Queen of Harte's

by Brooke Harris

‘What might that be?’

  ‘That I was too stupid to notice. All the signs were there, but I was too busy falling in love with you to add them up.’

  ‘Eva, I love Mia. But I am not in love with her.’

  ‘Is there a difference?’ Eva snarled.

  ‘Yes, Eva.’ Julian caught Eva’s hand and pulled her back to sit fully on the bed beside him. She didn’t pull away, but she refused to turn around and look at him.

  ‘I never thought I’d hear this kind of crap from you. I really thought you were the type of guy who always had your shit together. But, right now, you sound like one of those pathetic guys off a reality TV show desperate for ratings. You know, the ones where the poor misunderstood husband comes on with some bullshit story about how he loves his wife, but he’s not in love with her and he has to screw every woman he comes in contact with just to feel alive. Fuck, Julian.’ Fuck, fuck, fuck.

  ‘Mia is my friend, Eva. I’ve loved her since I was eight years old and she was just a baby. I will always be there for her. ALWAYS. I’m not a conventional husband. We don’t do Sunday morning walks in the park. Or have date nights. We are married on paper only. It’s a financial agreement. Nothing more.’

  Eva wiped away the tears from her eyes with the sleeve of her blouse. ‘I don’t believe you’re really that cold. I know you. I think I know you better than you know yourself. You didn’t marry her just because she was pregnant. You could have given her money and been there for her as a friend. Tell me the real reason. There’s more, isn’t there?’

  ‘Yes.’ Julian was nodding.

  He was giving up the answers so easily. He wasn’t hiding anything anymore. But Eva could already guess what he was going to say next. She realised at that moment that she knew him inside out. She didn’t need him to tell her stuff to let her in. She was already in. She’d been there for a while; she was just a bit slow to catch on.

  ‘You felt you had to save her. I see that in you now,’ Eva said. ‘It’s something deep inside you. You don’t even know it’s there. You couldn’t save your parents, and that guilt is eating you alive. It never goes away. You’re always trying to redeem yourself.’ Eva sniffled and exhaled sharply through her rounded lips. ‘It’s your curse. I know it’s why you saved me. But you saved Mia first, didn’t you? What did you have to save her from?’

  ‘From making the biggest mistake of her life.’

  ‘Her son?’ Eva sighed, turning to look at Julian. ‘Was she going to,’ Eva licked her dried out lips before continuing. ‘Was she going to have an abortion?’

  Julian shook his head. ‘No. It was too late for that. She was going to give him up. She was young and scared, and she couldn’t afford a kid.’

  ‘But you said you had money at that stage. Did she not want your help?’

  ‘She needed more than just money. She needed a guarantee that I’d always be there. A contract.’

  ‘A marriage cert,’ Eva whispered. ‘The ultimate binding contract.’

  Eva was only partially surprised. Mia was smart. Even at seventeen, Mia knew how to get what she wanted.

  ‘Exactly. I couldn’t let Daniel grow up in care. I hated every day that I spent in that orphanage,’ Julian admitted.

  ‘But maybe someone would have adopted him?’

  Julian shrugged. ‘Maybe. But I don’t do maybes. I want guarantees. Every kid needs their mother. I couldn’t keep mine, but I could make damn sure that Daniel kept his. Mia and I were married just a few weeks before Daniel was born.’

  ‘Julian Harte. A married man. Wow.’ Eva’s voice softened as she came to a strange acceptance.

  ‘In theory, yes, but nothing more.’

  ‘And Mia’s okay with all this?’

  Julian's eyes pinched, like that question irked him. ‘Mia has money and security. And a great ten-year-old who adores his mother. Mia is okay with everything.’

  ‘Including you fucking your way around the office,’ Eva accosted.

  Julian’s jaw twitched and he stared at Eva boldly. ‘Including that! It’s not a real marriage, Eva. All the usual emotional bullshit that comes with that piece of paper is null and void in our case.’

  ‘Why haven’t you gotten a divorce over the years? When your circumstances changed? I mean, Mia doesn’t need your money now. You pay her a fortune in work.’

  ‘Because we never needed to.’ Julian tossed his shoulders casually.

  ‘Do you need to now?’

