his way to him.
“Well, if it isn’t the son of a bitch with it all,” Julian said as he approached the table Dean had claimed.
After they had hugged, Dean chuckled and returned to his chair. Julian had taken the seat opposite him as he stared at one of his oldest friends. Besides Dean’s now short blonde hair, he hadn’t aged. Same blue eyes and same facial structure. The only thing that was gone was his surfer look. Instead, he looked grown up; but working for his father’s real estate empire meant having to.
“What the hell are you doing back in Melbourne?” Dean asked, holding his pint of beer.
“Got tired of Sydney. My best mate got married last week,” Julian answered.
“How was it?”
Julian shrugged out of his jacket and placed it in the free chair next to him. “Bastard married well. His wife is every guy’s dream. He didn’t even like her when we were growing up.”
Dean had downed the rest of his pint before he set it on the table. “Why didn’t you go for her then?”
“Because I like my balls where they are and functioning. His wife is our other best friend’s little sister. No matter how hot Clara is, I ain’t sacrificing my greatest bits. How are you and Willa doing?”
The smile on Dean’s face was priceless. He loved his girlfriend; it was written all over his face. Before he spoke, Dean raised his two fingers in the air and ordered them their beers. Then he shrugged.
“What’s that shrug for?” Julian asked with a smile. “And why isn’t she here?”
It wasn’t long before a waitress was by their table with their drinks. When she set them down, Julian picked his up and raised his brow for Dean to continue.
“She says she’s too fat to come see you,” Dean answered.
Julian rolled his eyes. “And how is she looking?”
“Pregnant. But beautiful.” Dean blinked at Julian several times then he said, “You seem different.”
Straightening his spine, Julian squared his shoulders and grinned at him. “I’m more beautiful than you last remember?”
Dean playfully shook his head. “Still the confident bastard, I see. But seriously.”
I better tell him about Stephanie.
Julian sighed and traced his finger around the rim of the glass. “I found her,” he stated softly as he kept his eyes on the amber like liquid.
“Oh, you met someone?”
Julian lifted his stare to meet Dean’s curious one. “No. I found her.”
Dean’s eyes widened. “Her… you mean?”
A sad smile touched Julian’s lips. “I found Stephanie, Dean.”
“And you’re both living happily ever after?” he asked, hopeful.
Julian didn’t answer straight away. Instead, he picked up his beer and finished it off in one pull. “It’s complicated,” he stated once he placed the empty glass down.
“Seriously?”
“She was involved with Rob recently.”
“Wait. Your brother, Rob?”
“My brother,” Julian confirmed.
“Holy shit,” Dean breathed. “Where’s she been? It was a misunderstanding about her leaving, right?”
Julian let out an unbelievable chuckle. “Here. She’s been here in Melbourne all this time. If I had just stayed, then I would have found her. She wouldn’t have been with Rob or that other guy. It would have just been me.” He clenched his fists tight. If he hadn’t moved to Sydney, then things would have been so different.
“I’m sorry, mate.”
He glanced at Dean and gave him a tight smile. “Not your fault. I guess we just weren’t meant to be. I don’t think she ever felt the same way.”
“You loved her,” Dean pointed out.
“I still do… and it seems like it’s pointless to continue.”
“Julian, don’t—”
Julian’s phone beeped as he got a new text message. Believing it was Rogers, he reached over and pulled it from his jacket pocket.
Clara: Hey, Julian, it’s Noel. Clara’s in the shower. She says come over when you can. Stevie’s not doing too well and she’s worried. She thinks you might help.
He frowned at Noel’s message. Something was definitely wrong with Stephanie. Leaping up from his seat, Julian picked up his jacket and slapped a twenty from his pocket down to pay for drinks.
“I gotta run, Dean. I’m sorry but—”
“Stephanie?” A worried gleam consumed Dean’s eye.
“Yeah.”
“All in?”
“Always. Tell Willa I want to see her pregnant ass soon!” he ordered before he ran out of the pub. Once he had made his way outside and slid inside a free taxi, Julian unlocked his phone and began to text Noel back.
Julian: I’m coming over right now. I gotta stop somewhere first. Don’t tell her that I’m on my way.
Clara: Clara just shouted ‘Okay’ from the shower. We’ll see you soon.
Julian: Put the