It's Better This Way(57)

    Security was tight. It might have been easier to visit Fort Knox, and certainly less stressful!

A woman stood by the elevator when Julia stepped off. “Hello, I’m Tamera from Mr. Wilson’s office. Please follow me.”

“Thank you,” Julia said, as Tamera led her to double glass doors. She entered a code at the small panel on the wall, which allowed them to enter.

As his assistant escorted Julia down a long hallway, she glanced into the offices of men and women working at their computers and phones.

Adam had one of the smaller offices. His desk was massive, with two oversized monitors. He looked up when she entered. Only it wasn’t Adam. Instead, she faced Michael.

When she hesitated, he motioned for her to take a seat. “Adam asked me to meet you,” he explained. Seeing that Julia had come this far, she wasn’t going to back down now. She’d hoped to speak to Adam, but it seemed she’d been outsmarted. This was the first time she’d had the chance to get a good look at Heath’s oldest son. He was a younger version of his father. They even wore their hair in the same style.

“I’ll admit this is a rather unexpected surprise,” he said, looking none too pleased to see her.

“I imagine it is.” She was well aware neither of Heath’s boys would welcome her with open arms. Knowing this hadn’t stopped her; she felt she had to try.

“I’ll admit I’m curious.”

That was what she’d been counting on.

    “Why are you here? Because if you’re looking for an apology for what I said at the hospital—”

“I’m not,” she said, cutting him off.

“Okay, then kindly fill me in?”

Looking down at her hands, Julia nervously smoothed her skirt. She’d dressed professionally, as if she was headed to work, wanting—no, needing—to look her best.

“I would like to clear the air between us…between our families.”

“And you think the two of us talking will help achieve that?” He made the question sound laughable.

“That was my hope.” She glanced up, laying aside her pride and wishing he would recognize how difficult coming to him had been for her.

“Before you say anything, you should know I doubt anything you have to say is going to change the way I feel about you or your daughters. As far as I’m concerned, you’re wasting your time, but have at it.” He leaned back in his leather chair and knotted his hands over his chest, as if waiting to be amused.

Inhaling a calming breath, she offered him a weak smile. “First off, I know how close you are to your dad. Your relationship means the world to him.”

Michael didn’t deny or affirm her statement.

“As you know, when your father and I met, we had no clue there was any connection between us. Of course, we both were aware that the other had been previously married, but neither of us knew who our former spouses were.”

Michael’s mouth thinned. “And?” He made a circular movement with his hand, indicating she should get on with it.

    “It’s been six years since the divorce,” she reminded him. “Heath had moved on, and so had I. Neither of us was expecting to find anyone else, and we both had settled into a solitary life.”

“You didn’t move into The Heritage because of my father?” he asked.

How cynical of him and utterly ridiculous, although she didn’t say it. “I moved to The Heritage first. Your father moved in after I did. I couldn’t possibly have arranged our meeting.”

That didn’t seem to convince him, as he steadily regarded her.

“Dad said you changed your workout schedule and that was how you supposedly met.” He mentioned this as if it was all the proof he needed that she’d somehow manipulated the relationship.

“You’re right. I sold my business and only work as a consultant now. Because I had more free time in the mornings, I shifted my exercise regimen from the afternoons to earlier in the day.”

He raised his eyebrows, as though he still remained skeptical.

“For a week or longer Heath and I didn’t say a word to one another. He was the one who introduced himself. We soon learned how much in common we shared. Our spouses had both fallen in love with someone else. We both had two children. Heath had sons and I had daughters. We bonded over our disastrous dating experiences.”

“Fine. You enjoy my father’s company. That doesn’t change anything.”

“Michael, please. Is there anything I can do to assure you I genuinely care for your father? And I know he cares for me. It hurts us both to have our children oppose our relationship, when it means the world to us.”

    “I’m not here to judge if you do or don’t care for my father. I don’t like that he’s with you, especially when there are plenty of other worthwhile women who would welcome his attention.”

Her pleas hadn’t appeared to move him.

“If it reassures you any, I promise I won’t get in his way. If he wants a relationship with you, that’s on him, only you should know I have no desire to have anything to do with you or, God forbid, your daughters.”

His attitude made reconciliation between their families seem less and less likely. “I realize you have reasons to resent me. I made a terrible mistake before the divorce was final when I sent those text messages to your mother, and for that I apologize. To you and to her. It happened a long time ago, but I instantly regretted letting my emotions get the best of me. My hope is that you can understand what led me to do something I knew was wrong.” She didn’t mention Laura was the one to initiate the exchange. Julia accepted responsibility. All she could do was hope Michael realized his mother had been the one to tear apart Julia’s marriage and her life.