by A. P. Jensen
“Old history,” she said, hoping he would buy her nonchalant attitude.
“I want to hear about it,” Dominick said.
“Juliet, you’re up,” Maile called.
Juliet handed the plate to Dominick and rushed over. She missed the ball by a long shot. Maile threw her hands up in disgust. They lost the game and Juliet was replaced by an eager man who seemed to have a crush on Maile. Juliet walked back to Dominick and perched on a stool with him standing beside her as she finished her food. When Dominick was engaged in conversation with someone, she took her empty plate to the kitchen and paused by the bar where Hunter was cleaning up.
“No one knows we’re related?” Hunter asked, just loud enough for her to hear.
Juliet leapt as if she had an electrical shock. “No.”
Hunter paused and leaned on the bar. “Embarrassed where you came from?” he asked with a sneer.
Juliet hesitated. “Aren’t you?”
“I never had a chance to hide it. I’m used to people looking at me like I’m trash. That’s why I own the bar free and clear. Too much prejudiced fucks in this town. No one can take it from me. I don’t have to depend on anyone.”
It was so similar to her own life plan that Juliet was stunned speechless for a few seconds. “I get that.”
A hand curled around her waist. “You ready to go?” Dominick asked.
“Yeah.” She looked at Hunter. “See you tomorrow.”
Juliet waved to Maile who was still at the pool table and walked out of the bar.
“I’m over here,” she said, pointing to the bug in the distance.
As Juliet drove to Dominick’s house she thought of their beach day tomorrow. She didn’t have a swimsuit. Juliet dialed Callie who answered on the second ring.
“Juliet?” Callie asked cautiously.
“Yes. Do you have a swimsuit I could borrow? I’d ask Maile but I think her bikini top is a double D.”
“Uh, yeah, sure. You’re doing okay?”
“Yes. How are you?” she asked.
“Better.”
“You don’t mind that Freddy’s gone?”
A pause and then, “No.”
Juliet relaxed. “You want to come to the beach with us tomorrow?”
“Who’s going?”
“Dominick, Maile, Hunter, Kai and I.”
“Hunter Lindsey?” Callie sounded stunned.
“He’s more bark than bite,” Juliet reassured her.
“Are you two, like, bonding?”
Juliet made a face. “We’re just trying to get through and I’ve been at the bar almost every night so… We’re getting to know each other. It’s not like we’re going to be friends or anything.”
“Huh,” Callie sounded thoughtful. “I wouldn’t mind a day out of the house.”
“How’s everything going there?”
“Tense.”
Callie didn’t need to elaborate.
“You should definitely come,” Juliet said. They all needed a day of rest and relaxation and there was no better place to do that than the beach.
“I’ll see you there.” A pause and then, “Juliet, you’re really okay?”
“Yes,” Juliet said as she turned into Dominick’s driveway.
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Bye.”
They hung up and she got out of the car and walked to the front door, which opened before she reached it.
“You should take the spare key,” Dominick said.
His offer made her feel as if she swallowed the sun, but she tamped down her need to rush him. They reached the second landing and by mutual accord, turned to the master bedroom. Juliet hesitated as he stripped without a hint of shame. She was so distracted by his body that she didn’t see the irritated frown on his face.
“What’s going on between you and Hunter?”
“What?”
“The first night you met him at the bar he glared at you the whole time we were there.”
Juliet shrugged. “He needs the help.”
Dominick crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s more than that. What did Kai mean when he asked if you two were patching things up?”
Juliet opened and then closed her mouth without saying anything.
“Juliet?”
Juliet twisted her hands together and then took a step back. She wasn’t ready to talk about it. She and Hunter couldn’t even admit to one another that they were half siblings so how could she explain it to Dominick? Juliet didn’t know how to define their strange standoff. She didn’t ask him about their mother because she knew enough. It was strange how they grew up in different worlds, yet they had similar values. She respected Hunter, admired him even, but revealing who Hunter was stripped her of the protective blanket of claiming that she was adopted. It inched closer to the truth of her parentage that she wanted to keep cloaked.
