Page 1 of The Lake House (Southern Charm #2)

Chapter One

Julie Brown stared at the laptop screen and blinked.

She couldn’t focus, and that wasn’t like her.

She’d studied for years to get into the Psychology PhD program at the University of Georgia.

It was her dream. At least, it had been until two months ago.

In June, she’d learned a secret about her family that had turned her life upside down.

On the outside, she was still living the same way she had been.

But on the inside, everything was different.

It was as though she didn’t know herself any longer.

Who was she? Where was she from? All these questions buzzed around inside her, and even though she now knew the answers, it didn’t quiet the discontent that had crept in and taken residence in her innermost parts.

With a sigh, she slammed the laptop shut and walked out the door, careful to push her dorm room key into her shorts pocket.

Then she skipped down the stairs to the foyer.

There were rows of mailboxes set into the far wall.

She hurried over to them and dug her mailbox key out of her pocket.

It shared a key ring with the dorm key. They both dangled next to her car keys against a backdrop of Betty Boop.

It was something her mother had given her years earlier and she’d never had the heart to get rid of it, even if it didn’t suit her personality or style.

It meant the world to her. After her mother died, everything related to her meant the world to Julie.

She couldn’t cling on to it hard enough, or hold fast enough, or remember clearly enough—that time in her life was a blur of loss, pain, sorrow and anger.

She caught sight of her reflection in the silver surface of the mailboxes. Her long brown hair was parted in the middle and her black-rimmed glasses made her look earnest. She pushed her hair behind her shoulders and reached for the mail.

There were a few flyers and an envelope with the university seal on it, no doubt her latest fees statement. She was closing the mailbox door again when a familiar voice spoke up.

“Hey, Julie. Haven’t seen you lately.”

Her ex-boyfriend, Zane, lounged against the mailboxes and casually crossed one foot over the other with a lazy smile. “How’ve ya been?”

Zane lived in the building. It was how they met. But so far she’d managed to avoid running into him too often since their break up. She did her best to smile back. “Hi, Zane. I’m well. And you?”

“Pretty good. You weren’t at the party last night. It was off the hook.”

Julie knew it was off the hook —she’d heard it from a block away.

“Sounds like you had a great time. I was a bit tired.” That, plus she was twenty-five years old, soon to be twenty-six.

Off-the-hook parties were not really on her list of priorities these days.

That’s what she got for dating a man four years younger than herself.

“You’re a senior now. Planning on studying anytime soon? ”

He laughed. “You haven’t changed.”

“No, I haven’t.”

“How’s your PhD coming?”

“It’s okay. I’m stuck right now. Finding it hard to focus, what with all the parties going on. I’m planning on moving out of the dorms and finding an apartment somewhere in Athens as soon as I can locate one in my price range.” Julie flipped through her mail.

“That makes sense, I guess. Why don’t you just take some time off?”

“I couldn’t do that.”

“Well, it’s somethin’ to think about. See you around,” he said, waving goodbye.

As she walked slowly back up the stairs to her dorm room, Julie realised to her surprise that Zane had a point.

In theory, she could take time off. There was no reason why not.

She’d never actually done it before, had always been focused on getting through her studies as quickly as she could manage.

She was a good student — always the first to class, always had her assignments done on time.

She’d never considered taking a break from her studies.

But, there was a first time for everything.

It was strange to see him. They’d broken up about six months ago, and at the time she’d been heartbroken.

In a way. It wasn’t that she’d loved him, but she’d loved who she was through his eyes.

The way he adored her. And he was so handsome, cool and fun.

She’d never thought a man like that would be interested in her.

But he had been. And he’d wanted to keep things going, but he wasn’t ready for anything serious.

He liked to go to parties and to pull pranks on his frat buddies.

His idea of a good time was to drink beer at the Mellow Mushroom pizza parlour until he was blind drunk.

Then he and his friends would run through the streets of Athens daring each other to do stupid things while she trailed behind, hoping they didn’t get hurt and wondering how on earth she got there.

When it was the two of them alone, he was thoughtful, kind and intelligent.

But so much of his life revolved around his fraternity that those times became more and more rare until finally, she couldn’t do it any longer.

The breakup seemed like a decade ago now.

After all she’d been through since then—all the tumult, the revelations about her family, Aunt Rita’s illness—she felt as though she’d been through the wringer and had struggled to sleep soundly most nights.

That now showed up as dark smudges beneath her eyes and a haggard kind of look that scared her when she glanced in the mirror, so mostly she tried to avoid anything that showed her reflection these days.

Instead, she chose to hurry through life, lost in thought, hoping that soon she’d manage to get some words written for her thesis, or perhaps a full night of sleep that evening.

She could take time off. Why hadn’t she thought of that before?

She’d always been so invested in her future.

Everything in her life had been geared towards this—her potential career.

Could she step aside? Even as the thought filtered through her mind, she knew she had to do it.

She was burned out. Had nothing left to give.

She’d take some time off. Her supervisor wouldn’t mind—she knew what Julie had been going through.

Back in the dorm room, she quickly packed up the rest of her things.

