin back. “You’re too stubborn and willful. Your mother claims you have always been this way. Why have I not seen it until recently?”

Julia glared at her mother. “Thanks, Mama.”

Vincent practically growled. “Do you see?” His finger came up and pointed at her nose. “You need to treat your mother with respect. We—” he pointed to her mother before pointing to himself, “—understand each other. It’s
you
that I have a problem understanding.”

Thankful she had dressed and brought her purse with her, she stood up and walked to the door. “Thanks for the flowers, Vincent. I have to work on my project for class. I’m meeting Lucia on Main Street so we can decide what size store we need, and how we’d like to arrange our shelving and counters. Can we talk tomorrow?”

He followed her to the door and grabbed her arm. “I planned on taking you to lunch.”

“You never said anything to me about lunch. In fact, you haven’t mentioned any plans. After the other night, I didn’t think you wanted anything to do with me. In fact, would you like your ring back?” She took it off her finger and held it out to him. Yes, there was no point in waiting. This was as good a time as any. They needed to end this charade.

“Julia!” Her mother jumped out of her chair in shock. She couldn’t help but notice that a hundred dollar bill floated off her lap and onto the floor. No wonder she always sided with Vincent. She stared at the folded bill on the floor, watching as her mother grabbed it and stuffed it into her pocket.

Vincent grabbed her wrist. “Put it back on. I brought you flowers as an apology. One fight is not a reason to break off an engagement, and after all the money I have invested in you, we won’t be ending it. Put it back on, go work on your project, and I’ll be here tomorrow night to take you out. Understand?”

His dark eyes pierced hers, and the intense expression on his face spoke more of hatred than love. His hand continued to squeeze her wrist until she winced, gave in, and put the ring back on. This wasn’t the time or place for this conversation. He let go of her wrist and she walked out the door, slamming it behind her and running to her car before he could follow her.

How had it come to this? They had met less than a year ago, and he had always treated her with care, wining and dining her, showing her off in restaurants, buying her presents. He had proposed three months ago, and she had honestly believed she was in love with him at the time. After graduating high school, she had no idea where she belonged. When she first met Vincent, hope had blossomed in her heart, and she’d allowed herself to think she’d be happy if they married and moved into a beautiful house. How naïve she had been.

No, she could not stay with him, because Vincent scared the hell out of her. She had to arrange the break up carefully, which was not going to be easy.

By the time she picked Lucia up, her hands had finally stopped shaking. Tears threatened to drench her blouse, but she managed to hold them in.

Lucia got into the car and stared at her, clearly picking up on her mood. “Well, what is it? What’s going on?”

Julia put the car in gear and headed toward Main Street. “Vincent. He showed up at my house with a dozen roses.”

“Rotten bastard.” Lucia stared straight ahead, looking as if she wanted to break something, but then she reached over and patted her shoulder. “Poor girl.”

“Apparently he told my mother why he hit me, and she said I was willful and stubborn.”

“What? Your mother went along with him? I could not imagine what my mother would do to a man who dared to raise a hand to me. What is wrong with your mama?”

“Everything has always been about money with her. Vincent must have slipped her money before I came downstairs because a bill fell out of her lap when she stood up.”

“How much?”

“A hundred, I think.”

“Amiga, you are never going to be able to make your mama happy. Even I see how much she cries. Maybe she was not a bad woman, but she has never gotten over your father’s death, and there’s not enough left of her for you and your sister. You need to do what is right for you and forget about them.”

Julia didn’t say anything for a few blocks, working everything over in her mind, before finally deciding to confess to her friend. “I went to see Jake last night.”

Lucia grinned. “Good for you. How did it go?”

“Really well. He is so nice. It’s like at the library. He asks me what I think, and he actually listens to me.”

Lucia laughed, “And his lips? How are they, muchacha? Muy bien, huh?”

Julia took a deep breath, savoring the memory of being in Jake’s arms. “Si, muy bien,” she breathed out with a smile. There was such a colossal difference between Jake Ramsay and Vincent Nye. When she was in Jake’s arms, she felt alive, protected, and special. Lately, Vincent only touched her for sex or to hurt and control her. Her brow furrowed as she remembered the incident at the restaurant, how he’d put his hand on her back to usher her outside. Anyone else would have viewed it as a thoughtful touch, maybe tender or even caring. Only she had experienced the depth of emotion behind the force of his hand against her back, propelling her out the door at a hurried pace. Only she had felt the pinch—the silent testament to his anger that he hid from the witnesses around them until they were somewhere more private where he could vent his anger. This behavior had started about a month ago. Of course, someone
had
heard, and they’d called the police to deal with him. They’d called in Jake. It hurt her to think that she’d actually defended Vincent at the time. She also hadn’t been ready to admit until now how much his behavior had already escalated, from a pinch to a slap, just as Jake had said would happen.

