Julian may have lost a few nights’ sleep over how close that had been.
Vincent was quiet for a moment, a state that was rare for his never-serious, always in-your-face, brother.
“That asshole was a piece of work. He got what he deserved.”
“He did,” Julian agreed, sensing there was something more behind those words that made his brother seem…almost bitter, but by the time Julian might have questioned him, Vincent had put his goofy-face solidly back in place.
“How about we get some food?” Vince changed the subject with another back-slap. “Are you still a bottomless pit?”
The gatheringfinally came to a close after people ate for asecondtime from what appeared to be an enormous amount of food. With everyone enjoying each other’s company, there had been a crowd-wide reluctance to call it quits until dusk fell. The exception was Tex, who’d received many kudos before he’d left early to catch his flight home.
When Julian saw Petula yawning, he was next to say they were leaving.
Things broke up naturally then. Statler and the crew, along with several of his brothers and their wives, followed Julian and Petula out. Goodbyes were said, with promises that it would be business as usual, come Friday. They were keeping the shop closed for grieving purposes for a few days, giving everyone a chance to breathe.
It was a nice time for a break. The final days of April were upon them, and by the way things were looking, May would be the start of a very busy summer.
Julian guided Petula around vehicles and back to his truck, wanting to ask how she was feeling once she got settled, but she was so close to nodding off, he decided to give her a break from conversation for the time being. She was clearly all talked out.
Within the first couple minutes of the drive, she fell fast asleep, which Julian was beginning to see as a sweet pattern.
Petula didn’t wake up until Julian had her seatbelt undone, and was lifting her in his arms to bring her into the house.
“Mmm. I like this,” she said, yawning and cuddling into his chest.
“I like it, too,” he replied. “What do you think? Are you ready to be tucked in?”
He walked up to the door, fished around in his pocket for the keys while balancing Petula’s weight on one arm and his hip, and managed to get the portal open.
“I was actually…thinking about a shower, first,” she told him, her lashes coming down over her eyes as hot color moved up into her face.
“Oh?” Julian was all ears. He knew that look. “You want me to join you?”
“Uh, huh,” she answered with a sweet, shy smile.
Julian grinned and once inside, he kicked the door open, then headed straight for the primary suite where the walk-in shower awaited.
He put Petula down gently, reached into the stall to turn it on and get the water warmed up, then immediately began shedding his clothes.
When Petula simultaneously reached for the buttons on her dress, Julian, with his pants still around one ankle, moved across the room as quickly as he could while hopping on one foot. “Let me just get the lights.”
Petula walked close and laid a hand on his arm. “No,” she said.
“Huh?”
He was confused. Did she or did she not want to shower?
“I…I think… I’d like to leave the lights on this time,” she dared.
Julian swallowed hard. “Are you…sure?” he asked, his voice cracking.
“I am,” she said, then squaring her shoulders, she unhesitatingly stripped the diaphanous material of her dress up and over her head.
There was no spit left in Julian’s mouth.
He’d felt all of Petula’s body in the dark and semi-dark for weeks now, but seeing it in the light…
He tried not to stare, knowing that might be a trigger for her, but he should have figured she’d have different ideas.
