“Wake me up when you’re done.”
The following Saturday night,Julian left his home in a rented Bentley driven by Ernie, who was petrified about somehow damaging the priceless vehicle.
“Why can’t we just take the G-Wagon?”
“Because.I want this night to be magical for my date, and there’s nothing magical about the G-Wagon.”
“You’re kinda gone over this gal, aren’t you?”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
“You ought to know that everyone at the office is talking about it.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
“I mean, when one of the world’s most confirmed bachelors falls flat on his face in love, it’s gonna make headlines.”
Julian had spent most of the past week dodging questions and comments from his brothers.His dad had cornered him in the break room to ask what was going on with him lately.Julian had bitten his tongue so he wouldn’t ask the same question of his father.He still hadn’t told anyone what he’d seen in Santa Barbara, mostly because he didn’t want to deal with that when things were going so well in his own life.He was under no illusions.Eventually, his parents’ rekindled relationship would come to light, and he’d handle it when he had to and not one minute before.
He’d simply told his father that he’d been extra busy, but all was well.All was better than well, in fact.It was exceptional, extraordinary, life-changing and life-affirming at the same time.Being determined to stay single and childless seemed like a long time ago now, when it’d been only a few weeks.
Julian could no longer imagine life without Isla, Theo and Mila—and even Mrs.V—in the middle of it.He rushed through his workdays with newfound concentration so he could get everything done and get home to them as early as possible.He’d had dinner with them three nights that week and had even helped with bedtime.
Theo had asked Julian to read to him, and he’d loved snuggling in bed with the little guy while he read him three books, which was one more than Isla usually allowed.
“He’s working you,” she’d said.
“It’s fine.I like being with him.”
They were getting attached to each other, and nothing had ever felt more natural to him, which of course had his brothers—and sisters—on fire with concern, commentary and questions that he mostly ignored.
The band had booked two more big gigs at Sunset Boulevard venues, and Caleb was fielding more interest than they’d ever received.
And tonight, he got to take Isla to her first-ever Hollywood premiere, to see a film about a woman she admired and a man who’d been in Julian’s life so long that he didn’t remember a time when he hadn’t known Flynn Godfrey.
That he’d grown up to be a global superstar still amused Julian, who’d played baseball and basketball with him and Hayden Roth back in the day.Now they were connected to several Academy Award-winning films, and they owned the hottest production company in town.
Hollywood was abuzz overValiant, with billboards throughout the city and a huge marketing campaign already underway to promote Quantum’s most personal project yet—the story of Flynn’s amazing wife, Natalie, and how she’d fought back against the governor of Nebraska, a close friend of her father’s, who’d attacked and sexually assaulted her as a teenager.
She’d sacrificed everything to get justice, including her relationships with her parents and two younger sisters, both of whom were now back in her life.Her youngest sister, Olivia, played Natalie in the film and was already generating Oscar buzz for her star-making performance.
Ernie turned into the driveway at Isla’s home and put the Bentley in Park, exhaling a sigh of relief.
“Relax, will you?It’s insured.”
“It’s aBentley.”
“It’s aninsuredBentley.”
“Whatever you say, boss man.”
“Be right back.”
Julian was unprepared for the sight of Isla in a stunning red dress that put miles of creamy skin on display, with her hair in an elaborate updo and chandelier-style diamond earrings.
He could only stare at her while she stared right back at him.
“Mommy looks so pretty,” Theo said.
