“Not really. Celebrities don’t know who I am. It’s their people. For their protection and mine, I keep a low profile.”
“Jules, I am astonished.”
“It feels good to finally share this with someone. With you.”
He leaned his forehead against mine. “I’m glad you trusted me with your secret.”
“I do trust you.”
“You said you owned your own company. What’s the name?”
“Forgettable in Every Way. I know it’s kind of silly, but I felt like it fit since I helped things disappear or made sites and situations more invisible.”
“It’s brilliant, darling. As are you.”
“I think I also chose it because it’s how I used to feel about myself. It’s almost strange. I hated feeling that way, but then I started a business for people who wanted the anonymity.”
Simon ran his hands up and through my hair. “Jules, I’m sorry I made you feel that way. I hope you know it wasn’t you. It was me. I think you blind people with your goodness. Only the truly deserving can really see you.”
“That’s a nice spin on it.” I smiled.
“I’m in earnest. I don’t think you realize how incredibly good you are. But I intend to help you see that.”
“And how will you do that?” I said playfully.
In a fluid move, he stood and literally swept me off my feet.
I squealed and threw my arms around his neck. “What are you doing?”
“I’m going to show you how good I can be.”
Oh. That was very good news indeed.
Simon
SIMON SAT MESMERIZED BY JULES as she stood in Calista’s wedding line, lakeside, just as the sun was starting to set. He wasn’t paying attention at all to the pastor’s words during the ceremony uniting Calista and Tristan. Or how the woman he’d been seated next to was sniffling, claiming she always cried at weddings. All Simon could think about was how he couldn’t wait for the I dos to happen so he could take Jules into his arms. He almost felt sorry for the bride for how beautiful Jules looked in her blue sundress. Not that the bride wasn’t lovely in her sleeveless white maxi dress, but Calista had nothing on Jules as far as Simon was concerned.
Jules’s attention vacillated between the bride and Simon. Every time Simon would catch her staring at him, she blushed, and it drove him mad with passion. He was a besotted fool, and he loved everything about it. About her. He had half a mind to beg her to marry him right at this very moment. It was probably a good thing Jack was with Jules’s parents or he might have gone through with it. Assuming Jules was amenable.
Simon knew he didn’t have to rush, but he wanted to. He felt like he’d wasted so much time already. Perhaps he needed the twelve years to grow up and become the man Jules needed him to be. He was just sorry it took him so long, and even more sorry he’d married Penelope. Although he’d do it again just to get Jack. Maybe someday Penelope would find the happiness she was looking for. In the meantime, he would do his best to be the parent their son needed. It seemed Penelope was taking the out for now on parenting. It both relieved and saddened Simon. But he believed it was for the best. Jack needed a woman like Jules in his life.
For that reason alone, Simon was grateful Jules had decided to move back to Aspen Lake. But in all fairness, Simon wasn’t sure he could bear spending days apart from her now that they’d been reunited. He needed her as much as Jack did.
Finally, the I dos and the kiss came.
Simon tilted his head, impressed by the bride and groom’s fervor. Damn, they are really going for it, he thought. He would keep that in mind for when he took Jules as his bride. He supposed he should probably propose to her first. Simon was already thinking of the perfect place for it. It would be another page to add to their storybook.
When Tristan swept Calista off her feet and walked her back down the aisle, the small audience stood from their white wooden chairs and clapped and cheered. The way they were kissing made Simon wonder if they would even make it to the reception at the groom’s ranch.
The small wedding party followed after them. Jules was the last to come down. She beamed brightly, holding her sunflower bouquet. She truly was a vision.
When she made it to Simon, she reached out for him and pulled him along for the rest of the walk down the aisle. Everyone in the audience laughed.
Simon happily escorted Jules farther down the beach where the bride and groom had parked their getaway vehicle—a large black truck decorated with streamers and the words Just Married on the tailgate.
Simon wrapped up Jules tightly from behind as the rest of the wedding guests joined them.
“You are lovely,” he whispered in her ear.