“Yes.” Julia frowned as she took in their expressions. “What are you keeping from me?”
Her mother ignored the question. “Did you tell him about Lucas and what the slimy bastard did to you?”
“No.”
“Secrets aren’t good in a relationship,” her mother said and shot a quick glance at Janet. “The pair of you should talk.”
Ryan. Something in her mother’s expression told her he’d done something she wouldn’t approve of. Without saying another word, she wheeled around and stomped down the stairs to the club. God, every single one of her problems started with the pesky man. The scent of paint wafted to meet her when she turned the corner and stormed toward the stage. Caleb noticed her first and stopped playing.
“Why did you stop—” Ryan glanced up and caught sight of her. His lips curled into his usual smile—the one that oozed charm and charisma and made a woman’s panties dampen as she considered what it would take to tame him.
Julia scowled, ignoring the sucker punch to her equilibrium. Her hands curled to fists to halt the impulse to knock his grin off his face. “What?” she demanded in a low growl.
Ryan’s smile lost some of itsoomph. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“While you were out with my mother and Janet, you did something. What did you do?”
“Caleb and I have paid off your loan.” He didn’t bother to sugarcoat the truth of his interference.
“Why?” It was a howl of frustration, of anger, and her cry held pain too. She’d wanted to fix everything herself, even if the problems seemed insurmountable.
“Julia, Ryan and I have the money, and we wanted to help. It’s as simple as that,” Caleb said in a reasonable tone. “You can either pay us back when you’re able to or we can be silent partners.”
“You didn’t think to ask first?” Julia didn’t take her gaze off Ryan.
“Your mother was worried,” he said. “She doesn’t need that sort of stress when she has her heart problem to deal with.”
The punch seeped out of her argument. He was right. “Fine,” she gritted out. “I’ll pay you back every cent.”
