doing?” Julian asked as he watched Clara speak to her father. Noel stood by, smiling and listening, his hand never leaving his wife.
“A wreck. Just don’t tell Clara. If she knew, then she’d feel terrible. But Liam knew what he was walking into when he started dating her,” Ally revealed with a sad tone in her voice. “You look familiar. Have we met?”
He gave her a smile as she tried to figure it out. She was pretty and sweet, but he didn’t want her. A friend? That they could be. He decided that if Tara were going to have her way and have him return to Sydney, at least he’d have Allison O’Connor. In some strange way, he felt like they had a connection.
“Did you go to that Rockfield benefit last year?”
Julian shook his head. As he was about to answer, he felt a hand on his shoulder.
“Dad wants to talk to you.”
Ally quickly looked away and Julian could see her cheeks turn a lovely shade of red. Julian faced his brother and then raised his brow. Rob didn’t acknowledge Ally and that annoyed him. No woman deserved to be ignored the way Rob was ignoring Ally. She may be a Sydney socialite, but she was different.
“Did you hear me? Dad wants to talk to you,” Rob said with more force in his voice.
“Yeah, I heard you. It was lovely meeting you, Allison. Save me a dance?” Julian asked with a grin.
Ally turned and smiled sweetly at him. “Sure.”
Rob dragged Julian away and towards their father, who was speaking with Louise, Noel’s mother.
“You know, you can be such an asshole,” Julian pointed out, shrugging Rob’s hand away.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m the bad guy. Whatever.”
The moment they approached their father and his proud grin, Julian dropped his scolding. Rob had his way with people. He was never open and warm. Instead, he was brute and cold. His attitude around Ally was typical Rob. But his attitude around Stephanie, that was something Julian had never seen before.
“My boy,” their father said to Julian as his arms wrapped around him. “Good to have you home, son.”
“It’s good to be home,” Julian replied honestly, as he stepped out of his father’s arms.
“Mrs Parker, you look as beautiful as always,” Julian acknowledged. She smiled brightly as her vibrant green eyes shimmered.
“Thank you, Julian. Good to have you home on such a joyous occasion,” Louise said and kissed his cheek.
“Wouldn’t miss this for the world. Noel would be the one to kill me. You saw how protective he is over her? Whipped!” Julian playfully shook his head.
Louise gazed over at her youngest son. “I’m proud of him. I wasn’t sure if he’d settle down after what they went through. Scared he wasn’t going to find love again. You should see it. He worships the ground she walks on. He’s like his father. Loves with everything that’s in him or not at all. Oh, excuse me,” Louise said, pointing at her husband who was calling her over.
Julian couldn’t help but scan the room as he tried to find Stephanie. Maybe he shouldn’t have left her, but he needed to make an impression, just like last time. She was different from the girl he had met on the beach, and he was determined to get to know her.
“You really staying this time, son?” he heard his father ask. Julian spun around and set a hand on his shoulder, smiling. He’d found his reason to stay. Though Tara had taken his promotion away, he still had the offer at Rogers & Co. If they delivered the promises they offered to his liking, then Julian would be stupid to turn down such an offer. He was done with Sydney and had been for a long time. It was time to start anew and finding Stephanie had been that fresh road he needed.
“Yeah, Dad. Can’t let you age without me seeing it happen.” Julian laughed. His father had tensed under his touch before a smile and then a laugh escaped him.
Rob cleared his throat. “You want to come and live with me until you find a place?”
Julian turned and eyed his brother, surprised by the offer. He caught a glimpse of Max’s back from the corner of his eye and knew of his decision. Julian removed his hand from his father’s shoulder and shook his head at his brother.
“I might stay with Max if he lets me. No offence, Rob. But I don’t think he’s okay. Plus all my crap is in