I picked up the cup of coffee, remembering our conversation. “Connie said that during his calls he’d become abrasive. She was worried about what he could do.”
Julia sat against the window, turning my way. “He wasn’t abrasive to me. He was…cold.”
“Phillip told me that he wanted to meet you. He wanted what I’d taken from him.”
“What did you take from him?”
“It seems almost everything. He said that there was nothing to stop him. And then this morning, Rob called. It was the call I got before we were to leave the hotel.”
Julia’s brow furrowed. “Interesting timing.”
Fuck. It was. I hadn’t thought of that. “It was when I learned Phillip was in Chicago.”
“And then I was gone.”
“He didn’t win, Julia. You’re with me. He’ll never get to you. That’s all that matters.”
“What was their end game?” she asked. “If I’d gone ahead with the wedding and then he left me at the altar with Skylar coming in to save me…what would that have accomplished?”
“Getting me out of your life.”
Julia sat back, her lips together as she stared out the window. “It would have.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be. He wasn’t you.” Her eyes widened. “Van, I need to call my father and Vicki. They need to know he isn’t you, too.”
“They should already know. Arnold was going to inform Gregg after we were gone.”
“If they know, I don’t understand the headline. I didn’t leave you at the altar. I left him.” She let out a long sigh.
Beyond the windows, darkness had fallen. We’d both eaten a portion of our meals. It seemed that neither of us had much of an appetite. “Let’s get back in the car and I’ll fill you in on how we’ve used this travel delay to our advantage.”
When she turned toward me, her eyes were lighter. “Do you remember saying you wanted me to move into your bedroom?”
A smile lifted my cheeks. “I seem to recall you saying I was bossy.”
“You can be.”
“Is that a problem?”
“No. In most instances, it’s intriguing. I like it.”
I slid from the booth, and standing, I offered Julia my hand. “Come, let me explain what Jonathon has been up to in Ashland. And when we get home, I can’t promise I’ll let you sleep.”
“Maybe I should take a nap in the car.”
My hand went to the small of her back as we stepped to the front counter. After paying for our meals, the four of us headed to the parked car.
Julia
My eyes fluttered open as the car came to a stop. As we began to move again, I sat up, wiped a bit of drool from my lips, and hoped that Van hadn’t seen the drool in the darkness. The pitch-black sky beyond our windows was filled with millions of stars. “I love how pretty the sky is here.”
“Did you have a nice nap?” Van asked with a grin.
“Tell me I didn’t snore.”
“Your secret is safe.”