“If you were sorry you wouldn’t keep doing it.”
“That’s enough, young lady.”
“I could stay here.”
“No.”
“Why not?” Julia asked. “Or will I live with you?”
A long hesitation served as her answer. “I don’t think that would—”
“Work out,” Julia said, with a smirk. “I know. So, why can’t I stay with Grace and Sarah?”
“Because you can’t. It’s best for everyone if we make a clean break.”
“Best for you anyway.”
A vessel flexed in his temple. “I said that’s enough, Julia. It’s been decided.”
Julia had never understood her father’s insistence on making a clean break. Until today. Now that she knew the subtext surrounding his sudden decision to leave she could even appreciate how, in his own way, he’d tried to protect Grace and Sarah. She didn’t doubt Sylvia Vining would have made good on her threat to tell everyone about the affair. In leaving he’d spared Grace and Sarah that humiliation at least.
Julia looked out the window of the bedroom that had once been her sanctuary. The morning was dark and dreary with heavy clouds promising storms. Seemed even the heavens were in mourning.
If things didn’t look brighter in the daylight, they were clearer. At least Julia’s resolve was clear, which was why her bags were packed and sitting by the door. She’d been so stupid. Fooling herself into thinking her past with this family didn’t matter and that the specter of her father wouldn’t taint any relationship she had with them now.
Seeing Grace’s face yesterday had proven what a foolish hope that had been. Seth had said it. The only way Grace could heal was to put Thomas Richardson out of her mind, and there was no way she could do that with a living reminder right under her nose.
Amy was right, too. The news of Sylvia Vining’s betrayal would be all over town soon, if it wasn’t already. Everyone would know why Julia’s father had left, and her presence would enflame the firestorm. Plus, she didn’t like to think of the disapproval Seth would face when people learned about them. He might not care if he lost his position, but she did.
So, a clean break it would be.
As Julia shut the last bag, a gentle tap sounded at her door.
A moment later, Grace appeared. “Julia, I’ve made—” Her eyes fell on the suitcases. “What are you doing?”
“It’s time I went back where I belong.”
The door swung open wide. “You belong here.”
“Where I can be a constant reminder of what my father did? How can you even look at me and not feel the sting every time?”
“I was overwhelmed yesterday,” Grace said, hands fluttering. “We all were.”
Not exactly an answer to the question.
“Honey, no one blames you for what your father did,” Grace said. “I certainly don’t. I just have to pray I can learn to forgive him. For my sake, I have to.”
“You can’t do that if I’m here. Even you aren’t that much of a saint. It’s best for everyone if I go.”
“What about Seth? Is it best for him, when you were only starting to discover what you could have?”
Despair threatened to drown her. “That was another foolish dream,” Julia said.
“It’s never foolish to love.”
“It feels that way.”
Grace’s eyes filled with tears. “Julia, please don’t go.”
“I have to.”
“No, you don’t have to run away.”
Julia couldn’t take tears anymore. “This is for the best,” she said, kissing Grace’s cheek.
Before Grace could respond, Julia slipped out of the room.
“Where are you going?”
“Out.”
“Julia.”
Julia kept going. She pushed through the screen door and stood on the porch, her lungs burning with regret and shame. She couldn’t even process where to go. After a few deep breaths her gaze fell on Seth’s apartment.
Without thinking, her footsteps took her up the narrow stairs. The knob turned easily, and the door swung open. Julia flashed back to the first time she’d come up here. The quilt caught her eye, and she drifted toward across the room. No one would ever make a quilt like this for her.
She spotted the framed picture on the dresser, and walked over. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be the one he needed,” Julia said, tracing the image of the pretty blonde woman.
There was a Bible open next to the picture. Words swam through a veil of tears.
“For I have plans for you. Plans to make you prosper and…”
She flipped the page.
“I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me.”
Another page.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not die, but have everlasting life.”
Julia picked up the worn, leather-bound book and kept reading. Exactly when the tears streaming down her cheeks turned to something more profound than sadness, she didn’t know. Many of the verses were familiar, but for the first time they were more than words. They filled spaces she hadn’t even realized were empty.
“Ask and you shall receive. Seek and you shall find. Knock and the door shall be opened.”
With a racing heart, she closed her eyes. “God, I don’t know why you would even want me in heaven for all eternity. I’m sarcastic, cynical, and hardheaded. I’ll probably drive you crazy. I thought I was fine on my own. I didn’t need anyone, certainly not you. I was wrong. I’m a mess on my own. I’m probably not doing this right, but I need your love and your forgiveness, so I’m asking for it.”
Taking a deep breath, Julia waited. If she’d expected a heavenly acknowledgment, like a crack of thunder or angelic chorus, it didn’t come. A profound sense of peace flooded though her anyway.
“God, if I could ask one thing, then I’ll leave you alone,” she continued. “Please be with Seth and help him understand why I have to go. He’s such a wonderful, loving man, and he deserves happiness. I don’t know why you would offer us a glimpse of something amazing, only to yank it away, but I guess you have plans. Please help him accept this, and please bring him the perfect wife. Amen.”
