Change of Harte (Harte, #2) (Harte Series)

by Harris, Brooke

  ‘I know. But I wasn’t.’

  ‘I know that, too,’ Eva said pushing herself onto her tippy toes and kissing him hard.

  ‘Are you busy today or can we hang out?’

  ‘Hang out?’ Eva giggled. ‘Since when does Julian Harte hang out?’

  Julian raised an eyebrow. Eva jerked her lips to the side, suspecting the air quotes might have been poking a little too much fun for Julian’s taste.

  ‘Since we’re friends, Evangeline. Don’t friends hang out?’

  Eva poked her tongue between her lips. And Julian wins again. He always had to have the last word.

  ‘So, Miss Andrews, how does this friend’s thing work?’ Julian said.

  ‘Well, we could start by just talking.’

  ‘Talking?’

  ‘Yeah, you know, the open your mouth and words come out thing.’ Eva couldn’t keep a straight face.

  ‘Okay, smartarse, what would you like to talk about?’

  Eva’s cheesy grin straightened and she looked at him with serious eyes. She knew just how to approach this. She wanted to know why he was here, and since he’d technically brought it up, it was the perfect opportunity to investigate. It would most likely get pretty difficult pretty quick, she decided. But she had learned from the master, after all… ‘Let’s play a game?’

  ‘A talking game?’ Julian looked less than impressed.

  ‘Just a game, Julian. Can you do that? Can you play my game?’

  Julian tilted his head and shrugged his shoulders. ‘Sure, let’s see what you’ve got.’

  Eva exhaled slowly. This was either all going to explode in her face or she was going to push him into revealing something about his past. Knowing Julian and his layer upon layer of secrets, it was most likely going to get messy—but she was past worrying about that. She could handle messy. In fact, she was hoping for it.

  ‘What were you parents’ names?’

  ‘My father was Terry and my mother was Deirdre, but everyone called her Dee.’

  Julian didn’t flinch; in fact, he had almost no reaction except to smile a little when he said his mother’s nickname. The answer slipped off his tongue as simply as if she’d asked him his favourite colour. It wasn’t what she expected. She’d expected a little hesitation, at least. This was her game, but this was Julian she was playing with. She’d asked a simple question—as friends do. He’d given a simple answer—as friends do, but now she was as confused as hell. Nothing with Julian was ever simple. The cheeky bastard was trying to play her at her own game. She’d have to stay one step ahead. God, he always tested her. It was exhausting. He was turning her brain to mush. She didn’t know why. Maybe it was because, instead of talking, she’d prefer to be lying back on the bed behind them with her legs spread and his face buried between them.

  Eva tugged the collar of her robe away from her neck. She was suddenly a lot warmer than she was comfortable with. If Julian looked her up and down one more time, she was either going to slap him or strip him and fuck him on the spot.

  She coughed a little, clearing her throat, and hopefully her head.

  ‘Okay, thank you. So, brothers and sisters. Do you have any?’

  ‘I was the oldest. I had a little sister and a newborn baby brother.’

  ‘Had?’ Eva didn’t like this game after all. ‘Did they…’

  ‘Die?’

  She nodded.

  ‘It was a house fire. The whole place went up in a matter of seconds. A complete mess.’

  Eva’s hand flew to cover her mouth. ‘Oh, my God, Julian. I had no idea. I never would have…’

  ‘What? Asked?’

  ‘Well, pushed you so hard to talk about it. I’m sorry.’

  Julian stepped back and sat on the edge of the bed. His usually toned and delicious body looked heavy and hunched now. As if just remembering had aged him instantly. He rocked a little, back and forth, like a weary, old man. And finally looked up at Eva, smiling.

  ‘I haven’t said my parents’ names in twenty-three years.’

  ‘That’s a long time.’

  ‘Too long. Crazy long. It’s too hard to talk about them, and I try not to think about them.’

  Eva sat beside him, her shoulder pressing against his arm.

  ‘You need to remember them. They’re your parents.’

  Julian tapped his chest with his fingers. ‘Kettle,’ he pointed to Eva, ‘Pot.’

  She smiled. ‘Oh, no you don’t. You’re not going to make this about me. For once, we’re talking about you. Tell me more. I want to know all about your family.’

