by Lizzy Ripp
"Hey, Jules?" She called.
Julia paused, still smiling as she turned back to her friend.
"Put on the dress and video chat him," Cassie said, a wicked gleam in her eye. "He'll love it."
Julia bit her lip and nodded, trotting back down to her own room in breathless excitement.
---
And now, here she was - the dress of her dreams on, looking like a movie star. She took another moment to study herself in the huge mirror of the grand marble bathroom in stunned silence. Her hair had been gently curled and it cascaded over her bare shoulders. Her makeup was tasteful and understated - she especially liked the dusting of subtle, glimmering peach Candice had used over her eyelids and the strong, confident cats-eye that pulled the entire look together. And that dress - well. She couldn't stop swishing the gauzy train about, feeling like a princess. She wondered what Yaro would say - and felt her cheeks blaze. She couldn't wait to show him.
She checked her phone - she still had plenty of time to make the call.
With a tiny, girlish smile and a quick fluff of her hair, she made the call and let it ring once, twice, three times before she let disappointment take over. He must be asleep, she realized, recognizing the time and remembering how exhausted he had been the day before, both from his injury and the medication.
Oh well, she thought a little sadly. She vowed to take plenty of pictures so he would know how wonderful she'd felt in the dress, how much it made her smile.
With a final resigned sigh, she took one last look in the mirror and, with yet another twirl, left with her small silver clutch in hand, to meet Cassie.
CHAPTER TWENTY
"CASSIE! CASSIE, OVER here!"
It seemed like the shouts were coming from all directions as Cassie and Julia made their way together down the grandly sprawling staircase of the Ritz Carlton, right into a media circus. The benefit would not ordinarily have attracted such a crowd - just the usual small smattering of photographers the NHL typically attracted and hired. But the presence of a few celebrities from the low to medium-high market had brought in a swarm of them.
Julia faltered on the stairs beside her friend, unsure of how to proceed. Cassie turned to her and put on her biggest, most movie-star-perfect smile and whispered through her teeth - "Don't ever let them know you're nervous. It's like blood to sharks." And with her shoulders square, her head thrown back like she was waiting for a crown to be lowered upon it, Cassie strode down the stairway with perfect composure, descending into a sea of flashbulbs like a mermaid into the surf.
Julia felt a wave of very slight relief. Cassie was obviously their main target, though a few did spare a shot - or several - for her. She had to remind herself that she was something of a public figure since her "relationship" with Yaro had come to light.
The press below shouted questions at Cassie, some of which she ignored, some of which she playfully answered. Questions about who she was wearing, whether she could confirm or deny her relationship with Jonathan, whether she could reveal that she was in contention for roles in several movies - the names of which Julia immediately forgot - and so much more. It made her head spin - even more so when she realized, as she came to stand by her friend's side, that they were also throwing questions her way.
"Julia - how did you feel about Yaro's hit last night? Is it true it was because of something said about you?"
Julia's mouth fell open. How the hell did they know about that?
Cassie caught her eye and gave a barely perceptible shake of her head, indicating that she should let that one fly. So instead she gave a demure little smile and said nothing.
"Julia, where's Yaro tonight?"
"He's not feeling well," she said simply. "He had a hard landing last night, as you know. Thought it might be best if he gave his hard head a rest."
The gathered press chuckled at this and Julia felt a wave of relief wash over her.
"How do you feel about your ex and his new girlfriend being here, Julia?" Someone asked and Julia felt whatever goodwill had welled up inside her instantly dissipate.
"She feels great," Cassie answered firmly for her. "Julia Delroy has worked so hard to bring the Timberwolves and Beyond the Ice together - we're all here because of her. It's been years of effort in the making - she's not the type of person who'd let something petty like that distract her from one of the greatest achievements of her career," she sniffed.
The photographer shrank back, chastened and Julia had to gaze at her friend once more in amazement. She thanked her lucky stars that somehow she'd wound up on this woman's good side.
