“I don’t care as long as it’s healthy,” she answered, smiling. “That’s enough for me.”
“How about Boston?”
Julianna thought for a moment, then said, “He won’t care either. A healthy baby will be gift enough.”
“How far along are you?’”
“Ten weeks.”
“And everything is going well in the pregnancy?”
“Yeah, except for the constant nausea. I could do without that.”
“Oh, girl, try being pregnant with twins — twice the nausea, twice the weight gain.”
“But double the fun when they were born, right?”
Lilah grinned. “You could say that.”
Julianna sighed, glad that Lilah chose to sit with her this morning. “Thanks, I appreciate the girl talk. I haven’t had someone to really talk to since everything happened with Boston.”
“I understand. I’m lucky in that I have my sisters, particularly my twin sister, Lindy, to talk to when I’m stressed out. It’s important to have someone you can lean on.”#p#分页标题#e#
“So Miles tells me that he knew Lindy back in Los Angeles? Can you tell me a bit about Miles?”
“Miles Lassiter…the man who tries desperately to heal a broken heart by falling in love with another woman who is not available…you mean that guy?” Lilah teased, then sobered, saying, “Miles is a great guy but he has terrible radar when it comes to women.”
“Yeah, I’m starting to see that,” Julianna agreed, glad she wasn’t the only one. “I don’t want to hurt him. He’s been my rock through this but I don’t feel that way about him and I know I have to tell him.”
“Be gentle, he’s a good guy, but you’re right it has to be done.”
She sighed, wishing for a different answer. “That’s kinda why I was down here. I was trying to think of a way to break the news.”
“Best way is to just do it. He’ll be okay. I think deep down, at some level, he knew you weren’t truly available. Miles is still searching for healing but until he realizes he’s not going to find it in the places he’s been looking, he’s bound to keep making the same mistake.”
“That’s very zen — and very true,” Julianna admitted with a chagrined laugh. “Man, you are so wise.”
Lilah laughed. “No, just observant.”
Julianna and Lilah let silence fill the space between them as they both enjoyed the gentle surf lapping at the shore and Julianna realized she might not have the answers to each of her problems but she felt a certain measure of peace about them. Well, at least she knew what the right course of action was with Miles.
Now, if only she could gain the same confidence concerning Boston.
“Do you love him?” Lilah asked suddenly, going straight to the heart of the matter.
“Yes,” Julianna answered. “But I’m not happy about it.”
Lilah nodded with understanding. “Then it must be true love.”
“Why is that?”
“Because true love never comes easily. Usually it leaves a few bumps and bruises before it settles into the right place.”
“Well, if that’s true, he’s my freaking soulmate because I’m sporting more than a few bumps and bruises.”
“Probably so.” Lilah waited a beat and then asked, “So what are you going to do about it?”
“Honestly? Nothing. He walked away from me — and I’m sure as hell not going to chase him. If he truly wants me…he knows where to find me.”
The corners of Lilah’s mouth tilted in a small smile as she said, “Let’s hope he comes to his senses soon and remembers where he left his heart.”
One could hope but then, hope, she’d discovered was dangerous and she just didn’t know if she could take the chance.
#
Initially, Miles had been excited when Julianna asked him to stop by her bungalow but now that he was there, watching her fidget and pace, he knew whatever she had to tell him wasn’t good news. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what she wanted to tell him. “You’re going back to him, aren’t you?” he surmised, unable to keep the sour disappointment from his voice.
She stopped and when she answered with a short, “No” he breathed a sigh of relief until she added, “But, I don’t want to be with you, either.”
“Oh.” He leaned on his thighs, wondering why he hadn’t listened to his intuition about Julianna. “I see.”
Julianna exhaled a short breath and said, “Listen, I’m going to cut to the chase because this is killing me. You are an amazing guy and a wonderful friend but I would be doing you a disservice if I let you think that there would ever be anything between us aside from friendship.”