by SUE FINEMAN
“Yep. I’m older by two minutes.”
They sat quietly and waited for the doctor. Then Julie heard them bring another patient into the next cubicle. When she heard his voice, she knew who it was.
Brent said, “Damn bitch. This is all her fault.”
“No, it’s your fault,” said his father.
“Why is it my fault?”
“The officer said you wouldn’t let go of her.”
“Because she wouldn’t come with me.”
“You’ve put me in an awkward position, Brent. I’ve had complaints about you following Julie when she’s working with customers. We can’t afford to lose any business right now, and because of you, people are going to other agencies.”
“Then fire her. I don’t like her showing houses to men.”
“I don’t believe you,” Bob muttered. “You’re not married to the girl.”
“Not yet.”
“Not ever,” Julie whispered. She shared an intense look with Andy, who shook his head slightly, as if he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard.
A woman’s voice on the other side of the curtain said, “We’re taking you down to X-ray now, Mr. Bosch.”
“Let’s just get it over with,” said Brent. “I don’t want to spend all night in here.”
Andy had a wry grin on his face. He leaned close to Julie and quietly said, “I take it Mr. Bosch is not a patient man.”
No, Brent wasn’t a patient man. His parents had divorced when he was a little boy, and his mother gave him everything he wanted. Now she was dead, and he tried to control his father like he’d controlled his mother. But Bob had more sense than Brent’s mother. Bob didn’t let Brent walk all over him.
The doctor came in and numbed Julie’s arm. Andy held her hand and she tried to be brave.
“Don’t look at him,” said Andy. “Look at me. I’m better looking.”
“Hey,” said the doctor, a young man with an intense look on his face.
Julie gazed into Andy’s warm brown eyes and held onto his hand.
Yes, he was definitely better looking.
Chapter Three
Before they left the hospital, Andy spoke briefly with the police officer waiting to interview Brent. “So, is this guy going to jail when he leaves here?”
“If we lock him up, his attorney will claim discrimination because the mayor’s sons hit him, and you and Charlie didn’t get arrested. Believe me, it’s not worth the hassle. He’ll walk anyway.”
Andy took a deep breath and blew it out. “He’ll come after Julie again, and she’s in no shape to fight him off.”
“He doesn’t look like he’s in any shape to fight either.”
“He’s got two good arms. She won’t be able to use her left arm for a few days. She’s no match for him anyway.”
“We can’t provide a bodyguard, Andy. The best we can do is have a patrol car drive by. You can take her to the women’s emergency shelter if you think she’s in danger.”
He could, but she probably wouldn’t stay, and someone had to take care of her while her arm healed. He’d take Julie to her parents’ house tonight.
Andy went back to the exam room to get Julie and found her examining her blood-soaked sweater. “It’s ruined.” She dropped it in the trash.
He slipped his sports coat off and draped it over her shoulders. “Nobody is going to care if you wear the hospital gown home.”
“You’re such a gentleman. Your mother must be proud.”
“Of course she is. I’m a great guy.”
“But not a modest one,” she muttered.
He grinned. “Who, me?”
Andy took her prescriptions from her hand and walked her out to the car. She slid into the seat, leaned her head back, and closed her eyes.
“Are you in pain?”
“No, I’m hungry. I’m trying to think if I have anything to eat at home.” She opened her eyes. “Are we going to pick up my car?”
“I’ll pick it up after I get you settled at your parents’ house.”
“No,” she snapped. “I can’t go there.”
“Why not?”
“Because my mother thinks Brent is wonderful. He’s everything she’s ever wanted in a son-in-law, so she’ll probably invite him over, so we can make up.” Julie looked down. “I can’t make her understand that I don’t want to marry him.”
Knowing Olivia, Andy guessed why she liked Brent. “He’s rich?”
“He inherited his mother’s estate when she died last year. Add that to the trust fund his grandfather set up, and he’s comfortably wealthy. Mom thinks money excuses bad behavior.” She stared out the side window. “She’s wrong.”
