Luke shyly stammered out a greeting then cast a guilty glance at Julian, but Milan's attention was only on one man. Despite her recent fears and insecurities about Julian, she was happy to see him. Things weren’t perfect between them however, and five days before their wedding she was unsure of what her reception would be.
Never one to show weakness, she pressed past Rhys, who was perched on the arm of the sofa where Cera was curled up, to reach Julian. He was standing in between Carolyn and Luke. She lightly rested her free hand on his shoulder and tipped her face up for a quick kiss, “Hi babe.”
He looked down at her, registering a new presence in his sphere. With her eyes she dared him to leave her hanging in front of a roomful of people. It was only when she felt the brief brush of Julian's lips at the corner of her mouth that she realized she’d been holding her breath.
* * *
“Where is it that we're going?” Luke asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence. He was in Cera's black Pathfinder with Julian and Milan. Rhys and Carolyn were following in Carolyn's car.
“You'll see,” Cera said.
They pulled up in front of a two-story brick building on Chestnut Hill’s main drag. Cera jumped out of her SUV and waited for Carolyn and Rhys to join them.
“We're here,” she said waving her arm toward the building like a game-show hostess, “Welcome.”
“Cera's Place,” Milan read the sign above the door. “Cera's Place? I don't understand.”
Cera held the door and ushered them inside, “Please come in. I'd like to welcome you all to my place. My piano bar slash restaurant.”
“Oh, my God!” Carolyn cried out, “Cera! You bought a bar!”
“Yep, it's more of a club, really, for artistic souls like me—and like your brother, who plays a mean piano!” Cera went over and bumped shoulders with Rhys.
“This is great, I love it,” Julian left Milan’s side to hug Cera, lifting her off her feet and spinning her around. “When did you do this? Why didn't you tell me? I would have helped.”
“Me too, this place is fantastic,” Luke leaned in and kissed her cheek, “Congratulations.”
“Thank you, guys. I was so nervous. I didn't want to tell anyone until it was really done. Didn't want to jinx myself, I guess. It's something I wanted to do since forever and when my grandmother left me some money, I finally decided to get myself together and actually do it.”
“It's lovely, Cera,” Milan added. Of the whole group, Cera was the one person Milan knew the least. She felt odd being here, witnessing this monumental occasion among this tight group of friends and feeling like such an outsider at the moment, but God help her if she'd let anyone know it.
“Thanks. I've reserved a table for us over here by the piano and I've got a special menu prepared for us tonight. All of our favorites!” Cera led them to their table. “So please come on over here and sit down, and let's cross our fingers that Cera's Place will be a great success on its grand opening!”
CHAPTER TEN
Cera’s mood matched the flowing blue and white dress she wore. To look at her you could see she was floating among fluffy white clouds in a bright blue sky. Who knew when her feet would touch the ground again.
Things had worked out. Her friends loved the place; she had customers; Julian, the professional chef, had complimented her food. Cera's Place was a working, living, successful club. She was sharing her grand opening with her oldest friends and she could not be happier.
The six of them ate a full meal and closed the place down. As she turned the lock against her last patron, Cera was almost overcome with emotion.
“Thank you guys so much for being here with me tonight. I can hardly express how much it means to me to share this dream with you. To see my efforts come to life like this and to have your support means—you'll never know how much.” She raised a glass, “To my friends.”
She carefully touched her glass to each of the five raised in salute and they all drank together, reaffirming the bonds that held them so close.
Carolyn's cell phone rang and broke the spell. Clearly embarrassed, she held the device to her ear and the tone of her voice let everyone know it was Mark calling from Japan, where he’d gone for work. She excused herself and went to stand in the shadows of the room to hold her conversation.
Luke, who was never without his camera, had taken candid shots of the grand opening throughout the night. Now while Carolyn was on the phone, he directed the group into random poses and snapped away. They were having fun acting silly for the camera. Cera draped herself on the piano while Rhys pretended to bang on the keys like a mad pianist. Julian and Milan swayed back and forth on the small stage practicing their first dance as husband and wife. They stumbled and Julian pointed out that Milan had the steps wrong.
“All that money we spent on lessons!” he chuckled and spun her around again.
“Mmm hmm,” Milan agreed, “and it still hasn’t helped your sense of rhythm.”
He laughed and dipped her low. She squealed at the unexpected move.
“You can’t blame my rhythm when there’s no music, hon. Rhys,” Julian called out, “play us something!”
Rhys dragged his fingers along the keys, then launched into something appropriate for a reception. Cera left the stage and went to sit with Carolyn, who’d finished her call and was watching her friends from their table.
“They look happy, don’t they?” Carolyn asked.
Cera looked over at Julian and Milan for a moment and nodded her head. Luke snapped a picture of her and Carolyn, so she stuck her tongue out at him. He snapped again before she pulled it back in.
“What about you? Was that Mark?” Cera asked.
“Yes, and he’s not going to make it back in time for the wedding.”
“I’m sorry.”
