Chasing Julia (Rhode Island Romance #2) (10 page)

Strange, how your
whole life could change in mere seconds.

The front screen
door screaked as she opened it slowly. It was a warm morning, one of those
gorgeous September days that belied the approaching autumn. All of the
downstairs windows were open, letting in the cleansing breeze. As she stepped
into the front hall, she heard shuffling sounds coming from the stairs and her
father’s voice.

“I’ve got this end.
You walk down first.”

Curious, she moved
to the bottom of the staircase, catching sight of Tony’s backside as he stepped
carefully down the stairs. He was carrying one end of an oak dresser, her
father the other.

She kept quiet, not
wanting to startle them. Her eyes slid downwards to admire Tony’s butt and his
long legs encased in a pair of old blue jeans. He was wearing a snug, light
blue polo shirt that revealed his strong, corded forearms.

She moved aside as
he reached the last step. Her father saw her first. He smiled. “Hey, there,” he
said with a huff of exertion. “Your mother said you might stop by.”

Tony swiveled his
head around. His face brightened. “Julia! What are you doing here?”

“My mom said you’re
moving out?” she blurted. She felt her cheeks redden; she’d intended to be more
subtle.

“Hang on a sec,” he
said, slightly out of breath. He walked backwards across the hallway and into
the living room, her father following. They set the dresser down with a thud.

Tony wiped his
hands on his shirt and came back to her. His eyes searched her face. “Yeah,
Sylvie and I are moving out. No sense in staying here any longer now that Joe
is gone.”

“Oh.” She
swallowed. Her eyes flitted briefly to her father who was observing them both
with a curious expression. “This is kind of a shock. It’ll be strange not
seeing all of you here anymore.”

To her
mortification, she felt the sting of tears behind her eyes. She looked away
from Tony to her father again, but she couldn’t find her voice. She sent her
father a look of mute appeal.

Her father cleared
his throat. “I think I hear your mother calling me. You all set for now, Tony?”

“Yeah, I’m good.”
Tony shook her father’s hand. “Thanks for helping, Tom. I’ll keep you posted on
the progress here.”

“Do that. And let
me know if you need any more help moving things. I’ve got nothing but time on
my hands these days.”

“Will do.”

The door banged
shut after her father.

Tony stepped closer
to Julia. “Hey. You okay?”

She couldn’t meet
his eyes. Her gaze darted from the hallway to the living room. There were boxes
stacked on the floor, furniture pulled away from the walls, bare spots on the
hardwood floor where area rugs had once been. “Why didn’t you tell me you were
moving?” she asked, her voice sounding a little shrill to her own ears.

“Things were put
into motion just this week.”

“And Sylvie’s okay
with this? Joe?”

He came to stand
directly in front of her. He set his hands on her shoulders, prompting her to
look at him. “What’s wrong? Why do you look like you’re about to cry?”

A lump rose in her
throat. “I don’t know. I guess I’m a little shocked. There’ve been so many changes
lately…” A single tear rolled down her cheek.

“Aw, Julia. Don’t
do that. Don’t cry.”

He tugged her into
his arms, hugging her tightly as he rocked back and forth. He rubbed one hand
up and down her back. “I had no idea you’d react this way,” he said in a husky,
rough voice. “You haven’t been here since May. I didn’t think you were so
attached to this place anymore.”

“It’s not the
place, so much as the memories,” she said into his shirt. “I guess I just took
it for granted that you—that all of you—would always be here. I know that’s not
realistic, is it.”

“No. This place is
too big and empty with Joe gone and Sylvie hardly ever here. I thought about
doing some renovations and making this a home for my wife and kids someday.
But, I can’t.” His voice grew lower, darker. “Not all of those memories are
good ones. You know that. It’s time to start fresh.”

She leaned back in
his embrace so she could look at him. “Where will you go?”

“Not too far. I’ve
been looking at some houses in the Cumberland area.”

The emotion that
washed through her almost had her sagging to her knees. She clutched Tony’s
shoulders. “That’s not too far.” There was no way she could conceal her relief.

Something flashed
in his eyes. “You thought I was moving farther away?”

