Page 10 of The Lake House (Southern Charm #2)

Chapter Ten

The sun had dropped towards the tree line during Julie’s walk around Jackson Lake.

She’d driven Rita to her appointment at the hospital earlier, and they’d just gotten home in time for Rita to have a lie down.

So, before she made dinner, Julie decided to take a walk.

She’d been walking daily since she moved into the lake house and found that it helped to calm her anxiety and to process all of the thoughts racing through her mind.

It was quiet, peaceful. Birds called. Occasionally a car crept by on the winding road, but otherwise, she was mostly alone.

And she liked it that way. It gave her a chance to let her thoughts wander.

But the danger in that was, inevitably questions rose to the surface like, What am I doing with my life?

Will I go back to my studies? Will I ever finish?

What if I don’t want to be a psychologist after all this work?

And when that happened, she had to push those thoughts aside and intentionally focus on the water lapping at the lake’s edge, or a trail of ducklings paddling behind their green-and-brown mother. Anything to stop the rising panic and the heart palpitations from worsening.

Her phone rang, and she tugged it from her pocket. The number wasn’t familiar. Maybe she should let it go to voicemail. But what if it was important? She answered, bracing herself to hang up on a spam caller. But instead, she heard a familiar voice.

“Hi, Julie. It’s James.”

A broad smile spread across her lips. “James, how’re you doing?”

“I’m well. And you?”

“I’m takin’ a stroll around the lake. It’s beautiful at this time of day.”

“That sounds nice. I’m finishing up my shift at the hospital, but I wanted to call and see if you’re free for dinner. I know it’s last minute, so I understand if you’re busy.”

She hadn’t expected that. In fact, the phone call had surprised her.

Even though she’d given him her phone number, she’d anticipated that he’d be far too busy to think about her, let alone call.

Seeing him again reminded her of how much she’d enjoyed that period of her life when he was a temporary part of their little family.

“That would be lovely. I don’t have any plans. ”

They arranged that he would pick her up, and she hurried back to the lake house to fix a quick meal for Rita, shower and change.

She wore a long green halter dress with the gold necklace Aunt Rita had given her at Christmas.

It had a gold heart strung on it, and already it was sentimental to Julie.

Everything felt sentimental these days. Her emotions were close to the surface.

She felt somewhat numb, but at the same time, any little thing brought tears to her eyes.

She wasn’t sure how this would go and was a little nervous about catching up with James again after all this time.

It was awkward enough at the hospital—now she had to make a conversation with him last through an entire meal.

What would they have in common other than that brief time they lived together?

And to be honest, most of that period was a bit of a blur to her these days.

She’d been pretty young and hadn’t paid too much attention to the gangly teenaged boy her mother took in other than to initially be annoyed by him and then to gradually realise he was kind of nice and she liked spending time with him.

But then he’d moved out. And, after a while, she only thought of him every now and then.

She’d wondered several times in recent years what had happened to him.

Rita was watching television when Julie came out, a cup of soup on the small table beside her armchair.

“I found my soup, thanks. You look pretty,” Rita said. “Going somewhere special?”

“James asked me to dinner.”

“James?”

“I mean, Dr Fuller.” Her cheeks warmed.

Rita smiled. “ My Dr Fuller?”

“Uh-huh. It’s not going to be weird, is it?” She wrung her hands together. “Because I can cancel if you’re uncomfortable.”

“Cancel? No, not a chance. I think it’s great. He’s a good man. And it’s about time you had some fun.”

A car pulled into the driveway, its tyres crackling on the gravel. The sun had dipped beyond the horizon now, so the headlights brightened the front yard.

“Have fun, honey!” Rita called as Julie dashed to the front door, her heart thudding.

James knocked and Julie opened the door immediately, surprising him. “Oh, hi. That was fast.”

She laughed. “I saw the car lights.” She shut the door behind her.

“Ready to go?”

She nodded. “Let’s go.”

He opened the car door for her, and she slid into the passenger seat.

Was this a date? It felt more like a date than a catch-up.

He was dressed in a buttoned shirt and nice jeans, with his hair combed neatly.

She was in a dress and heels. There was a definite tension in the air.

