Page 50 of Hate On
“Spa day.” Janice smiled, a good humor showing in her eyes. “If I’d known you were coming by…well, I wouldn’t have canceled, but I would have invited you along.”
“Oh…I could use a spa day.” Julianna sighed in envy, trying to remember the last time she’d completely pampered herself. It had been a while, that was certain. She couldn’t even remember the last time.
“We’ll have to do one together soon,” Janice told her, catching her daughter’s hands and squeezing.
Julianna nodded. “That sounds lovely.”
Janice went to say something, but her face froze. A few seconds later, she blinked and shook her head. She spoke, but her voice sounded stifled. “I’ll…we’ll get in a touch and work something out, okay?”
“That’s great.” She eyed her mother closely. “Is everything okay?”
“Oh, yes.” Janice laughed. “Everything is fine.”
But Julianna knew her mother. And the sound was strained, forced even.
“Come on, Abby. Let’s leave these two to their meal.” Janice wiggled her fingers at her daughter then waved at Moira before hooking her arm through Abigail’s and leading her away.
Lowering herself back into her seat, Julianna stared after her mother with a frown.
“What’s wrong?” Moira asked.
“Maybe nothing,” she said with a shrug, reaching up to worry with the necklace she wore. “Mom just…did she seem a little off to you?”
“I was talking to Ms. Mendoza more than anything.” Moira shrugged and flashed a card. “I get the feeling she’s going to hit us up the next time she needs a corporate sponsor.”
“We’re a corporate sponsor,” Julianna said, distracted. She glanced up and saw the table where her mother and Abigail had been seated. Her mother had been watching her. Their gazes locked and Janice gave her a dazzling smile.
Weird…
“But don’t be surprised if she looks for some material goods for the next silent auction. They do a number of those throughout the year,” Julianna said, forcing her attention back to Moira.
“So…can I ask you a question?”
Julianna narrowed her eyes on Moira’s face, the studied casualness in her friend’s tone raising every bit of awareness she had. “You can ask,” she replied. “That doesn’t mean I’ll answer.”
“I’m just wondering how long you and Roman have been an item.”
Julianna blinked.
Blood drained from her face, then rushed right back, staining her cheeks red. She couldn’t control that telltale reaction and she knew that Moira got her answer without Julianna saying anything. Still, she tried. “What do you mean?”
“Oh, please.” Moira waved a hand. “Don’t bother playing coy. Even if I’d just been speculating, that reaction right there would have told me everything I needed to know. Which explains something else.”
As Moira leaned forward, elbows braced on the edge of the table, Julianna struggled to remain cool. “And just what does it explain?”
“Why you’re so adamant not to discuss anything about the sale.” Moira flashed her a slow, smug smile. “You’d never play dirty, Jules. It’s not in your makeup, but you’re not above having a slight advantage over the other party either. Except now you don’t seem to want one. It makes sense why. You’ve gotten personally invested.”
“I did not,” Julianna replied hotly. But she knew she was lying.
“Oh, really? You’re not thinking at all about how Roman will be affected if Castle wins the bid?” Moira asked, cocking a brow at her.
“I…” She stopped, then huffed out a breath. “Bite me, okay, Moira?”
Moira nipped playfully at the air. “Now let’s get back to business. I’ve got something I want to discuss with you and Roman. Together.”
That had Julianna straightening in her chair. “What do you mean…together?”
“You heard me. As in…both of you.” She waggled her eyebrows. “I assume you two can handle that.”