by Suzan Battah
“I’ve been to several. I could go over and over again. I love theatre. That’s where Chris and I met.” Karen looked toward Chris with a wistful smile. “At a New York show. We’ve been out a few times, you know, we’re dating.”
Chris looked at Karen as if she had gone mad. “What are you going on about?”
Karen glared at him. “I’m just telling them how we met.”
Julia really didn’t want to hear this. Her knee started to ache and she shifted, a little desperate to sit on a comfortable chair.
“Julia?” Chris rubbed her arm to gain her attention. “Are you all right?”
She nodded with a tense smile. “I’m fine. It’s just my knee, it’s nothing.”
Boric came rushing over greeting Chris with a perky salute and linked arms with Randy. As he gave Karen the once-over, Boric’s mouth dropped open. Randy gave him a quick poke and warning look.
“Karen, this is Boric, Randy’s partner. What was the show you were asking about?” Chris asked.
“Karen, a pleasure to meet you. Tango Fire,” Boric announced rolling his tongue dramatically. “The show is a passionate reflection of Argentine Tango all the way from Buenos Aires, with hot, hot dancers. It starts showing in February. I’ve put us down on the mailing list.”
Chris smiled, glancing at Julia with a knowing look. She couldn’t stop herself blushing. She was remembering their first Tango dance too, all so long ago yet still burnt into her memory.
“Well, we must go to that show too,” Karen piped up, her voice strained. “You obviously like the tango, so maybe we should go dancing sometime?”
“I haven’t danced in a long time, but the show should be fun,” he said noncommittally. “Won’t you be back in New York by then?”
Karen’s lips pursed in clear displeasure, but she remained silent, her eyes darkening as she glanced at Julia.
Now there’s the problem, she’s jealous. Julia understood. She was jealous herself.
Just then, the doors swung wide open and patrons began to filter into the theatre for the show. There was now an awkward tension between Chris and Karen, previewing an uncomfortable evening. Yet as they all took their seats, the performers onstage soon overshadowed the drama.
Julia clapped enthusiastically at the end of the performance, awed by the acrobatics and skill of the performers. She had never seen anything like it before in her life. She sensed that Chris had enjoyed it too, but he and Karen remained tensely silent through most of the show.
After the show, they stood outside the theatre discussing their favorite parts. Karen was animated now, exchanging a passionate recapture of the show with Randy and Boric. Julia took the chance to tap Chris’ arm to thank him again. “Thank you so much for the invitation. I really enjoyed watching it. I’ve never seen anything like it before. It was fascinating and watching it live… well, it was just fantastic. I hope we could do it again sometime.”
Glancing down at where she touched his sleeve, he looked away. “You’re welcome, Julia,” he said, short and to the point.
Chris looked so annoyed that she took her hand away as if he had burned her. Confusion set in with full force. Something had changed and she didn’t know what.
“We better go, Karen. I don’t want to leave Dylan alone with the nanny this late,” he said, turning his back on Julia.
Karen pouted. “I thought we were going to go out to dinner and a club. You promised, can’t we go?”
“No… are you coming?” Chris started to head toward the curb to cross the road, saying over his shoulder, “I’ll see you guys at the gala next week.”
Karen, looking puzzled, glanced between Julia and Chris before trailing off after him. Randy and Boric turned to her with questioning expressions.
Julia had no idea what just happened, so she just shrugged in answer, unable to hide the hurt. She had only seen him look at her like that once before: when she had told him she couldn’t be with him.
“Did you see the look on his face?” Boric demanded stunned.
“What did you say?” Randy asked at the same time.
“I didn’t do anything!” She snapped. “What did I do? Nothing’s changed. He’ll never forgive me for breaking up with him.”
She rubbed at her forehead, nervous and frustrated with the turn of events. The realization hit her with full force. He had been smiling, his eyes warm when she had got his attention to thank him and his glance had fallen to where she touched his sleeve.
“He must hate me,” she cried out, wanting to tear her hair out.
