Clara reached over and grabbed Stevie’s hand. She squeezed it once then said, “When you’re ready to.”
Stevie gave her a tight smile. “I will,” she promised.
Clara’s smile developed into a full grin. “Come on; let’s go have some champagne. I want to have one final great night before I leave for my honeymoon tomorrow.”
“Okay.” Stevie got up from the chair and sighed. “But I have to apologise to Rob first.”
Clara stood up and then tucked a lock of her brunette hair behind her ear. “He left with Ally somewhere. She barely made it into the apartment before he ushered her out.”
Good for you, Rob.
“And Julian?” she asked in a shaky voice.
Clara looped her arm with Stevie’s. “Not here. I’m not sure if he’s coming over at all. Looks like you can breathe for the night.”
Disappointment now infected her body. Like a virus, it conquered and controlled. The belief that she should feel liberated quickly thinned. The missing him part of her began to sweep her veins.
Without him, maybe tonight I’ll be able to find a way to breathe again.
A knock on the bedroom door had Stevie opening her eyes. When she reached over and picked up her phone, she noted that it was 12:23 a.m. Then she set it back on the bedside table and rested her head back on the pillow. Her eyelids began to flutter close when she heard the knock again.
With a heavy sigh, Stevie pushed the thin covers off her and crawled out of bed. Rubbing her eyes, she made her way to the door. Once she’d reached it, she held onto the knob for a long second before she twisted it and pulled the door open.
“Hi,” Julian greeted in a soft voice.
One word.
That was all it took. One word and air fed her lungs with the sweetest relief she had ever known. Life bled through her. Breathing came naturally to her. The secrets she kept, however, inflamed within her. So many emotions and feelings collided. It was like a slow burn across her heart. Amazing to feel at first until it burned through several layers of flesh. Then it was a form of torture.
“Hi,” she repeated in the same low voice.
“I know it’s late,” he said nervously.
Stevie adjusted her focus to see that he was still in his suit, and his tie had loosened. Then her gaze met his face to see the exhaustion in his eyes.
She smiled and she knew in her sleepy state that it was a lazy grin. “It is.”
“I was working and I didn’t think you’d want to see me,” Julian explained. Then his body swayed to the left and settled on the wood of the doorframe.
“You’re right. I don’t really want to see you. You confuse me,” she admitted.
His blink had been slow. She knew her words hurt him. She wished they hadn’t. But they were nothing compared to her secrets.
“I can go. Noel let me in.”
The smile he offered was apologetic and sweet. Combined with him leaning against her doorframe, it was quite the beautiful sight. He had always been beautiful. More so now than when she had first met him at eighteen.
Stevie shuffled forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. Then she pressed her ear against his chest and felt him wince. His heartbeat was as strong as she remembered. So were his arms. Because, in them, she had found a safe haven. One that she had known for four years. Julian rested his chin on her head and she loved the feeling of familiarity that filled her.
“He shouldn’t have done that,” she mumbled and then closed her eyes, relishing the feel of his arms around her.
“I have to disagree. But if you don’t want Clara to see us, I better leave.” Julian had squeezed her once before his lips replaced his chin’s place on the top of her head.
“Come to bed, Julian. Take advantage of the fact that I’m not sure if I’m asleep right now.”
His hands dug into her hair and pulled her back so that their eyes met. “Dream of me often, Blondie?” he asked in a hoarse whisper.
She squinted at him. “Don’t even try to flatter yourself.”
His soft chuckle caused the clench of her heart. It wasn’t painful. It was more like a realisation grip. The kind that reminded her that she had once fallen in love with the way he laughed. The smoothest, most soul-calming sound she had ever known. Like that childhood melody one fell in love with all over again