by DeLuca, Gia
“Ow,” she said, rubbing her knee.
“God, you’re so hardheaded,” I huffed. “Let’s move you over here.”
I wrapped my arms around her petite frame and gently led her to the sofa in the living room, taking a seat next to her just in case.
“I need you to tell me if you have to throw up, okay?” I said, eyeing the creamy, Italian-silk-covered sofa behind her.
Evie laughed, burrowing herself deep into the smooth, downy cushions and making herself comfortable. Her glassy blue eyes sparkled against the twinkling city lights that shined in from the windows behind her.
“I could never get sick of this view,” she said, her drunken stupor quickly replaced with a seriousness and an undeniably dreamy tenor. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
Evie sat up and wiped a stray tear that had formed in her eye before brushing her dark hair from her pretty face.
“I’m sorry I drank so much,” she said, hanging her head. The wine was apparently beginning to wear off.
“I get it,” I said.
She lifted her eyes to meet mine, the moonlight washing over her face and exposing every ounce of her vulnerability.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked with an amused chuckle.
“God, you look so much like him.” She bit her bottom lip as she stared into my soul.
Her hair fell into her face once more, and I reached up to move it out of the way as Evie parted her lips and reached her hand up to cover mine as it rested near her cheek.
“You’re a beautiful girl, Evie,” I nearly whispered. “Julian was very lucky to have had you in his life.”
I leaned away, the intense, magnetic pull between us instantly vanishing into thin air as she sighed and hid her face.
“You should probably go to bed now,” I said. “It’s almost eleven. Let me help you.”
“I don’t need your help,” she said, struggling to pull herself up and gripping the edge of the couch for balance. Against her wishes, I followed her to my room, lightly holding the crook of her elbow.
I switched on the dim lamp by the bedside and pulled back the blankets, tossing off decorative pillow after decorative pillow. And I tried not to watch as Evie unbuttoned her jeans and slid them off before peeling off her creamy silk blouse and leaving nothing but a thin camisole and panties. She climbed under the covers, and I took a seat on the edge of the bed.
“I feel like I should be reading you a story, or something,” I joked.
“I’ve always loved Little Red Riding Hood,” she teased. “You know, a big bad wolf pretending to be someone he’s not.”
The irony of her words were not lost on me. If only she knew.
“You know, I’m not really tired yet,” she said. “I mean, I am, but I always have a hard time sleeping in strange places. Will you stay and talk to me until I fall asleep?”
“What do you want to talk about?” I asked her.
She bit her lip, her eyes widening. “Tell me about Jamison.”
I laughed. “Seriously? You’re not going to let that drop, are you?”
She shook her head and fell back into the pillows, rolling to her side and propping herself up on her elbow.
“Um, okay,” I said. “He’s a doctor. Neurology. And he lives in New York. He’s in his early thirties. He, too, was ex-communicated from the family after college. We don’t really talk much.”
“Why did he get ex-communicated?”
“That, my curious Evie, is a story for another day.”
“Then why are you two estranged? You’re both adults now.”
“We’re not really estranged,” I said, searching for words to define my relationship with Jamison. “We just sort of lost touch over the years. Not hard to do, in our family.”
“So, did Caroline try to pay Jamison’s girlfriend off too?” Evie huffed.
“What are you talking about?”
“She tried to pay me seventy-five thousand dollars never to speak to Julian again.”
“Wow,” I said, wrapping my head around that. “Wasn’t aware of that fun fact.” Just another piece of the puzzle. So far, the picture my mother had painted of Evie was far from accurate.
“Does he look like you and Julian?”
“Not really,” Jude said. “He’s actually our half-brother. He has Caroline’s eyes.”
Evie shuddered. “Your parents always mentioned traveling to New York. You think they were visiting him?”
I scrunched my face. “Doubtful. But who knows? Anything is possible with them.”
“Do you ever think your mother purposely pitted you guys against each other?” Evie wondered out loud. “If she couldn’t have you in her life, then she didn’t want the three of you to be in each other’s lives, either.”