“Why, what’s wrong? What is it?” Boric demanded.
Julia closed her eyes with regret, lifting her right hand up, she flashed her index finger for Boric and Randy to see. “I’m wearing my wedding band. I’m such an idiot. I hurt him, he was so angry. I’ve never put it on before now.”
Randy curved an arm around her shoulder. “It’s okay, no biggie.”
“I didn’t do it on purpose. Damn it.”
They headed in the opposite direction back to the car. Julia glanced over her shoulder, wishing that Chris would look back at her.
He didn’t.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Julia found herself looking forward to the upcoming charity gala. This was to be the unveiling of the Augustine renovations and it would be good for Julia’s business. But her excitement wasn’t just professional. She needed to tell Chris up front that she wanted him back. It was getting more difficult to hide her true feelings. She was prepared to confess everything.
Everyone knew she was in love with him. Except him. That was the hardest part of all.
They were close to either reuniting or letting go. She was finally ready and if she didn’t tell him soon, she would regret it for the rest of her life. But she knew she wanted him, and if it meant spelling it out to him, she would.
The gala looked like it was her only chance to speak to Chris. He was avoiding her, refusing to take her calls or answer her messages. But she tried once more, calling his office. She tried to be patient, but the receptionist was being particularly difficult.
“Could you leave a message please? This is the fourth time I’ve rung. My name is Julia Mendoza and he’s got my number.”
She clicked off and then let loose an angry spurt of Spanish swear words. Finally, she picked up the phone again, thinking seriously about calling him direct on his cell. Then she thought better of it, replacing the handset in its cradle. She wanted to avoid talking to him if Karen was with him.
“Damn it, Christophe Augustine, return my call!”
She nearly fell off her chair when her cell rang with its funky tune, vibrating on the kitchen table next to her. Her heart felt like it was about to jump out of her chest as she picked up the phone to answer it.
“Hello.”
Sighing with great relief, she laughed when she realized it was her mother on the other end of the line. Hilda was calling again with the insistence that she go to the gala with Jerry, one of the neighbor’s sons.
“There is no way. Mama, please don’t ask him to take me,” she tried to emphasize each word. “All my staff are going, so I don’t have to take a partner.”
“Julia Mendoza,” Hilda stated in her best ‘I know what’s best for you’ voice. “You’d think to do me this favor. He’s a good boy, very good boy. He likes you.”
“Mama, please tell him I’m sorry, but I found someone to go with,” Julia insisted, knowing that if her mother fixed her up, all her plans to spend some time with Chris would be ruined.
She knew her mother was just trying to help, so Julia found it hard to say no. But this time she had to be firm without hurting her mother’s feelings. “I’m still walking around on crutches, for goodness sake. I don’t need a date for the gala.”
It was as if Hilda hadn’t heard a word she had said, because she just continued rattling off the plans. “Don’t worry, I’ve already spoken to Randy and Boric. They promised to go by themselves. And if you’re worried ab
out Chris, he said it was okay anyway. He doesn’t mind, he said so when I spoke to him.”
The not-so-subtle hint hit right home. Swallowing the large lump that had formed in her chest and had risen to her throat gave her a few moments to let the situation sink in. “Chris doesn’t mind?” she asked, trying to sound cheerful, but failing miserably.
Julia was too caught up in her own thoughts of Chris to realize right away her mother had ended the call. All she could think about was Chris.
Have I just agreed to a date? And with someone who isn’t Chris?
***
The evening of the gala, Julia sat in the limousine with her date, fuming at a beaming Andreena and Cole. Mack was very touchy and affectionate and wanted to hold her hand. She kept snatching her hand back, but Mack was persistent.
The limo stopped in front of the hotel, and Andreena and Cole jumped out to join the attendees mingling in the front entrance. They were both excited because several big names had been invited, including Christophe’s entire basketball team. Julia peered out the window and tried to spot Chris, but without any luck. She felt herself being moved suddenly.
