Page 92 of Cause and Effect

“I missed you girls. Get in here.” He ushered them inside. “You okay?” He looked at me.

“Yeah. I’m okay.”

“Can we go swimming, Julian?” Sophie asked.

“You sure can. Go get your suits on. Your bags are in the rooms you stayed in last time.”

They ran up the stairs in a flash.

“I think I’m going to take a bath upstairs. Can you keep an eye on them?”

“Of course. You don’t even have to ask,” he said.

I walked upstairs and entered the only guestroom left, looking for my bag. It wasn’t up here, so I returned downstairs and saw Julian on the patio with the girls. Sneaking into his bedroom, I found my bag sitting on his bed.

“Asshole,” I mumbled. Did he seriously think I was sleeping in the same bed as him?

I took the bag upstairs and started the bath water. Then I turned it off. Maybe swimming with the girls would be better than taking a bath and having my mind go to places it didn’t want to. I slipped my bikini on and headedto the patio. I could feel Julian’s eyes raking over me from head to toe.

“I thought you were taking a bath,” he said.

“I changed my mind.” I jumped into the pool.

“Yay, Mom!” the girls shouted.

I glanced at Julian, who sat there with a smile.

After swimming for a while, I told the girls it was time to get ready for bed. I had work to do before I had to be in court tomorrow.

“Can you send Julian up to say goodnight?” Stella asked.

“Yes.” I smiled. “I love you so much.” I hugged her tight.

“I love you too, Mom. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’ve never been better, sweetheart.” I kissed her forehead.

After saying goodnight to Sara and Sophie, I went downstairs and into the kitchen, where Julian was unloading the dishwasher.

“The girls want to say goodnight to you.”

“Okay.” He set the glass in the cabinet and shut the dishwasher.

I followed him up the stairs, went into the guest room, and shut the door. I knew it would be any second before Julian walked in. Grabbing my laptop and files from my bag, I climbed into bed. I heard a light tap on the door.

“Come in.”

Julian opened the door. “What are you doing?”

“Work for court tomorrow,” I said.

“When I brought your bag in, I set it in my room. Why are you up here?”

“Really, Julian?” I whispered so the girls wouldn’t hear. “Did you just think I’d sleep with you in your bed because you invited us to stay here?”

“Well, yeah.”

“And do you remember what I told you a couple of weeks ago?” I cocked my head.

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