Page 17 of Betrayal of a Billionaire

Her heart ached as night began to fall. She tossed and turned, finally falling asleep for a few hours before the sun rose over the ocean. As light filtered in, she pulled the covers over her head. She had no desire to face the day.

A soft knock at her door made her push back the duvet. “Julia?” Grant’s voice called.

“Go away,” she said.

“Really?” he asked.

“Yes,” she answered, pulling the covers over her head again. “I’m staying in here for the entire vacation.”

“I’m coming in.” The door creaked open, and footsteps approached before the duvet slid down from her face. “Hi.”

“Hi,” she answered with a sigh.

“You can’t hide in here all week.”

“I can so,” she retorted. “The bed is comfortable enough.”

The mattress shifted under her as he perched on the edge of it. “Julia, it’s not that bad. We’ll work it out with your sister.”

She didn’t answer, her fingers twisting the duvet.

He grabbed her hand, squeezing it. “We’ve been through a lot worse than this.”

She flicked her gaze to him. They had dealt with a lot, none of which had her heart attached to them.

“Your sister can’t stay mad at you forever.”

She pressed her lips together as she rubbed a palm against her forehead. Her sister was only part of her worry. But she couldn’t tell him that.

“If you don’t get up, Sierra is going to drag you from this bed and force you to come with us. She’s rambling on and on about this boat tour she booked and the meal after it.”

Julia heaved a sigh. Maybe a boat tour wouldn’t be so bad. At least she wouldn’t be in town dealing with all her former friends. “Fine.”

He smiled at her, squeezing her hand again. “Good. This is supposed to be our vacation. It wouldn’t be a family vacation without you.”

“I think you could have handled it just fine.”

“But we don’t want to,” he answered. “Now, I’m going to report to Sierra that you’re on your way down. Don’t be too long, or she’ll be banging down your door.”

“I’ll be down in a minute.”

He nodded before he left her alone.

With bleary eyes, she rose, searched through the clothes someone else had packed for her, and dressed for the day.

She was pleased the day’s plans took her away from the small town of Harbor Cove instead of into the heart of it.

She wasn’t kidding when she said the entire town would soon know. Small towns like this one didn’t have secrets. She couldn’t imagine walking down the street and answering to every face from her past.

With a deep breath, she left the quiet solitude of her room behind and descended the stairs, finding the rest of the family already in the dining room.

“Thereyou are,” Sierra said after a sip of her orange juice. “I almost had to ask Kyle for a kidnapping plan.”

Kyle shook his head at her.

“No kidnapping plan needed,” she said as she slid into the seat next to Grant. “I’m here.”

“Feeling any better, Julia?” Kyle asked.