  Julian took her hand in his and raised it to his lips, kissing it softly. ‘I never talk about this stuff.’

  ‘Well, never ends today. Tell me, Julian. Please? Sounds like you really loved your mom and dad.’

  ‘Yeah. Yes, I did. They were great.’ Julian ran his hand through his hair, ruffling it a bit.

  His face looks even more beautiful when he allows himself to be vulnerable, Eva thought.

  ‘My dad was big into Rally Racing. He’d driven in a few races. Brought me along a couple of times to watch. He always said it wasn’t about winning, just how you play the game.’

  ‘That’s great advice.’

  Julian laughed. ‘Yeah, it was, and then my mam would always say, ‘Nonsense, Terry, now go kick some arse.’’

  ‘Ha. I like the sound of your mom. I bet she was beautiful.’

  Julian stood up suddenly and Eva froze. She was conscious of pushing him too far. He pulled his wallet out from his inside jacket pocket and handed Eva a small, tattered-around-the-edges photo from inside.

  ‘She was beautiful,’ Julian said as Eva studied the aged photo.

  ‘Wow. This is her.’ Eva pointed to the lady in a lemon, summer dress by the sea. She was holding a young boy, maybe four or five, in her arms. His round, dark brown eyes and wavy, chestnut hair were an instant giveaway ‘…and you?’

  ‘I’d just started school, I think.’

  ‘I thought you said you didn’t think about them, but you have this picture in your wallet all the time?’

  ‘I don’t have the photo to remind me. I don’t need to have a photo to remember. I have it because it’s the only thing of theirs that was left after the fire. It’s the only piece of my parents that still exists.’

  Eva’s fingers began to tremble. The damaged Polaroid she held was possibly the most precious thing Julian had in his life, and he’d just shared it with her. That had to mean something. Actions speak louder than words, she told herself.

  ‘That’s not true,’ Eva said softly. ‘There’s you. You’re a piece of both of them.’

  Julian stood up and reached his arm out to Eva. ‘Let’s get out of here. I need a decent coffee.’

  Eva passed him back the photograph and watched as he carefully slid it back into his wallet. And despite how much she didn’t want the moment to end, she found herself nodding. ‘Yeah, me too, I know a quiet little place nearby.’

  Chapter 12

  I’m so sorry Shell.

  Feel like such a b!*ch.

  How does coffee at 2pm sound?

  My treat. Call me xx

  Eva had barely hit send on the text when her phone rang.

  ‘Hi, honey,’ Shelly chirped.

  ‘Oh, my God, Shell, I feel awful. I don’t know what in the hell happened last night. Well, I do. But it’s a long story. Still pinching myself now. Where are you? I can meet you anywhere.”

  ‘Would that long story end with Harte and begin with Julian?’ Shelly snorted.

  ‘Do you even need to ask?’

  Shelly grunted into her end of the phone.

  ‘You knew he was coming, then?’

  ‘Yeah. But before you freak out, I didn’t get time to warn you. He had it all decided and sorted out within five minutes.’

  ‘It’s okay. Not your fault.’

  ‘Is everything okay with you two, anyway?’

  ‘Well, I thought it was. He said he had somethi
ng really important to talk to me about this morning. We went out for breakfast and everything. But he was acting really weird, and as soon as we ordered, he got a phone call and was gone.’

  ‘He did the same thing when we landed last night.’

  ‘You flew over together?’

  ‘Yeah, on his jet. I thought I mentioned that. Sure, that’s how I ended up coming over early.’

  ‘No, you left that part out. You just said your flight was changed and you’d explain when you got here.’

  ‘Oh, okay. Well, sure suppose I better explain so.’

  ‘Erm, yeah, s’pose.’

  ‘Well, actually, that’s kind of it. Cancelled my flight ‘cause Julian was coming anyway and I came with him on his jet.’

  ‘His jet?’ Eva flicked her eyes to the ceiling. His jet? Of course, he had a plane, and of course, Shelly rode along…as you do. This was all edging down the familiar road of Fucked-Up and Eva was suspecting it was time to take a U-turn back to Knowing What The Hell Was Going On Avenue.

  ‘Did he say where he was going?’

  ‘Julian? Ha. Nope. Does he ever? But he offered to make it up to me tonight with dinner. Said he’d send someone for me, the usual. Made me feel like a bit of a consolation prize, to be honest.’