Andy pulled a U-turn and headed for his condo, the only place he knew for sure Julie would be safe tonight. “I have a guest room I’ve been wanting to break in. You can stay with me until your arm heals.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure.” As if there was any other choice. He couldn’t take her to her apartment to fend for herself. Not now. “Your virtue is safe with me, if that’s what you’re worried about. I don’t take advantage of wounded women.”
He pulled into the driveway of his luxury condo complex, pushed a button on the visor, and a garage door opened in front of them. After the door closed behind them, Andy turned to Julie with a wry smile. “When your arm heals, we’ll talk about your virtue.”
“I can hardly wait.” Without touching her, he’d made her body tingle with desire. Julie had never met a more considerate man. Or a sexier one. She could get lost in those deep chocolate eyes, and how did an architect get shoulders that wide?
Holding Andy’s jacket around her, she walked into his condo. She didn’t know how she expected a bachelor’s condo to look, but this wasn’t it. The spaces were well defined, yet they all flowed together in one open space. The back wall of the living area was made of glass and framed by huge potted plants, showcasing the city lights and the river beyond the glass. The wood floors looked like Brazilian cherry. A colorful area rug was surrounded on two sides by a dark green velvet sectional. Two cream leather chairs and an ottoman anchored another side. Throw pillows in shades of greens, golds, and cream brightened the room.
Indirect lighting around the ceiling provided a warm glow, and on the creamy gold-toned, custom-painted walls hung pictures of buildings, each lit with a spotlight. “Are those buildings you designed?”
“Yes.” He pointed to the one nearest her. “That’s my older brother’s house. My first professional design job. Billy’s house overlooks the river.”
It looked like a country mansion with a big wrap-around porch. “It’s amazing.”
The last picture was of the condo complex. “Did you design this place?”
He nodded. “It was a joint project with the owner of the firm, but I did most of the work. Billy owns this unit. He and his wife lived here while their house was being built. His wife, Kayla, furnished and decorated it.”
“It’s impressive.”
Andy slipped the jacket off her shoulders and motioned toward a hallway. “The bedrooms are over this way.” He walked into a room, flipped a switch on the wall, and the lamp by the window came on. “This is the guest room. Your room. The bathroom in here doesn’t have a tub, but there’s one in my bathroom you can use. The doctor said not to get your arm wet for a few days.”
“Andy—”
He hugged her gently, and she almost cried because his big hands held her so tenderly against his warm, solid body. “Julie, I’m sorry about your arm. I shouldn’t have—”
“I don’t blame you, Andy.” It was her own fault for going out with Brent in the first place. If she’d stood her ground and refused to date him, none of this would have happened.
Pulling back, Andy said, “There’s a new toothbrush and other necessities in the bathroom. I’ll find you something to sleep in, and we’ll get some of your things from your apartment tomorrow. Okay?”
“Okay. Thank y
ou.” After what she’d been through with Brent, she should be more wary of men, but Andy made her feel safe and comfortable. Not many men would have done as much as he had for a woman they barely knew.
She looked around while he talked on the phone in the other room. Her room had pale sage green walls and area rugs, white curtains and dust ruffle and pillows, and a dark blue comforter on the bed. The furniture was an interesting collection of unmatched pieces that went well together. A white chaise sat beside the window with a dark blue throw over the arm. Pretty. Comfortable. Welcoming. “I could live here forever,” she said to herself.
Andy returned with a white terry robe and a pair of well-worn, gray sweats with the sleeves and legs cut short. They looked soft and comfortable.
“I’m going to unfasten your bra so you don’t hurt your arm.” He untied the hospital gown and unfastened her bra. “Do you need help getting that on?”
“Can you help with your eyes closed?”
He laughed softly, a deep, sexy sound. “Do I need to close my eyes?”
“Maybe I’ll just wear the robe.”
