Change of Harte (Harte, #2) (Harte Series) (4 page)

Julian did.

‘You are not responsible for your parents’ death.’

‘But if I had just done what my mother asked. She warned me to stay away from the stove. But it was her birthday. Did you know that? She was turning thirty-five…Only thirty-five. I just wanted to make her breakfast in bed. I just wanted to surprise her.’

‘And I suppose you’re the only child ever to disobey his mother, eh?’

‘I should have listened. I killed my whole family.’

‘You couldn’t have known the stove would spark so much. It was an old house, and the timbers were rotten. The blaze wouldn’t have spread so quickly otherwise.’

Julian stood up and began pacing again. His legs were restless, almost aching. He turned back and looked at Cameron who could barely keep his eyes open for longer than a few seconds at a time.

‘How long?’

‘A few days. Maybe a week at most. My liver is fucked. And my kidneys are getting in on the act now, too.’

‘Days?’

Cameron cleared his throat, but it didn’t make his voice more audible than a bare whisper. ‘It’s not really enough time to fix up a lifetime of fuck-ups, is it?’

‘I didn’t think it would be so soon,’ Julian said, forcing a lump down his throat.

‘I didn’t think you’d come,’ Cameron replied. ‘But life is full of surprises. You’ve not told me what she’s like, you know. Is she okay?’

‘What makes you so sure I’ve found her?’

‘You might look like your mother, Julian, but you have your father’s determination. You’ve found her, all right, and I suspect the only reason you haven’t brought her here is because you’ve fallen in love. You’re torn between your loyalty to me and how much you care for your sweetheart.’

‘I don’t do love, Cameron. You warned me about that, remember? Best damn advice I ever got.’

‘You listen here to me, you suited little shit. I didn’t pull you from that fire so you could break my daughter’s heart. She’s had this asshole almost ruin her life already. Unless you’re going to be good to her, you put that dick back in your pants. I’ve a few days left in me—long enough to cut it off for you.’

Julian bowed his head and smiled. It was exactly what he wanted to hear. ‘I can’t force her to come here, Cameron. But maybe you’re right. Maybe we all deserve a second chance. Maybe Evangeline will give you one.’
Maybe she’ll give me one.

Cameron’s sighed, his cheeks caving in, highlighting how thin and drawn his face was. He was sleeping.

Chapter 7

Eva was so excited as she waited in arrivals that she was practically hopping on one foot. It had been six long months. And even though between Skype, text, and email she knew everything going on in Shelly’s life, it wasn’t the same as hearing the juicy gossip over takeout and a few glasses of wine. She’d had a hell of a day at work, and she was looking forward to knocking back a cheap bottle of red and having the best catch-up ever.

She watched as a stream of travellers passed through the electronic, double doors at arrivals. They hailed from all over the world. Short, tall, black, white, exhausted, excited, but there was no mouthy, strawberry-blond Irish girl among them.

When Shelly texted earlier, forgetting the time difference, and woke Eva in the middle of the night to say she was arriving a whole two weeks early, Eva was delighted. She was slightly shocked and had to blitz her apartment clean before work, but she was still delighted. She left work an hour early to make sure she’d be at the airport to surprise Shelly when her flight landed. She was beginning to regret that decision. She’d raced out the door without the flight details. Her emails were like a maze and she couldn’t find the flight number—not that she could remember Shelly giving her one, now that she thought about it. She’d watched three flights arrive from Dublin all with no Shelly on board. She tried calling Shelly a couple of times, but it had gone straight through to voicemail.

Eva decided to check out the bar; she’d wait there and Shelly would probably text when she landed. Three large glasses of red wine and no dinner later, Eva spluttered hello into her phone that she held upside down against her ear.

‘Eva. Get your sexy little ass back here. Mr. Thomas needs you A.S.A.P. Someone we weren’t expecting has just arrived at the barbeque, and he’s asking for you personally,’ Pam squealed into the phone.

‘Me?’
Dammit.
Work stuff was the last thing she wanted right now.
‘
Who is it, do you know?’

‘Dunno. But I’ve been trying to cover for you and I’m sucking at it. Where are you?’

‘I’m at the airport.’

‘The airport? What are you doing there?’

‘Long story.’

‘Okay, you can fill me in when you get here. How long will you be?’

Eva sighed disappointedly. ‘Dunno, depends on traffic. I’ll do my best, okay?’