A small woman made her way through the crowd of photographers - she was wearing a smart and modest black dress with a spray of rhinestones across the top chest and shoulders. She had thick rimmed, stylish glasses that were a vibrant red and a short cropping of salt and pepper hair that stood up like a hedgehog every which way. Julia liked her instantly.
"Julia! Hi!" The woman said as she plowed a path through the photographers. "Malerie Moore," she said reaching out a hand. "We've spoken on the phone so often I almost feel like I know you already! It is so wonderful to meet you in person after all this time!"
"Malerie, hello!" Julia said, delighted. "Thank you so much, I'm so happy to be here. Have you met Cassie West?"
After the initial introductions, Cassie went to spend some time with Jonathan to fuel the new smitten-couple rumors - a fact which Jonathan, looking very dashing in his Ralph Lauren tux, seemed overjoyed at the prospect of.
No wonder, thought Julia. Cassie looked incredible in a lavender purple number with a plunging neckline and a chic, peplum detailing around the waist, emphasizing how teeny it really was.
While the two of them canoodled in a corner, Julia made her rounds with Malerie, who introduced her to the board of directors and also to some of the largest donors, who would be honored with special mentions at the dinner.
"We've also got some of our fantastic staff and volunteers here - and of course, some incredible young people the organization has helped through their own issues with mental health," Malerie said, gesturing to a table of young men and women who looked as if they were just about Jacob's age when he died. She gave a smile and a wave to the table and felt her eyes fill with tears, which she did her best to hide by blinking rapidly and laughing often. She hoped she didn't look insane - but she'd rather that than burst out crying.
"We'd love it if you could give a small speech," Malerie said at last, guiding Julia towards her seat at a table near to the stage which, she thankfully noted, Cassie and Jonathan were also listed on and Daniel and Sasha were not. Suddenly the meaning behind Malerie's last words sank in and Julia looked up at her, aghast.
"A speech? Oh, no I couldn't... I don't have anything prepared -"
"Oh no, nothing like that!" Malerie laughed, waving a hand dismissively. "Not a proper speech. If you could just say a few words about the organization and why you wanted to get the team involved, that would be more than enough. It would mean so much," she added, smiling her big, earnest smile at Julia who returned it weakly. Public speaking was not her strong suit. She could do it, yes - but only after she'd rehearsed the thing into the ground with plenty of time to plan for each and every scenario that could possibly go wrong.
But how could she say no? With a smile that may have been more of a grimace, she nodded. "Sure. I'd love to."
"Fantastic!" Malerie said, clapping her hands together in delight. "Oh, I'm so pleased! I'll just add you to the schedule - and oh, I was going to ask Ms. West if she would mind pulling the raffle for the evening?"
"I'm sure she'd love to," Julia said politely.
"Excellent! I'll just - shall I?" She gestured to Cassie and was gone to engage her in conversation before Julia could reply.
Julia sat for a moment to take in what was about to happen. She poured herself a big glass of ice-water from a pitcher at the table and sat in her assigned seat as she gulped it down.
"I was about to tell you
to go easy before I realized it was ice water", a familiar voice behind her said - and Julia almost spat the water in question out across the table. As it was, she gave a somewhat choking, sputtering swallow and whirled in her seat to see Daniel, looking like James Bond in his Brioni suit, gazing down at her with that smile she'd correctly identified on the day she'd first met him as ‘trouble.’
Julia coughed, and put down the glass abruptly. "So you are here."
He raised an eyebrow as if surprised. "Were you expecting me?"
She gave a small, bitter laugh. "More like dreading, but sure. Let's go with expecting. Don't sit," she said, but it was too late. He'd pulled out the seat next to her - Yaro's seat, according to the placard, which Daniel flicked away with a dismissive frown.
"Julia," he said in his best 'now-don't-be-crazy' voice. "I didn't come here to cause any trouble, okay? I promise."
"No?" Julia asked. "Then why did you come? Did your new girlfriend want to use the depressed young people for Insta likes or am I misunderstanding something?"