I sighed and raked my fingers through my hair. “This conversation is really heavy for this time of night. Can we talk about something else?”
“I’m sorry. You’re right,” Evie replied, suddenly more coherent. “Now I’m just getting all pissed off.”
I stood up and walked around to the other side of the bed. “Hope you don’t mind if I lay here for a bit?”
“Not at all,” Evie said. “Just stay on your side, mister.”
I grabbed the mountain of pillows from the floor and arranged them between us, creating a wall of sorts. “This make you more comfortable?”
I lay on my side, propping my head up and staring at her, the soft light of the lamp casting shadows on her deep-set eyes and perfect little upturned nose, illuminating her pretty face.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked, tugging the covers up to her chest.
“I’m not looking at you in any certain way,” I lied.
Evie dropped it, yawning as she rolled to her back and stared up at the ceiling. “Julian had a planetarium in his room.”
“I know. I gave it to him.”
EVIE
Light filtered through my eyelids, slowly pulling me out of one of the deepest sleeps I’d had in weeks. My arms shot up above my head as I twisted my hips, stretching every segment of my stiff body.
I sat up, scanning my surroundings, and suddenly remembered where I was. Lying next to me, sound asleep on the other side of the pillow fortress and on top of the covers, was Jude.
I crawled off the bed as stealthily as I could and tiptoed my way to Jude’s bathroom before quickly realizing my suitcase was just outside his door in the hall. I snuck down the hall to grab it, but the clicking of the uneven wheels filled the silent condo.
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered as I reentered the room and saw Jude pop up from his side of the bed. “Go back to sleep. I didn’t mean to wake you.”
He stared, groggy-eyed, and sunk back into the pillows.
His palatial bathroom was easily the size of his bedroom, which was unquestionably the size of the first floor of my house back in Halverford. A marble whirlpool tub rested in the corner while double sinks with gold faucets and custom cabinetry lined one wall. A walk-in, tiled shower was nestled in the corner, and off the shower was an entry into an enormous walk-in closet with custom shelving. Everything was meticulously organized.
“Type A,” I laughed, keeping my voice barely audible. “Business man. Tattooed badass. Beach jogger. Type A. I’m never going to figure you out, Jude.”
I stripped down and stepped into the shower, trying to figure out which button controlled which showerhead before perusing the selection of high-end bath and shower products that lined the tiled shelves.
The steamy hot water trickled down my long hair and dripped down my body, washing away all of my cares, if only temporarily. Here, in Jude’s to-die-for fancy bathroom, I wasn’t a twenty-something widow. I wasn’t alone or tired or sad or angry. I was just a girl. Me.
I stepped out of the shower, wrapping myself in the fluffiest white towel I’d ever seen in my life and realizing that for the first time in weeks, I’d gone twenty minutes without thinking about Julian.
Through the fog-filled haze of the bathroom, I felt my way over to the vanity, wiping the mirror so I could see my reflection. I took my time getting ready, applying makeup with a steady hand and ironing some loose waves into my blow-dried hair. Little by little, I was almost feeling human again.
“Good morning, sunshine,” Jude said, perched on the foot of his bed as I exited the bathroom. “Happy birthday, too.”
I clutched my chest, startled. “How’d you know?”
“Last night,” he said. “At dinner? You pulled out your ID and the waitress said, ‘Oh it’s your birthday tomorrow.’ ”
“Oh, that’s right,” I said sheepishly. I barely remembered a thing about the night before.
Jude climbed off his bed. “I’m going to jump in the shower. Make yourself at home in the kitchen, all right?”
Stowed away in Jude’s pantry, I managed to find some organic peanut butter, some ancient grains bread, and a toaster, and as I munched on my breakfast a few minutes later, the sound of a door creaking brought my attention to Jax stumbling down the hall in nothing but bright green boxers.
“Hey,” he grunted. He clinked dishes and bowls and silverware together before pouring himself an enormous bowl of bright-colored cereal. “You have fun last night?”