‘Okay. Would it help to speed you up if I said he were drop-dead gorgeous?’

Eva chuckled. ‘Yeah, that might help.’

‘And that accent. Oh my gosh, I’m a sucker for an Irish accent.’

Eva almost dropped the phone.

‘Accent? Pam, did you get his name? Is it Julian? Is his name Julian Harte?’

Eva’s heart was jumping so hard she felt like it might tumble out her mouth.

‘No, sorry, didn’t get it. Missed his wife’s name, too. Sorry.’

Wife?
It wasn’t him. Of course, it wasn’t. There were a lot of Irish guys in New York and none of them were Julian. But it didn’t stop Eva’s heart from sinking. She rolled her shoulders and tried not to sound disappointed. ‘I’m on my way.’

She gulped the last of her wine, paid the bill, left a ridiculously large tip, and cursed herself for not having anything smaller.  Then she left to hail a cab.

‘The Stadford Hotel, please?’ Eva said sliding into the backseat.

‘Very posh,’ the driver commented, pulling into the bumper-to-bumper traffic.

‘It’s business, not pleasure, unfortunately.’

‘Work at nine pm on a Friday. I’d have a word with management if I were you,’ he joked.

‘I am the management,’ Eva laughed, ‘and I’m a very mean boss.’

‘I don’t believe that for a second. I bet you’re a delight.’

Was he flirting?
Eva had intended to slip into her emergency little black dress that was hiding in her bag, but she was having second thoughts. The rear-view mirror had a particularly good view of the backseat. Skinny black jeans, a cream blouse, and a grey faux fur coat weren’t exactly formalwear, but they’d have to do. Anyway, she’d be glad she had the coat once she got up on the roof, she thought, looking out the window at the odd snowflakes that had just started to fall. A rooftop barbeque in December, what had she been thinking? She loved her new role in event management, but if half the department ended up with frostbite, she’d never hear the end of it.

The snow was falling much heavier by the time she reached the hotel and her six-inch stilettos objected to the icy footpath as she stepped out of the taxi. She wobbled like a duckling trying to cross the pavement, not helped by the wine kicking in. She cracked her neck, pulled her coat tighter around her slim body, and switched into confident work-mode as she walked inside.

The elevator doors opened with a gentle bing sound and Eva stepped out to an instant glass of champagne in her hand and several cheek kisses. The crowd shuffled her along to the centre of the floor in a constant flow of admiration for her outfit, compliments on her hair, and general sucking up. False as it was, she normally didn’t mind. In fact, the usual ego stroking that came with her job was all very nice. But her mind really was elsewhere tonight. Her phone call with Pam was playing on her mind. Just the mention of the word Irish had her head spinning back to Dublin and everything she missed. And Julian. Of course, Julian. Dammit, she could barely go a day without him in her head. She wondered when it would ever stop. If it would ever stop.

***

‘Shelly. Hey,’ Julian said, tapping Shelly on the shoulder.

‘Oh, hey you. I didn’t expect to see you tonight.’

‘You’re not answering your phone.’

‘Sorry. I mustn’t have heard it. The music is pretty loud.’ Shelly pointed toward a stage near the roof railing, where some up-and-coming pop rock band was rocking out to one of their own tracks.

‘Where’s Eva?’

Shelly pointed to the bar. ‘I haven’t had a chance to talk to her yet.’

‘Does she know you’re here?’

‘Yeah, I texted her shortly after we landed. We were supposed to grab a drink, but she’s so busy I don’t want to interrupt her.’

‘Does she know I’m here?’ Julian added.

‘I…I…’ Shelly’s face flushed. ‘I didn’t get a chance to mention it.’

Julian nodded, relieved, and began to walk toward where Eva was standing holding a glass of champagne in one hand and a clipboard in the other. His body jerked back as Shelly grabbed the tail of his jacket.

‘Wait. Julian, stop. I don’t think this is a good idea.’

Julian turned, but he didn’t take his eyes off Eva.

‘Did you know Eva is management now? I overheard she organised this whole party. She’s doing great, Julian. You walking back into her life could…’ Shelly paused awkwardly.

‘Could what, Shell? Seeing me could what?’

‘Head fuck her. That’s what!’ Shelly snapped suddenly.

Julian didn’t reply.

‘Jeez, Julian. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it to come out like that. I just meant…’

‘I know what you meant. And you’re right. But right now there’s no other choice. There’s somewhere she needs to be, and I’m going to make damn sure she gets there.’