It seemed date-like. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that, although the buzz of excitement in her gut indicated she wasn’t against the idea.

It was strange to go on a date with a man who’d been like a brother to her at one point in her childhood, although that was a long time ago.

There was country music playing on the radio. She tapped her fingers on the seat beside her as he pulled the car back onto the street.

“Do you like country?” he asked.

She nodded. “I’m a Southerner. I don’t have much of a choice.”

He laughed. “I know what you mean.”

The restaurant he chose was a BBQ place she’d been wanting to try.

She’d driven past it a dozen times and read the sign.

The scents that wafted out into the parking lot were delicious.

The hostess led them to a table in the back and handed them each a menu.

The place was packed, although not too loud.

Especially where they were seated. It felt cozy and welcoming.

She decided on the Brunswick stew with corn bread, and he got a pulled pork sandwich with fries. Both of them ordered sweet tea although she added a glass of red wine as well, hoping the drink might help calm her nerves.

Finally, settled with their drinks, she sipped and slowly felt the anxiety dissipate as he chatted about work, the weather, and what he’d done on the weekend.

She asked a few questions and then relaxed, listening to him speak.

He had a nice voice, and he peppered his stories with funny anecdotes that soon had her in stitches. She’d forgotten he could be funny.

“And what about you? What have you been up to? I mean, I know you’ve taken a break from college but what do you spend your days doing?”

This was the question she dreaded these days. She hadn’t been up to anything. There was nothing interesting going on in her life at all. She was a homebody, a college drop-out who spent her days cleaning, cooking and generally taking care of her aging aunt. It was very glamorous.

“Well… I cleaned the kitchen. That was a huge undertaking, let me tell you.” She cleared her throat and looked to see if the waitress was bringing their meal. “And I drove Aunt Rita to the hospital earlier. But you already knew that.”

He nodded. “It must be a strange season of life. You were so busy with college, and now you’re feeling less structured.”

She huffed. “You can say that again. It’s like I’m floating around in no particular direction. I feel lost and confused. I’m sure that sounds ridiculous to someone like you, who has their entire life planned out and every second of the day accounted for. But this is where I am right now.”

“I hope this isn’t too intrusive, but what made you lose your direction?”

Did she want to answer? She pursed her lips, thinking. “It’s a really long story…”

“I’ve got plenty of time.”

So, she told him all of it. How Matilda had come to visit, the news she’d brought with her.

How it had torn Julie’s entire world apart when Matilda revealed that the two of them had been switched as embryos at an IVF clinic.

How she’d never get to meet her biological parents, and how Matilda now lived next door with her green-card husband.

“Wow. I was not expecting that,” James said when she was done, blinking.

“Are you sorry you asked?”

He shook his head. “Definitely not sorry, but surprised. You’ve been dealing with a lot. No wonder you needed to take some time out. Anyone would.”

“Do you think so? I’ve been feeling like I’m a weakling.

Like… why couldn’t I just handle it? Why couldn’t I take it?

Why has it shaken me so much? I lost both my parents…

the people who raised me. I pulled through that tragedy and kept marching, was on my way to making something of my life.

I was always conscientious, hardworking, driven. But now… now I’m free-falling.”

The waitress brought their meals and set the steaming plates down in front of them, then topped up their drinks. Before they ate, James reached across the table to squeeze her hand briefly before letting go.

“You have to give yourself time to come to terms with all of this. It’s not a weakness to take the time you need.

I think it shows a lot of wisdom, actually.

To say to yourself, ‘I’m not coping with this, and I think it’s best I take a sabbatical to think it through, process it, figure out who I am now.

’ You’ve not only had a loss—you’ve taken a blow to your identity, the core of who you are. ”

Her throat tightened, and a lump formed.

He understood. He saw her. “Yes! That’s it.

I don’t know who I am anymore. Or whose I am.

My family… isn’t my family. I know they wouldn’t agree with that.

They say nothing has changed, but it has.

It’s all different now. And there’s this whole other family on the other side of the world who I haven’t met.

I don’t know if I want to meet them. I didn’t want any of this.

I still can’t believe Matilda did this to me.