“It crossed my
mind.”

“You thought you’d
never see me again?”

She lowered her
eyelashes. Uncertainty about her feelings for this man had her adding a degree
of coolness to her voice. “Not just you. All of you. You’ve been my second
family.”

He took a step
back. When she stole a glance at him, his face was expressionless. His chest
rose on a deep inhale. He patted her shoulder before dropping his arms to his
sides. “Don’t worry. We’ll always be around.” He waved a hand towards the
stairs. “Do you want to have one last look around the place?”

Strangely, she
didn’t. The house already felt empty. ‘No, that’s okay.” She tapped her
forehead. “I’ve got all the pictures up here.”

He braced his hands
on his hips and leaned his weight on one leg in a casual stance. “So, what are
your plans for the rest of the day?”

“Nothing. I have a
rare lazy Sunday afternoon.”

“Do you want to
come with me to look at a house?”

“Right now?”

“I’m meeting the
realtor at one o’clock.”

“In Cumberland?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay.”

A dimple reappeared
on his cheek. “Good. I have to get cleaned up. Why don’t you go visit with your
mom and dad? I’ll be over to get you in about twenty minutes.”

“What
do you think?” Tony asked as he pointed towards the gray, colonial style house
situated on top of a small hill just off a quiet road.

“That’s it?” Julia
asked. “It’s beautiful. I love the red shutters.”

“Yeah. This one
just came on the market. I had another place in mind, but when I saw this one…”

They drove up the
long driveway. A jeep was parked outside the four car garage. A dark-haired
woman who appeared to be in her forties hopped out of the vehicle. She was
dressed casually in jeans and a lightweight sweater. “That’s Dalia,” Tony said.
“She’s cool. I’ve been working with her for a couple months now.”

“So, you’ve been
planning to move for a while.”

“Yes.” He switched
off the ignition and gave her a warning look. “Now don’t be too enthusiastic. I
don’t want her thinking my heart is set on this one.”

She smirked. “Yes,
sir.”

He flashed a grin
at her before getting out of the truck. Before she could open her door, he was
there to do it for her. He took her hand to help her down.

The drive from
Providence had only taken a half hour. During the trip, she’d shared snippets
of news about her parents. She’d intentionally kept the conversation light,
still feeling a little embarrassed about her reaction earlier. Still pretending
that her heart hadn’t skyrocketed when he’d held her in his arms and consoled
her.

Tony released her
hand and moved forward to greet the older woman. Then he introduced Julia.
“This is my friend, Julia. Thought I’d get her perspective.”

Dalia greeted Julia
warmly. “It’s good to have a woman’s input when you’re looking at a family
home.” She waved a hand towards the surrounding scenery. “This is a great area.
You feel like you’re in the country, but it’s still convenient to the shops and
schools. The plot is just slightly over two acres. So you have your privacy,
too.”

She led them
alongside the garage towards the front entrance, continuing her spiel about the
neighborhood.

Julia admired the
fanned window above the front door. There was a brass knocker on the door in
the shape of an eagle.

Dalia opened the
lock box to retrieve the house key. “The current owners are retiring to Florida.
This has been their family home for forty years. They did a major remodel two
years ago.”

The woman continued
to tout the home’s features as Tony and Julia stepped into the wide
entranceway. Julia’s eyes were drawn to the open staircase that led to the
second floor. The floors were a beautiful hardwood in a rich, dark color.

“Cherry wood,” Tony
said, watching her appraisal.

“Yes,” Dalia said.
“You have hardwood floors throughout the house, tile in the bathrooms and
utility room. Over here is the front room and dining room.”

As the woman led
them down the hallway, Tony rested his palm in the small of Julia’s back. “It’s
very spacious, isn’t it,” he commented.

“Yes. I like all
the windows. It makes it feel light and welcoming.”

“The kitchen is
just through here,” Dalia called over her shoulder. “It has all the upgrades.
Stainless steel appliances, granite countertops. There’s even a brick oven.”

Tony’s warm touch
guided Julia into the kitchen. “This is nice,” he said. He looked at her.
“Don’t you think?”

