It's Better This Way(46)

Sure enough, when they reached the very pinnacle, Heath captured her mouth in a searing kiss that lasted nearly all the way to the bottom of the ride. By the time they broke apart, Julia’s heart was racing at a furious pace. To the point that she had trouble catching her breath.

    “Listen, old man,” she teased, “no matter what that guy had to say, I can personally verify that you haven’t lost your touch.”

He chuckled and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Nice to know.”

After the rides, they wandered through multiple buildings, viewing farm animals and the crafts displayed. By the time they left the fairgrounds, it was late in the afternoon. Julia was tired and exhilarated at the same time. She enjoyed seeing the fair with her sister, but viewing it with Heath was an entirely different experience.

“I had a wonderful time,” she told Heath as they neared Seattle. Being it was Friday afternoon, the traffic was at a near standstill. “Thank you,” she said, leaning her head against his shoulder as he navigated his way back into the city.

“I should be the one thanking you. This was the best day I’ve had in ages, and I’m talking about more than the greasy hamburger, scone, and cotton candy.”

Julia felt the same. She’d had a perfectly lovely time, and although she was worn out from all the walking, and bloated from the notoriously unhealthy fair food, this was a day she would long remember and hold dear.



* * *



—

Back at The Heritage, Heath walked her to her front door and kissed her once more before returning to his own condo. Anxious to put her feet up, Julia hadn’t been home for more than a few minutes when Marie arrived.

“Hi Mom,” she said, after Julia let her inside the condo.

    “Hey.” Having her youngest daughter stop by on a Friday night was a rarity. Marie liked to go out with her friends and let loose on the weekend. Of course, it was early yet. “This is a surprise,” she said, leading her daughter into the living room.

They sat across from each other, and right away Julia noticed how nervous her daughter seemed to be.

“Honey, what’s wrong?”

Her daughter paused, as if unsure where to start. “I’m breaking a promise to Hillary, but there are extenuating circumstances.”

Julia frowned. “If you’re doubting yourself, then perhaps you should take a day or two to think it over.”

“I already have. I’m not sure what to do, and you’re the only one who will know what’s best.”

Thinking this might be something that required a drink stronger than coffee or tea, she poured them each a glass of white wine. After handing one of the stemless wineglasses to her daughter, she gestured. “Okay, I’m ready.”

Marie held on to the glass with both hands and steadied her gaze on the pinot grigio. “Dad came to see Hillary.”

That was actually good news. If Marie thought she’d be upset by this development, then her daughter was wrong. Eddie had made the first step, which was something he needed to do. She also knew how difficult it was for him. Perhaps now healing could take place.

“He apologized for saying he would have nothing to do with us unless we accepted Laura into our lives.”

This was far and above what she had hoped to hear. As stubborn as Eddie was, to have him express regret for his thoughtless words was a big step in the right direction.

    “Hillary said this was what she’d been waiting all these years to hear.” At this point, Marie paused and swallowed hard. To cover up her emotion, she took a drink. “And then…he had to go and blow it.”

Julia felt her entire body tense with frustration and anger. “Tell me what happened.”

Marie leaned forward and braced her elbows on her knees. “He offered to pay for part of the wedding. He said he would help Hillary get the dress she wanted. And the invitations. Then, as if it was understood, he added that since he would be contributing toward the expenses, both his and Laura’s names needed to be included on the invitations.”

It appalled Julia that Eddie would attempt such manipulation and somehow believe that bribery would get him what he wanted. It didn’t take much of an imagination to guess Hillary’s reaction.

“Hillary was furious. She made it clear she had no intention of having Laura attend the wedding in any capacity, which, naturally, angered Dad.”

How one man could screw up an apology any worse than this was hard to imagine. “Oh dear.”

“Then they both said a lot of things I know they’ll regret.”

Legendary tempers were something father and daughter had in common. The years apparently hadn’t eroded Eddie’s volatile nature.

“Afterward, Dad got me involved. He wanted me to let Hillary know that he regretted stopping by, and that she should go ahead with her wedding plans. Only now he said we should leave him out of it.”

Julia felt like crying. This was even worse than she had imagined. If it was in her power, she’d like to slap some sense into Eddie. He knew better than to force Hillary to bend to his will, or he should.

    “That was Sunday. Dad called me again on Wednesday and asked me to do him a favor.”

“Now what?”

“This is why I need advice, Mom,” Marie explained. “Dad wanted the name of the wedding shop where Hillary was buying her dress. When I asked him why, he said he was going to make sure Hillary got the dress she wanted. I gave him the name of the shop, and then he made me promise not to tell Hillary.”