  ‘Mr. Harte…Mr. Harte…’ The door rattled. ‘Is everything okay in there, Mr. Harte?’

  Dammit, the nurse. Eva raced to move the chair. ‘Sorry, my bag is in the way. I’ll move it now.’

  Chapter 10

  Julian watched with mild amusement as a nurse wrestled with a SpongeBob helium balloon that was half the size of her body and tied it to the side of the bed.

  ‘I wouldn’t have taken you for a big cartoon fan,’ she said, still fiddling with the string and the bed railing.

  ‘People are full of surprises,’ Julian replied.

  ‘There’s a card. Would you like me to read it for you?’ the nurse asked.

  Julian studied the brightly coloured balloon, designed to excite a child. He knew the balloon was from Sergeant Hammond. He didn’t need to read the card to know it contained about four words. ‘It’s over. Thank you.’ And it was over. The police had their suspects in custody, Eva had her family back, and Cameron was resting in peace. It was over for everyone…for everyone except Julian. For Julian, it was just getting started.

  ‘My kidneys are fucked, but my eyes are perfectly fine. Thank you,’ Julian said drawing his attention away from the balloon and back to the nurse.

  ‘Has the doctor spoken to you about the dialysis process?’ the nurse asked as she checked Julian’s blood pressure, obviously missing Julian’s sarcasm.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘And did you understand okay or do you have any questions?’

  Julian’s back teeth clenched hard against each other. ‘I got the gist.’

  The nurse was his less-than-favourite person after instructing, instead of asking, Eva to leave the room.

  The nurse looked appalled. ‘It’s a complicated process, Mr. Harte. I’m sure one of the doctors would be happy to discuss it with you in more detail. It’s important you have a good understanding of how it will all work. It will affect your life massively, so don’t be shy. Ask all the questions you need to.’

  Julian cast his eyes onto the blood pressure monitor, certain his reading would be skewed high if the nurse continued.

  ‘Has anyone found my phone and clothes yet?’

  ‘I think someone gave them to your wife.’

  Julian’s nostrils flared. ‘No. I didn’t ask for them to be passed on to my wife. I asked for them to be given to me. There is something very important in my jacket pocket. I need it immediately. Please.’

  The nurse tidied up her apparatus in silence, which Julian greatly appreciated and hurried out of the room, leaving the clunky trolley of equipment beside the bed. She returned less than five minutes later with a green plastic bag and left it at the end of the bed.

  ‘Everything should be in here. There are no phones allowed on the ward. So, I’m sorry, but you’ll have to switch it off.’

  Julian’s eyes growled. ‘Thank you, Matron. I’ll see you in another half an hour.’

  She smiled and pulled her trolley of medical bits and pieces behind her as she walked away. Julian rubbed his eyes with his fingers, hoping that when he took his hands down, she’d be gone.

  ‘I hope you don’t mind me asking, Mr. Harte, but are you Mr. Julian Harte of Ignite Technologies?’ she said, stopping in the doorway.

  Julian pressed his chin against his chest and back up, offering a single nod to answer her question. He really didn’t want to get into personal conversation.

  ‘Oh, my God. I thought it was you. How exciting.’

  Julian pressed his fingers against his eyes again. His head hurt.

 
‘My son is just finishing a degree in computer science. He’s sent CVs out to all the big companies. But working for Ignite Technology would be his dream job.’

  Julian forced a reluctant smile. ‘I’ll make a call and see what I can do…’

  ‘That would be fantastic,’ she said, practically bouncing on the spot with excitement. ‘Oh, but we have the no phones policy.’

  Julian’s smile brightened. Oh, the irony. ‘That’s unfortunate, Matron. Looks like my hands are tied. What a pity. If your son has your charming disposition, I’m sure he’d be a valuable asset to Ignite Technologies.’

  ‘Oh, no. He’ll be broken hearted to miss this opportunity. Maybe you could call in a few days when you’ve the strength to walk down the hall?’

  ‘Or,’ Julian was practically beaming. She’d clearly missed his sarcasm. Her naivety would work to his advantage. ‘If you could get your hands on his CV, I’d happily look at it personally.’

  ‘Oh, my God, really?’

  ‘Really.’

  ‘That’s such good news, Mr. Harte. I’ll bring it in to work with me tomorrow.’