“Yes. Plenty of
counter space, but the room isn’t so big as to be overwhelming.”

“Exactly,” Dalia
said. She opened a glass-paneled door. “And this leads out to the backyard. The
deck is new. There’s even a fire pit.”

Tony and Julia
followed her outside onto a wide back deck with built-in benches along the
perimeter. Julia’s attention was caught by the view in the distance. “Look,
Tony!  There’s a creek and a pond down there.” She turned her face up to his.

He smiled at her,
his eyes alight. “So there is.”

“That land can
never be built on,” Dalia said. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

Julia moved towards
the railing. “What a great place for kids to play. They could ice skate there
in the winter.”

“How many bedrooms
are there?” she heard Tony ask behind her.

“Four, including
the master bedroom. Shall we go upstairs?”

Tony’s hand settled
on Julia’s back again as they followed Dalia up the stairs.

The older woman
showed them the guest en suite bedroom and two smaller bedrooms before she
opened the door to the master bedroom. “From what I understand, there were five
bedrooms originally, but the owners took down the wall to expand this room.
Isn’t it lovely?”

Julia’s gaze
latched onto the king-size bed situated in the far corner near a small
fireplace. A vision suddenly flashed through her mind of her and Tony in this
room, in that bed. She blinked in shock. She quickly glanced away, forcing her
attention on Dalia as the other woman showed them the walk-in closet and then
directed them to the bathroom.

“I just love this
Jacuzzi tub,” the older woman gushed. “Wouldn’t it be nice to take your bath
here and look out at the view?” She pointed to the window over the bath.

“As long as no one
is looking in,” Tony said with a chuckle. “Not sure I want the neighbors
looking at my wife in all her naked glory. I’d have to put a privacy screen on
that.”

Wife
? Julia gave him a sideways glance, but his eyes were
on Dalia as she pointed out the walk-in shower and brushed chrome fittings. He
asked the woman a few questions about the remodel and then mentioned he’d like
to bring his own crew in to do an appraisal.

“Of course,” Dalia
said enthusiastically, sensing a sale in the making. “Whatever you need to do.”

“Do you mind
letting Julia and I take another look around?” he asked.

“Not at all. I’ll
go wait outside.”

After she’d left
the room, he turned back to Julia. His expression held a curious mix of
eagerness and uncertainty. “Well? What do you think?”

She glanced away
from him as she moved back into the bedroom. She gave a shrug. “I think your wife
will like it,” she said, glad to hear the casualness in her tone.

“You think?”

“Yes. That bathroom
is great. And she’s going to love the walk-in closet.”

“And this bedroom?”
His voice was low.

“It’s very
spacious.”

“I like the
fireplace.” He’d moved closer behind her. She felt his breath on the back of
her neck, the heat of his body seeping through her blouse. “It’ll be nice to
snuggle in bed with her on a chilly winter night, the fire snapping and
crackling.”

“Mm, yes. Cozy.”

“Do you think
she’ll like the kitchen?”

“It has everything
she’ll need.”

“I wonder if three
bedrooms will be enough.”

“Why?”

“She told me she
wants a big family.”

Her heart
constricted. She spun on her heel and walked hurriedly towards the hallway
without looking at him. “I guess you could always build bunk beds,” she tossed
flippantly over her shoulder.

“Now there’s an
idea.”

His soft laughter
followed her down the stairs. She headed for the kitchen. Once there, she
placed her palms on the cool granite counter on the center island. She felt
like rivers of fire were flowing through her veins. She was angry. She was sad.
She felt…foolish. Why had she thought Tony was interested in her? She’d misread
him completely.

“Something wrong?”
he asked with insouciance as he came to stand beside her.

She bit her inner
cheek. She shook her head. “Not at all,” she said, managing to sound cool and
collected. “This really is a great house, Tony. A perfect place to raise a
family.” She turned towards him, a placid smile on her face. “Who’s the lucky
lady?”

He grinned. “I
haven’t asked her yet.”

“Is she the one you
mentioned last Saturday?”

“Yes.”

“But you won’t tell
me her name.”

“I don’t want to
jinx it. It’s still early days yet.”