  ‘And you said?’

  ‘Well, I sort of agreed. I know, I know. But I said I wouldn’t join him in some fancy-ass restaurant.’

  ‘You didn’t, did you?’

  ‘Yeah, I did. He was suggesting this ridiculously posh place way outside the city. There isn’t even anything out there except a golf course and an old hospital.’

  ‘You sound annoyed.’

  ‘I don’t even know. Yeah, I suppose I am. Like why did he turn up last night and then at the drop of a hat run off again this morning? He always does this to me. He confuses the hell out of me.’

  Eva realised she wasn’t annoyed with Julian. She was annoyed with herself. He did this shit—never felt he owed her an explanation.

  ‘So, are you free tonight then?’

  ‘Well, no. I agreed to dinner, but I said my place. No chauffeurs, no limos, and no Michelin Stars. Just normal stuff, you know.’

  ‘But Julian doesn’t do normal.’

  ‘Well, he agreed.’

  ‘Really?’ Shelly was genuinely surprised. ‘Are you going to cook?’

  ‘I told him I was, but I’ll just order takeout and hide the boxes before he arrives.’

  Shelly laughed. ‘Where are you now?’

  ‘Still sitting in the restaurant waiting for the breakfast we ordered. Going to be mortified when they bring out two plates to the girl who the hot guy ran out on. Jesus.’

  ‘Oh, God, Eva. Just get it to go.’

  ‘Don’t suppose you’re hungry? I’m just a block away.’

  ‘A block away makes no sense to me. I wouldn’t even know where to turn when I come out of the hotel. And my head hurts like you wouldn’t believe. The fizzy blew the head of me.’

  ‘Yeah, I know that feeling. So glad I’ve got the next two weeks off. I think I need it just to get over this hangover.’

  Shelly laughed. ‘I’ve taught you well.’

  ‘Yeah, unfortunately, you have. So you coming down for breakfast or what? It’s easy to find. Left and left again…come on, I’ll wait for you.’

  ‘I would but Nathan is here and…’

  ‘Nathan is there, too? Jesus. Is there anyone who isn’t here?’

  ‘Shit. Sorry, I forgot to mention that he was coming, too, didn’t I?’

  ‘Yeah. Yeah, you kind of did.’

  ‘Ah, Eva, come on. This was all Julian’s idea, and we were just dragged along for the ride. I’m sorry.’

  ‘Yeah.’ Eva suspected Julian was in charge here but it was a convenient excuse for Shelly and it was all rather annoying.

  ‘Look, just get the breakfast to go. Come back to the hotel. I’m in suite 165a. I really can’t wait to see you. The holiday starts now.’

  ‘Okay. You can fill me in when I get there.’

  ‘Yeah, of course. And hurry up. I haven’t eaten since lunchtime yesterday, Irish time. It was all posh caviar on the plane and I don’t eat stuff that looks and smells like snail puke.’

  Eva smiled seeing her food on the way. ‘Ten minutes. Don’t disappear on me again.’

  Chapter 13

  Red, orange, black…black…black.

  Julian was always asleep when the nightmare took hold. But today, for the first time in twenty-three years, he was thinking about it while wide awake. The memory seared his brain, just as the smoke had stung his lungs that night. His father told him once, while checking under his bed for scary monsters, that ‘there’s nothing to be scared of in the dark.’ But his father was wrong. Two days later, Julian learned that there was everything to be scared of in the dark. And the dark was more vicious than he’d imagined. It stole his parents. Even now, as a grown man, he hated the dark, but he’d taught himself to embrace it. Forced himself to accept it even though it was a constant reminder of everything and everyone he’d lost. He was only a child, and as much as he knew that, as much as he’s tried to tell himself there was nothing he could have done, he could never escape the guilt of not being able to save his parents. But he was a man now, a few years shy of his father’s age. Failing was for children.

  Julian checked his phone again from the comfort of the backseat of his Maybach. Last night he’d instructed his jet to turn around immediately and return with Anthony and Mrs. Cartwright. He didn’t know how long he’d be in New York or New Jersey and he needed familiar staff who he could trust around him. Mrs Cartwright went straight to Julian’s Long Island estate and Anthony came straight to collect him from the coffee shop.

