Page 57 of Their Diamond Ring Ruse

She knew she was falling for him. Had known it for a while. But it had been on that plane, when she’d seen the picture of Lincoln and her first thought had been of Julian, that she’d known it was love. But he hadn’t said he felt that way, so neither could she. The line between what was fake and what was real had never quite been cleared.

All she could do was trust her feelings.

She loved him. So she would help him.

‘Julian...’

‘Hmm?’

‘I was thinking.’

‘Should I be worried?’ He smirked.

She rolled her eyes, and even though his were closed, an amused chuckle rolled through his chest.

She didn’t know how he would react to her next words, and he must have picked up on her apprehension because he said, ‘Sunshine, you can tell me anything.’

‘I didn’t like something you said earlier.’

He opened his eyes to peer at her. ‘What did I say?’

‘That you blamed yourself.’

He took a deep breath but she pushed on.

‘And I was thinking that you should visit your stepfather.’

His body went rigid. Any warmth lingering in his stare dissipated. ‘No.’

‘Julian—’

He flung the covers away and got off the bed, pulling on his underwear with jerky movements. ‘I’m not seeing that man.’

‘I think it could help you.’

She sat up, trying to reach for him, but he stepped out of her path. She tried not to let the hurt show on her face.

‘That man hurt my mother, Lily.’

His voice was low now. Dangerous. He was buttoning his pants, snatching his crumpled shirt off the chair in the corner of the light-filled room.

She didn’t like it that he was getting dressed. It seemed too much as if he was erecting a barrier between them.

She vaulted out of bed, stepping between him and the door. ‘Just please listen.’

‘I’m not seeing that man and that’s final.’

He stepped around her and went through the door, leaving her alone in the room.

She dressed as quickly as she could, in another one of his T-shirts, and set out in search of him. She had to try to convince him. Help him have closure so he could move on with his life. A life that until now had centred only around IRES.

He wasn’t anywhere in the house. It was only when she went down to the lower level that she spied him on the terrace. Sitting on the edge of a pool lounger. Sunset rays glinting off his red hair. Elbows braced on his knees.

‘Julian...’ she said softly, sitting on the lounger next to his. An arm’s length away. ‘I just want you to be happy.’

He said nothing. Simply stared at the cement floor as if it contained some answer he was searching for.

‘And you’re not,’ she went on. ‘I see you—all of you—and I hate that you’ve been blaming yourself for something you shouldn’t.’

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