Hold On

by Hilary Wynne

  “Seriously. You rock. I’m in love with my picture, my concert tickets and my shoes. Oh, and you too. I’m in love with you too.”

  I kiss him quickly and get off before we end up naked. I want to try my shoes on. I put them on and they fit perfectly. I knew they would. I walk across the room a few times and model for Julian. His smile couldn’t be any bigger.

  I take them off and put them carefully back in the box. I put the picture of us on my dresser next to my bed along with the tickets. I can’t stop smiling. This day has certainly turned around. I shouldn’t be surprised. It’s how I roll.

  Chapter Sixteen

  The morning of my twenty-sixth birthday is spent enjoying the feeling of Julian’s hands and mouth all over my body. He threatens me with an attempt to make me come twenty-six times but we both know we don’t have time for that. We settle on three and he makes me take a rain check. I’d love nothing more than to spend the day in bed with him but he does have a business to run and I have a new boss to meet and some gorgeous condos to get ready to sell.

  My roommates are gone by the time I get out of the bedroom but they leave me cards on the table with notes telling me they will see me tonight. Julian takes me to work and seems reluctant to let me out of his sight. I know the sting of what happened this weekend is with him and I’m sure he’s wary that I can just forget what happened, but I truly am trying to move past it. I do my best to reassure him by telling him several more times I love him. It feels good to finally say words I’ve stupidly been holding back for weeks.

  Despite my good mood, I spend the majority of the morning feeling a little stressed that Julian is going to meet my parents tonight. I’m not sure what’s stressing me out so much. I know they’ll like him. It’s hard not to and he certainly fits the mold for what kind of man they want me with. Jill is going to be there, and I’m really excited to see her. We’ve been talking and texting more and more and that she wanted to come down for my birthday means a lot to me. I’ve been telling her about Julian and she’s excited to meet him. As far as my parents go, they know this is a very stressful time for me because of what happened with Brady. My mom has promised everything will be low-key and she’ll be on her best behavior. By that I’m assuming she means she won’t be asking Julian when we’re getting married.

  They’re excited I’m bringing a man home. It’s been a while and I figure they must know it’s serious. I tell them Luke is busy and can’t join us. It’s hard to say the words “we aren’t friends anymore”. I hope nobody brings him up.

  Work is pretty busy and that helps the day go by faster. People know we’ll be fully open for business this weekend and the phone has been ringing off the hook. Evelyn has been doing a great job doling out the calls and by the end of the day, we all have a few appointments on the books. Diego didn’t show up today as expected. We’re all a little disappointed because he seems like such a mystery at this point. Evelyn tells us she heard he’ll be into tomorrow.

  I didn’t tell anyone at the office that today is my birthday so nobody makes mention of it. Of course Lauren knows and takes me to lunch. Serena is actually being pleasant too. I’m not sure why, but I reciprocate and I start to have hope we’ll actually be able to work together amicably.

  Julian picks me up at six and we head to my parents. He looks handsome in a pair of tan slacks, a forest-green, linen, button down that matches his eyes and a pair of brown, Gucci loafers. He asked me what he should wear and I told him to dress casually. He did dress casually, in very expensive clothes. I got my love of fashion from my mom and I know she’s going to be impressed with his taste in clothes. I give him the once over and he catches me eyeing him.

  “Do I meet your approval, Corazón?” He sounds like he’s kidding but his eyes say he might be a little more serious than he lets on.

  “You look great, as usual. I was admiring your shoes. Gucci. Sweet.”

  That makes him smile. “Did you miss your calling as a shoe designer?”

  “Um, no. I don’t want to design them. I just want to wear them. All of them.” I think about the shoes he gave me last night for my birthday. “Especially the ones you gave me. I’m going to wear them on Friday. I have no idea what else I’m going to wear, but those shoes will be on my feet.”

  I glance at Julian and see a sexy smile and provocative look cross his face.

  “What?”

  “What?”

  “What are you thinking about? I know that look.”

