As Lilly and Charlotte walked over to sit down with Julian, Sloane hung back to snap a selfie over by the artists with Positano in the background, which she sent to Ben.
Positano is magnificent—every bit as beautiful as people say.
It was six thirty in the morning in California, so she didn’t expect an immediate response, and she didn’t receive one. Shehoped he was finally getting some sleep. But she took a quick video for him, too.
Pretty crowded today. That’s probably to be expected during tourist season, especially because the beach is only about a quarter of a mile long. But it’s easy to see why everyone wants to come here. The striped umbrellas, the intense blue of the water and the pink, white, yellow and blue houses nestled into the cliffs are all so special. Hope you have a great day!
Putting her phone back in the pocket of her cover-up, she started to follow Charlotte and Lilly over to the towels.
Julian looked up at her approach. “Why the smile?”
“I just made a video for Ben,” she replied.
“I bet you miss him,” Charlotte said, overhearing.
“I do,” she said and realized how very much she meant it.
Ben woke up to the picture and video Sloane had sent him.
God, she was beautiful, he thought as he studied her face. He still loved her, wished life didn’t have to be so hard—that there weren’t differences of opinion and conflicting desires that could tear two people apart who were otherwise perfect for each other. Should he give up on his dream of becoming a father?
He was tempted to try. For her. But he didn’t think he could do it. He was stuck between losing the woman he loved and fulfilling a role he’d looked forward to since he was a kid himself.
They’d been so happy in the beginning. What he wouldn’t do to get some of that magic back...
Thanks for what you sent. You’re stunning. As always.
He heard from her as soon as he got out of the shower.
You’re such a good man. I would never want to hurt you. I hope you know that.
Her response made him love her even more. He’d needed to hear something like that. But her words were bittersweet, because shewashurting him, and he was probably hurting her, even though neither one of them meant to do it.
Julian relaxed in a deck chair while Charlotte, Sloane and Lilly sat in the hot tub nearby. He wasn’t in the mood to get in with them. He preferred to embrace the cool night air coming from the sea and stare up at the stars blinking in the sky while listening to the three of them talk. He paid special attention whenever Charlotte had something to say. He’d always believed her to be a wonderful person and being around her again reminded him of the wholesomeness he’d found so appealing back then.
Had things gone differently, he believed they might have started dating. While they were growing up, Sloane hadn’t wanted him to get romantically involved with any of her friends, and he could understand why. She was afraid something would go wrong, and she’d be forced to choose between them. He’d felt the same about her datinghisfriends. During their sophomore and junior years, Charlotte had already had a boyfriend, anyway, so it was a moot point. And by the time she broke up with him, they were in their senior year, and he’d had a girlfriend.
The timing was never right, but he’d often thought that maybe one day... Then they’d graduated and life had pulled them in different directions, only to bring them back together again at this juncture—when he felt he couldn’t even show anyinterest. She was still in love with Cliff. He didn’t want to get involved with anyone who was on the rebound, couldn’t risk the damage that could cause in his own life, not when he was already dealing with so much. Even if her heart was open and free, Julian didn’t feel he had enough to offer her, not with his recent diagnosis. He didn’t want to put her in a position where she felt she couldn’t say no—or saddle her with someone who could easily become a burden. He hated the thought of her getting into a relationship with him only because she pitied him or felt a sense of obligation arising out of their long friendship.
The girls were talking about the linen clothes they’d purchased at one of the little boutiques they’d passed on the narrow, crooked streets of Positano. While Charlotte and Sloane were shopping, Lilly had hung back with him near the entrance. She didn’t have any money. But Charlotte had eventually prevailed upon her to try on a white linen sundress, and it’d looked so good she’d insisted on buying it for her.
Julian would never forget the look on Lilly’s face when she took hold of that sack and left the store. She’d been trying not to smile, and yet he could tell she really liked the dress and felt accepted and included, since Charlotte and Sloane had each gotten something, too.
Lilly seemed to be warming up to her half sister. At least, there were moments when it felt that way. At various points during the day, she’d let down her guard enough to give them a glimpse of the person she was when she wasn’t being so defensive—a very likeable, bright and pretty young woman, but also one who’d been abandoned and was now alone in the world and terrified to trust.
In an odd way, Julian could identify with her. He was protecting himself, too, couldn’t let anyone, even his sister, know about his Parkinson’s, because once the word got out there’d be no taking it back. She wouldn’t even see why he’d felt the needto hide it. But he didn’t want others to value him any less than they did now, while he was seemingly as healthy as could be.
“The dress you got lookssogood on you,” Sloane was telling Lilly.
“Thanks,” Lilly said. “I’ve never had anything so nice. I’m not sure where I’ll wear it.”
“The design is such a simple one,” Sloane told her. “You could wear it anywhere.”
“Sloane would know,” Charlotte agreed. “As an interior designer, she has excellent taste.”
“You decorate houses for a living?” Lilly said.
“I do,” Sloane told her. “I opened my own business with a partner in Seattle not too long ago. It’s called A Personal Touch.”
