Julian nodded. “Starving.”
Before she could grab the bowl, he sat up and pulled her into a hug. “I’ve missed you so much. I shouldn’t be hugging you, but…”
She hugged him back and squeezed. “I’ve missed you too. And I have an immune system as tough as a bull. I’ll be fine.”
Chuckling, he sat back and then covered his mouth as it devolved into a cough. “I think I’m ready for that soup now.”
Summer grinned. “You bet.”
Just knowing she wanted to be there made him feel better. He did want to talk, but she was right. As cloudy as his head was, he didn’t want to have that kind of conversation at the moment. Before she’d shown up, he’d decided he would be strong and let her go, but having her back? The peace he felt when she was near? He couldn’t give that up. If that meant moving to Sage Valley Ranch, then that’s what he’d have to do.
23
Summer leaned her back against the wall as she waited for Julian. It was just after sunrise, and he’d decided to take a shower. She didn’t blame him a bit. His clothes were soaked with sweat, and he’d spent part of the night throwing up, so she figured he’d feel better getting cleaned up a little. Of course, if he was anything like her, he’d be worn out by the time he was done.
The door opened, and Julian stepped out, wet-headed and out of breath. His poor nose was rubbed so raw, and his eyes were bloodshot. “I’m exhausted.”
“I know you are.” She slipped her arm around his waist and began helping him back to the couch. As they passed a bedroom, she caught sight of a painting and paused. “Is that one yours?” Dumb question…she could almost hear Bill Engvall telling her, Here’s your sign.
“Yeah, but it’s terrible. I wasn’t in the right frame of mind when I was doing it.” He shivered. “I’ve got more, but I have a feeling they aren’t any good either.”
She looked up at him. Now his eyes held a level of sadness she hadn’t seen in them before. Even that day at the barn, he hadn’t looked so morose. “I bet that’s not true. It’s still a little dark, but even now, I can tell they’re gorgeous. That one on the easel looks unfinished, though.”
He rubbed his eyes. “It is. I tried to paint it after…well…I just couldn’t find the right colors.”
What he was saying was that after that argument they had, he’d come home to paint and couldn’t. “I’m sure you’ll get them right just as soon as you feel better.”
“Maybe, but I don’t know if I have it in me anymore.” Julian was beginning to lean on her a little more heavily. “I think I need to sit down.”
“You bet.” She helped him to the couch. “You want to lean on me again? I don’t mind.”
“You sure? You stayed all night,” he said as he looked up at her. “You’re probably ready to go home.”
She shook her head. “I’m not leaving you when you can barely make it from the bathroom to the living room.”
He hung his head. “I just don’t want you to feel obligated or anything.”
She squatted in front of him. “I don’t. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be.” She took his hand when he didn’t seem convinced. “Hey, I mean it.”
Lifting his head, those hazy blue eyes caught hers. “Sure.”
She stood and went to the kitchen to pour him a little cup of medicine and then handed it to him as she returned. “Here, you’re due for some of this.”
He took the cup and threw it back. “Oh, yuck. Can’t they make that stuff taste better?”
Summer laughed. “I don’t think so.” She set the cup down and took her spot on the couch. “Ready to lean against me?”
“Just a second.” He grabbed a tissue and blew his nose. “I don’t think there is an inch of me that isn’t sore and stiff, and my nose feels like it’s about to fall off.”
“You aren’t still sick to your stomach, are you?”
Shaking his head, he said, “No, I think that part has passed. It hit hard and fast, though.” He leaned his back against her chest, draped his arm over her thigh, and let out a long breath. “I think I could stay like this forever.” The words tumbled out slow and soft.
Her pulse jumped, and she smiled. “Me too.”
He tucked his forehead against her neck and sighed again. “I like it when you hold me. I wish I wasn’t sick, but I don’t think I’ve ever missed anyone as much as I missed you. Those were the hardest two and a half weeks I’ve had. That critic that hated my paintings didn’t hit me that hard.”
Summer kissed the top of his head. “I missed you more than I can say.”
But he hadn’t heard her. He was already asleep again.
She set her cheek against the side of his face and hugged him. This is exactly where she needed and wanted to be.
It was the craziest feeling. Julian was sick as a dog, but holding him? It was the rightest feeling in the world. This was where Summer belonged, but she also belonged in Sage Valley. Having both wasn’t possible, and she needed to keep that in mind. Plus, he was a billionaire, and although she couldn’t really picture a world with that many zeros, she was pretty sure she didn’t fit. That right there was enough to put the brakes on anything she might want. It was better just to forget being with him. Otherwise, she was going to be torn to shreds.
24
“I think I’m okay now if you want to go home.” Julian crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the wall next to his closed bedroom door as Summer got dressed. Sunlight streamed through the open door of the second bedroom, casting shadows in the hallway.
Being sick was the worst, but being taken care by Summer was worth every bit of Julian’s misery. Falling asleep in her arms. Waking up to her. He’d pictured a life filled with days and nights like these. Of course, those dreams of seeing her when he went to sleep and of a morning when he woke didn’t include being so sick he couldn’t think straight.