  “If you know this look, then you wouldn’t be asking me what I’m thinking about. You’d know I was thinking about you wearing nothing but those shoes.”

  My mind flashes to the night when he surprised me at Stellar. I ended that night in nothing but my shoes. A warm burst of heat flutters in my core when I think about it, and when I glance at Julian I see him squirm a little and adjust his pants.

  I look at him and smile. “Exactly.” I know we’re both lost in fond memories. I don’t want to get all hot and bothered before we get to my parents so I change the subject and ask about his day. He tells me a few things, but then starts his own line of questioning about my parents. He really does seem nervous and I find it endearing.

  “Why are you so nervous about meeting my parents? They’re going to love you.”

  I expect him to play it off but he admits he’s nervous.

  “I haven’t met a girl’s parents in forever. It’s important for them to like me. Are you sure they aren’t going to have a problem I’m Hispanic?”

  I pause for a minute. I never even considered he would wonder that.

  “They might, but I think that you’re gorgeous, rich, and totally into me might play into your favor.”

  I get a smile. “It was a serious question.”

  “I haven’t thought about it, Julian, but no, they won’t care about that. They’ll care more that you’re successful than about your ethnicity. But, it brings up the question about your parents. How do they feel about you dating a gringa? We’ve never talked about it.”

  It really was the last thing on my mind after the dinner fiasco.

  “Well, that you’re beautiful, smart, and totally into me might play into your favor.”

  “Mine was a serious question too. I hadn’t thought about it and now it’s going to stress me out.”

  “There’s nothing to stress out about. My parents liked you, Lexie, but seriously, it really doesn’t matter to me what they think. I like you.”

  He smiles brightly at me in what I think is an attempt to change the subject. That whole thing that went down with his dad spun me out of control for a few days, and if Julian doesn’t want to talk about it, I’m fine letting it go.

  When we pull up to my parents, I see Jill’s car in the driveway. Marissa and Shannon are here as well. I get out and watch as Julian opens his trunk and takes out a bouquet of flowers and a very nice bottle of Pinot Noir. I should’ve known he wouldn’t show up empty handed.

  “So you came bearing gifts, huh? Trying to get in good with my parents are you? It’s a nice gesture, Julian, but I wish you would’ve said something first. My mom is allergic to flowers and my dad only drinks beer.”

  I say it with as much of a straight face as possible, and for a moment I think Julian believes me when I see his smile disappear. I can’t keep my expression serious, though, and my smile tells him I’m joking.

  “Seriously, it’s a great gesture. You’re going to get big points for the wine. My dad loves Pinot Noir and is a bit of a wine snob. He knows what’s good.”

  Julian smiles and takes a visible deep breath. It’s so refreshing to see him a little off his game. He’s always so polished and confident. I can tell this really matters to him, which reinforces that I really matter to him. It feels good and all of a sudden I can’t get in the door quick enough.

  We find all of them, my parents, Jill, Marissa, and Shannon in the kitchen. My mom is cooking and my dad is opening a bottle of wine. I don’t miss the look in Jill’s eyes when s
he lays eyes on Julian. They open wide and a big smile crosses her face. She approves so far. She’s the first one to greet him and she does it by walking right over and introducing herself.

  “You must be Julian. I’m Jill, Lexie’s favorite sister.”

  Julian flashes his most endearing smile and I swear she’s affected by it. Most women are.

  “Nice to meet you, Jill.”

  My dad stops what he’s doing and turns to face Julian. It’s interesting to see them together, in my childhood home, addressing each other. Julian seems so much more a man then my other boyfriends. My dad is tall too, and they meet eye to eye. Julian hands the bottle of wine to my dad so he has a free hand. My dad takes it, sets it on the counter and extends his hand.

  “Frank Reed. It’s nice to meet you, Julian. I’m glad you could join us for Lexie’s birthday.”

  “Thank you for having me. I wouldn’t miss it.” He turns to me and winks.

