Jude (Beautiful Mine #2) (17 page)

EVIE

I held it in on my walk home, past the honking cars, past the Chinese takeout restaurants, past the bikers and dog walkers. Past all the people out and about, living their lives as if everything was fine and dandy.

I lost it the second I turned the door handle to my condo. My knees hit the floor, the carpet burning into them as I fell into a fractured heap on the ground. I missed Julian. I missed being loved. I missed being happy and looking forward to the future. I missed knowing my place in the world and not fluttering around like a paper sack in the wind, desperately hoping for something solid to catch me.

I crawled across the floor, my body nearly too weak to move, and climbed up to the sofa, grabbing the throw blanket and dragging it across me. Julian’s letter practically burned a hole in my pocket, but for some reason, I was afraid to read it. Afraid of what it may or may not say.

I reached into my pocket, my fingers tracing the creases of the soft, worn paper, and pulled it out. I took a deep breath and squinted, my blurry eyes trying to make out the faded words printed on the paper.

Dear Jude,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing to tell you that I have recently married the love of my life, Evelyn Grace Cawthorne. She is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen, and she’s made me happier than I could have ever imagined. She has given me a second chance at life, she has shown me what unconditional love is, and she has been my angel here on earth.

As you know, the twilight of my life is upon us, and my time is almost done. Evie takes great care of me, but there are things beyond her control—beyond everyone’s control. If it is God’s will that I leave her soon, I have some final requests.

Please make sure that she is well cared-for and looked after. Please make sure she never has to want for a single thing in her life. And above all else, please make sure she is loved. I trust you will be able to handle these things for me.

Lastly, I need you to tell her that my last will and testament is at the Stone, Mutcher, and Beatty Law Firm in Halverford.

Your brother,

Julian

My fingers traced over the ink on the paper. I could practically hear his voice. His words were so vivid and clear. The love he had for me, undeniable and unwavering, floated from every sentence and dried my tears.

I tucked the letter under my pillow, never letting it slip from my hand, and shut my eyes.

“I miss you, Julian,” I sighed, letting the sadness swallow me whole. It was the only thing I was sure of in that moment—that I missed him. I missed every damn thing about him.

***

The click of the front door indicated Carys was home. I popped up from the sofa, the warm orange sunset spilling in from the window telling me I’d slept most of the day away.

“You’re home,” I said. “Not staying with Jax tonight?”

“I wanted to check on you,” Carys said, slipping her shoes off and taking a seat next to me on the couch. “You okay?”

I sat up, shaking my head. “Not really.”

She slipped a comforting arm around me. She’d always been more than a best friend. She was the big sister I’d never had and always needed.

“I’m going back home for a bit,” I said. I never thought I’d be saying those words so soon. “I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. Don’t worry about the rent. I’ll still take care of everything.”

Carys cocked her head to the side, her baby blue eyes sympathetic yet confused. “If I book some modeling jobs, you won’t need to worry about it, okay? I’ll figure something out. How long you planning to be gone?”

I shrugged, taking in a deep breath. The chilled air both refreshed me and filled me with stark loneliness all at the same time. “I have some things to take care of. I’ll let you know.”

“You going to tell Jude?” Carys asked with a wince.

I nodded. “Of course.”

“We heard everything,” she admitted, rolling her eyes. “His mother is evil.”

“You don’t think he did anything wrong?”

She paused for a second, turning to read my face. “I don’t know, Ev. I mean, sort of, but he stood up for you. His mom was saying all those horrible things, and he defended you. That oughta count for something.”

I stood up and let the blanket fall to the floor, suddenly growing hot. “Yeah, but he lied to me, Carys. Everything he said to me from the moment I met him was based on a lie. How am I supposed to believe anything he says to me from now on?”

“He was pretty shaken up when you left,” Carys said. “Regardless of everything, he’s still crazy about you.”

“Then why couldn’t he have told me himself?”

“Maybe he didn’t know how. Maybe he wasn’t expecting to fall in love with you.”

I snorted. “And if he never would’ve fallen in love with me, I never would’ve learned about the trust fund.”

“What trust fund?” Carys asked, eyes narrowing. “I didn’t hear that part.”

“Julian set up a trust fund for me,” I said. “His will is at a law firm back home. That’s why I’m going back for a bit.”

“Why didn’t Julian tell you himself?” Carys asked.

I smiled. Loving Julian meant loving him for exactly who he was—a mysterious creature.

I shrugged. “Why didn’t he tell me he had two brothers? I don’t know why he did things the way he did. I’ll never know.” I sat back down.

