Page 32 of The House on Firefly Beach
“It’s what he pulled up in. I’ve never seen Juliana Vargas so out of place in my life!” Malory said, giggling. “That’s why I jumped at the chance to take Juliana back to the house during the wedding. I was hoping he’d open up and tell you what all of this is about.”
Suddenly, those thoughts Sydney had seen in his stare at the wedding began to match up with this revelation of Malory’s. She considered how he kept coming back to the cottage to see her, pouring out his heart. Was there more to his gesture than just making things right between them?
“He might have tried to tell me… But the whole situation rubs me the wrong way. I don’t want him coming back here for me. Not like this.”
“It’s been a long time, and after he hurt you the way he did, I thought long and hard about whether I should tell you my opinions on the matter, but it would eat me up to not say anything. Talk to him, Sydney. Ask him your questions. Let him get whatever this is off his chest completely and then make a decision. You owe it to the both of you. Maybe, now that you two have grown up, this will be your chance for happiness.”
“He lost his chance the day he decided I wasn’t good enough for him.” Sydney closed the journal and handed it back to Malory. There was a part of her that still held on to that magic of the past, that wanted to run into his arms, but the other side of her wouldn’t allow it. She just couldn’t, given the way things had ended between them. She had her pride and self-worth to think about, not to mention Robby.
A knock sent them both jumping, the notebook slamming down onto the floor.
Nate was in the doorway, his eyes on the notebook, looking as white as a ghost. “I was just checking on Juliana, but then I wondered why the birthday girl was tucked away in a back room,” he said, coming in and picking up the book. He handled it gently as if it were fragile and then held it out to Sydney. “This belongs to you.”
“You can keep it,” she told him, her tone laced with the pain of what was written on the pages: all her dreams that had never happened.
“Is everything all right?” Juliana said from behind Nate in her Argentinean accent that sounded as comforting as home cooking.
Nate tossed the book gently onto the chair with his clothes, and turned to Juliana, a new sense of purpose overtaking him. “Don’t go outside.” There was warning in his words.
“Why not?” Juliana stepped up in front of him, concern written on her face.
“There’s a photographer out there taking pictures of the yard from the tree line.”
Juliana’s eyes glistened. “Do you think he got any photos of me when I went out to bring you a drink earlier?”
“I don’t know. I was playing football with Robby. I only just noticed him. I have no idea how long he’s been there.”
“How did they find us?” Juliana asked, her voice shaking.
Nate shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. “I let Sally Ann post photos of me online.” His jaw clenched, and he was noticeably remorseful about his error. “I should’ve been more careful.” He balled his hands into fists by his side. “Damn it.”
“It’s okay,” Juliana said, rubbing his arm. “It was only a matter of time anyway. I can’t hide from them forever.”
That familiar unease Sydney felt when Juliana and Nate shared intimate moments like this came rushing back.
“I know. But I feel like it’s my fault. I wanted to give you more of an opportunity to work through things before you had to deal with all that.”
“Would someone like to fill us in?” Malory asked, standing up from the bed and walking over to Nate.
“It’s just our daily struggle with the press. They connect their own dots about our lives, and they couldn’t be farther from the truth. And right now, we don’t need any speculation about Juliana’s life or what she’s doing here.” Just as the words came out of his mouth, the intensity melted as he looked at his sister. “I’m sorry. It’s your birthday. Let’s not let that one guy ruin your party. Juliana and I will stay inside for the night, and we’ll close the blinds on the east side of the house so they won’t get even a glimpse of what’s going on.”
“That’s no way to live,” Malory said.
“We’re used to it.” Juliana blew a frustrated breath through her red lips. “My aunt owned a restaurant in New York and my mother thought it would expand my horizons if I went abroad, so she let me visit. I was only sixteen when my first modeling agent saw me through the window of the restaurant and contracted me right there on the spot. All of the glitter in her talk and the promise of so many things—how could I say no? But she never told me about this.” Juliana waved her hand at the window. “She never taught me how to live as a prisoner. And Nathan has it worse than I do—they hound him like crazy. I only hope that now that I have stopped modeling, after a while, people will tire of me and leave me alone.”
“So that’s why you’re leaving modeling…” Sydney said.
“Part of the reason, yes.”
“What’s the other part?” Sydney asked.
Juliana paused. “I’d rather not say.” There was a definite shift in her demeanor, and it was evident that whatever it was had certainly affected her. That was when Sydney noticed Juliana’s hands shaking like a leaf.
Nate must have seen it at the same time, because he rushed over to her and put his arms around her. Feeling awkward and suddenly stifled in that tiny room while Nate consoled Juliana, Sydney took Malory’s arm, and they slipped past the couple.
As they entered the living room, Malory got pulled into a conversation with some friends of hers and Robby ran up to Sydney.
“Where’s Nate?” he asked.