Carolyn shook her head and slipped her phone into her purse. “I’m actually fine with it. I half expected it and honestly, I’m not quite sure I was ready for him to come back yet.”
“You guys having trouble?”
Carolyn let out a puff of air, half laughter, half sigh. “No?” she answered with a question. “There’s a chance he may be transferred to Japan for a few years. He asked me if I’d go with him if that happened...and I just don’t have an answer for him. Which makes me think that that answer is, ‘no’.”
Cera made an understanding sound. “And if he stayed?”
“If he stays then we keep doing what we’re doing. Maybe somewhere down the line when I'll know if this is—” she stopped and looked at the dancers on the stage. “When I know if he’s the one, then sure, Japan sounds great. But right now, my job, my family—walking away from those things is an unsettling thought.”
Onstage, Milan and Julian posed for Luke. She looked happy and Julian looked relaxed.
“Maybe I’m overthinking,” Carolyn continued and looked toward stage, “They look so happy now, but there’ve been some jitters. Yet they’re moving forward. Milan’s fitting is tomorrow, the rehearsal dinner is Friday and Saturday they become man and wife. Japan would be a great adventure, right?”
Cera put her arm around Carolyn’s shoulder and pulled her in for a half-hug. “It would be, but traveling with people is hard. You’ve got be sure you pick the right companion or it’s going to be a disastrous trip.”
They jumped at Rhys’ sharp whistle.
“Finally got your attention. Come on over, we’re going to do a group shot.”
Rhys, Cera, Carolyn, Julian and Milan lined up at the piano while Luke set the camera on the tripod. He dashed up onto the stage to get into place next to Milan before the camera tripped the shutter release. They were all smiling when the flash went off.
“Luke, please make me a copy of that photo, I'd like to hang it in the club,” Cera requested, “It will be like my good luck charm.”
“Sure thing. I might even have time to develop it tomorrow.” Cera's eyes twinkled, “Speedy! I like it!” She pulled him into a hug. She’d been handing th
em out all evening. Milan was the first to break out of the line.
“Well, it's late and I have an early appointment tomorrow—”
Julian interrupted Milan with a stage whisper, “It’s her final fitting!”
She elbowed him gently and continued, “And Julian's signing the final papers on his new restaurant. It’s a big day.” Milan grabbed hold of Julian's hand,” I think we should probably get going, don't you?”
Cera needed a few more minutes to lock up before she'd be ready to leave, so Julian was grateful for Carolyn’s offer to take her car back to the house. She would ride back later with the others. He helped Luke carry his camera equipment to the car and seated Milan in Carolyn’s Camry. He tapped on the glass and Milan lowered the window.
“I’ll be right back,” he said and went back into the bar.
Carolyn was alone at the piano absently tapping Middle C. He slid onto the bench next to her.
“Jules, I thought you guys left already.”
“We're just about to. I came back because I forgot to tell you ‘thanks.’”
She looked and him with a question in her eyes.
“For the Rubik’s Cube,” he held up the little multicolored puzzle.
“You brought it with you!”
He heard the smile in her voice. “Of course! I cherish it,” he teased.
“I'm glad you like it.”
“I love it. Thank you.”
He leaned down to kiss her on the cheek, but she turned her head at the same moment and he brushed her lips with his. The touch was soft, an unexpected but long-awaited invitation. He hesitated, then leaned forward and she did the same.
The pull between them was invisible yet hard to ignore. Carolyn stiffened slightly, no doubt as surprised as he by the contact. Then she relaxed into him and he knew that she was allowing herself to experience whatever this was. She touched him lightly on his neck and he deepened their kiss, feeling an urgent burst of excitement travel between them. He didn’t know how long it lasted—it was forever and a day. It was a split second.
On the periphery of his mind Julian heard others approaching but the pieces of information that his senses were trying to assemble couldn’t form a complete picture in time. He couldn’t react fast enough. He couldn’t make his muscles move him away from Carolyn before they entered the room. Rhys, however, had no problem. Julian felt his best friend roughly pull him off the bench and drag him across the small stage.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Julian felt the wall against his back as Rhys closed in on him. They were eye to eye with Rhys’ hand pressing into his chest. His friend looked at him with wild eyes as if he'd suddenly lost his mind.
Julian saw every thought Rhys had cross his face: the unspoken acknowledgement of Julian's feelings for Carolyn—a topic neither of them had ever addressed; the reminder that Milan was outside in the car waiting for him; the fact that the wedding was days away; and the threat that Rhys would kill him if he hurt Carolyn.
“What are you doing with my sister?” Rhys asked again in a heated whisper.
“I'm sorry, Rhys. I don't—”
“Get out of here. Now!” Rhys had never looked at him like this before, no matter what had happened.
“Rhys, please stop,” Carolyn implored. She was hovering by the piano with Cera.
Julian strained to see her over Rhys’ shoulder, “Carolyn, I'm sorry—” he started but Rhys moved to block his view.
“I said, now,” Rhys growled.