Carys leaned over, resting her head on my shoulder. “I really like Jax.”

She always knew how to lighten the mood at just the right time.

I laughed. “I know you do.”

“He’s different,” Carys mused. “Different can be good, right?”

“I think so.”

“And he’s so damn hot. Oh, God, Evie, is he hot,” she said, her lips curling into a smile as her eyes floated to the back of her head. “I’ve never met anyone who lives in the moment as much as he does. He doesn’t worry about anything. So laid back. So carefree. Up for anything.”

“Just like you,” I said, proud to have paired them up. “Told you he was the male, surfer-dude version of you.”

She bit her lip, offering an uncontainable half smile. Contagious excitement radiated from her, making me forget, for a moment, about the shitty hand I’d been dealt.

“We don’t have anything like him back home, you know,” she said with a dreamy sigh.

We didn’t have anyone like Jude Garner-Willoughby back home, either.

***

“I just stopped by to tell you I’m leaving for a bit,” I said, standing in Jude’s doorway the next morning.

His face fell. “Where you going?”

“Halverford,” I said. “Just for a little while. I don’t know what I’m doing after that.”

“But your apartment is here. Your lease. Carys…” He rattled off all the reasons I should stay before adding, “What about us?”

“I don’t have any answers for you,” I said, hiding the emotion that wanted to flood out every part of me. “I’ll be back. I just don’t know when.”

“I’ll wait for you,” he said without pause.

“No,” I said, as much as it pained me. I wanted him to wait for me. I wanted him to hurt. I wanted him to feel the same deep, unshakable pain he’d inflicted upon me. “Don’t wait for me.”

His face bent in disbelief, as if he couldn’t understand why this was happening.

“Evie, come in. Let’s talk.” He reached for my arm, but I stepped away, remaining out in the hallway.

“My flight leaves this afternoon,” I said.

“I’ll go with you,” he said. “I’m coming with you to Halverford. You shouldn’t be alone right now.”

A small part of me wanted to forget about everything, to run into his warm embrace, kiss his full lips, and feel the weight of his arms around me while he whispered all the things he knew I needed to hear. But the rest of me wouldn’t allow it.

“I have to go,” I said, my shaky hand gripping the leather strap of my bag nervously as it dug into my shoulder. “I’ll call you.”

“When?”

“I don’t know.” I didn’t know anything anymore.

“You’re coming back, right?”

“I am.”

Jude stared down at me through his golden hazel eyes, studying my face as if that moment was going to be burned into his memory forever.

“I need to go now,” I said, the weight on my chest growing heavier with each passing second. I felt his eyes on me as I walked away, and within seconds I felt the power of his hand on my shoulder, bringing me to a complete stop a few feet short of the elevator bay.

He spun me around, slipping his hands around my waist and rendering me powerless.

“I’m going to kiss you, Evie,” he said. He leaned down, our lips meeting briefly, igniting the sparks deep within my soul that still longed for him no matter how much I despised him for what he’d done to me. To us.

Translation: I love you.

JUDE

“You heard from Evie lately?” I asked Carys as she and Jax headed out the door one morning. It’d been a week, and I’d yet to hear from her. My calls and texts all went unanswered.

Carys and Jax exchanged looks, and she shook her head. I knew she was lying, covering for Evie. I understood. I’d have done the same thing, if I were her.

“I just want to know if she’s okay,” I said, throwing my hands in the air. I’d fucked up. I knew that. But I wasn’t a monster. I still cared about her. I thought about her every fucking second of every fucking day.

“She’s Evie,” Carys said. “She’ll be okay. She just needs space.”

The second Carys and Jax slipped out the door, I wanted to slam my fist into the wall. I’d barely slept the past week. Every time I closed my eyes, I’d picture Evie running into the arms of her douchebag ex-boyfriend. And every time I sent her a goodnight text, I imagined her picking up her phone and tossing it aside. Not hearing from her and not knowing where we stood pushed me deeper and deeper into a place I hadn’t visited since she came into my life, emotions stirring to the surface like muck from the bottom of a lake.

I crashed on the couch, idly flipping through my phone contacts and debating whether or not I should call her one more time when a call came in from one of my potential J-Corp buyers.

“This is Jude,” I answered.

“Jude,” he said, his voice booming with the confidence of a man who could buy the world if he wanted. “It’s Frank. Frank Angelico.”

“Yes, how are you doing today, sir?” I replied, sitting up and clearing my throat.

“I wanted to talk to you about buying J-Corp,” he said. “You have time to meet with me this afternoon?”