“Uh, yeah. I did.”
“Everyone thought you were pretty cool.”
“That’s nice.”
“What are you and Jude doing today?”
“No idea. Any suggestions?”
Jax shrugged. “Knowing Jude, I’m sure he’s got something up his sleeve. He’s sort of a control freak. Don’t tell him I said that.” He said nothing more as he sat next to me, inhaled his food, then tromped back to his room and shut the door.
I took a seat on the silk couch in the living room, staring out the window at the hundreds of cars below and the bumper-to-bumper traffic. The faint sound of honking car horns and throngs of gorgeous, leggy blondes walking side by side on the sidewalks seemed so exotic and foreign to me. In some ways, I was on a completely different planet, but I sort of liked it.
A buzz drew my attention to Jude’s phone, which was sitting in the middle of the coffee table from the night before. I glanced around to make sure he wasn’t around before reaching down and snapping it up. A text from Veronica filled the screen. Nothing but question marks.
I rolled my eyes as I set the phone right back where it was, and within seconds, footsteps echoed from down the hallway. Jude entered the room, his hair neatly combed and wearing a cerulean blue polo and faded slim-cut jeans. His generous arms filled out his sleeves and his jeans showcased his long runner’s legs.
“You get something to eat?” he asked, the subtle hint of his Vetiver cologne wafting my way.
“I did, thanks.” I couldn’t stop staring. My eyes wouldn’t allow it.
“What do you want to do today? We can do anything you want.”
“This is your city,” I said, still staring. “Show it to me.”
His lips twisted into a half smile. “Your wish is my command.” He strutted around behind the island, shoving keys and loose change into his pockets. “Seen my phone?”
I pointed toward the coffee table.
“Santa Monica Pier okay with you?” he asked as he lunged for his phone and rolled his eyes at the text message that awaited him. “It’s a little touristy, but you can’t beat the people-watching, if that’s your sort of thing.”
I smiled. “Sounds fun.”
We hopped in his car, headed to the pier, and drove around for ages looking for a parking spot.
“We’re going to have a bit of a walk,” Jude said, peering over the steering wheel and scanning desperately for a spot. “This place is kind of nuts on the weekends.”
“No problem.”
As Jude found us a shady parking spot in front of some little surfer shop, I tried my best to appreciate the new landscape around me. Hoards of people. Swaying palm trees. Salty ocean breeze. I was fully engulfed in a place I’d only ever seen in movies. The thought of going back home to Halverford on Sunday made my soul ache for just a moment.
We strolled side by side down to the pier, where people on rollerblades whizzed past us and hot dog and cotton candy vendors lined the boardwalk every twenty feet or so. The rush of the distant ocean waves provided the most beautiful backdrop, contrasting perfectly against the chaos that was the Santa Monica Pier.
“What do you think so far?” Jude asked, bringing his arm up around my shoulders and pulling me into him as a biker whirred by and nearly plowed into me.
“I’m just fascinated,” I said. “So much to take in.”
Another man rollerblading in bright yellow shorts glided past us with his little dachshund trailing behind him. Up ahead, a woman wrangled her five small children who were trying to run off every which way. Next to them, a sweet couple sat together on a park bench, holding hands and sharing a stick of multi-colored cotton candy. There were joggers, power walkers, and musicians singing for change. I’d never seen so many different types of people all in one place, and it was sort of magical.
Jude pointed ahead to a rare, vacant park bench, and we hurried toward it. “You ready for the most amazing people-watching experience you’ll ever have in your entire life?”
“That wasn’t it?” I joked.
He leaned back, placing one arm on the back of the bench behind me, our bodies separated by mere inches, and I breathed in the salty sea air as I took in the sights, smells, and sounds that surrounded us.
“Julian would’ve loved this,” I mused. “I really wish he could be here.”
Jude nodded and smiled. He never talked about Julian much, but I wasn’t in a position yet to ask him why. I had to convince myself that Jude loved him in his own kind of quiet way.