Eva began to venture away from the bar and was soon swallowed by the huge crowd. Julian lost sight of her. Shelly stepped in front of him. Her small frame almost humorous in its military pose.

‘Julian, stop. Not now. She’s at work, for fuck’s sake.’

Julian placed a hand on each of her hips, lifted, and spun her to the side all at once.

‘You’re a good friend, Shell. But this is not your call. Don’t get involved in this.’

***

Pam found Eva like a homing pigeon on a mission. She was talking so fast, Eva suspected it was Pig Latin or Wasted English. Eva rolled her eyes, knowing it was the latter, and she couldn’t understand a fucking word.

‘O.M.H…er, oh I mean…Totally O.M…Oh, my God, G.’

‘WHAT?’ Eva shook her head. ‘How many have you had?’

‘shwhashfy lfjhfhouhghu…’

‘Okay, seriously? What? Pam. Jesus.’

Pam’s knees gave way a little and Eva found herself catching her under the armpits and struggling to keep her upright. Mr. Thomas was staring over at them from the comfort of a wicker recliner to the left of the bar. Despite her current weight lifting situation, Eva found her mind automatically checking that there was an outdoor heater, or three, dotted around him, and more cushions than thirty sheep could stuff. She passed Pam’s lifeless body to some unsuspecting colleagues and pulled herself together. If all went well, she could be out of there in an hour. By the time she turned her attention back to Mr. Thomas, he was deep in conversation with someone.

Eva had grown immune to expensive suits. They were day-to-day now. But something about
his
suit caught her attention in a sea of similar. The dark navy with the understated grey pinstripe drew her admiration like a moth to a flame. Its finely tailored seams highlighted his finely tailored frame. The span of his broad shoulders, crisp sky blue collar, and chestnut hair were mouthwatering good. Whoever Mr. Hot-From-The-Back was, he was good friends with her boss. Eva watched as Mr. Thomas joined Mr. Suit at the bar, and they knocked back shots like they were in competition with each other.

Eva mingled with the clients. She shook hands more times than she could count, and she had air kissed the cheeks of so many that her mouth was actually dry. Her shoes were attempting to severe her baby toe, and she desperately wanted to check her phone to see if Shelly had landed. But despite all distractions, she found her attention drawn back to the suit at the bar. She knew it wasn’t him, but his body was beautifully familiar. She almost hoped he’d never turn around, so she could keep on pretending it was.

Chapter 8

‘I’d say good morning, but judging from the stench of booze in here, I think goodnight is a more correct observation.’

Holy fucking shit—was he really here
? Or was she so dehydrated that she was hallucinating? Her tongue felt like she’d stayed up all night licking the carpet and her brain felt like a really tiny sadist was parading around inside her head in nine-inch heels.
Ouch, the fuck.

She quickly ran her fingers through her hair like an oversized comb and licked her dried lips. Julian laughed at her efforts.
Cocky bastard.
It was definitely him; an illusion would have been more polite.

She took a moment to study his beautiful face as he sat on the edge of her bed. His left foot rested on his right knee as he stared back. He looked comfortable. Confident. He looked like Julian.
FUCK!

‘What time is it?’ Eva asked eventually.

‘Early. Not even five am yet.’

‘Shit…have you been here all night? Did you sleep?’

Julian shook his head. ‘I’m not tired.’

Memories of last night flooded Eva’s brain like a tsunami of embarrassment.

‘Oh, God. Did I really sing ‘I Will Survive’ while standing on my boss’s table?

Julian laughed. ‘Yes. And you only know the words to the chorus, but that didn’t stop you.’

‘Oh, God.’ Eva massaged her aching temples gently with her fingertips. ‘Oh, God. Oh, God.’

‘Relax. Thomas was gone long before you tried to ride the bar like a bucking bronco.’

Eva’s hands shot down by her sides and she eyed Julian up. She couldn’t tell if he was serious or not. She had no memory past midnight, and she wouldn’t embarrass herself further by asking him to elaborate with details. In the midst of her mortification, she barely noticed that Julian was on first name terms with her boss. A luxury some of the most senior partners were denied.

‘Jesus. What was I thinking? I’m so getting fired for this.’

‘I doubt it. Best damn party I’ve attended in years. If anything, you deserve a promotion.’