They stared each other until that moment of mutual understanding when they both knew that Rhys had won this battle. Rhys loosened his hold on Julian and stepped back, keeping himself between Julian and Carolyn. This was wrong. He’d never been on the opposite side of a fight with Rhys before. It didn’t feel good.
Luke entered the front door and immediately sensing tension, sidled up and positioned himself between the two men. “What's going on?”
Julian licked his lips and backed away, “Nothing.” Carolyn stepped forward and his eyes snapped to hers. She looked confused, upset and embarrassed at the same time. He had done that to her and he wouldn’t forgive himself. “I’m sorry,” he said and left the club.
Cera dropped the Jameses off at their door and they entered the house in silence. In the family room they stood like statues looking at each other, no one knowing what to say or where even to start.
There was so much going on in Carolyn's head that she needed to get away from her brothers’ questioning looks and sort things out herself. She made an exaggerated yawn and excused herself. Sadly, closing the bedroom door did not keep the confusion out of her mind.
Her room was hot and she cursed their lack of air conditioning. She stripped off her clothes, put on a loose tank top and shorts and went to sit in the window seat, hoping that a cool breeze would clear her mind.
Just last night she’d looked up into the same sky with Julian, but there was no moon tonight and the drifting clouds were playing peekaboo with the stars. She folded her arms over her knees and tried to make sense of all that had happened.
Rhys had come home a few days ago and she’d expected him to bring her some clarity. Instead things had turned upside-down. Mark was offering her a chance to completely change her life and now, after that kiss, she was thinking of Julian in a way she’d never allowed herself to think of him before. And Rhys—she’d never seen him so angry. It was because of her. How had she let herself come between them?
She sat there for hours trying to make sense of it all until, finally, she fell asleep.
TUESDAY
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Let me get this straight, you came out from the kitchen and saw him kissing her? Like, really kissing her?”
Rhys nodded again at the question Luke had posed several times already.
“And what brought this on? I mean, how does he go from dancing with his fiancée to kissing our sister? What about Milan?”
Rhys had no answers. They were still in the family room, where they had been all night. Max was nosing around, hungry and antsy since Carolyn hadn't come down this morning for their usual run.
Finally Rhys spoke, “Look, we both know that Julian's always had special feelings for Carolyn. Geez, I don't even know for how long.”
“Since we were kids.”
“But he's never acted on them, never even brought it up,” Rhys continued, “I swear, he's probably never even admitted it to himself.”
“Or to Carolyn.”
“You think not?” Rhys interrupted, “Then, what was that last night?”
“I don't know,” Luke got up to feed the dog but continued speaking from the kitchen. “Do you think she has feelings for him? I mean, I suppose it's possible. Even so, I don't like the way Jules is going about this. He's gonna walk down the aisle in four days. Why choose now to act on his feelings? Though I guess I just answered my own question. Still, it's not fair to Carolyn and it's most definitely not fair to Milan. Rhys...you there?” Luke walked back into the family room when he didn't get a response and saw Carolyn leaning against the doorway to the hall. “Oh. I didn't see you there.”
Silence filled the room until Carolyn ended the awkward moment with the most benign of subjects.
“You fed the dog?”
“Yeah, I just...I just gave him his bowl.”
She crossed into the kitchen, “Good, I think I'll have a bowl of cereal myself.” Carolyn set about busying herself with breakfast as he and Rhys followed her into the kitchen and watched her. She prepared three bowls.
“What did you mean, 'Why choose now to act on his feelings?' What does that mean?” she turned around and faced them. Luke looked at Rhys; his brother could handle this one. He had said enough.
“What does it mean?” she asked again, a little more forcefully.
Rhys answered, “Nothing.”
His answer surprised Luke. It was a cop out—and not a particularly good one—because the issue wasn’t nothing, was it?
There were more people involved than just Julian, and Luke was not going to let Julian play around with the women in his life.
“No Rhys, it's not ‘nothing’. Carolyn, I meant that it's not fair for Julian to play with people's emotions like he is. He's getting married on Saturday. Milan is picking up her dress today. Why was he kissing you?”
Saying the words, he realized how upset he was by the whole situation. He could not just let it go and hope for the best. He needed answers because too much was at stake.
Luke was upset and it surprised Carolyn. He hardly ever got rattled and it was unsettling to see him raise his voice. It looked like she would have to be the reasonable one if she wanted to get any answers.
“Luke,” she said as evenhandedly as possible, “this is Julian we’re talking about, why are you acting like he’s some jerk who's out to sow his oats before he ties the knot?”
“What are you saying? You're not an oat? You are more than an oat? Are you involved with–” he broke off at her giggle, “why are you laughing? You think this is funny? This is people's lives! Do you think Milan would think it's funny that Julian is kissing other women?”
“Luke, please, calm down,” she waited for her breathing to get back to almost normal. “Look, I'm sorry I laughed. It was the oat comment,” she snickered again. “But that's not important. I'm actually very surprised by this whole conversation. I'm surprised at both of you. Rhys, I think you need to apologize to Julian. You practically slammed him against the wall for crying out loud!”
“Apologize? Right!” Rhys scoffed, “Let me go do that right now.”
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