“He’s an old acquaintance,” she said finally.
“You dated Hunter?”
“No!”
Dominick eyed her severely. “You’re not telling me everything.”
“It’s not worth mentioning.”
“I won’t share you, Juliet,” he stated quietly.
“I’m not asking you to.” No man had ever meant as much to her as Dominick. It didn’t matter that they had known each other for such a short amount of time. She didn’t want him to feel unsure of her after all he’d done. Juliet went to him and wrapped herself around him. She didn’t care that he was naked. He was delectable and hers. “You don’t have to worry about anyone else. It’s just old history.”
Dominick said nothing as he ran his finger down her throat. She felt her stomach clench with nerves at the prolonged silence.
“I don’t want anyone else,” she said.
“How much do you want me?”
“More than I want to,” she said and buried her face against his skin. “You scare the crap out of me.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Good.”
“Good?”
“It means you care. I know how you feel about everyone else but me.”
Juliet bit her bottom lip. “What I feel for you doesn’t make sense.”
“Feelings don’t have to make sense,” he said as he undressed her. “Go with your heart, Juliet. She won’t steer you wrong.”
Chapter Thirteen
Juliet was giddy with excitement as she and Dominick walked to the beach. Callie met her at the public restroom with a bikini. Callie wore a huge hat, bikini bottoms and a thin, oversized shirt. Callie held the broken bathroom stall door closed so Juliet could change. Juliet raised her brows at the hot red bikini.
“You’ve worn this?” Juliet asked as she changed into it.
“No, it’s Trina’s,” Callie said.
“Brent’s wife?”
“I didn’t want to go to my house and she has ten suits to choose from.”
“Does she know you’re giving this to me to borrow?” Juliet demanded.
“Of course.”
Juliet came out of the stall with a sarong around her waist and a tank top covering the sexy bikini. “You do know that she thinks I’m a gold digger, right?”
Callie frowned. “Why would she think that?”
“Because she’s Brent’s wife.”
“I’m sure she doesn’t think that now.”
“Why would they change their mind? I’m with Dominick.” And his fortune was nothing to scoff at.
“Don’t worry about it, Juliet,” Callie said as they walked out of the bathroom. “Hi, Dominick.”
“Callie, how are you?” Dominick asked as he grabbed Juliet’s hand and they continued down to the beach.
“Ready to not be pregnant anymore,” Callie said ruefully and pat her large stomach.
“Three weeks left, right?” Juliet asked.
Callie nodded. “I can’t wait to move. I want to set up the nursery.”
“You’re moving next week?”
“Yes.”
Juliet looked up at him, as usual, surprised by his generosity. Juliet jerked him to a halt and tugged him down so she could kiss him. Dominick didn’t waste the opportunity. He dropped the bag slung over his shoulder and hauled her against him. Juliet still tingled from his lovemaking. She worshipped him last night, for the first time in her life, finding a man she wanted to yield to, to honor. After his uncertainty about the level of her commitment, she felt compelled to show him that there was no other man for her. Dominick had uncompromisingly taken her over. She didn’t know how to put it into words, she could only demonstrate. What took place was an endless night of loving that was burned into her mind for all time. She was happy. For the first time in her life, she was living in the moment and letting things happen on its own. She had adopted Dominick’s way of living. At times it felt as if she was in free fall, but then Dominick or Maile reassured her that she was where she was supposed to be.
Callie cleared her throat, bringing Juliet to her senses. Juliet drew back from Dominick with a smile. His sunglasses were askew so she saw that his eyes were dark with lust and amusement.
“Later,” he promised.
Juliet kissed him again before she released him. He retook her hand while Callie tried to cover her grin. Juliet looked ahead and stopped dead when she saw the huge group waiting for them. Juliet spotted Maile first. She wore a neon bathing suit that looked good against her tanned skin. Maile stood beneath a small white tent with Brent who was watching them. Juliet scanned the beach for Gray and tried to drag her hand from Dominick’s in an attempt to get away.