“What are you doing?” Julia turned to Mack, surprised.
Mack was skimming his hands beneath her thighs. “I’m going to carry you.” Mack flexed his arms beneath her, as if testing her weight.
Shoving his lanky arms out from under her, she pushed him out the door and got out herself, giving him a glare. “I’m perfectly capable of getting out on my own, thanks, Mack. I’m not an invalid.”
The chauffeur appeared at the door with her crutches, but Mack was still hovering behind. As she emerged, a few flashes of a camera indicated the media had spotted her. They recognized her not only as the designer of the Augustine’s new look, but mainly as the ex-girlfriend of the Augustine Boy.
George, the chauffeur, moved around Mack. “Ms. Mendoza, I have your crutches here.” She gratefully accepted and smiled brightly for the cameras. She waved as she headed over to join Andreena and Cole. Boric and Randy arrived shortly after and joined them.
“Where is he?” Julia searched the crowd.
Randy rubbed her back in a soothing gesture, leaning down to whisper, “Your panic is showing, honey, keep it together.”
“I’m trying.”
Chris finally arrived with a whole group of his family. Photographers and reporters pounced on them, calling out questions. Only a selection of media had been invited exclusively into the party, the rest were hanging around outside until everyone went in.
Claire looked elegant in her shining gown, happily waving with her youngest son Ben and his fiancée next to her. Karen was nowhere in sight.
“Well, are we going in?” Boric whined, impatient to see the inside of the renovations. Several well-known designers, artists, and local celebrities were heading through the open doorway since the Augustines had arrived.
“You go ahead.” Julia, not wanting to show her anxiety to the people entering the party. And anyway, she told herself, she would get in the way, being so slow to walk up the stairs.
Mack once again intervened. “I’ll carry you up, Julia. I like being the hero,” he said with a grin to everyone. “There’s not many stairs anyway.”
Andreena tried not to laugh and ended up having to bury her face in Cole’s shoulder. Her shoulders shook a little as she held on tight to Cole’s jacket.
“Who is that idi-” Boric blurted out, but was stopped conveniently by a sharp jab to his ribs. “Oops, my mistake.”
“My name is Mack Appleby. I’m Julia’s date for this evening. Hilda introduced us. And I’m going to carry her up the stairs.”
Boric groaned audibly at Mack’s insistence. Julia was close to battering the fool with her crutches, but thought better of it, knowing the Augustine family wouldn’t want a scandal to overshadow the charity gala, especially not right in front of the media still hanging around the entrance.
Randy placed an arm around Julia’s waist for moral support, blocking her from Mack. Boric came to her other side and whispered, “Do you want me to take him out back and bash him around a bit?”
Julia grinned, pleased that Boric could make her see the funny side of things. With her two six-foot darlings by her side, she had no worries of Mack trying to grab for her again. She felt protected and loved.
When Mack tried to intervene again, Cole stopped him with a firm grip. “Hold on, Mack. Randy and Boric are quite capable of assisting Julia. They do it every day,” Cole said. “She might not feel comfortable with you lifting her, being on the first date.”
Mack began to argue heatedly. But suddenly, his attention was dragged away to someone else arriving that seemed more interesting.
It was Chris. “Sorry, guys, for not coming over before. The cameras would have followed, didn’t think you’d want them bothering you.”
“Are you kidding!” Boric burst out. “I’m all about the cameras. Damn, damn.”
The moment she heard Chris’ voice, Julia’s heart began to do amazing flip-flops. Even gripping the handles of her crutches until her knuckles turned white didn’t stop the flutter in her belly. Chris, for the first time in a long time, gave her an appreciative look. He came forward and kissed her cheek. She could feel the heat of his lips before they had even touched her skin. A smile brightened his face. His eyes shone with warmth, and the moment shared between them for far too long affected them both far too much.
Chris regained his composure first. He took the crutches from Julia and passed them to Boric, who was eager to be involved. “Wait, what…” Julia leaned toward him for support, holding onto his arm.