“He already did.”
Julia’s startled scream echoed through the small apartment.
Seth held up his hands. “Whoa. Sorry.”
“You have got to stop doing that,” Julia said, putting a hand to her chest. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough.” He stepped closer. “I guess you missed what I said, since you were too busy screaming.”
A flicker of impossible hope rose up in her as he approached. “I may have. Run it by me again.”
“You were praying that God would bring me the perfect wife, and I answered that He already had. He brought you. As for understanding and accepting why you have to leave, that will never happen.”
“Seth, I wish I could believe it would work,” Julia said, dropping to the bed.
“You could believe in me,” Seth said, kneeling in front of her. “You could believe that I love everything about you, even the things that are messy and painful. That we can get through anything if we put God first and trust Him to guide us.”
“What about Grace? I can’t stay if my presence is going to be a constant reminder of my father’s betrayal.”
“Why don’t you ask me why I’m here?”
“Okay, why are you here?”
“Because Grace called me in a panic. Said I needed to find you before it was too late.”
“She did?”
He nodded. “Does that sound like a woman who wants you gone from her life?”
Julia laced her fingers through his. “Do you think we can make it?”
“Not if you keep running. I can’t promise what the future will bring. Only God knows that. All I can tell you, is that I knew my life was going to change the first time I saw you on that softball field.�
�
Something in her heart shifted. “Music.”
“Hmm?” he said, eyes crinkling in confusion.
“Like in a movie. The first time the star-crossed couple meets. There are always strings and drums.”
A startled expression passed behind his eyes, and then he chuckled. “I would have described it as a symphony.”
“You heard it, too?”
“Yeah. About knocked me on my butt. Prickly, bitter, keep-your-distance, Julia Richardson.”
The description rankled. “Prickly? Bitter? Is that how you saw me?”
“I’d much rather talk about how I see you now,” Seth said. “And I’d like to know what you think this moment would garner on our soundtrack.”
The faint hope turned to a blazing sense of certainty, and Julia pulled her hand away, but only so she could draw him closer. “I’m thinking a choir, some brass, and the Hallelujah Chorus.”
“Amen,” Seth said before lowering his head.
The End
About the Author
Growing up Kristin devoured books like bags of Dove Dark Chocolate. Her first Golden Book led to Laura Ingalls Wilder, Nancy Drew, Encyclopedia Brown, C.S. Lewis and the Sweet Valley High series. Later, she discovered romance novels and fell in love all over again. It’s no surprise then that Kristin would one day try her hand at writing them. She writes inspirational romance and women’s fiction filled with love, laughter and a leap of faith. When she’s not writing her next novel, Kristin works as an advertising copywriter. She also enjoys singing in the church choir and worship team and playing flute in a community orchestra.
You can connect with Kristin at www.KristinWallaceAuthor.com on Facebook:
facebook.com/KristinWallaceAuthor
and Twitter:
@KWallaceAuthor
Also From Astraea Press
Chapter One
Arial Oakley gazed up into the dreamy, olive-green eyes of super Hollywood hunk, Bryce Valentine. Those eyes sparkled with a unique light as he gazed back into her bright baby blues. His strong arms were holding her shoulders tenderly, and his sandy blond hair was gelled playfully at the bangs, giving him a small touch of bad boy flair. The way he filled out the tight black T-shirt he wore was absolutely divine. He looked back at her with the softness of a man in love.
Unfortunately for her, it was all an act for the part he played. On their television show, Three Wishes, his character, the dark and troubled Kevin, thought she was the love of his life. Well, not her, but her character Veronica.
The drama of the show couldn't be any further from the truth. Not only was Bryce the nicest guy on the planet, but he was practically married to their co-star Katie Daniels. Hollywood's perfect couple — sort of. When it came to all of the glamorous red carpet events, the two were inseparable in an almost sickening kind of way. Behind the scenes, however, was another story. As far as Arial knew, everything was fine between them, but things were far from being perfect. The couple fought more openly on set, and Katie no longer gave him small bits of affection between set time. In fact, they hardly spent any time together outside of the scenes where they had to interact.
The tabloids loved to try and paint all kinds of crazy love triangles involving the cast of the show. In the end, it all amounted to a bunch of ungrounded rumors. Arial may have admired Bryce in secret for the past nine years, but it was clear he only had eyes for Katie, despite whatever bumps were in their relationship.
“I mean it this time, Veronica. I'm staying, forever,” he said. His face leaned in toward hers, and they shared a kiss. Arial caught the slight taste of his minty breath, and the smile she wore when she pulled away from him was genuine.
Once more her gaze met his. “You told me you didn't believe in happily ever after.”
“Someone changed my mind,” he said into her ear.
“And cut!” the director called out.
Bryce lingered against her for a moment, his nose in her hair. For those brief few seconds, she savored the feeling of his warm embrace around her. She didn't know the next time she would get the chance to be in it.