Dominick turned to her. “Juliet?”
“I don’t think—” Juliet broke off as Brent started towards them. She hadn’t seen or heard from him since Freddy’s assault. Juliet examined the crowd and picked out Scarlet, Brent’s wife, Lee, Moana and a host of nieces and nephews that she had never been introduced to. Her chest tightened with anxiety and dread. Her agenda today had been to relax and now the Grants were here, something she should have anticipated since she asked Callie to come, but it never occurred to her that they would.
“Did they know I was coming?” Juliet asked Callie.
“Of course,” Callie said. “What’s wrong?”
Callie made this into a family affair and she wasn’t family.
“Problem?” Brent asked when he reached them.
Juliet hesitated. She couldn’t read his expression since he wore a cap and sunglasses. It was a useless endeavor anyway since he wasn’t the brother she had grown up with. Memories of them frolicking on this beach as kids dashed through her mind. That had been a lifetime ago.
“No problem,” Juliet said.
She walked around him and headed to the tent. Despite the fact that Brent had come to her defense when Freddy attacked, she had no idea what he thought of her. She broke down in front of him and was living with Dominick. She reinforced his original suspicion that she was a whore. Juliet released Dominick’s hand when they reached the tent.
Maile came over and draped her arm over Juliet’s shoulder. “This is going to be interesting,” Maile drawled.
“I invited Callie. I wasn’t thinking,” Juliet muttered.
Maile tugged on the sarong around Juliet’s waist. “What’s this?”
“I don’t look like I used to.”
“You should be proud of the way you look, big or small. You’re getting laid, so what do you care?” Maile said and then waved. “Oh, look who’s here.”
Hunter walked across the sand with his surfboard and Kai. Kai stood just outside of the tent. Juliet followed his gaze to Lee who had his back to his old friend. Juliet made a beeline for Lee and gripped his arm.
“Hey,” she said.
“Hey,” Lee replied stiffly.
“Don’t be mad at Kai,” she ordered.
Lee stared at her and said nothing.
“I don’t know what Gray said about the night Mom died, but I wasn’t pregnant and never have been. Kai has nothing to do with what happened to Mom,” Juliet said earnestly.
“He helped you leave,” Lee said quietly.
“I couldn’t stay,” Juliet said.
Lee’s jaw set. “If he didn’t help you leave, we would have settled this fifteen years ago.”
Lee blamed his friend for something that wasn’t his fault. Juliet gripped his arms and hoped he would hear her. “Kai is a great guy, the best. If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have made it. Don’t be mad at him. It’s my fault.”
Lee jerked his chin. “It was a long time ago.”
“Yeah.” It didn’t matter how many years passed. The scars and hurts were still there. Juliet squeezed his arm before she surveyed the crowd.
“Juliet,” Scarlet said as she came forward with her brood, four boys and a little girl.
Juliet resisted the urge to back away as the kids examined her curiously.
“Juliet, these are my kids,” Scarlet said formally, as if they weren’t on a beach in swimsuits and skimpy clothing. “My oldest is Jeremiah. He’s ten.”
Juliet was amused when Jeremiah inclined his head to her. Juliet saw a lot of Scarlet in him and knew he was bound for Ivy League college in a couple of years.
“And this is Jacob,” Scarlet said, tapping the head of the second oldest who looked like his father. “Jacob’s eight and Jonah and Joe are six and four.” Scarlet pointed to the two youngest boys who were elbowing each other and not paying attention to the introductions. They were so close in height and weight that they looked like twins.
“And this is Moon,” Scarlet said and bounced the little girl on her hip who was the spitting image of her mother with dark hair and generous lips. “This is Aunt Juliet.”
Juliet stared at Scarlet, stunned. Before Juliet could say or do anything, the two youngest boys erupted into a shoving match. Moon grinned at Juliet and reached for her. Before Juliet could back away, Scarlet handed Moon over and waded into the fray. Jeremiah toted one of his hot-headed brothers over his shoulder and headed to the water while Scarlet lectured the other one that had been left behind. Jacob inched away from his mother and then made a dash for the waves. Moon regarded Juliet solemnly before she tried to poke her in the eye.
