“So, you and my sister…” He left what was not quite a question, hang in the air.
Julian immediately liked being paired with Petula.
“Yeah. Me and Petula,” Julian repeated. “I won’t beat around the bush. I really like her, Statler. She’s an amazing woman.”
“How can you know that?” he asked a bit suspiciously, taking a long swig from his bottle. “You’ve only known her for how long? A few weeks?”
This was difficult territory, and Juliann tiptoed. “I know it doesn’t seem like long enough, but there’s just something about her…”
“I get it. You like to fix things that are broken,” Statler stated baldly with a tone of annoyance in his voice.
“What?” Julian wasn’t sure he’d heard the question correctly.
“You. You’re a fixer. So you saw my sister who has…issues, and you want to fix her.”
That wasn’t true. Not even close. And now Julian wasn’t going to beat around the bush with Statler.
“No, actually. And you can get that fucked up thought right out of your head.”
Statler blinked, but waited for Julian to continue.
“What I see is a woman who intrigues me,” Julian explained. “And if by “broken” you mean that she doesn’t open up to people on her delivery route, so what? I don’t see that as a problem. Small talk can be highly overrated.” He leaned in. “I’m here as someone who feels a connection to your sister. And since I value family opinions, I just want to ask if you’ll cut me some slack so I can get to know her better.”
Statler was slow and careful to respond. “I appreciate that. I just hope you aren’t shitting me.” He twisted up his mouth. “By the way, youdounderstand that once she finds out you were here tonight, she’ll raise holy hell.”
Julian grinned. “Which is something I’d really like to see. So far, she hasn’t hesitated to dish out her opinions, nor sugar coat them, but I haven’t seen her in any kind of full-blown tirade.”
Statler’s eyes widened and he shook his head. “If you’ve seen her headstrong side, she’s showing you part of herself that she normally keeps hidden from everyone except her closest circle.”
“That being you and your crew if I’m guessing correctly?”
“Correct,” Statler agreed.
Julian was fully aware of Petula’s social reticence. Since he began showing an interest in her, his sisters-in-law had tried to engage the woman, with some luck, but not a lot. Petula had, over the past few deliveries, warmed up a tad, but no one could say she’d been looking to become friends with the ladies in the shop.
Julian pondered out loud. “Letting me see that side must mean she already feels she can trust me.”
“I’ll give you that,” Statler allowed a little reluctantly. “And because of that; because you’re getting a part of Petula she rarely lets out, I won’t interfere with where you and she are going.” His face hardened. “But if you hurt her, all bets are off. I don’t care about your mad covert skills, your cop brothers, or your military siblings. Me and minewillcome after you and let you see the error of your ways.”
Julian wasn’t scared of that threat. He wasn’t going anywhere. If anything, it would be Petula who’d put the hurt onhimif she decided not to see him anymore.
“I promise I’m going to proceed with kid gloves,” Julian pledged. “And do everything I can to make her happy.”
It might be a bit too much, too soon, but Julian was going all in. “I’m in this for the long haul. I’m not playing around.”
“Okay,” Statler sighed. “I like the sound of that, but now let’s cut the crap. How much have you already found out about Petti, and what more do you want to know?”
Petti… Julian liked that.
He gave himself a mental shake, focusing. He’d continue to be upfront with the man. “First, let me go back to where you said I have ‘covert skills’. It looks like I’m not the only one who’s been doing his homework.”
The tops of Statler’s ears turned red, and that was enough confirmation for Julian. He wasn’t going to probe any deeper.
Julian leaned forward, growing serious. “In regards to intel, you’re right. I had a friend look into Petula. And I’ll assure you right now, what he came up with didn’t scare me away.”
“I assume he filled you in on our parents’ murder, and our subsequent adoption,” Statler stated bluntly.
“He did,” Julian confirmed.