The director climbed off of his chair and joined them on the set floor. He shook each of their hands. “Thank you for the past nine years. It's been a pleasure to work with you. I wish you the best in all of your future endeavors.”
“Thank you,” Arial said softly, trying to fight the tears that were pooling in her eyes. She sucked in a deep breath. “I'm going to go back to my trailer and pack up the rest of my stuff. They still want us gone by the end of the day, right?”
Bryce let out a heavy sigh. “Security wants us off the lot in three hours. Come on, I'll walk you back.”
“Always the gentleman,” she teased. “Yes, you can escort me back to my trailer. But don't think this is going to be the last time you see me. You can't get away from me that easily. In fact, I think you're stuck with me for the rest of your life. I hope you don't mind.”
He always walked her back, insisting he had to make sure she stayed safe despite the plethora of security guards around the lot. She wouldn't trade those walks for the world, though. It saddened her to think this would be the last one.
Together, the two left the set and stepped out into the warm California sunshine. The weather was perfect, as usual. Only a few small tufts of clouds were in the otherwise blue sky. It was a little on the hot side, given that it was the middle of the afternoon. They'd started shooting their last handful of scenes for the show early in the morning. There were about five more left to do, but none of them involved her or Bryce.
“I wouldn't dream of having a life without you,” he said and gave her a half smile. How was it that he always knew the perfect thing to say even without a script? And that half-smile of his was just as sexy and swoon-worthy as the whole thing.
Arial rubbed his arm. “I'll get to see you at the wrap party tonight. You and Katie are coming, yeah? She mentioned possibly not being there, and my heart died a little inside. It won't be the same if you don't at least make an appearance.” She'd only been teasing him, but she noticed the muscles of his arm tense under her grip. While she would have loved to admire their developed form, she knew he wasn't doing it for a good reason. “What's wrong?”
His smile widened, but she could see that it was his more polished and fake version of the gesture. The smile he gave all of the paparazzi whenever they harassed him, or offered the teenage fans who got a little too frisky with their hands at meet and greets. Arial never wanted to be on the receiving end of that smile, and now she was.
“Katie broke up with me two weeks ago,” he said, so casually she had a hard time processing his words.
“What do you mean she broke up with you two weeks ago? Why didn't you say something about it sooner?” she asked, brow furrowed. When he only shrugged, she pressed deeper. “Don't tell me it's not a big deal, because it is. You've been together since we started producing this show. Weren't you the one who always told me you were each other's first loves? What happened?”
He stopped walking and stared at her, his gaze piercing. “People grow apart. I don't want to talk about it right now. That's why I didn't tell you. I wasn't ready to mention it, and I'm still not. There are only so many days left until it breaks to the public, and you know there's going to be a crazy media storm once it does. I need to be ready. We all will. The tabloids are brutal.”
Arial's frown deepened, her heart aching as she listened to him. Just like Bryce, trying to be strong when it's okay for him to fall apart, she thought. “If there's anything I can do, let me know. And please be sure to come to the party tonight. I think it would be good for you.”
“I'll think about it.” He paused to lick his lips. “She's not going because of some other work commitment. You know, that big movie she's filming in Hawaii soon. She had a flight to catch this morning, which is why all of her scenes got moved to earlier in the week.” Another pause. “I do want to go. So much of my life has been this show. It would be wrong
not to.”
“Very wrong, so make sure you show up and we'll have an awesome time together. I promise.” She stopped walking when they arrived at her trailer.
Bryce did as well. He looked up at her door. “Thanks for letting me bring you back one last time. I'll see you later.”
Before she could reply, he continued down the back lot alley with his hands shoved inside his pockets. Arial's heart only broke more at the sight. She unlocked her trailer door and went inside. The emptiness of it unsettled her. Earlier in the week she'd made sure to move everything out except for the bare essentials. All of her homey touches were in a box, sitting on her apartment floor waiting to be put away.
With a heavy sigh, she sat down in front of her vanity, staring back into the eyes of her own reflection at a girl she barely recognized. Though her blue eyes were dimmed with tears, they still maintained their innocent sparkle. Her curly dark hair was pulled back into a sultry messy bun. Then, of course, there was the navy blue button-down that was not only tight against her hourglass curves but also barely contained her breasts. Veronica was not a sweet character. The critics always marveled at how someone who was so naïve and innocent to the ways of the world could play someone so cold and jaded. Especially since Veronica was an experienced girl in the ways of relationships, whereas Arial had yet to go past the hand-holding stage with any of her boyfriends. Most of them had been long-distance. Work would call one, or both, of them away, and by the time they were with each other physically again, one of them, usually the guy, would have moved on.
There had been a number of on-screen kisses, of course. When it came to work, she'd kissed over half of young Hollywood's finest studs. But she was probably the only twenty-three-year-old virgin in the business. This was partly by choice, because she didn't want to give herself away to just anyone, and part pure bad luck. Deep down inside of her, Arial still dreamed of having a true white wedding. What could possibly be more romantic than having her first intimate moment be with the man she'd spend the rest of her life with?
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