Page 58 of Betrayal of a Billionaire

“I actually have to cover a shift for a few hours,” Ethan said. “So, I’m heading out.”

“Oh, okay. Well, it was a nice evening with everyone.”

Alicia pulled her sister into an embrace, rubbing her back as she whispered, “Go see the boat.”

Her sister’s words didn’t feel like a suggestion, but a gentle push back toward a past she had left at the crossroads of her life.

Julia offered her a faltering smile as she stepped back. Emotions coursed through her, mixing nostalgia with anxiety and tenderness with a sense of loss.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” Alicia said. “We’ll talk soon.”

“I can drive you home if–”

“No, Ethan will drop me off. Good night, Julia.” She stepped closer and kissed her sister’s cheek. “Have fun.”

The teasing in her voice and the sparkle in her eye made Julia shake her head. They walked away as Alicia offered her a glance over her shoulder and a smile.

Luke offered her a demure smile. “So, did you want to see her?”

“Ahhh,” she said as she tried to sort through it in her mind. She felt guilty avoiding him. “Sure.”

His smile broadened as he held his hand out. She studied the outstretched fingers, old feelings rushing through her as she reached for his hand.

The warmth of his skin, so familiar and so comforting, took her by surprise. The cool night air rushed past her as they stepped through the back door, bringing another burst of memories of moonlit nights, starry skies, and the gentle rocking of the sailboat underneath them.

A distant seagull’s cry melded with the harbor bell, sounding like an ominous warning of the uncharted waters ahead.

Standing next to the sailboat, a wave of nostalgia washed over her. Each creak of the wood and lap of the water against the hull was a haunting melody of what had been. Her heart ached with a longing she couldn’t name, tethered between her past with Luke and the uncertain future with Grant.

“She’s still in great shape,” Luke said as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Sails like a dream.”

“I can’t believe you still have her,” Julia said with a smile as she studied the beautiful sailboat bearing her name.

“I’d never sell her, Julia.” A quiet moment, broken only by the harbor bell’s song, stretched between them. “Do you want to go aboard?”

She considered it. She did. And she didn’t. The world spun around her in a dizzying array. Her eyes turned glassy as she twisted to face him. “Luke–”

“Julia,” he said, taking a step closer to her, his hand caressing her cheek as he softened his voice.

“Julia?” another voice questioned.

She snapped her eyes in the direction of the voice, finding Grant, his posture stiff. “Grant!”

His arrival cut through the night like a burst of wind. His face, usually so composed, was etched with an unreadable mix of emotions. His gaze flicked from Julia to Luke, an unspoken storm brewing behind his eyes. “Everything okay here?”

She swiped at a tear that had fallen to her cheek as she nodded. “Yes.” She twisted to face Luke. “I need to go.”

He sucked in a breath to speak, but she didn’t give him the opportunity. She didn’t feel strong enough to discuss anything with him now. Instead, she muttered a thanks as she hurried to Grant. A glance over her shoulder made her heart ache, though. And she wondered how in the world she’d handle any of this when the time came.

CHAPTER 13

GRANT

Grant’s heart thumped harder with every step that Julia took away from him in the waning afternoon’s light. Julia’s sister had put him in an almost impossible situation, and he’d struggled not to insist they go or Julia stay with them.

At every turn, Alicia tainted her sister against him, and now she’d have the entire evening to fill her head with nonsense about how much better she’d be with Luke in Harbor Cove.

Maybe he should have gone with her, but her sister would have used that the first chance she got to paint him as controlling. A sentiment his son also shared. Kyle’s assessment was bad enough, but coming from her sister, it could ruin everything.