Mosaic (33 page)

“I’ll call a cab. You’ll never see me again.”

I walked away from him standing on that lost beach, my insides shattered and blasted to a million pieces. I knew I’d never be able to put them back together again.

* * *

That’s it. She didn’t write any more. I suppose she left this flash drive behind with all the rest of it when she moved to London.

I have to be honest, chaps, I feel a little winded right now, and I have so many questions.

She said she’d never come back here, yet here we are. We’re at this bloody reunion, and all I can think is I want answers.

And if she doesn’t demand them, I will.

~Jules

Chapter 3

Present Day

Her

The woman lifted her face to the high-rise condominium building. It had been seventeen years since she’d stood in this parking lot looking up at the beige stucco behemoth.

Back then she’d been so young, so unsure of herself and her place in the world. She’d doubted everything—her ability to find success, to find love. Her ability to stand beside his family.

Then she’d done what he told her to do all those years before, after the fateful birthday party, when she’d sat on the beach and cried in his arms. Before their worlds started to twist and change.

She’d gone after the things she wanted. She’d worked hard, and she’d achieved award-winning success. She had her own money now and the ability to live wherever she chose.

None of it would have happened if she’d stayed here.

Somewhere along the way, she’d heard a speaker talking about success. He’d said where you see great success, you also see great sacrifice. The flip side was if one wanted great success, one had to be prepared to make great sacrifice. Looking up all those feet toward that penthouse office suite, she was ready to concede she’d made the biggest sacrifice of her life.

Today she was back, ready to face him. Ready to tell him the truth about the last secret she ever kept, knowing he already knew.

The muscles across her chest tightened, making it difficult to breathe, and instead of going straight up, she kept walking across the boardwalk and out to the soft, white sand. She walked all the way to the turquoise waters of the Gulf.

Before anything was said, she needed to see those waves again. The beach was getting crowded, but not as crowded as it would be in another month, when summer vacation kicked into full swing. For now she had a bit of peace to think about what happened.

It all started on a public beach.

Well, truthfully, it started in tenth grade algebra class. She laughed remembering what a studious little coward she’d been back then. School was the only thing she was ever really good at. In relationships, she usually made an
F
. Possibly
F
-.

Until him.

Until she opened her eyes and saw what was right in front of her.

She’d tutored him in math, and he’d held onto her until she managed to score an
A
in relationships. And then he walked away.

Dropping to sit on the dry sand, she allowed the sadness to trickle back in. That night was burned in her brain, and she’d replayed the scene over and over so many times. His cold indifference, her screaming and hitting him. The slap she could still hear across the pond. She hugged her knees to her chest. Funny how her eyes still misted whenever she thought of that night.

She also remembered the first day. The day she’d sat on this beach longing to be somebody else. She’d done it. Now she was somebody else, although inside she was still that same girl. The girl who walked down to the shoreline and wished for anything to make her life more interesting. So many wishes she’d made, that was the one that came true.

The constant breakers were a familiar soundtrack. Their rushing in and pounding then rushing back out put everything into perspective. It always had. No matter what happened here on these shores, those waves would keep going, over and over until the end of time.

Now it was time.

The tightness in her chest had relaxed, and she knew she couldn’t put it off any longer. Standing, she dusted off her skirt and walked slowly back across the dry sand, back across the boardwalk, to where she’d left her shoes. Slipping her feet into the wedge heels, she went all the way to the elevator.

The shiny metal doors opened to the familiar, penthouse waiting room, but it had changed through the years. The furnishings were newer, and the magazines on the table were different. A different receptionist sat at the desk—brunette, pixie-cut hair. She smiled when the woman approached.

“May I help you?”

“I’m here to see Julian Kyser. Anna Sanders.” Her voice was so formal. Internally, she laughed, realizing she’d expected to sound as young and small as she’d always felt in this building. That too had changed.

“Oh, I’m so sorry, Ms. Sanders!” The girl seemed genuinely distressed. “He just left for the day, would you like to leave a message or a card?”

“Ah, no. That’s okay. Thank you.”

“Would you like to see someone else? I believe Mr. William Kyser is in his office.”

Anna laughed aloud then. “That’s okay. I think I’ll skip that one today.”

The girl gave her a confused smile, but nodded. “Okay, then. Sorry!”

“Thanks.”

She turned and went to the elevator, trying to decide what to do next.

* * *

Gabi was on the couch watching television when she arrived back at her parents’ home. The minute she walked through the door, however, her best friend jumped up to greet her.

“How’d it go? I’ve been dying. Tell me everything.”

Anna dropped her bag on the counter and walked into the living room to flop on the couch, too.

Gabi was right on the edge. “Well?”

Inhaling a deep breath, she let it out. “I didn’t see him.”

“
What!
” Her best friend hit her with a pillow. “I oughta—how could you build it up like that and then say you never saw him? What happened?”

“I didn’t build it up! You shanghaied me at the door.”

“Pfft!” Gabi waved her hand. “Stop using British slang. I don’t even know what that means.”

Anna’s lips curled. “Actually, I think that’s Frank Sanders slang. I’m not even sure what it means.”

“Wasn’t that an old Madonna movie?” Her friend picked up the remote.

“You have the most random memories. How should I know?”

“I was alone a lot as a kid.” Gabi hopped up and went into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator. “You were gone a long time. What did you do instead?”

“Hand me one of those.” Anna rested her head on her hand as her friend brought her a soft drink. “I walked out to the beach. It’s so beautiful, and I hadn’t seen it yet.”