The door opened, and she smiled up at him. “You think so, huh?”
If she was this beautiful now, he could only imagine how much more beautiful she’d be in forty or fifty years. He could see wrinkles, gray hair, and still thinking he’d spent his life with an angel. “Yeah.”
“No more queasy stomach?” She touched his forehead with the back of her hand. “I don’t think you have a fever anymore.”
“I don’t feel like death warmed over. I’ve never been hit with something like that before.”
Summer chuckled. “You were pretty miserable.”
“Not pretty miserable. Horrible.”
“If you think you’re okay, then I’ll head home.”
He caught her hand as she moved to pass him. “Thank you for staying. I don’t think you know what that means to me.”
“I couldn’t just leave you. You looked like a sad puppy.”
Stroking the back of her hand with his thumb, he lowered his gaze. “I was wondering if you might be persuaded to let me thank you by taking you out to dinner. Nothing fancy. Just you, me, and maybe a little picnic.” He wanted to do more than thank her for taking care of him. What he wanted was to tell her he would like to stay and make a life with her.
Her smiled widened. “I’d like that.”
“Okay, this evening?”
A knock came at the door, and Julian’s eyebrows creased together.
Summer tilted her head. “Are you expecting someone?”
“No,” he said and pushed off the wall.
Summer followed him to the door, and he opened it. “Britney?”
His sister grinned and grabbed him in a hug. “Hey!”
“What are you doing here?”
Her smile vanished. “Is that any way to greet flesh and blood?”
Julian rolled his eyes.
Britney peered around him. “Hi.” She looked at him again. “Are you going to let me in, or are you going to let your baby sister perish in this dreadful heat?”
Julian stepped aside, allowing his sister to enter, and she whirled around. “This is nice.”
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“I like it.”
His sister rolled her eyes. “Are your manners that rusty? You haven’t introduced me to your friend.”
He sighed. Why did she have to be so dramatic? “Britney, this is Summer Brown.” He turned to Summer. “This is my sister, Britney Wolf.”
His sister shook Summer’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Summer glanced from Britney to Julian. “Nice to meet you too.”
“Now, how on earth did you find me?” asked Julian.
“Uh, I need to get going. I have some paperwork to finish up.” Summer smiled, but it didn’t quite meet her eyes. “I’ll call you later, okay?”
“We’re still on for tonight.”
Summer held his gaze. “I need to go.” She grabbed her bag and slipped out the door before he could say another word.
He turned on Britney. “Now, how did you find me, and why are you here?”
His sister tossed her dark hair over her shoulder and bounced on her toes. “That was her, wasn’t it?”
“Did Zach tell you everything?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back. “It’s me. I can get a dime out of a nickel machine.”
Talk about truth. “Okay, yeah. So, why are you here?”
“To make sure you don’t mess this up.”
“I’m not. I have a date with her tonight. I’m planning on telling her I love her and I want to stay in Sage Valley with her.”
Britney narrowed her eyes. “How? What’s the plan besides that?”
Julian shrugged. “I don’t know. I told her it would be something simple and romantic.”
“Well, it can be, but it can also be special. A woman doesn’t want ‘love ya’ flung at her in passing. There needs to be a little finesse to it.”
“I’m going to take a shower. I’ll talk to you when I get out. Don’t go planning stuff.”
His sister rolled her lips in. “No promises.”
He groaned. “I’ll see you in a second.”
This was not what he needed, and something in the way Summer had looked at him didn’t settle well. She hadn’t exactly looked upset, but something had been off with the way she practically bolted from his cabin. Plus, she’d not confirmed that she’d see him that night. For some reason, he got a bad feeling things were about to go south.
25
If her nerves were any more jumbled, Summer wouldn’t be able to stand up straight. She’d spent the last hour getting ready for her picnic with Julian. With another look in the mirror, she held her stomach with her hand as she checked herself over again.
This was supposed to be casual, right? The shorts, blouse, and sandals would be fine. Just because she knew he was famous and a billionaire didn’t change anything. He was still Julian. Still the man that she’d fallen in love with.
She’d also seen how much his family meant to him. His sister had shown up, and it was like his light was switched on. The way he held himself, how relaxed he seemed, and the smile on his face—she wondered if he even realized he had the goofy grin he was sporting the moment he opened the cabin door.
It was enough to make her wonder about whether the picnic was a good idea or not. Sure, she loved him. But was love enough? They did have things in common. She loved who he was as a person and how he treated her, but would it be the same if they were in his world back in Houston? That seesaw she’d been on rocked faster and harder. Torn didn’t begin to describe how she felt. Could she even trust her own feelings? How many times had she failed when it came to trusting her judgment?
A knock came at the door of her townhome, and she hurried to answer. His smile greeted her as she opened it.
“Hey,” she said, returning the wide smile. Whew, he looked and smelled great. His hair was a little curlier than normal, and the dark wash jeans he wore with a light-blue button-up only made his eyes stand out that much more. If her heart raced any faster, she’d pass out.
For a moment, he just stared at her. “You are without a doubt the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” His voice was soft, and it held such a reverence that her breath caught.