“Pwetty!” Moon bellowed so loudly that Juliet nearly dropped her.
Scarlet straightened with her hand on little Joe’s shoulder. “Can you say Aunt Juliet?”
Joe gave his mom a mutinous look but Moon shouted, “Aunt Ju!”
Juliet tried to set Moon down, but she threw a fit. Juliet awkwardly positioned the baby on her hip and saw Brent’s daughter hanging on Dominick. He listened to her attentively and Juliet shook her head in wonder. Who knew there were still men like Dominick Bryson in the world?
“Can you watch Moon? I’m going to get the food organized,” Scarlet said.
“Uh,” Juliet said. Didn’t Scarlet know she had zero experience with kids?
“Come, Juliet,” Moana said and led her to the water.
“But, I don’t know if she—” Juliet began.
“Moon loves water, don’t you, baby?” Moana cooed.
Moon flapped her arms as they walked into the water to accompany Scarlet’s boys who were splashing and shoving each other underwater. The water felt like heaven. Juliet and Moana bobbed in the waves and passed Moon back and forth. Moon reveled in their attention and shoved her brothers away when they tried to help her swim.
“How’s married life?” Juliet asked.
Moana beamed. “Perfection.”
“I’m glad,” Juliet said. “Are you going to plan another honeymoon?”
“Maybe in a couple of months.”
Juliet sputtered when she was splashed in the face by two cannon balls from Jeremiah and Jacob. Juliet blinked when Brent’s clone daughter popped up in front of her.
“You’re dating Uncle Dominick?” Dia asked.
“Uh, yes,” Juliet said.
&
nbsp; “We saw you eating breakfast together that one time,” Dia said and tread water easily. “Dad says to call you Aunt Juliet. I like your name.”
“Thanks,” Juliet said weakly. Brent told his kids to call her aunty?
“Grandpa stayed home,” Dia said.
“Thank God for that,” Juliet muttered and saw Jacob hold Jonah underwater a little too long. “Hey, cut it out!”
Brent’s wife Trina paddled towards them. “Two against six isn’t good odds,” she said and looked at Juliet. “I have to thank you for all that you’ve done.”
Juliet blinked. The last time she saw Trina, she looked at her as if she had an infectious disease.
“My father was abusive, so…” Trina let out a long breath and gave Juliet a steely look that held cold approval. “I wish I could’ve done to him what you did to Freddy. By the time we realized something was wrong with Callie, it would’ve been too late. I can’t believe Freddy went after you too.”
Juliet didn’t know what to say. Trina’s olive branch was definitely unexpected. Juliet held her arms out to Moon. She held the baby against her chest and kicked off the sandy bottom to go over a wave.
“I didn’t see any signs at all,” Moana said. “I mean, I knew they didn’t have the best marriage, but I had no idea he was hitting her.”
“Callie’s good at hiding things,” Juliet said. That had to be the understatement of the century.
“She’s getting better every day.” Trina hesitated before she confided, “Callie told Brent last night that she’s moving out. They had a long discussion about it. If she stays with us, she wouldn’t have to worry about anything, but she says she wants to be on her own and quit Grant Shipping.”
Moana smiled. “Good for her!”
“But Callie’s never done anything else.”
While it warmed her that Trina cared for Callie, Juliet agreed with Moana. “She’ll be fine.”
Little arms wrapped around Juliet from behind making her jolt.
“I saw a turtle!” Jonah cried.
“Cool. Don’t try to catch it. Just let it be free,” Juliet said and dove with Jonah to see the turtle for herself.
When Juliet came up for air, she had to rub her eyes to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. Brent was in the water. He had Dia on his shoulders and he gnawed on her leg and did the theme song for Jaws. He played a shark by pulling the boys underwater while they shrieked and tried to get away. When Brent pulled Trina under she came up and pummeled the hell out of him, which made Juliet laugh harder than she had in a long time. Maybe she liked Trina after all.