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Sam’s eyes flew open as he stepped away from her. Julia let out a soft groan.
“Ever think of knocking?” she asked, pressing her hands over her eyes.
“No” was her mother’s succinct answer.
“Nice to see you, Mrs. Morgan.” Although Sam’s voice sounded a little shaky, Julia had to admire his courage in holding her mother’s gaze.
Almost unwillingly, Julia turned and met her mom’s steely glare. “I’m sorry, Mom. We wanted to keep things quiet a bit longer.”
Vera Morgan was a tiny blonde dynamo of a woman. Her hair pulled back into a neat bun, she retained the beauty of her youth mixed with the maturity of decades spent overseeing her life and everyone in it. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Until you could announce your engagement in the middle of a crowded restaurant?”
Julia cringed. “Not the exact plan.”
“I don’t understand what this is about. It sounds like one of your typical impetuous decisions. Your father and I raised you to be more careful with how you act. I thought you’d have learned to be more responsible about the choices you make. Have you thought of Charlie? What’s best for him?”
“He’s all I think about and of course I want what’s best for him. You have no idea...” Julia wanted to lay it all on the line for her mother—Jeff’s family, the attorney, her fear of losing Charlie. She paused and glanced at Sam. He nodded slightly as if to encourage her.
How could she admit her years of bad choices could jeopardize Charlie’s future? She knew her mother thought she was irresponsible, fickle and flighty. For most of her life, Julia had been all of those things and worse.
Her mother waited for an answer while the toe of one shoe tapped out a disapproving rhythm. Julia could measure the milestone moments of her life by her mother’s slow toe tap. She swore sometimes she could hear it in her sleep.
“I don’t expect you to understand, but this is good for Charlie. For both of us.”
Vera’s gaze slanted between Julia and Sam. “Having the hots for a guy isn’t the same as love. From what I just witnessed, you two have chemistry, but marriage is a lot more than physical attraction.”
Julia felt a blush rise to her cheeks. “I’m not a teenager anymore,” she mumbled. “I get that.”
“I worry about you rushing into something.” Vera paused and pinned Sam with a look before continuing. “Especially with a man who has a reputation around town. I don’t want you to be hurt.”
“I know what I’m doing. Trust me. For once trust that I’m making the right decision.” She hated that her voice cracked. She’d made some stupid choices in her life. So what? Lots of people did and they lived through it. Did she have to be raked over the coals for every indiscretion?
Sam’s hand pressed into the small of her back, surprisingly comforting. “Mrs. Morgan,” he began, his voice strong and confident. Julia wished she felt either right now. “Your daughter is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”
Julia glanced over her shoulder, for a moment wondering if he was talking about her sister.
The corner of his mouth turned up as he looked at her. “You are amazing. You’re honest and brave and willing to fight for what you want.”
Charlie’s sweet face flashed in Julia’s mind, and she gave a slight nod.
“You’re a lot stronger and smarter than you give yourself credit for.” His gaze switched to Vera. “Than most people give her credit for. But that’s going to change. I want people to see the woman I do. Maybe we shouldn’t have hidden our relationship, but it wasn’t anyone’s business. To hell with my reputation and Julia’s, too.”
“I hear a couple town-council members are making a big deal about your single status as they’re starting to review your contract. They think only a family man can impart the kind of values and leadership Brevia needs.”
“Another reason we were quiet. I don’t want to use Julia and Charlie to get reappointed. The job I’ve done as police chief should be enough.”
He sounded so convincing, Julia almost believed him. At the very least, his conviction gave her the courage to stand up for herself a little more. “Sam’s right. We’re not looking for anyone’s approval. This is about us.”
“Have you set a date yet?” Vera asked, her tone hard again.
“We’re working on that.”
Sam cleared his throat. “I’m going to head home.” He dropped a quick kiss on Julia’s cheek. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Coward,” she whispered.
“Sticks and stones,” he said softly before turning to Vera.
“Mrs. Morgan, I’m sorry you found out this way. I hope you know I have Julia and Charlie’s best interests at heart.”
Her mother’s eyes narrowed.
“That’s my cue.” Sam scooted around Vera and let himself out the front door.
“I only want what’s best for you.” Vera stepped forward. “Your father and I didn’t do enough to help you when you were younger. I won’t make that mistake again.” She wrapped one arm around Julia’s waist. “I don’t understand how this happened and I don’t trust Sam Callahan. But I know Charlie is your number one priority. That’s what counts.”
