Page 77 of Betrayal of a Billionaire

“Yeah,” she said with a nod, her eyes trained on the floor.

“Grab your tea. Let’s take a walk.”

She considered declining, but she wanted the distraction. She raised a finger in the air before she slipped from under his arm and hurried back to her seat, grabbing what remained of her tea. He wrapped an arm around her again as they strolled from the cafe.

“What’s on your mind, sweetheart?” Charles asked as they strolled through town.

“Nothing,” she answered with a shrug.

He chuckled at her. “We both know that’s not true. Is it that bad?”

She sucked in a breath, allowing his comforting tone to soothe her. But it made her want to cry all over again. “Maybe.”

“Aw, honey, I bet it’s not.”

“I made a huge mess of things,” she said, a sob escaping her.

He squeezed her shoulder. “I doubt that, Juju.”

Her features twisted as she fought the urge to cry, preferring not to sob her way through town. He guided her to a quiet bench in the park at the center of town. Leaves rustled overhead as she tried to keep her emotions in check. The cooler air, indicative of a storm blowing in, sent a shiver up her spine. It mirrored the storm in her heart.

“What’s wrong, Julia? Is it this guy? Are you having second thoughts?”

“Second thoughts? I’m having ninth and tenth thoughts at this point about everyone and everything.”

“You always were too thoughtful.”

She puffed out a laugh through her tears. “Is there such a thing?”

“Yes,” he said. “And I’d bet if you just let yourself breathe, you’d know the answer.”

Julia wiped at a tear that clung to her chin. “What if I make the wrong choice, Chief?”

“Impossible.”

“Are you sure?”

He smiled at her, sliding his thumb across her cheek to wipe away a tear. “Yes, I am.”

She blew out a breath, balancing her elbows on her knees. “No matter what I do, someone’s going to get hurt.”

“And what about you, Julia?” He rubbed a hand along her back.

She snapped a confused glance at him. “What do you mean?”

“You’ve got a stake in this, too. Why are you acting like this decision involves everyone but you?”

She shook her head as she patted her palms together. “I’m not. But I don’t know what to do, Chief. I really don’t.”

“You do what your heart says, Juju.”

“My heart is…pretty awful at making decisions.”

“No, it isn’t, sweetheart. It’s always been pretty good at making decisions. Have faith in yourself. You’ll make the right choice for you.” He rose and kissed the top of her head. “And on the off chance you don’t…you’ll fix it. Everything can be fixed, Juju. Everything.”

She pressed her lips together as she sniffled before she reached for his hand. “Thanks, Chief.”

He studied her for a minute. “I think you already know the answer. Maybe you don’t want to face it. Maybe you’re scared to face it because it’s not easy. But I think you know the answer.”