“Yeah, I think I can do that,” I said, preparing myself to tell him J-Corp wasn’t worth as much as he probably thought it was anymore.

“Listen, I know your top bid was seven, but I’m prepared to offer you eight,” he said. “I want you to really think about that before we meet today. I’m serious about this deal, son.”

“We have a lot to discuss, sir,” I said. “I’ll see you this afternoon.”

“Brown Derby at two o’clock,” he said. “See you then.”

***

A quarter ‘til two, I sat and waited at the table.

“Water, sir?” the doe-eyed server asked as she batted her lashes.

“Please.”

“There it is,” the host said as he led a striking Italian beauty to my table.

She offered me a coy smile, her lips covered in juicy pink gloss and her thick, black hair spilling down her shoulders in an overabundance of waves. Shopping bags hung from her arms, which she promptly put down the moment the host pulled out her chair for her.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” I said softly. “You must have the wrong table. I’m meeting someone here.”

“Right,” she said with a smirk. “My dad. He said I could join you guys.”

In my former life, I’d have wasted no time turning on the charm and working her six ways ‘til Sunday until she’d be crawling all over me, begging me to take her home. Her ample curves, dimpled smile, and lush lips were enough to drive the old me wild. But I wasn’t that guy anymore, not since Evie came around.

“Jude.” A boisterous man with a large belly and expensive Italian silk suit walked up. A thick, well-groomed mustache filled the space above his upper lip. “I see you’ve met my Samantha.”

I smiled, throwing her a courteous look.

“She was in the area, so I thought I’d invite her to lunch with us,” he said. “Hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all,” I lied.

“My hope is she’ll take over the family business someday,” he said, pulling up his chair and turning to her. Frank beamed like the proud father he was. “She needs to see how these things, these deals, come about.”

“Well,” I said, turning to her, “I hope we don’t bore you too much.”

She brushed her hair off her shoulder and leaned in, engaged and ready to observe.

“So, have you thought about my offer?” Frank asked, whipping his napkin out and placing it in his lap just under his bulbous belly.

“I have,” I said, pausing.

“And?”

“I feel it’s too generous, sir,” I replied. I had to be honest, as much as it pained me. “One of my investors has sold out at a huge loss, and I’m afraid it’s affected the areas of expansion I’d been developing.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, the corners of his mouth turning down as his brows furrowed. “That’s not what I wanted to hear at all.”

Samantha’s lips parted, as if she wanted to offer an idea.

“Hm,” Frank said, leaning back and tracing his fingers across his mustache.

“Why don’t you just invest for now, Daddy?” Samantha suggested. “Let him grow J-Corp to where it needs to be, and then you can buy out the rest of it?”

He pursed his lips and slowly began to nod, bobbing his round head back and forth. “That idea’s not half bad, Sam. Jude, would you be willing to entertain something like that?”

I took a sip of my water, my throat parched and scratchy. Independent to a fault, I hated partnerships. I’d been itching to get rid of Veronica since a month into starting J-Corp, and that had taken years. The last thing I needed was some middle-aged, pompous Daddy Warbucks coming in and dictating what I did with my company.

But what choice did I have?

“Absolutely,” I lied.

“Okay, so how much of an investment are we talking?” Frank asked. “What do you need, son?”

“Well, at least two million,” I said. “That would replace most of the dent the other investor left when she sold her shares. I could really expand the company to where it needs to be and then hand it over to you. Give me, say, six months?”

“Perfect,” Frank said. “You mind giving Sam a job?”

“Daddy,” she said, shooting him a look.

“What? I think it’d be a good experience for you,” he said to her, his voice hushed. “You’re going to take over this company when we buy it. I don’t know a damn thing about search engine optimization, or any of that hullaballoo.”

He was buying the company for her, that much was clear. There was something about seeing a father care so much for his child that he wanted to give her a company and teach her how to be successful, even if half the work was already done for her. He meant well, and he did it because he loved her more than anything in the world. I could see it in the way he looked at her. It was the way I had always hoped my father would look at me.

“I think I could find something for her to do,” I said.

“I’m not talking about filing and copying,” he said. “She’s not a secretary.”

“Understood.” I clenched my jaw and forced a smile, crossing my fingers that she was bright and could catch on fast. I didn’t want to spend any more time with her than necessary. I enjoyed my freedom.

Samantha looked at me, laughing nervously. She was clearly attracted to me. I could feel it when our eyes met. As much as she pretended to be annoyed with her father, everything I knew told me she was secretly excited about having to work with me.

But all I wanted was Evie.