She found a parking spot on Main Street and pulled in. “I like Jake, and while he didn’t promise me anything, he said he was interested. Lucia, I know he’s a good man. He took me for a ride around the track in his race car, and then things got a little heated…but he stopped. He said he couldn’t do anything as long as I have Vincent’s ring on my finger.”

“And that’s what a trustworthy guy would say,” Lucia said, nodding resolutely. “I like him even more now. You need to break it off with Vincent…for good.”

“I tried at my house. I asked him if he wanted his ring back.”

“Eek!” Lucia pushed against the back of her seat to leverage herself up. “And what did he say?”

Julia pulled her sleeve up to reveal the bruise he had left when he grabbed her wrist. “His response was to twist my wrist until I did as he asked. Look at the bruising already.” Tears flooded her eyes as her gaze jerked up to her friend’s. “Why would you hurt someone you are planning to marry?”

“Because he can. He’s bigger than you. My guess is he doesn’t have such a great relationship with his big boss father, so he takes it out on you. He can’t control his father, but he can control you. I once read that people who have that tendency get turned on by hurting others. You need to be very careful. Do not break up with him when you are alone. He will beat you senseless. And why are you still wearing his ring? Take it off. ”

“He made me put it back on. I couldn’t break up with him there…he twisted my wrist in front of my own mother, and she never said a word. He said he’d never cancel the wedding after all the money he’s already spent. And if I do it when we’re alone, you’re right, he’ll beat me. My mind is made up. I do want to break up with him, but I want to be as careful and safe as possible.”

“Better now than later. The longer you are together, the more money he will spend—whether it’s on your mother or on the wedding. End it now, before it really is too late.”

“I know.” She reached for the door handle to get out of the car. “I just have to figure out a plan. Come on. I want him out of my mind right now, and I’m excited about our project. It’s given me more drive than I’ve felt in a long time.”

They stood together staring at all the colorful shops on the street, at the stoop-side pots overflowing with vibrant annual flowers. “I love it here at Summerhill.” Julia looped her hand through her friend’s elbow and ambled down the street at a leisurely pace that allowed them to window shop as they moved. “I know we didn’t have to actually visit Main Street, but I’m so visual, I know it will help me with everything. I want to be able to picture it in my mind. Thanks for coming with me.”

They wandered down Main Street, chatting with store owners primping their displays, peeking in front windows until they found the right place. They passed a shop that held artwork and jewelry from local artists, a bookstore with cozy chairs just inside the door, and a dance studio. Across the street was a local tavern, a furniture store, an antique store, and a gift shop promising American made goods. The one they had selected was also a gift shop, but Julia chose it because it would be the perfect size for their shop. They wanted to figure out how many shelves and counters they would have, as they would use those calculations to guide their inventory order.

They stepped inside and Julia’s face lit up as she scanned the long open space, her mind brimming with ideas about presentation, color schemes, furniture, and decorations. There were several people in the store, so the two clerks were too busy to pay them much attention.

Lucia took out a drawing pad and began to sketch the shop, asking Julia to describe her vision as they wandered up and down the aisles.

“I think we could do a sandal and purse section there in the back. Maybe four chairs. Each side in the front would feature a glass display case of jewelry, along with carousels on the top, maybe two for each case. We could train clerks to choose matching jewelry so clients could try it on here. Next to this we would have two displays for scarves. Oh, and candles could be interspersed with the other accessories, so their aromas would fill the air without the scent being too heavy in any one area. Women love to buy candles, especially if they are fragrant.”

They continued onward and Lucia sketched, her hand working magic on the page, bringing their dream to life. The door opened with a jingle and they both turned, jumping as soon as they saw the police uniform. Had someone accused them of scoping the store?

Then the man smiled, and she recognized Jake. “Hey, ladies. How’s it going? Need any help from someone who knows nothing about women’s accessories?”

Lucia held out her pad. “Julia is brilliant. Look what she’s already planned.”

A clerk bustled over in a hurry. “Officer, is there some problem?”

“No, the ladies and I are taking a class involving retail space,” he said, giving her that charming grin. “Do you mind if we take a closer look at how you display your goods? The way you’ve arranged your space is especially inviting.”

A look of relief passed over the clerk’s face. “No, no, not at all. Take your time. If you need anything, let me know.” She returned to assist another customer.

Julia whispered, “How did you know we would be here?”

“I didn’t. Bill and I were just cruising by and I saw you two strolling along, so parked the car to see what you were doing. I know you mentioned you wanted to check out a store layout. Keep going. I’d like to listen.”

Lucia pointed to the side and said, “Julia, we don’t have anything planned for this spot yet. What do you think?”