Page 27 of Ruthless King
Court
The paper fell from my grasp when I read the last line as tears trailed down my cheeks. My inhaler rested, untouched, on the table beside where I sat, a safety net. I drew a few ragged breaths while thoughts cluttered my mind until realization rained down. My God, I loved this man, but I was at war with myself. The hurt I had felt for months shattered all rational perception, and I knew what I had to do. I had to forgive myself before I could forgive him. Picking up the phone, I dialed my friend.
“Julia, hi, it’s me.” My voice broke off, caught in a gulf of unbridled emotion.
“Oh, Molly.” Her own voice was muddled by my sorrow. My friend always knew what to say to ease my pain, but at that moment, she didn’t have the words I needed to hear.
“Is the offer still good? Can I come to Manhattan?”
“Hell, yes.”
“Good. I’ll be on the next flight.”
Chapter 21
Molly
When I told Julia I’d be on the next flight, I had no idea it was the red eye that was scheduled to take off at two in the morning. Since I haven’t been sleeping well lately, I thought maybe I could catch a few winks in flight. Every time I’ve flown before, I’ve always been able to sleep. We landed at three-thirty without my eyes closing for more than five minutes. Scrubbing a tired hand through my hair and grabbing a black coffee from the Starbucks in the lounge, I strode down the ramp, carry on in hand, fatigue with every step, and waited for her to collect me. The farther I walked, the more I thanked the heavens above that I had chosen sneakers over heels for this trip.
I heard her before she came into view. The shrill sound of her voice echoed throughout the terminal. While I tried to follow the noise, the excitement in her voice spoke volumes. I heard her call Ben’s name, and I knew she was back on the Stone Creek love train. When I walked around the corner and met her eyes, she ended the call and ran to meet me, throwing her arms around my neck and causing me to stumble back into the ascending crowd. Luckily, the woman I slammed into was good-natured and laughed along with us. After we righted ourselves and broke the hug, Julia held me at arm’s length for a few beats before speaking. “Let me look at you. Just as beautiful as the last time I saw you.” I rolled my eyes at her ridiculous comment.
“That’s good, considering I just talked to you through FaceTime last night.” We both giggled, and it reminded me of simpler times back at Juilliard. I met her the day I moved into the Meredith Willson Residence Hall. Tess and Julia were sitting on the steps playing Blackjack when I pulled up in my vintage periwinkle Volkswagen. We became fast friends and lived together for four years of undergrad and the next eighteen months getting our Masters. I moved back to Stone Creek after graduation. Tess visited, fell in love with the town, picked up, and moved there, never looking back. Our third musketeer, Julia, was a city girl by birth, had no desire to leave the comfort of the bright lights and hustle and bustle for more than a week or two.
“Oh, Molly, you don’t know how excited I was when you agreed to come. I’ve got the entire weekend planned.” Her hazel eyes were gleaming.
I looked at my friend like she had grown two heads. “Uh, Julia, I only told you I was coming five hours ago.”
“You know I work fast.” She gave me an exaggerated wink, and we continued toward the yellow taxi. Julia must have an entertainment committee on retainer. I snorted at that thought, then voiced it out loud.
“Very funny. I sorta already made plans, hoping you’d say yes.” Julia’s eyes twinkled with mischief.
“And if I hadn’t?”
My smirk gave me away. I couldn’t be mad at my friend. “If you hadn’t, then I guess I’d be the main course in a Julia sandwich tonight.” My gasp could be heard around the block.
“Julia Bernard, what would your grandmother say if she heard you talk like that?” The mock shock in my voice wasn’t very convincing, and we both dropped to the ground in a fit of laughter. I had been in New York for a total of forty-five minutes and already laughed more in those minutes than in the last four months. I was a sad sack.
After we stopped at two different markets for gourmet food for Morris, Julia’s cat, we arrived at her apartment. Kicking off my shoes, I plopped down on her Esmeralda Sofa and immediately sank into the plush velvet cushions. “Oh, my God, Julia, this is heaven. I’m never leaving this couch.” I mused.
My friend and I had the same degree, and she taught music at the local high school. How she affords the lifestyle she’s accustomed to is a mystery to me. Maybe she had a secret Sugar Daddy I didn’t know about. I scoff at the idea.
It turned out she wasn’t joking about the plans. That night, she made a reservation at Babbio’s Restaurant in Midtown. A spa day was on tap for the next, followed by some swanky dinner at the Met. Sunday would be filled with shopping, and she was hosting a small gathering at her place. By the time I made it back to Stone Creek, I’d be exhausted from all the festivities.
I was glad I packed for warm weather. September was always a crap shoot in this part of the country, and the weekend forecast was in the mid-seventies. Not knowing our itinerary, I raffled through Julia’s closet for the perfect dress for tonight. The first night, I got by with my skinny jeans and silver silk tank topped with my tailored blazer. High-heeled sandals set off the outfit. The massage and facial I received from Maurice revitalized my mind and body. I was ready to take on this dinner.
My fingers danced across the hangers, stopping on the diaphanous garment bag a few rows back. Even though the bag was sheer, I couldn’t quite make out its dark contents. “That one.”
I jumped at the unexpected voice. “Shit, you scared the hell out of me. Stop sneaking around like a thief in the night.” Julia cackled at my remarks. My friend loved the element of surprise and used it at every opportunity.
A devilish smile played across my lips as I pulled the zippered bag from its resting place and hung it on the wardrobe hook in the corner of the room. I locked eyes with her momentarily before turning back to the bag and slowly unzipping it, revealing a mound of emerald satin spilling out in front of me. My gasp was audible as I felt the silkiness of the fabric between my fingers and traced circles across the softness of the bodice. A strapless ballgown with a slit up to my… Oh my. The emerald hue would enhance my eyes perfectly. “Oh, Julia, it’s gorgeous.” I couldn’t tear my eyes away from this spectacular gown. “Oh no, the tag is still attached. I can’t wear this.”
“Why not?” My friend was genuinely sincere in her quest to get my life back on track. “Maybe it was made especially for you, Molly Steel.”
“What are you talking about?” Surprise coated my words.
Her caramel eyes twinkled, and she twisted a chestnut lock that hung across her face, making her look like a kid in a candy store. She giggled nervously under my scrutinizing glare and shrugged. “I’m saying I might have arranged a few clothing items for when you come visit.”
“Oh Julia, this is too much. You shouldn’t have.” Before she could respond, I continued. “But I’m glad you did.” The excitement in my voice was palpable as I rushed to remove the dress from the bag, a flurry of butterflies fluttering inside my belly.