  Marissa and Shannon both give Julian a hug and kiss on the cheek and say hello. My mom is the last to greet him. She’s washing her hands when the rest of the introductions are being made and when she’s done, she turns to face him. I see the approval in her eyes the second she takes him in. I even see a small smile only I’d notice when she glances at his shoes. I’m so my mother’s daughter that way. Julian holds the flowers out to her.

  “And you must be Claire.” He turns to look at me. “You didn’t tell me you looked exactly like your mom, Lexie.”

  It’s true. I do look so much like my mom. We’re both blonde, have the same build, and I have the same deep, green eyes as her. My sisters both resemble my dad more with darker hair and hazel eyes.

  “Thank you for the flowers, Julian. They’re beautiful and so thoughtful. It’s nice to finally meet you.”

  I laugh inside. I just told her about Julian yesterday and he knows it.

  “You too. Lexie’s told me so much about you.”

  Uh oh. They’re both calling me out for being so private. I need to make sure they don’t spend too much time together talking about me.

  My dad takes out two more glasses and pours one for each of us. He picks up his glass and starts to walk toward the patio to check on the steaks he’s grilling. Julian follows him, without me prompting him to. He looks at me as he walks out and I smile and shrug my shoulders. Okay. Go for it.

  It takes three seconds after Julian walks out for my mom and sister to start making comments.

  “Shit, Lex. You told me he was nice looking but really, he’s fucking gorgeous.”

  My mom gives Jill a dirty look because of her choice of words.

  “He’s very nice looking, Alexa, and very well-mannered.”

  She’s trying to be polite but I can’t help but egg her on. “What did you think about his shoes, Mom?”

  She smiles. “I didn’t notice his Gucci loafers, honey. I was too busy looking at his Armani shirt.”

  I almost choke on my wine. “Yeah. He dresses better than anyone I know. We’ve bonded over a shared love of designer footwear.”

  “And his perfect body too, right? I’m sure you’ve bonded over that.” My sister is on a roll.

  “How many glasses of wine have you had, Jill?”

  She looks down at her glass. “This is my first. Sorry, not drunk. Just observant, I’ll stop drooling over your man now.”

  Marissa and Shannon are watching this exchange with amusement.

  “She’s used to it, Jill.” Marissa fills her in on my constant source of discomfort. “Women are always throwing themselves at Julian. Lucky for Lex, he only has eyes for her.”

  Julian and my dad walk back into the kitchen after about fifteen minutes of this banter and catch us all giving each other knowing glances. Julian’s smile tells me he’s relaxed and I assume he’s feeling more comfortable. We all carry the food out to the lanai where my mom has set up a beautiful table. We live on a lake, and although my parent’s home isn’t an exclusive condo in South Beach or a multi-million dollar mansion on North Bay Road, it’s a really nice home, and you can tell a family lived here. I’m proud of my surroundings and of my family. I know we could be closer and I know we have differing opinions on many things, but it would be obvious to anyone looking in I come from a family where I’m loved.

  The meal my parents have prepared is delicious and during dinner the conversation flows effortlessly. Julian fits right in and after an initial period of restraint, shows my family his witty side. I assumed Julian would use this night to dig for information about me and I was right. In what appears to be an effort to get to know me even better, he asks a question about my fondness for footwear. Not exactly what I thought he’d ask about but it always seems to come up.

  “So Claire, has Lexie always had an obsession with shoes?” He looks around the table at my family and friends and waits for an answer. I roll my eyes at him. I already know the story that’s about to be told.

  My mom smiles at him warmly and nods. “I found Lexie in my closet when she was three. She was sitting on the floor with shoe boxes piled up around her. I could hardly see her but I could hear her talking to herself. When I asked her what she was doing she told me she was trying to pick out a pair of pomps to wear to a ball.”

  Julian turns and looks at me. “Pomps?”

  I shrug. “Pumps. I was three.” He looks back at my mom who continues to tell the story I’ve heard a million times.