She’d already begun packing boxes the previous week, determined to move into an apartment as soon as she could find an affordable one.

She’d call the movers and have them take her things to storage, and then she’d go home.

She sighed, relief washing over her. It was time.

She was ready. The only thing she could think to do now was to spend some time at the lake house with Aunt Rita.

On the drive home, Julie listened to music and tried to relax.

It’d been three days since she made the decision to leave the University of Georgia campus, and she’d spent that time frantically packing the remainder of her things, giving notice to the RA in her dormitory, talking with her supervisor about a hiatus on her studies, and spreading the word throughout her acquaintances.

It didn’t take her long to realise she’d failed to make any decent friendships during her time there.

Most of the undergrads she’d socialised with had moved away right after graduation and she’d lost contact with them, and the post-grad students kept mostly to themselves.

It was depressing to admit she hadn’t had a decent friendship since senior year three years ago.

She’d kept so busy with her studies, boyfriends or dates that she hadn’t thought much about it.

Now that she was single again, she suddenly saw with new clarity how lonely she was.

She didn’t have time to stop in at the lake house. Aunt Rita had called the previous night to ask if she’d pick her up from Piedmont Hospital after a chemotherapy treatment, so that’s where she headed first.

The Piedmont Cancer Institute had become familiar to her in recent weeks, since she’d accompanied Aunt Rita there a few times. She hurried through the carpeted waiting area and found her aunt in one of the treatment rooms, still receiving chemotherapy.

Rita looked wiped out. Her face was pale, and she lay back on the recliner with her eyes shut. Julie bent to kiss her forehead and grasped her hand to squeeze it. Aunt Rita’s eyes flew open, and she smiled wide.

“There you are, honey. I thought you’d be gettin’ here soon. I’ve missed you.” She reached up to pinch Julie’s cheeks.

Julie laughed. “Ouch. You always do that.”

“And I always will.” Aunt Rita grinned, a little colour returning to her face. “You have the most pinchable cheeks. Have ever since the day you were born.”

“Do you think I have time to go to the restroom?” Julie asked.

Aunt Rita glanced at her watch. “I’ll be here for at least another half hour.”

“Do you mind if I go now? I’ve been fit to burst for about an hour.”

“You go on, honey. I’ll be here waiting.”

Julie bustled down the hallway in search of a restroom.

She found one and did her business, then ducked out into the hall again and stood looking right and left for a few seconds.

The hallway was nondescript, with automatic glass doors whichever way she went.

She spun to face the restroom, then tried to remember which way she’d turned to get there.

Hmmm… left, perhaps. So that meant she should leave by turning right.

She should’ve paid more attention, but she was so focused on relieving her screaming bladder that she hadn’t taken in her surroundings.

She strode towards the doors. They flew open, and she walked into a waiting room decorated in muted blues and reds.

No, this definitely wasn’t right. She didn’t remember anything that looked like this.

She spun on her heel to go back in the other direction and collided with a man in a white coat.

His stethoscope knocked her in the nose.

“Whoops! I’m so sorry.” She took a step back as he reached for her shoulders with both hands to steady her.

“Are you okay?” His deep voice sounded kind and soothing.

She looked up to smile in apology and then gaped. “Jamie?”

She recognised him immediately. She’d known him when she was a child.

He’d stayed with her and her mother for almost a year when his parents were going through a divorce.

He was fifteen at the time, and she was twelve.

He’d been like a brother to her, but they’d lost contact when he moved back in with his mother at her new place in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

It’d been over a decade since she’d seen him.

He studied her with a half smile on his face. He didn’t recognise her, she could tell, but he was scrambling to figure out who she was. She’d changed a lot from the shy twelve-year-old girl he’d known.

“I go by James now… good to see you again…"

“Julie Brown…” she reminded him.

His blue eyes widened. “Julie? Wow. You’ve grown up. It’s been a long time.”

“You work here?”

He nodded. “That’s right. I’ve been at this hospital for about twelve months. I like it here. And what about you? Are you still living in the area?”

“I was at UGA but I’m home again now, staying with Aunt Rita for a while.”

“That’s great. Listen, I’ve got to keep moving. Patients to see. But I’m glad we ran into each other. I hope I see you again.”

She waved goodbye and watched him walk away.

He looked handsome in his scrubs and white coat.

His sandy blond hair was a little mussed where he’d no doubt run his fingers through it, and he walked with an air of confidence and urgency.

He strode along the hall and then disappeared through a doorway.

She stayed where she was, feeling a little shaken.

The last time she’d seen him, she was with her mother.

They’d stood in the front yard, waving goodbye as he drove away.

He’d turned at the last minute to look out through the passenger window and raised a hand, his gaze fixing on Julie.

He’d seemed sad to be leaving, although she knew he was excited to be back with his mother again, even if her life was weighed down by chaos and conflict.

With a sigh, Julie continued on her way and found Rita again without too much trouble. The halls all looked the same, but it didn’t take her long to finally spot a vending machine she’d passed by earlier.

“There you are,” Rita said. “I was beginning to think I’d have to send out a search party.”

Julie laughed. “I’m here. No need for a search party.”