‘You have to say that.’

‘No, I don’t.’

‘Yes. You. DO! It’s your fault that I got that drunk.’

Julian laughed. ‘My arse! How is it possibly my fault that you can’t hold your drink?’

‘I wouldn’t have drank that much if I hadn’t seen you.’

Julian licked his lips and shot her the most seductive smirk. ‘I’m going to take that as a compliment.’

‘You would.’ Eva wrinkled her nose and shook her head, immediately catching each side of her head to steady herself as the hangover from hell pierced her brain.

‘Hurt?’ Julian said pointing to her head.

‘Like you wouldn’t believe. I’m so embarrassed. I hope no one really noticed how drunk I was.’

‘I think everyone else was just about as pissed as you were. They’ll all be feeling as shit as you today.’

‘You weren’t.’

Julian smiled. Eva’s heart fluttered. Fuck, he was even hotter than she remembered. She missed him so much that it was almost a physical pain. And now that he was here, back in her life—for a little while, at least—all she could think of was trying not to puke on him.

‘What do you remember about last night?’

‘I was at the airpo…’ Eva stopped. Shelly? She’d completely forgotten about Shelly. Seeing Julian had thrown her thoughts all over the place. She hadn’t even found her in the sea of people at the party. In fact, she didn’t even know if Shelly had shown up or not. After obsessively checking her phone for the first half of the party, she hadn’t even glanced at the screen once after she saw Julian.

‘Shelly is fine,’ Julian interrupted her thoughts. ‘She’s staying on the floor below. Probably sleeping off a hangover worse than yours. A free bar is like the eighth deadly sin to us Irish.’

Eva sighed, relieved. She’d have some grovelling to Shelly to do, but at least it wasn’t as bad as she thought. She looked around the room. She wasn’t in her apartment. This was some posh hotel, obviously compliments of Julian. Suddenly, her hangover felt much worse. The first time she’d seen him in six months, and she was a mess that he had to rescue. She wanted to pull the covers over her head and wake up to discover it was all a dream.

‘You were pretty pissed last night. I didn’t think you’d make it across town without throwing up or passing out, so I brought you here. It’s only a couple of blocks from The Stadford.’

‘Erm, thanks. I think.’

Eva licked her dry lips. Her mouth felt like someone had shaken a bottle of bubble bath, left the cap off, and shoved it in her face.

‘Here.’ Julian passed her a bottle of sparkling water from the mini bar.

Eva smiled and reached for it, gasping as the sheet fell from around her to reveal her naked breasts. She quickly grabbed the corner and recovered her dignity.

Julian shook his head. ‘It’s nothing I haven’t seen before, remember.’

How could she possibly forget? Blushing as she thought about it.

‘Where are my…how did I get…I need some…’

‘Clothes?’ Julian was laughing as he pointed to three or four porcelain steps that led out of the bedroom into another equally massive-looking room.

Eva’s clothes were scattered like stepping stones across the floor. Starting at the steps and leading back toward the bed. Her head hurt more than ever.

‘Did we?’

Julian looked at her blankly. He was making this difficult on purpose, she could tell.

‘Did we, you know? Did we?’

‘What, fuck?’

Eva pulled a face. ‘Well, I was going to say make love, but yeah.’

Julian raised an eyebrow and ran his tongue across his bottom lip.

Tiny goosebumps lined Eva’s spine. Oh, God, he was delicious. She wanted him.

‘No,’ Julian said.

It wasn’t the answer Eva was expecting. She didn’t know what to say next.

‘Don’t look so surprised, Evangeline. I don’t fuck semi-conscious women.’

Eva blushed, hating that she gave him an opportunity to be smug. ‘Well, I don’t sleep with cocky bastards.’

‘On the contrary, Miss Andrews. This cocky bastard…’ Julian tapped his chest with his fingertips, ‘has had the pleasure of your pussy many times.’

Eva’s blushing turned to burning.

‘But I like my women to be able to stand up when they throw themselves at me.’

‘Women? Plural, Julian? Still fucking your way around Dublin, then?’

Julian didn’t reply. Unrealistic as it was, Eva hoped he’d confess that he hadn’t been able to touch another woman for the last six months.

‘I thought as much,’ Eva said hiding her emotion.

‘Now, now, Evangeline. Don’t get all high and mighty with me. If your display last night was anything to go by, it seems New York has turned you from a sex kitten into a fucking horny tiger.’