  “I asked her what ball she was going to and she told me all about the ball the prince was taking her to. She needed shiny ‘pomps’ to go with her princess dress. I sat in the closet with Lexie for an hour as she tried on every pair of heels I had. She would slide her little feet into them and shuffle over to the mirror to see how they looked. It was so cute and she was so serious as she told me why each pair wasn’t the right one. They were too old, or too ‘not sparkly’, or the prince wouldn’t like them. She finally chose a pair of gold Calvin Klein heels – three inch heels – and announced that they were perfect for her party. I never did see her dressed for the ball but Lexie kept those shoes in her room for weeks. Things really haven’t changed much since then.”

  I look at Marissa and see she’s laughing.

  “What’s so funny Mari?”

  “I’m just wondering why, if you’ve been wearing high heels since you were three, you still can’t walk in them. I’d think you’d be a pro at it by now.”

  Julian jumps to my defense, sort of. “I for one am happy Lexie isn’t great at walking in her heels.” He turns to look at my mom. “You do know that we met when she literally fell into me while wearing some very high, very expensive shoes, right?” I smirk at Julian before I respond to my mom.

  “Mom, why do you always fail to mention that there were like a hundred boxes of shoes in your closet that day? Actually, that you still have that many. The apple fell right next to the tree.” I look at my dad. “Right, Dad? I came by this honestly didn’t I?” My dad smiles and nods and before he answers I turn back to Julian. “I walk just fine my shoes, thank you very much.”

  Julian winks at me and smiles brightly. I can tell he’s enjoying hearing stories about me. And boy does he keep hearing them. Everyone at the table is anxious to talk about me.

  Once we get past the shoes, we talk about the hotel, sports and even politics. My family also continues to tell stories about my childhood and Marissa and Shannon pepper the conversation with stories about college. More than once I feel my cheeks turn red when they overshare, but Julian is hanging on every word. He’s holding my hand under the table and is constantly squeezing it and looking at me with love in his eyes.

  As the night goes on Jill makes a few more inappropriate comments that make Julian laugh and declare he can see her and I are a lot alike. She agrees but tells him a big difference is that she’s not a drama queen. Then she asks him if he’s had the luxury of seeing my dramatic side yet.

  “Dramatic? Lexie? No, Lexie is always calm and rational.” He tries to keep a straight face when he sa
ys it but they all know me and they know he’s lying.

  “Okay, if I would have known this was going to be a roast I might have declined the invitation. At the least I wouldn’t have invited Julian. It’s time for you all to stop with the Lexie stories. I love shoes and I always have. I’m prone to irrational behavior and I was a little wild in college. There. Moving on now, okay?”

  I am happy they seem to agree and for a little while we focus on Julian as my parents, friends and sister ask questions to get to know him better. He’s open and lets them see the real Julian. It makes me so incredibly happy.

  Toward the end of the meal, my mom asks if she can make a toast. I had told her I’d celebrate my birthday as long as she didn’t make a huge to-do about it and she has kept her end of the bargain, making this more like a normal, family dinner. She’s looking at me when she asks and I nod my head in approval. Everyone picks up their drinks, and I can’t miss the tears in my mom’s eyes as she begins to speak.

  “Thank you all for coming and celebrating Lexie’s birthday with us. It was great to meet you Julian and I love having Jill here with us. Marissa and Shannon, it’s always great to spend time with you girls.” She turns and looks right at me. “Here’s to my baby girl. May your twenty-sixth year be filled with all the love and happiness you so deserve. We love you, Lexie … very much.”

  I’m so touched by the sincerity and warmth in my mom’s voice that it brings tears to my eyes. I’ve done such a good job at keeping everyone at arm’s length for so long that it makes me almost uncomfortable when they remind me how much I’m loved. I get up and walk around the table to her and give her a hug. I whisper in her ear, “Thank you Mom. I love you, too. So much.”

  As I pull back and look around the table, I see each of us was affected by that moment. My family might not know everything that happened to me last year, they might never know, but they know enough to know it really hurt me, and I can tell by looking around they all feel the same way as my mom. I feel content and I feel loved. It only makes it sweeter to have Julian by my side.