She dropped a bomb, blew up my life, and then moved in next door! ”

James sighed. “You must be really angry with her.”

“I am!” she cried. “No one else seems to get that, so thank you for saying it. I’m angry. I’m so angry with her. How could she do this to me?”

Tears welled in her eyes, but she fought them back. He was going to think she was a crazy person, bursting into tears over dinner. But she wasn’t the type to cry. She hadn’t cried in years. Not until recently, anyway. Not until Matilda.

He offered her a sympathetic look. “It’ll get better. I promise it will.”

She pressed both hands to her face. “I don’t know if it will.

I can’t see a way forward. I need to do something.

But I don’t know what. I don’t want to go back to college.

Not yet, and I’m not sure if that will change.

All I know is, I’ve got to get out of the house, at least for a little while, or I’ll go crazy.

I’m a doer, an achiever, and all I’ve got going on right now is puttering around and making sweet tea and biscuits for Aunt Rita.

As much as I love her, I need more than that.

But I can’t bring myself to commit to anything more. I’m a basket case.”

He shook his head. “You’re not a basket case. You’re dealing with something really hard. I’d be a mess if I were you.”

They started to eat. Her stew was delicious, especially after she added some hot sauce.

“I can’t tell you how good it is to have someone to talk to.

I can’t discuss this with Rita because Matilda is her niece and Rita adores her.

She can’t understand why I don’t want to besties with her.

” She issued a hollow laugh. “But I can’t even talk to Matilda right now.

I know it’s not her fault. It makes no sense to be angry with her.

She’s gone through the same things I’m facing.

But I do blame her—I can’t help it. She could’ve just stayed put and kept it to herself, and I’d never have known. ”

“But would that be better?” he asked.

“Yes! I had a connection to my parents, even though they were gone. Now even my memories of my mother are tainted. And my relationships with Rita and the rest of my family are all coloured by this huge elephant in the room.”

After they’d changed the subject, Julie realised she felt lighter, more at ease, as though a burden had lifted from her shoulders just by talking about her issues. She chatted and laughed more easily and felt more relaxed than she had in weeks.

“Where are your family from? The ones on the other side of the world?”

“Australia! Can you believe it? I’ve always wanted to go there, and now I have family there.” She laughed. “It’s where I’m from. Well, kind of. My heritage.”

“Australia? Wow, that’s so cool. I’m going there next week, actually.”

“You’re going next week? To Australia?” Her brow furrowed. “On vacation?”

“No, I have a conference for work. We’re supposed to go to a conference for educational purposes every year, and this year I chose a symposium in Australia.

It’s on the Gold Coast, which sounds nice.

I’m not sure how much time I’ll have for sightseeing.

Still, I’m excited. Gives me a change of pace from the grind of the hospital day after day. ”

“I’m so jealous. Even though I’m nervous to meet my family, I kind of desperately want to at the same time. Who knows when I’ll ever get to go. At the rate of my career trajectory, maybe I’ll get to visit them when I’m sixty.” She laughed and popped some corn bread in her mouth.

“Come with me then,” he said suddenly.

She almost choked. “Huh?”

He shrugged. “I was going with a colleague, but he backed out at the last minute and we can’t get a refund on his tickets.

Come with me. I’ll switch the ticket to your name.

You can travel with me, and then while I’m at the symposium, you can visit your family.

It’s already paid for, and it was just going to waste. You could use it instead.”

She gaped at him. “You’re serious?”

“Sure. Why not? It’ll be a lot more fun with you there. I miss you. I didn’t realise how much until tonight, but it’s been really great catching up. I’d love to have more time together. And as I said, everything’s already paid for…business class.”

It was a crazy idea. She couldn’t do that, could she?

Drop everything and go to the other side of the world in one week?

She tried to think of a single reason why to turn him down, but she had no commitments.

Rita had finished her round of treatments.

Julie didn’t have school, or a job, or even friends to hang out with.

She was completely free, as was the trip.

And it would be stupid to pass up an all-expenses-paid vacation in Australia.

Especially when it might mean she could connect with her sister and brothers.

Even thinking about it sent a thrill down her spine.

“Yes, okay, I’ll do it. I’ll come to Australia with you.”