Julia didn’t want her mother to feel guilty. As a child, she’d tried to hide the extent of her problems from her parents, as well as everyone else. They weren’t to blame. She let out a slow breath. “I’m doing this for Charlie.”
“You love him?”
“He’s my entire life.”
“I meant, do you love Sam? Enough to marry him.”
“Sam is a wonderful man,” Julia answered quickly. “I’d be a fool not to want to marry him.” Not exactly a declaration of deep and abiding love but it was as much as she could offer tonight. “I’m sorry you had to come over.”
Her mother watched her for several moments before releasing her hold. “You’re my daughter. I’ll do anything to protect you. You know that, right?”
Julia nodded. Once again, she had the urge to share the whole sordid mess with her mother. She swallowed back her emotions. “It’s late. I’ll bring Charlie by in the morning before I drop him at the sitter’s.”
Vera patted her cheek. “Get some sleep. You look like you could use it. You can’t keep up this pace. You’re no spring chicken.”
“Thanks for the reminder.” That was the reason Julia wanted to handle this on her own. Vera couldn’t help but judge her. It was in her mother’s nature to point out all the ways Julia needed improvement. She’d have a field day with the custody situation. Julia had enough trouble without adding her mother’s opinion into the mix.
She closed and locked the door behind her mother then sagged against it. She’d done a lot of reckless things in her life but wondered if this time she’d gone off the deep end.
The baby monitor made a noise. Charlie gave a short cry before silence descended once more. Her gaze caught on a framed photo on one end table, taken minutes after his birth. She’d known as soon as the nurse had placed him in her arms that Charlie was the best part of her. She’d vowed that day to make something of her life, to become worthy of the gift she’d been given. While she had a difficult time tamping down her self-doubt, she never questioned how far she would go to protect her son. She’d do whatever it took to keep him safe, even this ridiculous charade with Sam. If it helped her custody case in the least, Julia would become the most devoted fiancée Brevia had ever seen.
* * *
That commitment was put to the test the next morning when a posse of angry women descended on the salon. Two to be exact, but it felt like a mob.
She’d swung by her mother’s after breakfast then dropped Charlie with Mavis Donnelly, the older woman who watched him and one other toddler in her home. She’d gotten into town by eight-thirty, thanks to Charlie’s propensity to wake with the sun. She wanted time to look over the monthly billing spreadsheets before anyone else arrived.
No one outside her immediate family knew about her condition, and she intended to keep it that way, afraid of being taken advantage of or thought too stupid to handle her own business. She put in the extra time she needed to get each financial piece right. Sometimes she studied the numbers until she felt almost physically ill.
When the knocking started, she straightened from her desk in the back, assuming it was one of the stylists who’d forgotten her key. Instead the front door swung open to reveal two pairs of angry eyes glaring at her.
“How’d you do it?” Annabeth Sullivan asked, pushing past her into the salon without an invitation. Annabeth had been in the same high-school class as Julia, a girl Julia would have referred to as a “band geek” back in the day. She hadn’t been kind, and Annabeth, who now managed the bank reviewing Julia’s loan application, hadn’t let her forget it. Annabeth’s younger sister, Diane, followed her inside.
“Morning to you, ladies.”
“He never goes on more than three dates.” Annabeth held up three plump fingers. “Never.”
“Can I see the ring?” Diane asked, her tone gentler.
Reluctantly, Julia held out her hand. “It’s perfect,” Diane gushed.
“Kind of small,” Annabeth said, peering at it from the corner of one eye. “I figured you’d go for the gaudy flash.”
Julia felt her temper flare. “You don’t know me, then.”
Annabeth took a step closer. “I know you, Julia Morgan. I know you had your minions stuff my locker with Twinkies the first day of freshman year. And made my life hell every day after that. I spent four years trying to stay off your radar and still you’d hunt me down.”
The truth of the accusation made Julia cringe. “I’m sorry. I tried to make amends when I came back. I was awful and I’m truly sorry. I offered you free services for a year to try to repay a tiny portion of my debt.”
“A year?” Diane turned to her sister. “You never told me that.”
“Be quiet, Diane. That doesn’t matter now. What I want to know is how you cast your evil spell over Sam Callahan.”
“I’m not a witch. No spells, no magic.” She paused then added, “We fell in love. Simple enough. Is there something else you need?” She took a step toward the front door but Annabeth held up a hand.
“Nothing is simple with you. Sam is a good man. He went on three dates with Diane.”
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