‘Excuse me?’ Eva squealed. What display? Part of her didn’t even want to know. The other part suspected he was bullshitting her.

‘I’m not complaining. I quite enjoyed your little striptease. And I definitely got off when you laid back on my piano and spread your legs. The view was certainly worth getting jet lag for.’

Eva’s eyes raced to the piano. Oh, Christ, she hadn’t. She remembered her first thought when he turned around at the bar and she realised it was him—the feeling of his tongue against her clit. But had she really acted on it?

‘And what, the gentleman that you are fought off my advances, tucked me into bed, and watched over me like a guardian angel while I slept?’

‘Something like that, yeah. Well, if a gentleman watches your naked body while you sleep, pumps his cock until he can barely hold back his come, and waits for you to sober up so he can taste the sweet wet of your aching pussy, then a gentleman I am.’

Eva shook her head. This conversation was all too familiar. And even though between her legs was aching so much she wanted to throw her head back and gasp, she asked Julian to pass her clothes to her instead.

‘I think you misread the situation,’ Eva said as she pulled on her blouse.

‘Am I misreading the situation now?’

‘Situation? There is no situation now.’

‘I’m not the one breathing like I’m about to explode.’

‘Well, maybe it’s hard to get dressed with you still here.’

Julian laughed. ‘Bollocks. That’s really the best you could come up with?’

Eva closed her eyes for a second. Her whole body was spinning, and she was in no mood for one of Julian’s little tests. ‘Fuck off.’

‘Okay.’ Julian stood up and stepped away slowly.

‘What? Where are you going?’

‘I’m fucking off.’

Eva caught the tail of his jacket and tugged hard until he turned around. ‘Stay. Please.’

Julian smiled and sat back down. Eva fell back against her pillow and sighed. She had no idea what was going on, what she was doing, or why he was even there. All she knew was seeing him was blowing her mind.

Content that he wasn’t going to disappear the minute she let go of him, she reached for the bottle of sparkling water Julian had rested on the bedside locker. She knocked back the now lukewarm contents in one continuous gulp, relieved to feel a little more human again.

‘Why are you here?’ she asked bluntly.

‘Why not?’

‘Julian, I’m serious. I don’t hear from you for months. Then, out of nowhere, I get a Christmas card.’

‘Well, it’s Christmas. Isn’t sending cards what people do?’

‘Yeah, normal people. People who call or text every so often. You just wiped me clean out of your life.’

‘That’s not true.’

‘So you thought about me?’

Julian didn’t reply. Eva shook her head. It was hard remembering what it felt like to want to make love to him and kick him in the balls all at the same time.

‘Please? Just tell me. Why did you come? Did you come to see me, or are you here on work and just felt sorry for my drunk ass last night?’

‘What difference does it make? I’m here now.’

‘Jesus, Julian. It makes a huge difference. It makes a difference to me.’

Julian walked to the desk at the foot of the bed and picked up the phone. ‘Coffee, please. For two.’

He turned back toward the bed and smiled. ‘You’ll feel better when you get some caffeine into you.’

‘I’d feel better if you answered my question. No more games, Julian. Just tell me. Why have you come?’

‘Always games, baby. Just sometimes, there’s no winner.’ 

‘No,’ Eva said, spinning around and flopping her belly against the mattress. She pulled the pillow over her head and rocked from side to side. ‘No. Just no. Okay? No more fucking games. Let’s just have a conversation like normal people. Can you do that?’

Julian walked to the edge of the bed. Eva turned back around to face him.

‘Game over?’ Julian held out his hand.

Eva shook it.

‘Truce,’ Julian said, clasping his fingers around hers and looking into her eyes.

‘Truce,’  Eva echoed.

Julian smiled and a thousand tiny horses galloped through Eva’s body. No, no, no, she warned herself.
Close your eyes again if you have to, but please don’t let looking at him remind you of how much you love him.

Eva nodded and pulled her lips to the side while raising an eyebrow. It was very a-la-Julian, and she wanted him to notice.
Play it cool.

‘Can we be friends?’ Julian asked, almost sounding nervous—almost.

‘Friends with benefits?’

Julian’s lips pulled into a round O shape and his eyes sparkled. ‘What in the hell has this American soil business done to you?’

Eva blushed, instantly regretting her lame attempt at a joke.

‘Whatever it is, I fucking love it,’ Julian said.