"Amelia is here," she said, and her tone said she wasn't at all pleased about it.
"Yes. Her son is my patient."
"And you didn't think this was something your wife might have liked to know?"
Aw, hell. "I was going to tell her tonight when I got home. I take it she already knows?"
"Of course she knows! The way people talk around here, how long did you think you could keep it a secret?"
"I wasn't keeping it a secret." He just hadn't brought it up.
"And the way she found out..." She pressed her lips together in a thin line, shaking her head. "What were you thinking?"
"I honestly didn't think it was a big deal-"
"Not a big deal?" she shrieked, her eyes wide, and he backed up a step, just in case she took another swing at him.
"-until today," he finished. "Drew warned me that Amelia has been all around town making noise like she and I have some sort of relationship, but it's not true."
"That's a little hard to believe, all things considered," his mother said.
Did she actually believe the lies Amelia had been spreading? And if she did, had Julie believed them, as well?
"How did Julie find out?"
His mother explained that she'd been out with her friends when the subject came up, and that everyone knew but her. "The poor thing was beyond humiliated."
He cursed under his breath. He never meant for it to go this far. He should have known Amelia would do something like this. "I intended to tell her tonight."
"Well, you're too late. And you owe her an apology."
"Of course I'll apologize."
"Not only are you a lousy excuse for a husband, you're not a very good friend, either."
Damn, she really was furious. "You don't think that's a little harsh?"
"Not in the least. Honesty and trust are the basis for any relationship. Platonic or romantic. You lied to her."
Technically, he hadn't, but he knew what his mother would say, because he'd heard it a million times growing up. A lie by omission was still a lie. "As I said, I didn't think it was relevant. I had no idea Amelia was spreading rumors."
"The poor thing sobbed on my shoulder."
He blinked. "Amelia?"
"No, you idiot. Julie."
Julie cried?
Julie?
In all the years he'd known her, through the worst conditions and situations, he'd never so much as seen her well up. She had tenacity, and nerves of steel. She really must have been humiliated to get that upset. And he felt like a louse for putting her in that position. His mother was right. He was an idiot. And a sad excuse for a spouse. And an even worse friend. Had he honestly believed that by avoiding Amelia, she would have no impact on his life? Or Julie's? This was Amelia they were talking about; he should have known better.
"Are you still in love with her?" his mother asked.
"Julie?"
She rolled her eyes. "Amelia."
The fact that she would even ask that question was a clear indication of just how far out of hand this had gotten. In retrospect, all this time later, he wasn't sure if he'd ever loved her. If it had instead been a case of extreme infatuation. "I do not love her. I have no feelings for her whatsoever. I didn't intend for any of this to happen."
"But it did happen, and you need to fix it."
He intended to. First thing tomorrow he would talk to Julie.
Ten
After tossing and turning most of the night, Julie dragged herself out of bed at the crack of dawn, relieved to discover that Luc was still sleeping. She'd heard him come in last night, but feigned sleep when he opened her bedroom door. Late as he was, it didn't take a genius to know where he'd been. And whom he'd been with.
She knew they needed to talk about it, but she needed to get her head on straight first. It was weird how quickly things could change. One minute everything was fine and going as planned, the next she didn't have a clue what to expect. But it wasn't Luc's fault, or hers. Neither of them could have anticipated this happening. But if he wanted Amelia, Julie wouldn't stand in his way.
If Luc were to divorce her so soon after the wedding, the immigration people would be suspicious to say the least. She needed to formulate a plan, an exit strategy that wouldn't involve deportation though the idea of staying Royal had lost its appeal. It would be too humiliating. There was nothing for her in South Africa. Maybe she could move closer to her sister, find a new job.
She sat in her office at the hospital, staring blankly at her laptop, her mind moving in so many directions at once, she couldn't make sense of anything. And she dreaded the moment Luc walked through her office door wanting to talk, because she had no idea what to say to him, or how she was even supposed to feel.
Several minutes had passed when she heard a knock on her door. Her heart raced up to her throat and her knees went all soft and squishy.
Here we go.
She took a deep breath and looked up, expecting to see Luc, but when she saw who was really standing there, her heart plummeted to the pit of her stomach. She'd seen that face before, in a photo Luc used to carry in his wallet. For all she knew it was still in there.
Amelia looked so harmless, her skin pale, her hair flat and lifeless and in need of washing, Julie almost felt sorry for her. Having a child with a chronic illness had obviously taken its toll on her.
"Hi, there," she said, looking nervously around the office. She spoke with one of those adorable Southern accents, and despite looking a little run-down and tired, she was still a very beautiful woman.
"Hello, Amelia, I'm Julie."
"You know who I am?"
Unfortunately.
Julie rose from her chair and crossed to the door, reaching out to shake her hand. It was small and delicate, just like the rest of her, but her grip was firm.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Amelia said. "I just had to meet the woman who finally got a ring on Luc's finger."
The way Julie understood it, Luc had been more than ready to settle down with Amelia. It was she who ran off with someone else. Which obviously hadn't worked out very well for her.
"Have you got a minute?" Amelia asked her. "Can we talk?"
"Come in." As much as Julie wasn't looking forward to this, she knew that it would be best to clear the air. Since Luc didn't seem inclined to talk to her about it, she could hear it straight from the source. At least here, in her office, she had the upper hand. Amelia was in her territory.
Amelia stepped inside. Julie shut the door and gestured to the chair across her desk. "Sit down."
Amelia hesitated, looking conflicted. "Are you sure? I know this is awkward..."
Not as awkward as it would be if they didn't talk. "I'm sure. Please, sit."
Amelia sat on the very edge of the seat, as if she might jump up at any second and bolt for the door. Julie returned to her chair and sat.
"I understand there's been talk," Amelia said. "I wanted to clear the air. I'm not sure what Luc has told you..."
Not a single damned thing, but she didn't tell Amelia that. When in doubt, change the subject. "First, how is your son?"
At the mere mention of her boy, her face lit. "Antsy. Ready for his surgery, but still a little scared. He knows his recovery will be slow and painful. But he can't wait to get on his feet again so he can play with his friends. He's crazy about baseball, and for a five-year-old he's really good, too.
"The last few months, as he's become more and more limited physically, have been very hard for Tommy. Tommy's father, my ex-husband, rarely sees him. He never could forgive me for giving birth to a less than perfect child."
"I'm sorry to hear that," Julie said, feeling sympathy for the boy. She knew too well what it was like to grow up in a single parent home. Though her father, at best, was never more than half a parent. At best.
"He traded me in for a younger model," Amelia said with a weak smile. "I guess that's what happens when you marry for money and social standing."
The admission surprised Julie, and it must have shown.
"I don't deny that I've made many mistakes," Amelia said, head held up proudly. "My only regret is how it's affected my son. After all he's been through, he deserves better. He deserves a father who gives more than a monthly check."
"He has you," Julie said. "What more could he possibly need?" She would have given anything to have her mother back, for her parents to trade places. For her father to be the one who died.
Tears welled in Amelia's eyes. "My gosh," she said, dabbing at them. "You are just so sweet. I want you to know that when I came here I had no idea that Luc was married. He's a lucky man."