That area was no cheaper.
“Something close to LA,” she continued. “I’m an only child. After all my parents have done for me, I feel I should stay close as they age.”
“Do you have much money left over from your first book?” Sloane asked. “It was on the bestseller lists forever, right?”
Charlotte shifted uneasily at this question. Julian could tell by the way she hesitated that he wasn’t going to like her answer.
“Everything Cliff wanted to do or buy cost so damn much,”she explained. “I couldn’t contribute equally, so I just gave him everything I had.”
Julian dropped his head back with a groan.
When he looked up again, he found Charlotte giving him a disgruntled look. “I thought we’d be married forever, Jules, like my parents. Why wouldn’t I share everything I have? Anyway, I just got a royalty check that was decent. It came into my account, and I haven’t switched it over, so he doesn’t have that. I’ll be getting another one the first of August. And I’ll get a progress payment when I turn in some sample chapters of the new book—if my editor likes them enough to sign off on the proposal.”
“She’ll like them,” Sloane said, but Julian wasn’t convinced and Charlotte couldn’t blame him. She didn’t seem capable of writing anything. She’d lost all confidence. And that scared him. The money she was getting from the divorce sounded like a lot, but it wouldn’t even buy her a house—not if she paid cash—so if she couldn’t maintain her career, she’d be broke before she knew it. And what if she was supporting Lilly?
Her parents would probably come to her rescue, he told himself. They were incredibly supportive. But she wouldn’t want to be bailed out, especially after being on her own for so long. That would cost her some self-respect, make her more depressed.
He didn’t like the setup, could see it all going badly very easily.
“Are you nervous about meeting with Luca?” Sloane asked, changing the subject.
“Sort of,” Charlotte admitted.
Sloane pushed her glass aside. “What are you going to ask him?”
“I want to know what my birth mother was like. What kind of childhood Lilly had so I’ll know what issues she could befacing. I also want to find out what he knows about any extended relatives.”
“And Lilly’s father,” Sloane reminded her. “Don’t forget to ask if Sabrina ever said anything about him.”
“I won’t forget. I also want to know if he can tell me anything about my own father.”
Dropping his legs to the deck, Jules sat up straight again. “We’ll take Lilly to the beach in Positano tomorrow, so don’t feel you have to hurry.”
Charlotte’s expression showed relief as she met his gaze. “Thank you.”
“You bet.” He wanted to ask when she was going to start her new manuscript. He knew it should be right away. But she’d just met Lilly and had so much to figure out, especially if she was going to try to contact other family members or reach Lilly’s father. That meant the book would have to wait. But... until when?
As they sat on the deck, Sloane finally began to relax. They were in Italy, looking out at the coastal lights, a blanket of stars across the sky and a vast inky ocean after one of the best meals she’d ever had. Julian had queued up “Bella Ciao,” “Volare,” “Con Te Partiro” and other classics—along with a bit of Italian opera. The music drifted out to them through the open doors of the villa while they discussed Lilly and Charlotte’s situation.
Sloane was glad the conversation never turned to her and what she was facing with Ben. She didn’t even want to think about the choice she had to make. She’d come to Italy to catch her breath and draw strength from two of the people she loved and trusted the most, and that was exactly what she planned to do.
“What are you thinking about?” Julian asked, cutting into her thoughts.
Surprised that she’d drawn his attention—he’d just beenspeaking to Charlotte—she blinked and sat up straighter. “Nothing, why?”
“You went quiet on us, and you had a dreamy smile on your face,” he replied, smiling himself.
“I just can’t believe we’re here—that we have this time to be together in this truly amazing place,” she replied. “It makes me feel stronger, as if we can handle anything.”
“I hope we can,” he replied.
She leaned forward until the moonlight revealed his face. “Doesn’t it do the same for you?”
He reached over to pour himself more limoncello spritz from the pitcher Sloane had made, then turned his chair slightly to look out at the scene she’d been taking in. “I guess it does.”
“Italy’s magical,” Charlotte agreed. “I feel it, too.”
“If we can’t sort out our lives in a place like this, we’re hopeless,” Sloane said jokingly.