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, Julia was surprised at herself - maybe Cassie had rubbed off on her after all. She was hardly alone in that. Daniel was looking at her as if she'd grown a second head.
"No, actually," he said stiffly. "Sasha thought her presence here might do some good for a good cause, that's all."
Julia snorted and hailed a waitress passing by with a tray of full Champagne flutes.
"Thank you," she said, taking one and smiling graciously.
Daniel watched her down the entire glass in one go, silently.
"Okay, look," he said. "I acknowledge that I haven't been fair to you. Maybe I've -", he cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable. "Maybe I've never been fair to you. But that's why I wanted to come. I know how much this means to you and I wanted to lend some support. I swear that's all. You don't think I've forgotten how much this charity means to you, do you?” He asked. “You don't think I remember things like that?"
Julia fought to stop her expression from softening, instead shrugging her shoulders and looking away. Daniel sighed.
"Look," he said softly, taking her hand in his. She fought the urge to pull away. "I don't know how many ways I can apologize, but... I'd like to try all of them," he gave a small laugh. She didn't return it. "What I did was unforgivable and I know that," he went on. "I don't ever expect you to forgive me for it. But I just wanted to say that... I understand now. And I’m sorry.”
"You'll always be my one that got away, Jules," he said softly, reaching up to brush her cheek ever so softly. "I know that now. And I deserve it. Because I know someone - maybe Yaro, maybe not - but someone... Is going to be able to give you everything I should have and I'm just going to have to sit back and watch. And that's the worst punishment I can think of. But it's exactly what I deserve."
Julia looked into his face and saw something she hadn't seen in a very long time. She saw the Daniel she'd met in their dorm level party, when he'd been a goofy kid from the east coast with a good heart and ambition that sometimes made him overlook it. Was it possible that boy was still in there somewhere?
She took a deep breath and stared at his hand holding hers. Suddenly, breaking her out of her fog, she heard Cassie's voice at her shoulder.
"Sorry to interrupt," she said pleasantly, her voice giving no indication of anything amiss. "Julia," she said, ignoring Daniel altogether. "Could I borrow you for a moment? They've asked me to help out with the raffle and I just need some advice on what to say before I get started."
"Of course," Julia said, hoping she didn't look as bewildered as she felt. She got up from her chair and began to leave with Cassie, but paused as Daniel grasped her once more, gently, by the wrist.
"Julia," he said, his voice serious and sincere. "I just wanted you to know. I came here to say that - and to support you in something you've worked hard for. That's all."
Julia paused for a moment, her face a mask of puzzlement. Why come all this way? Why bring her? Why be such an almighty idiot in the first place? But she couldn't seem to give voice to any of it. Instead she directed her gaze over his shoulder, where Sasha Lux, in her wildly inappropriate vinyl dress, was posing on the staircase, bending over to give an ample view of her cleavage and successfully pulling photographers away from Cassie. Apparently, the possibility of a social gaffe was nothing compared to a sure-thing.
Daniel turned to see what Julia was looking at and swallowed as he took in Sasha. He turned back to Julia, an embarrassed, chastened look on his face.
“Apology accepted,” she said, feeling as if she were in some strange sort of dream. And it HAD been her dream - she'd lain awake nights for weeks imagining Daniel coming crawling back to her on his hands and knees, begging her to take her back, acknowledging that he'd been an absolute fool - and now it had happened. In her dreams it had made it her happy. Now she didn't know what it made her.
Turning from him, Julia strode off with Cassie, her back ramrod straight, the train of her dress flowing out behind her. She fought to keep her face composed but whispered to Cassie, "Bathroom?"
"Absolutely."
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
THE TWO WOMEN kept their composure until the doors of the bathroom closed behind them and not a moment more. Julia sagged against the back of the door and gave a deep sigh from the core of her being.
"Jules, what happened?" Cassie asked, her brow crinkling in concern. "What did he say to you?"
Julia shook her head, bewildered. "He said he was sorry. That he'd been an idiot. That I was his 'one that got away'."