  Julian exaggerated a sigh. ‘Oh no, that’s a pity. I’m transferring to a Dublin hospital first thing in the morning. I’ll be gone before your shift starts.’

  ‘I don’t see anything on your chart about that,’ the nurse said, scooping up the notes hanging on the end of his bed and flicking through them.

  ‘Ah, I’m pulling a few favours,’ Julian lied.

  The nurse looked like her whole world had just tumbled around her ankles.

  ‘But I could look over the CV now, if you like?’

  ‘But I don’t have it.’

  It was a long shot, but Julian was hoping email wasn’t really her thing. ‘You could nip home for it? I won’t tell if you don’t.’

  ‘Oh, God no, I couldn’t. I’ve to do your obs again in thirty minutes.’

  Julian shook his head and sighed. ‘Of course, I understand. It’s a pity. Your son sounds like just the kind of guy we’d love to have on our team.’

  ‘Okay, okay.’ The nurse’s fingers twitched. ‘I live just a few miles away. I could make a dash for it.’

  ‘Great.’ Julian’s grin was lighting up his whole face. ‘I look forward to it.’

  The matron hurried on her way.

  Julian called after her, quickly getting her son’s name out of her. If he was going to be gone when she got back, he’d at least have to get her kid a job when he was finished sending her on a decoy.

  Julian waited until she closed the door to stand up. He was a little more stable than earlier; that was progress at least. He pulled his suit out of the green plastic bag and lay it on the bed. It still smelt of vodka. Dried blood on the back of the jacket made it stiff, Julian gauged, noting how the dark navy material was masked in a murky brown coating. His shirt was unwearable. Aside from changing from a crisp white to a streaky red, brown, and somewhat pink, it had been cut into pieces with scissors. The doctors had obviously removed it in a hurry. His trousers were cut straight up the centre of the legs, looking more like Batman’s cape than a pair of pants. He couldn’t wear this. And he couldn’t leave the hospital semi-naked. Fuck it! He searched in his jacket pocket for his phone and turned it on.

  It beeped like crazy as hundreds of emails, texts, and missed calls flooded in. He quickly turned the volume down and made a call.

  ‘Where are you?’ he said before the person on the other end even had time to say hello.

  ‘Oh. So you’re talking to me now? I’ve been waiting out here for hours. I can’t believe you let Eva in and not me.’

  ‘I can’t believe you’re jealous.’

  ‘I’m not jealous, I’m just pissed off. Have you any idea how it felt to shunned like that?’

  ‘No. But Eva has. You had no right to stop her from visiting,’ Julian scorned.

  ‘I had every right. I’m your wife.’

  ‘Mia, STOP IT! If anyone has a right to be angry – it’s me.’ Julian raised his voice but quickly pulled himself together. He didn’t have time for an argument or one of Mia’s tantrums. ‘Mia. I need to get out of here. I need your help.’

  ‘What? Jesus, Julian. No! Have you any idea how sick you are?’

  Julian rolled his eyes. Today was exhausting. ‘You sound like the nurses in this place.’

  ‘Well, good. At least some of us have sense. Is this Eva’s idea?’

  ‘What the fuck kind of question is that? No. Of course, it’s not. She’s waiting outside my room right now. She doesn’t know I’m leaving.’

  ‘Good. Well, at least that’s something.’

  Julian’s pressed his lips together tightly; frustration laced his expression.

  ‘You can’t leave. Christ almighty, Julian. Stop being ridiculous,’ Mia said.

  Julian was already seething with Mia. Her questioning him was tipping his temper over the edge.

  ‘Mia. I’m leaving. With or without your help.’ Julian was serious, and he imagined Mia could guess as much.

  ‘Okay, Okay. Give me a minute to think.’

  Julian could hear Mia’s panic and he wondered if she knew more about his condition than he’d appreciate sharing. Perhaps, as his wife, the hospital had kept her up to date. He hadn’t instructed them not to. It was an oversight on his part. He had been too preoccupied with thoughts of Eva. Haphazard irritated him, and he was furious with himself for making such an obvious mistake. Suddenly, making sure that Mia didn’t speak to Eva would have to become his first priority. Everything else would have to wait.