“Thanks for making me come out here,” I said, closing my eyes and letting the ocean breeze tickle my face.
“Whoa, you came out here on your own free will,” Jude teased. “I didn’t make you do anything.”
I blushed. He was right. It was my idea, though he’d been the one to extend the invitation.
“I’m glad you came out, too,” he said. “I wish you were staying longer, actually.”
Unexplained electric excitement ran through my body with those words. I didn’t know much about Jude, and most days I didn’t know how I felt about him, but I did enjoy his company. His sort of silent, powerful presence that instantly calmed me was exactly what I needed. When we were together, I didn’t think about the deep pain that swallowed me whole back home.
“Maybe I’ll come out again soon,” I said, turning slowly to face him, gauging his reaction. “I’d invite you to Halverford, but that’d just be punishment for you.”
The corners of his full lips curled upwards, revealing his dimples. “If you ever need me to come out to Halverford, you know I’ll be there in a heartbeat. It’s not exactly Aruba or anything, but I’d go if I had to.”
“Thanks, I think.”
“That came out wrong,” he said, rolling his eyes. “You know what I meant.”
I leaned into him, nudging him with my shoulder. It was nice having someone to look after me. We had some sort of unspoken understanding. At least, I could feel it. I didn’t know about him. Jude was a closed book.
“I’m a pretty independent girl,” I said. “But my door is always open for you. I hope you know that. If you ever get sick of these palm trees and watching dolphins swim in the ocean, Halverford is just a quick plane ride away.”
“Maybe I’ll take you up on that sometime,” he said, turning his gaze to the side.
JUDE
“I’ve had so much fun with you this weekend,” Evie said as we retreated to my condo that evening. We’d spent the morning at the pier, lunched at a little rooftop café overlooking the ocean, and walked Rodeo Drive all afternoon. I’d even offered to buy her a handbag when she ogled the Prada window display, but she straight up refused.
“Glad to hear it
,” I said, kicking off my shoes. “Feel like sitting outside? Or have I had you out too much today?”
“I could never get enough of this gorgeous weather,” she sighed, traipsing to the sliding glass doors. “Looks like a clear night. All those stars…” She clutched her hand across her heart as her big blue eyes reflected the city lights.
I pulled the heavy doors open and a gush of wind blew in, rustling her hair. She finger-combed it back into place and stepped out onto the balcony, taking a seat on the loveseat.
“Thanks for today,” she said. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to spend my birthday this year.”
I nodded. “Anytime. Glad you enjoyed it.”
“Jude,” she said, turning to me as I took a seat next to her. “I really needed this little break from reality.”
“Evie, this is reality,” I said. “This is real life. This is right now. There’s nothing else besides this moment.”
“Maybe,” she said, looking down and nervously running her hands up and down her thighs. “It’s just, the minute I step onto that plane tomorrow, this will all fade into oblivion.”
“It doesn’t have to,” I said. “You can leave Halverford. No one is going to force you to live there the rest of your life except you.”
“I have no money,” she said with a shrug. “I couldn’t move out here without a job or a place to live.”
I laughed, frustrated. “You don’t understand what I’m saying, do you?”
She shook her head, turning to face me, her desperate eyes locking onto mine.
“I will help you,” I said, drawing my words slowly. “How many times do I have to tell you I’m going to take care of you? It was my dying brother’s last wish, for fuck’s sake.”
“What else did Julian ask you to do?” she asked innocently, eyes filled with curiosity.
“That’s pretty much it.”
“So do you feel obligated? Is that why you wanted me to come out here? You’re atoning for never being there for your brother?” Her tone was shifting our conversation into a completely different direction, and by the look on her face, there was no going back.
“Not at all,” I assured her, though she wasn’t exactly wrong. “Believe me, if you were this horrible person, I wouldn’t have stayed all those nights with you in Halverford. I wouldn’t have flown you to L.A. to spend the weekend here. I love my brother, but a guy can only do so much.”
