“Fine,” Julian eventually answered. “I’ll listen to everything Tex has to say, but I’m theonlyone who’ll receive that briefing. Me, and me alone. Understood?” He might have put on his best, Combat Officer voice to give that order, but this was important.
“No sweat, Jules,” Trask immediately agreed, sensing Julian’s need for privacy.
Trask gave a hairy eyeball to the rest of the group and put forthhismost military demeanor.
“We promise we won’t interfere,” the woman intoned, in unison.
Julian looked at Spence, who immediately held up his hand, Boy Scout style. “Me, either,” he pledged.
Right,Julian thought.Famous last words.
CHAPTER 6
Now that she’dcommitted to seeing Julian while not on her route, Petula was regretting it.
Almost.
It could mean big trouble.
What if she ended up really liking him?
And what if Julian ended upnotliking her?
Or what if they both established…feelings, and then she couldn’t act like a normal human being? A likely scenario, and one that—once Julian got a load of how fucked up she was—meant he definitely wouldn’t stick around, no matter the flirty little things he was happy doing right now.
Part of Petula understood that if she were ever to have a chance of moving forward, this might be her only shot; the most optimal scenario. But if it didn’t work? Well, damn. Her hazy daydreams of a normal life would come crashing down, never to be revived.
She almost turned the van around to tell Julian she’d changed her mind, but the part of her that was feeling weirdly determined denied her that opportunity, taking control of the wheel and pulling up to her next delivery site.
Fine.
She’d meet Julian tomorrow morning for coffee,thenshe’d tell him she couldn’t see him again.
It was woman’s prerogative, after all, to change her mind, and it was something that as an adult she’d allowed herself to do whenever she got too uncomfortable.
Now, however, it was time to get on with her day.
The following morning,after a very poor night’s sleep, Petula was up an hour earlier than usual, standing in the kitchen, becoming mesmerized by the drip-drip of the coffee maker.
When her brother walked in, she snapped out of her trance, and when she turned around he shook his sleep-mussed head at her and blinked twice.
“Petti? What are you doing up already? Is my clock on the fritz?”
“No, I…”
She’d thought about making an excuse for her early morning, but Stat would see right through that. It was better to go with the truth, than to get caught out. “I actually have a coffee meet-up with Julian before work.”
She wasnotgoing to call it a date.
Stat smiled gently. “That’s good, Petti. I’m proud of you.”
“Don’t be,” Petula snorted. “I’ve already decided to make this a one and done.”
By his instant scowl, she knew she had to explain.
“Stat, you understand. I know you do. The minute I accepted his invitation, I started being nauseous. And I slept like shit last night.” She looked at her brother with imploring eyes. “If this is how I feel about meeting over freaking donuts, there’s no way I can do anything…more intense.”
“Nobody’s asking you to,” he stated cautiously.