  ‘I’ll meet you in twenty minutes in the car park,’ Julian said.

  ‘The car park? Julian, it’s snowing outside. Are you mad? I’ll come up and get you.’

  ‘No,’ Julian raised his voice. ‘I don’t want to be seen leaving.’

  ‘Julian, it’s a hospital, not a prison.’

  ‘Mia, like you said, I’m sick. They’re not going to be happy about me leaving. I don’t have time for a lecture or any of that shit. I’ll be in the car park in twenty minutes. I need you to be there too, okay?’

  Julian hung up without waiting for an answer. He needed every second he could get. He had less than twenty minutes to completely break Eva’s heart.

  Chapter 11

  ‘Nice balloon,’ Eva said gliding back into the room.

  ‘Suits me, doesn’t it?’ Julian joked, standing leaning casually against the edge of the bed. Half for comfort, half for support.

  ‘Have you read the card yet? Who’s it from?’

  ‘Why don’t you read it for me?’ Julian stretched out his arm and beckoned Eva closer. Eva looked at him with bright, innocent eyes. Eyes filled with hope and excitement for the future. Looking at her was killing him more than his failing kidneys. She chased some ribbon with her fingers and found the card tied at the end. She cleared her throat with a gentle cough and read. ‘Julian. Thank you, man. We won. Take care of the girl; she deserves it. Hammond.’

  Julian swallowed a lump of air.

  ‘Melissa,’ Eva said, smiling brightly.

  ‘No.’ Julian shook his head. ‘Sergeant Hammond meant you. I love you,’ he said reaching for Eva’s hand and pulling her into him. His legs were slightly apart, and Eva stood between them. But she wasn’t leaning against him as tightly as he’d like her to and he knew she was afraid of hurting him.

  ‘I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there for your father’s funeral. I would have liked to say goodbye. I hate that you had to be there alone,’ Julian apologised.

  ‘I wasn’t alone,’ Eva said, stretching up on her tiptoes to kiss him. ‘Shelly was there.’

  ‘And your mother and sister?’

  Eva sighed. ‘Yeah, they were there, too.’

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Julian wrapped his arms tighter around her back and pulled her closer.

  ‘Nothing,’ she said, shaking her head. ‘My mom’s great. It’s just Melissa is a bit…’

  ‘She’s been through a lot, Eva.’<
br />
  ‘Yeah. I know. I feel bad for even saying anything.’

  ‘She just needs time.’

  ‘We don’t have time, really. Her and Mom want to get home as soon as possible.’

  ‘What? No. I thought they’d stay a while.’

  ‘Well, they are here a while. You’ve been out of it for a week, Julian. And there’s nothing here for them really.’

  ‘You’re here.’ Julian kissed the top of her head. ‘But you shouldn’t be.’

  ‘What?’ Eva pulled away from him. Standing back far enough to look him up and down.

  ‘You should go back with them, Eva.’

  Eva shook her head and took another step back. She looked like she was either going to completely lose her temper or break down crying. ‘I’m staying with you. You asked me to come back to Dublin and I’m here. You can’t just turn me away again. Not for a second time.’

  ‘I asked you because I needed to make sure you were safe; away from the Da Luca family. But they’re all locked up now, Eva. They won’t ever hurt you or your family again. You can go home. That was always the plan. You belong in New Jersey.’

  ‘I am home. This is home. You’re home. Please don’t push me away.’

  ‘I’m not. Remember that day in the park, after the work ball? I asked you to choose. You quit. You walked away. And you did it because you were strong and you needed to repair the damage to your family. You haven’t come this far to give up now.’

  ‘I’m not giving up,’ Eva insisted. ‘I’m making a conscious decision. And I chose you.’

  Julian took a deep breath and exhaled hard. ‘You can’t have me.’

  Eva’s bottom lip quivered and Julian had to look away. Fuck, this was hard. Guilt twisted in his gut.

  ‘Is this because of Mia? I understand, Julian. I’ve been thinking about it and I actually get it. I don’t need you to divorce her or any of that. I know it’s just a piece of paper. I understand that you did it all to protect Daniel. I think I love you even more for it. I don’t need you to be anything that you’re not. I just need you to love me the way I love you.’

  ‘We can’t always have what we want, Eva. This is one of those times.’