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
He took her hand, placing the palm over his heart, and pulled her to him. Holding her gaze, he said, “One of these days, I’ll make you believe me. For now, this’ll have to do. My heart’s racing, and I’m looking at you.”
Summer swallowed hard as he held her. The way he was looking at her, the way his heart thundered under her hand, she knew he was being truthful. “Thank you, but I’m not wearing anything fancy. It’s just shorts and a blouse.”
“Sweetheart, you don’t have to wear anything fancy to be beautiful.” He brushed his fingers over her cheek. “When I say you’re the most beautiful woman, I’m not just talking about your looks. I’m talking about you as a whole. Inside and out.”
“That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”
He shot her a heart-stopping smile. “I think I’ll make that my mission in life.”
“What?”
“To tell you all the things you should’ve been hearing until you believe them.”
Lifting on her toes, she circled her arms around his neck and kissed him. “Then I think my mission should be to tell you how kind and sweet and talented you are until that critic’s voice is so drowned out that you’ll never be able to hear it again.”
He squeezed her tightly. “I can work with those terms. You ready for a picnic?”
If he only knew. She wanted all her picnics with him. “I sure am.”
They walked to his truck, and he held the door for her as she got in before jogging around the front and jumping in.
“So, where are we going?” she asked.
“Nope. It’s a surprise.”
“Okay.” With the goofy smile he was sporting, she wasn’t sure what to expect.
They drove off the ranch, past the Sage Valley town limit, and as they turned down a long stretch of dirt road, she could see a large hot air balloon sitting in the distance. “You didn’t!”
He chuckled. “Well, I kinda had help. My sister is a lover of all things romance, and this was her idea. I took it and ran, though. She’d said to fly you to Paris, but that’s not really my style.”
Fly her to Paris? Summer’s mind went a little numb. He was wealthy enough to fly her to Paris without a second thought. What kind of world allowed that kind of thing? “Wouldn’t that be kind of hard?”
“Uh…no. Not really. We have a private jet.”
Ka-thunk. Yep, that was a lot of zeros. What would be expected of her if she married him? Would she have to schmooze people? Wear crazy expensive dresses that she’d only wear once? “I can’t imagine having a private jet.”
He parked the truck a few hundred feet from the balloon. “Summer, I’m still me. I haven’t changed. I just have more resources than you originally thought. Nothing about what makes me, me has changed.”
In her heart, she knew that was true, but money had a way of changing things, especially people. “I know.” But the response was so weak, even she heard the lack of conviction.
“Do you? Because I think that’s why I waited so long to tell you who I was. I wanted you to know me. I was afraid you wouldn’t want to be with me if you knew. Yes, I have money, but that’s not who I am. It’s what I have. I’m just Julian. If I’d known this would bother you, I’d have planned something else. Something simpler.”
“No, you’re right, and this is great. I’m…” She was what? Having a moment of panic at the thought of what it would be like to marry into a billionaire family? His sister had seemed nice, but what if his family didn’t approve of her? She shook her head and pushed away the silly thoughts. Julian was still Julian. “I’m sorry. I’m being silly. It’s just that no one has ever planned something like this for me before. It’s overwhelming.”
“Isn’t that how things are supposed to be? Overwhelming, exciting, unexpected? Think of it as a painting. You
look at it one way, and it says, ‘I’m just a canvas with paint,’ but you look at it another way and it says, ‘These colors poured out of someone’s soul. Every emotion, feeling, their very purpose is on display to be judged.’ This is me, pouring out my colors for you.” He took her face in his hand and briefly pressed his lips to hers before pulling back. “I just want you to see me and how much I care about you.”
Wow. “Are you a painter or a poet?” It seemed so simple, but it didn’t feel simple. Maybe she was overthinking it. It was a date. Like he said, dates were supposed to be exciting. It was just a balloon ride, not the Taj Mahal.
Julian’s gaze dipped to the seat as he dropped his hands. “Maybe a little of both, but the painting comes easier.”
“I don’t think so.” She chewed her lip. “I’m ready for that balloon ride. Are you?”
He lifted his head, their eyes locked, and he smiled. “I sure am.”
“Okay.” This was a date, a sweet thing planned by a sweet man. It wasn’t a marriage proposal or anything like that. He was just Julian. Not a billionaire. Not a famous painter. She was going to enjoy her evening and stop analyzing everything. A simple date with a simple man. “Let’s take a ride.”
They got out of the truck, and the balloon operator welcomed them into the basket. It was larger than Summer expected, and there was plenty of room. They sailed through the warm air as the evening sky darkened. She’d never experienced a sunset like that, up in the air, almost like she could touch it. “This is amazing.”
Julian slipped his arm around her waist and held her to him with her back against his chest. “It really is.” He kissed her cheek. “Thank you for coming with me.”
What she wanted to do was turn in his arms and kiss him like never before, but she wasn’t about to do that with an audience. Instead, she craned her neck and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Thank you for inviting me.”
Once the ride was over, he took her to a spot that was on a little hill and so wide-open that the sky was an unbroken backdrop. “How did you ever find this place?”
Inspired By The Creative Cowboy (Sage Valley Ranch Book 5) Page 9