I met her eyes again, willing her on.
She cleared her throat and stood up straight, gaining some strength. “Originally I thought my writing was just for me. Forfun, you know, when the stress of work at my firm became too much.” She looked around, almost imploring everyone to understand. And because they could feel that desire pouring off her even though they were still confused, everyone nodded.
Ivy was sitting just to my side as she nursed Lorelai. I glanced over at her to see her head tilt as she looked from Jules to the book, back to Jules, and then her head spun to me.
“Noah?” she whispered.
And I knew she’d put two and two together.
I nodded in Jules’s direction. “Let her finish,” I said in a hushed tone.
Ivy’s eyes were like saucers, but she looked back to Jules.
“I’ll cut to the chase, but I’m happy to answer any questions you have,” Jules was saying. “This hobby became a secret kind of by accident. I didn’t know how to finally tell people because when it started and only existed on my computer, why would I mention it? But then, once my stories got out into the world, it seemed to get bigger all at once. And now I’m tired of worrying about what people will think about it, so I’m starting with telling all of you.” She looked to me and then gave me a shy smile. “Well, Noah already knows.” Then she held up the book and spoke with a wide smile on her face like she was owning her truth. “I’m the author of this book, Jules Jenkins.”
Margot and Kate cheered and rushed Jules to pull her into a group hug.
Ivy slapped my arm and said, “I knew it!”
The guys and the kids all whooped and clapped, though I’m not sure that any of them realized what a big deal this was.
Then I realized the back door was open behind Jules. From behind the swaying hug in front of us, I heard Lou’s voice ring out. “I’m sorry, what did you just say, Jules?”
Jules’s eyes widened as she stepped back from Kate and Margot to spin around.
All of us could then see Lou and Verdell in the doorway, looking puzzled. But then two more people stepped out from behind them. Jules made a shocked noise. “Mom? Dad? What are you doing here?”
Oh shit.
Chapter 27
The Bombs Explode
Jules
Shit. Shit. Shitty shit, shit. My parents,my mom and dad, were standing in Ivy and Jake’s kitchen.What world was I living in? Sure, Lou and Verdell were surprising, but at least they lived in Highland Falls. The two of them showing up for brunch wasn’t completely out of the realm of possibility. But my parents?
My brain whirled as I contemplated where in the States I’d thought they were currently traveling, and I realized that with everything in the past week with Noah’s family crisis, I hadn’t even considered their location or paid much attention to their social media.
Not that any of that knowledge was making the current reality any better.
Could one get whiplash from an extreme about-face of emotions? Asking for a friend. Moments ago, I had just told the Spencer family about my books. They’d reacted better than I could have imagined. I’d felt pure joy and somewhat of a lightness inside, having shared this big of a secret with at least a few people close to me. That lasted what, mere seconds? And now?
Now?
Now I was just standing there, staring dumbfounded at my family. I heard murmurings behind me and somehow knew the Spencers were gathering their food and heading somewhere… The dining room? No idea—I hadn’t exactly had a tour yet.
They were giving us privacy because of course they were. I’d invaded their family brunch, made them wait while I had my meltdown, dropped a literary bomb on them, celebrated, and now was having a family moment in their kitchen. I’m sure I would be invited back again next weekend.
Mental note, this would be great fodder for a character once I got over the little t trauma I was having here.
As I spiraled and wrapped my mind around the fact that not only were my family members standing in front of me but they’d also heard me announce I was an author, I felt an arm wrap around my waist. I immediately knew it was Noah standing beside me because of course he was, the giant green flag of a man. Too bad his parents were no longer residing on this earth so that I could tell them that despite their best efforts, the man would stand alongside me to dismantle the patriarchy. That he was the type of guy who would shout from the rooftops to celebrate my accomplishments long before he’d ever do the same for his own. That he was good, down deep into his core, and couldn’t care less about their money or their world. It had to be the strangest “get to know you” few weeks of all time, but I’d take it all over again to feel the support that was emanating out of him right now.
“You’ve got this,” he whispered, his arm squeezing me, and I nodded in response just before hearing my mom start up.
“Jules Marie Maxwell.” Her voice was a borderline screech.
Did I mention my mom was a fan of theatrics?