His arm automatically wrapped around her, and he held out his other hand. She took it gratefully and he escorted her slowly toward the entrance. “You look beautiful,” he whispered by her ear.
The closeness of his body, the warmth of his hand in hers, had her imagining him putting a ring on her finger. The loud music and bustle of the party inside the main ballroom of the hotel carried out as they slowly came up the stairs.
She broached the subject carefully. “I called a few times, but you didn’t call me back.”
Chris frowned. “I didn’t get any missed calls from you. Did you call my cell?”
She thought it might seem a little ridiculous to admit she hadn’t called direct on his cell, so she remained silent.
As they entered the ballroom, Parker Evans, a player for the Sharks, waved him over. “Hey, Chris! Great party, man. Come have a drink with the boys.”
“Yep, I’m coming!” Chris grinned. Turning back to Julia, he released her reluctantly. “Do you want to come with me?”
Julia didn’t have the heart to interrupt his fun. She could tell he was torn between what he saw as his duty to her and the party before him.
“Look, we’ll talk another time. You have to mingle.” He hesitated for so long, she thought he wouldn’t leave her. “Go on, enjoy,” she said, hiding her disappointment.
Another call out from his friend made him turn. And when Boric raced up with her crutches, Chris moved away, looking back once. “All right, we’ll catch up. Don’t go anywhere. If you need anything, let me know.” He headed straight for the players and called out over his shoulder, “A dance, we have to dance.”
“I can’t dance!”
“Yes you can, with me anyway!”
He didn’t even remember that she was on crutches and couldn’t dance. The memories of the way they used to dance together were still so strong in her mind. She longed to be in his arms moving to the rhythm of music, to laugh and touch again as if they had never been apart. She would never be able to move the way she used to.
When a waiter waltzed past her with a tray of champagne, she whisked one off, determined to enjoy herself, celebrate her hard work, and contemplate her next move.
The new Augustine decor was refreshingly innovative in Miami, and everyone wanted to be part of the celebrations. Security was tight, allowing only current guests of the hotel
and special invitees only. Without an invitation, no one was allowed in.
Andreena rushed over, waving her hands excitedly. “I just saw Kandella, the singer. She is so beautiful!” Andreena stopped a waiter passing. “Can I get a fruit mocktail?”
“Where’s Cole?”
“He’s over there next to Chris discussing sport with his new buddies. So, Chris was really attentive for a minute there. What’s going on?”
Julia grimaced. “He’s bumped me off to talk sport. It’s going nowhere very fast.”
“Darling!” Victoria Meldon called out through the buzz of activity.
Julia and Andreena turned in unison, spotting the Miami socialite in all her glamorous glory gliding over to them. She stopped right in front of Julia, leaning in for an air kiss.
“You’ve done a smashing job on the Augustine. So glad you’re recovering well. Rumor has it Christophe tossed that other woman away quickly, and she’s been hanging around despite his obvious dislike of her. Stalking him. I hear the ring is absolutely gorgeous. Are you wearing it?”
Julia turned to Andreena and back to Victoria with a frown. “What do you mean, tossed her? Hang on, what ring?”
The older woman pressed a finger to her lips as if she had dropped an unfortunate secret. “Apparently,” Victoria whispered, a gleam of wickedness in her eye, “Chris told her to go back to New York days ago, but she’s been hanging around for no good reason, other than to be a pest. All the better for you, dear, Chris belongs with you.”
Victoria was quickly distracted, spotting another friend to go gossip with and disappeared into the crowd just as quickly as she had appeared.
“What was that all about?” Andreena asked.
“I don’t know. What ring? ” Julia shook her head, glancing over to where Chris was huddled with his friends. One of them was telling a story quite animatedly with hand actions. Their laughter could be heard over the loud music.
Julia tried to find something else to chat about for a while more before Andreena headed off to find a comfy spot to sit with her fruit mocktail. Julia was determined to make the most of the evening, so she mingled with a few people and headed outside for some fresh air.