He eased the bra strap off her left shoulder and gently pulled it off her arm while she held her bra over her breasts with her right hand. Then he eased her left arm into the sleeve of the sweatshirt and pulled the shirt over her head. The next thing she knew, she had the shirt on and her bra was on the bed, but her breasts had never been exposed. “You’ve been practicing.”
“Honey, I never claimed to be a saint.”
She wanted to tell him he was a saint to her, although she knew he was helping her out of guilt. If he hadn’t hit Brent, Brent wouldn’t have bumped the table, the glass wouldn’t have fallen, and she wouldn’t have cut her arm. On the other hand, if he hadn’t stopped Brent, she could be in worse shape by now. If Brent had gotten her out of that bar, he would have hit her for sure, and with his temper, he wouldn’t have stopped with one punch.
“I’m here.” Charlie’s voice came over the intercom. “Let’s go, bro.”
Andy pushed the button on the wall. “On my way.”
He turned to Julie. “I’m going to go get your car and your prescriptions. Do you like Chinese food?”
“Love it.”
“I’ll be back with your car, your prescriptions, and dinner. You can put the kettle on for tea.”
“Yes, sir.”
He winked, and she knew her virtue wouldn’t last two days. Julie didn’t sleep with guys she’d just met, but she’d gladly make an exception in this case. After her arm healed.
While she waited for Andy, Julie turned on the television in the living room. A news reporter talked about the incident at the bar involving the mayor’s sons, the son of the owner of River Valley Realty, and an unnamed woman. The reporter said several people in the bar had called 911, but Charlie and Andy were the only ones who got physically involved.
As much as she hated telling her parents, she’d have to call them now. Fishing her cell phone out of her purse, she called her parents’ home. Mom answered. “Julie, honey, I was just talking with Brent. He wants us to get together with him and his father next week so we can make plans.”
Julie’s heart dropped. “That’s not a good idea, Mom.”
Mom kept talking as if Julie hadn’t said a word. “Brent said Christmas, but it’s almost October, and I don’t know if we can be ready by then.”
Julie jumped in. “Mom, listen to me. There won’t be a wedding.”
“What on earth is going on over there, Julianne?”
“Brent tried to drag me out of a bar because I spoke to another man.”
“He’s just being protective, honey.”
Protective? More like possessive and controlling. “Someone helped me get away from him at the bar, but I cut my arm. I’m staying with a friend until it heals.”
“Oh, no. How bad is it?”
She was listening now, even though Julie knew it wasn’t something she wanted to hear. “I had to have stitches.”
“Oh, poor baby. Why don’t you stay here with us?”
“Because Brent will find me there. If he calls you again, hang up on him.”
“But he’s a wealthy man, and he loves you so much.”
Julie shook her head. Her mother thought if a man had money, nothing else mattered. “Do you really want me to marry a man who pushes me around, swears at me, and follows me everywhere I go? Should I marry a man who thinks he owns me?”
“You’re exaggerating.”
Mom had no idea what Brent was really like. At first glance, he was the perfect man—good looking, charming, and wealthy. A closer look revealed the real man, the manipulating, controlling, cruel man who treated her like a possession rather than a person. Brent had convinced Mom they were in love, they’d get married, and he’d give her a good life. He lived in a dream world, and he’d sucked Mom into the dream.
“He won’t leave me alone. I didn’t want to involve the police, but after tonight…” She sighed deeply. “It’s on the local news. They don’t have my name yet, but I’m sure those reporters will figure it out.” Andy wouldn’t tell them her name, but Brent might.
“I’m sure it was a big misunderstanding that got out of hand.”
Yeah, right. “If you need me, leave a message on my cell phone.”
No matter what Mom wanted, there would be no wedding with Brent Bosch. The spoiled rich boy’s behavior frightened Julie.
She’d been working as a real estate agent for a year before Brent showed up, new license in hand, ready to show everyone else how it was done. He was the owner’s son, the heir apparent, and although many of the other agents resented him, Julie didn’t pay much attention. She was dating David at the time and wasn’t interested in other men.