"You didn't 'get away'," Cassie pointed out, a hand on her hip. "He threw you away."
Julia laughed, almost hysterically. "I know! This is all so insane."
"He's trying to get you back," Cassie said. "That's why he came. You know that, don't you?
Julia shook her head, completely shocked. "Then why bring her?" She asked.
Cassie didn't have an answer for that. "Maybe she saw that it was going to be a big event and wanted to come? Gotta get those Insta likes," Cassie shrugged. "Maybe he couldn't shake her off."
"I don't know," Julia covered her face with her hands and groaned. "This is all so confusing. I do NOT need this right before I have a speech to give."
"What are you going to do if he DOES want you back?" Cassie asked and Julia realized that sometime in the past week she'd stopped dreaming of this scenario - stopped caring if it ever actually happened. And now it had fallen into her lap. Typical, she thought.
Julia shrugged her shoulders, helplessly. "I don't know."
Cassie stared at her friend appraisingly, clearly not having received the answer she wanted to hear.
"I know I should say... You know, like... Kick him in the shins and laugh in his face but..." Her voice softened. "He just looked so sincere. Maybe he meant it."
Cassie gave her a look. "Girl."
"I wouldn't go back to him," Julia assured her friend quickly. "God. No. Never. But I... I just think maybe he's being genuine?"
"Mmmhmm."
Julia sighed again. "I can't think about this anymore. I have a speech to give."
Cassie nodded. "Right. Okay. Don't even think about it until afterwards. Also, hit up the bar maybe."
"Right."
As the two of them left the bathroom, Julia had to admit - the night had taken a strange turn. Seeing Daniel here had not been in the initial game plan, much less talking with him, much less having him confess his sins and... God, he had almost looked on the verge of tears! She should have been overjoyed, smug, victorious. But she wasn't.
She wished all of this had taken place at any other time, on any other night. Tonight was about Jacob. For the first time since she'd left home, she felt like she was doing something that could have helped him. She felt connected with the family she'd grown distant from. She'd spent most of her life trying to escape from her past - but today, she felt like she was doing something to reclaim what she'd lost. It was more
important than she knew how to describe.
As Julia was quietly trying to assemble ] a speech in her dazed head, she became aware of a flurry of activity around her and started in surprise as someone's arm encircled her waist. She looked up in surprise into the face of Sasha Lux, staring straight ahead with a sultry smile on her face and a squad of photographers flashing camera bulbs in her face.
"Smile!" Sasha said through her teeth as she gave the perfect Hollywood grin - lips slightly part, tongue pressed to the roof of her mouth for that sexy, ‘come hither’ look. "It's all good publicity - this'll be all over my Insta page with links to donations. We don't want to ruin it."
Though she felt like bounding away at full tilt, Julia instead tried to fix her face into something resembling a smile and did her utmost to not actively flinch away from Sasha's surprisingly sturdy grip around her waist.
"I'm so happy I was invited!" Sasha cooed to the crowd of press assembled before them. "It's such a great cause and Julia is such a great person for putting all her support behind it - and also, of course, for recognizing that some things are more important than silly rumors!" Sasha winked at the cameras, pulling ludicrous sexy face after sexy face and Julia, after what felt like ages, finally pulled away with a tense smile.
"Thank you for your support," she said as cordially as possible. She realized that she'd never been this close to Sasha before and paused to really take her in. She had had so many fillers injected into her lips and cheeks that she had a strange, stretched, shiny look about her close-up - but one which, even Julia had to admit, looked incredible in photos. "It's really kind of you to draw attention to it," she finished firmly.
"Oh honey!" Sasha said dramatically, a hand pressed to her chest. "No thanks necessary. I'm so happy to contribute to such a worthy cause."
Then as Julia began to walk away, Sasha began to follow, stopping to shoo the remaining press away. "I need to have a private word with my very dear friend Julia. Okay? Go speak to someone else - if you can find anyone worthwhile," she laughed, tossing her hair over her shoulder where it cascaded alluringly in the remaining light of the flashbulbs.