  Anthony hadn’t said more than hello and Julian had simply patted his chauffeur and friend on the back, sat into the car, and not spoken since. Each time Julian listened to the voicemail on his phone, it chilled him a little more.

  The hospital seemed so much smaller this morning when they pulled up outside. It seemed greyer, too, like the whole building was ill, if an illusion like that is even possible. There was no hesitating outside or lingering in the corridors like last night. Julian was rushing to the ward. Not noticing that he was just as capable of turning heads in his loose grey jeans and lightly padded back jacket as he was in his suit.

  A different nurse greeted him at the ICU unit, older and less friendly. She didn’t speak.

  ‘I’m here to see Cameron Andrews,’ Julian said.

  The nurse nodded, still not speaking. She turned and walked away and Julian suspected that was his signal to follow. He could find his way to Cameron by himself, but he knew that wasn’t the etiquette.

  Everything seemed exaggerated compared to yesterday. The pungent smell of detergent, the poignant silence, the eerie sense of impending death.

  Another nurse adjusted the drip flowing into Cameron’s arm. She seemed startled by Julian’s sudden presence. ‘Mr. Harte,’ she said, finally.

  ‘I came as soon as I got the call.’

  ‘And Mrs. Harte?’

  Julian shook his head.

  This nurse wasn’t quite as capable of holding her tongue as her colleague the night before. ‘Mr. Andrews is terminal, Mr. Harte. I know the snow might be causing some delays, but if Mrs. Harte intends to fly over from Ireland, now really is the best time.’

  Julian sucked in air through his nostrils until his chest hurt. He looked at Cameron, who was dismally close to a skeleton. Just a paper-thin cover of blotchy greyish skin hinted that he was clinging to life. Hopeful that Cameron could still hear, Julian refrained from replying to the nurse in the manner he would like to.

  The older nurse ushered the younger nurse out the door. ‘We’ll be just outside,’ she said, suddenly very softly spoken.

  Julian didn’t even turn his head to acknowledge their departure.

  ‘Cameron, we had a deal. I was bringing Eva here today, I still am. You need to hold on, okay.’
<
br />   Cameron was so still it was hard to tell if he was unconscious or just sleeping.

  ‘You asked me yesterday if I’d found her? I realise now you weren’t talking about Eva.’ Julian thought he saw Cameron’s eyelids flutter. But the more he watched the old man’s stagnant body, the more he resigned that he was mistaken.

  ‘I know now that you meant Melissa.’ Julian dropped his head as he said Eva’s sister’s name. ‘I know where she is, Cameron. And I’m going to help her. You have my word.’

  Julian looked up again to find Cameron’s eyes open. The once crisp blue was faded to a murky grey and they glistened with tears.

  ‘I’m on my way to get her now. You just have to hold on a little while. You have my word, now I need yours.’

  Cameron blinked and Julian could see a hint of a smile form at the sides of his open mouth.

  Julian’s phone pulsed against his groin inside his jeans pocket. He had umpteen missed calls from Eva, Shelly, Pam, and Mia. Julian ran his index finger over the bridge of his nose. He currently had one priority and every time he thought about where she was, vomit churned in the pit of his stomach.

  He returned one of his many missed calls.

  ‘I’m on my way downstairs now. I’ll see you outside in five minutes. We’re not going back to the hotel yet. I need to make a pit stop.’

  ‘Okay, sure Mr. Harte. Where?’ Anthony asked.

  ‘Vertigo. It’s on 44th Street…’

  Anthony laughed. ‘None of my business, Mr. Harte, but isn’t it a bit early for a strip club? Will the place even be open at this time?’

  ‘It’s a gentleman’s club.’

  ‘Of course,’ Anthony said, struggling to stifle his sniggering now.

  ‘And I certainly hope it’s not open. I’d rather catch the non-gentleman who runs it outside of office hours.’

  Anthony’s laughing ended abruptly. ‘Is everything all right, Mr. Harte?’

  ‘No, Anthony. Everything is most certainly not all right. But it will be. I’m at the doors. I see you. Let’s go.’

  Chapter 14

  ‘Shouldn’t we leave something for Nathan?’ Eva asked, looking at the last of the breakfast laid out on the table.