Bob gave Brent leads and Brent made a few sales, but he didn’t spend much time in the office. He avoided sales meetings and didn’t tour the new listings with them on Wednesday mornings, two things Bob required of the agents in his office. Brent’s absence didn’t endear him to any of the other agents.
Then Brent’s mother died, and when he did make an appearance in the office, he seemed too strung out to work. He couldn’t sit still long enough to make phone calls and didn’t make an effort to interact with anyone. At the time, Julie thought he might be taking something to help him through a difficult time. The market hadn’t taken a dive yet, but Brent’s name was conspicuously absent from the board where all the agents listed their sales.
Six months ago, after an absence of several months, Brent started coming to the office again. Every time Julie came in, he was there, working. Julie had broken up with David by then. Brent had a charming smile, but when he asked her out, she politely declined. She wasn’t interested in a man who worked sporadically, no matter the reason.
Four months ago, Brent talked her into going out to dinner. It wasn’t bad for a first date, but she didn’t ask him in, and aside from a kiss at the door, he didn’t touch her. The next day, he sent flowers. She remembered thinking if he’d put that much work into his real estate career, he’d be a top seller. But something seemed off with Brent, and after a few dates, she told him it wasn’t working for her and she didn’t want to see him again.
A week later, her parents invited her to a posh restaurant for dinner. Julie was surprised to find Brent at the restaurant with her parents. In front of her parents, he handed her a box with a beautiful ring and asked her to marry him. Mom gushed with excitement, Dad watched quietly, and Julie was too stunned to speak. She’d dumped him, but he still expected her to marry him.
She declined, of course, but Brent didn’t care what she wanted. He’d decided they were going to marry, and it didn’t matter what she wanted.
<>
Charlie dropped Andy off at Sippin Sally’s. There were still reporters hanging around, but Andy didn’t go inside. He drove Julie’s car to the drug store two doors down from the Chinese restaurant, handed over her prescriptions, and walked down to the restaurant to order their dinne
r.
Minutes later, he drove home with his purchases and found Julie barefoot and wearing his sweat pants. Her hair was brushed to a shine. The sweats were too big for her, but from what he could see, she had great legs. The rest of her looked pretty good, too. This hands-off-until-she-healed plan wouldn’t be easy, especially with her living in his condo. But she wouldn’t be there long. She was a stunning woman and he enjoyed her company, but he didn’t need her kind of trouble. Once her arm healed, he doubted he’d see her again.
When he saw the pain in her eyes, guilt nibbled at his conscience. Why hadn’t he tried to reason with Brent instead of punching him? And why hadn’t Charlie stopped Brent before he grabbed Julie?
They sat down to eat, but Julie looked worried. “Julie? You okay?”
She forced a smile. “Fine.”
“How long have you been selling real estate?”
“Three years. It’s been tough lately, with Brent interfering in my business and chasing away customers. Add that to a bad market, and I haven’t had a closing in four months. No closing, no paycheck.”
“Why real estate?”
“Dad encouraged me to give it a try when I graduated from college. He plays golf with Bob Bosch. I started by working as an assistant to a top agent, staging homes, making flyers, and doing mailings. The pay wasn’t great, but I learned a lot. Then I got my license. I did okay for a couple years, but now that the market has tanked, it’s a struggle to get by. Some of the agents in the office quit and went to work doing other things. Most of the ones who stayed have another source of income, like a retirement pension or a working spouse.”
He waved his fork. “Which you don’t have.”
She nodded. “Which I don’t have. I need to find another job until the market takes off again.” She sighed. “Or start a new career.”
“What’s your degree in?”
“Business. I wanted to study teaching, but Dad talked me into switching to business.”
Andy put some food on her plate and some on his while he talked. “Maybe you can help me. I want to buy a piece of land or a small farm.”