Page 38 of Their Diamond Ring Ruse

It wasn’t long before they were meandering through the winding roads of Golden Gate Park. Vibrant green foliage illuminated by his headlights flashed by, and soon he parked at the side of the road, climbed out, and rounded the front of the car to assist Lily, before taking her hand and walking over the bridge.

The bright full moon was their only source of light, casting a silvery glow on everything it touched. It was enough to see where they were going, but Julian still scooped Lily up in his arms as if she weighed nothing and set off on the path.

‘What are you doing?’ She laughed.

‘Saving you a twisted ankle.’

It was an excuse, and they both knew it, but she let it drop.

Julian had, of course, been to Strawberry Hill before. He had seen couples and families walking the paths or sailing in the paddle boats and he’d never understood. Not until now. When he had someone special to appreciate this place with.

A pagoda with bright red pillars and a jade roof appeared at the water’s edge and Julian set Lily on her feet once he’d climbed the stairs and stood at the stone banister.

‘It’s so beautiful out here...and quiet,’ Lily said, leaning into his warmth.

Julian wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her against his side, tipping her head up to kiss her just once.

‘Cold?’

She shook her head and gazed out at Stow Lake, but his gaze was firmly on her. As it had been all night.

‘I know I’ve already said it, but thank you for tonight.’

She looked up at him and he was lost in those bottomless eyes that seemed as if they could hold an entire universe.

‘My family used to go to the theatre together when I was younger,’ she said.

He could tell it was a happy memory. It was clear from the longing in her voice. ‘You miss it,’ he stated.

‘I do. I used to be so close to my father... I thought he was perfect in every way. I think we were just a very close family—especially Devan and I—but this arranged marriage with Lincoln changed all that. My relationship with my father wasn’t ever the same. It became...’

‘Strained?’ Julian offered.

‘Yes. And it was like that until he died. I wish we could have fixed things. It’s the one regret I have. But I’m also so angry with him. Angry that he promised me to Lincoln. Angry that he died before he could fulfil his promise to me to undo it. Angry because I feel like he didn’t do all that he could, and now I have all this anger towards Devan and my mother.’

‘It’s okay to feel that way, Lily. The people who should have protected you didn’t. You have every right to be angry.’ Julian shook his head, thinking of how everyone responded to her. All those bright smiles in her store. ‘You have no reason to treat everyone as kindly as you do. This world has failed you.’

‘No, it hasn’t. You haven’t.’ She smiled at him. ‘I know I have the right to feel betrayed and angry, but I don’t want to live my life under a dark cloud. I refuse to. There are good people in this world too, so I choose to see the best where I can.’

Like she did with him. But would she still think so when she knew of the darkness in his heart? Why he didn’t let himself love?

He found himself talking before he’d consciously thought about the words. Words he hadn’t uttered in years. Maybe ever.

‘The man my mother married was an alcoholic. I don’t remember much of our lives in LA after my father died, but I do remember the day we moved to Lupine Heights. I was six at the time, and from the moment we stepped into that small dark house I knew I didn’t want to be there.’

Julian felt Lily’s arms wrap around him, but he couldn’t see her. All he could see was the stream of memories.

‘From that first day I hated the way he looked at her, but I didn’t understand it then. After their wedding his drinking got worse. It stopped being something that happened at night and became a constant. He was volatile at the best of times, but when he drank he was completely out of control. My mother tried to please him. Keep him happy. Hoping that if she made things easier for him he’d have no reason to turn that volatility on us.’

He looked at Lily then. Hoping she would understand what he was saying. Why he wanted to help her so much. Protect her from Lincoln like he never could his mother.

‘It was a ridiculous hope. The first time he hit her she made me hide in the closet, but I could hear, and when I couldn’t take it any more I burst out and ran to her. She was cowering on the kitchen floor, and that was the first time I felt rage.’

He shook his head, trying to clear away the fear, the anger.

‘I leapt at him, but I was just a kid and he easily slapped me aside. So I kneeled beside her...’

‘Don’t worry, baby, I’m fine.’ He could still hear his mother’s voice in his head. See her weak, tear-stained smile.

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