She took a deep
breath. “Well,” she said brightly. “I wish you the best of luck with that. I
look forward to meeting her someday.”

“Yeah. I look
forward to that, too.”

She narrowed her
eyes at his nonchalant expression. “You’re not planning on buying this place
without her seeing it first, are you?”

He shrugged. “You
like it. That’s enough of a woman’s perspective for me.”

“Her tastes might
be completely different from mine. Maybe she wants to live in the city.”

He shook his head.
“No. I think she’ll be ready for a change of scenery.” He nodded towards the
front hallway. “Ready to go?”

For
the next two weeks, Julia put all her focus on her work. Or, at least she tried
to. She had a small corporate function during the last week of September that had
gone off without a hitch. And her plans for Audrey’s party were coming along
with just over two weeks to go before the event. She fielded calls from the
woman on an almost daily basis. Audrey had decided to expand the event to
include an open house for the public earlier in the day, concluding with the
private party in the evening.

“We might as well,
given all the work you and Tony are putting into the décor,” Audrey insisted.
“How’s he doing, by the way? I haven’t seen him since that day you both visited
the factory.”

“Oh, fine.”

“He
is
planning to come to the party, right?”

“As far as I know.”

“Now Julia, I know
you’ll have to work setting up this event, but once that’s all done, you’ll be
able to relax and enjoy yourself, won’t you?”

Ah, the naiveté of
those unfamiliar with the world of event management; they never seemed to notice
all the work that was happening behind the scenes. “I’m not sure,” Julia
hedged. “I have to keep an eye on the caterers, the alcohol consumption, make
sure the band comes back from their break, be available if there are any
snafus, etcetera…”

“Don’t you have
assistants for that?”

“Yes. I have two.
They’ll be just as busy as me.”

“Sylvie had a great
idea. Why don’t you hire a couple of interns from Johnson and Wales? They have
an excellent event management program there.”

“There’s a
thought.”

“Do it. I insist
that you enjoy my party.”

“Not sure I can
find interns with just two weeks’ notice.”

“Don’t you worry
about it. I’ll have Sylvie make some phone calls.”

The woman was a
steamroller. “Okay. I’m sorry. I have to hang up now. My other line is
ringing.”

Julia rubbed her
forehead as she punched the button on her desk phone to answer the second line.
“Hello?”

“How’s everything
going?”

“Tony. What’s up?”
She put him on speaker phone so she could rub her temples.

“Now there’s a warm
greeting for someone you haven’t seen in two weeks.”

“I’ve been busy.
You know that. How’s the rigging coming along?”

“That’s one reason
I called. It’s all done. I got a call from the fabric supplier. Everything
should be ready by Monday. And I’ll have Audrey’s display cases ready by the
end of next week.”

“Good. What’s the
other reason for your call?”

“What’s the matter,
Jules? You sound stressed.”

“Because I
am
stressed. Audrey’s been calling me every day. She’s changed her mind at least
three times about which appetizers she likes best. She needed to listen to
demos from every band I’ve put in front of her, plus she’s turned this into an
all-day event. Did you know that?”

“Yeah. She called
me earlier. I’m surprised you’re not taking this all in stride. You must’ve had
clients who are worse than she is.”

Oh, yes she had.
But that was Before Tony—that serene time in her life when her every waking
thought hadn’t been occupied with him. It was all she could do to focus on
simple daily tasks.

She’d never felt
this way when she’d been with Joe. Wedding plans had consumed her thoughts more
than anything else. Had she thought about the way Joe smiled? The way his eyes
crinkled at the corners, or his cheek dimpled, or the way his white teeth
flashed? Had she lain awake late into the night imagining his dark, bourbon
voice whispering in her ear or the touch of his fingers against her skin?

No. Never. And Joe
didn’t have a dimple in his cheek. And his voice hadn’t made her think of
bourbon either.

Tony’s did. Damn
him.

She gave a heavy
sigh. “Why are you calling again?”

“Fabric. In on
Monday. And, once we’re all set up, I’d like you to be my date for the
evening.”

Julia practically
flew out of her chair. She started to pace. “Your
date
? What about that
woman you’re seeing?”