Gabi popped the top on her beverage and sat in the old, worn armchair near the couch. “So what’s the plan now?”

“Not sure really. I’m not going to his house.”

“You could. It’s partly Jules’s house, too, you know. At least her grandparents live there.”

Anna scratched her neck. “True. But I’d rather not talk to him there. I was hoping for a more… neutral location. Before tonight.”

“You think he’s going to lose it?”

“I don’t think so. I mean, I wouldn’t expect that. Still, I don’t want their first introduction to be at the reunion. Reunions are awkward enough without turning all… Jerry Springer.”

“Juliette LaSalle! This is your father!!!” Her friend mocked a television announcer’s voice, and Anna threw the pillow back at her hard. “Ugh! Gut wound!” Her friend fell back, sending the old chair’s footrest shooting forward.

“But hang on.” Gabi sat up. “From what you’ve said, it won’t be their first meeting.”

“I can’t believe that actually happened.” Anna shook her head. “I wonder if Jules only thought it was him, you know how imaginative she is. Speaking of, where is she?”

“Haven’t heard a peep since lunch. I think she went up to your old room to sleep off the jet lag.”

“Gabi! You can’t just ignore a teenager all day. And that’s the worst thing she could do for jet lag. She needs to stay awake!”

“Sorry! I don’t have such offspring of my own—go do your motherly duty and check on her, but hurry. It’s almost time to go break some ice.”

Climbing the short flight to the second floor, she stopped at her room, the only one now upstairs. Her parents had added a master suite on the first floor and relocated in her absence. She couldn’t help thinking how useful that would’ve been in the old days when they’d done everything possible to keep their voices soft.

“Jules, you in here?” She tapped softly on the door before opening it. “Jules! What’s wrong?”

She dashed over to the twin bed, where her daughter lay facedown clearly sobbing. Sitting beside her, she gently rubbed the dark-brown curls.

“What’s the matter, honey? Why are you crying?”

Several sniffles, and her normally free-spirited Jules sat up and buried her head in Anna’s lap.

“Oh, Mum. I don’t want to go to the reunion anymore. I don’t want to see him. I don’t care if I never see him again!”

Surprise momentarily stole Anna’s voice then she caught her daughter’s face and lifted her chin. “What happened? Have you heard from him?”

“No!” Jules wailed. “I haven’t seen him or heard from him, and I hope I never do.”

Her mother’s brow creased. “I don’t understand. I thought you said you already liked your dad.”

“I was wrong. I hate him!”

Anna sat and listened to her daughter’s sobs, trying to figure out what could have possibly changed since breakfast. Then she had an idea. Jules did have half his genes, after all.

“Baby,” Anna stroked her shiny dark locks. “Is it because he was never there for you? Is it because you think he didn’t care?”

No answer; only more sobs.

“I’m so sorry about that, sweetheart, but you can’t blame him. It was my fault. He never knew about you. I’m sure if he had—”

“How can you be sure of anything with him?” Jules sat up quick, her face splotched and wet from crying. “I want to go home! Back to England, back to Brandon! He loves us. He wanted to make a home for us!”

A sick feeling twisted in Anna’s gut at her daughter’s words, and she dropped her chin. “I’m sorry, Jules, but you know we can’t do that. I don’t love Brandon. I’ve only ever loved your dad.”

“Then you’re an
idiot
!” Her daughter fell back on her pillow again.

Anna stood quickly, her voice sharp. “Juliet Alexandra LaSalle!” But before she said anything more, she thought of all that had gone before, and it sapped her spirit. Her shoulders dropped. “You’re probably right. You don’t have to go tonight if you don’t want to.”

She was halfway to the door when wild arms flew around her middle in a tight hug. “Oh, Mum! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it!”

Wrapping her arms over her daughter’s, she soothed her. Lifting her miserable face, Anna wiped the fresh tears away with her thumbs. “Won’t you tell me what happened? Why you’re carrying on like this?”

Gabi’s voice rang out from below. “Anna! Have you seen the clock? We’ve got to get out of here—the reception’s about to start.”

Exhaling a curse, she loosened her daughter’s death-grip around her waist. “Look at me.” The teen blinked at her. “Don’t leave the house while we’re gone. I won’t stay the whole time. We can finish talking when I get back.” Jules nodded, and Anna kissed her nose. “Now wash your face.”

Running back down the stairs to her parents’ room, Anna threw open the closet and hastily scraped the dresses she’d brought out of the way. “Gabi! This is casual right?”

“I hope so!”

“Not reassuring,” she muttered under her breath and pulled out a faded denim halter dress that tied behind her neck. It was backless, so she couldn’t wear a bra. But she’d never been very well-endowed. Besides, it showed off her trim physique and hit mid-thigh. She stepped into strappy leather heels and dashed into the bathroom.

Sitting on the beach had fluffed out her hair, but thanks to the intense conditioning treatment she’d gotten at the salon in London, her formerly wild locks were gentle waves now. Not too bad, and worth every penny, she thought. Dusting powder on her nose, a smear of red lipstick on her mouth, she ran to the door and the two of them dashed out to her mother’s old Accord.

“Can you believe it?” Anna joked. “I finally graduated to an Accord!”

“What did you drive when we were in school?”

“I don’t think I drove anything when you were here, but I had Mom’s old Civic after you left.” She turned the car onto the main highway navigating the five turns it would take to get them to the high school gymnasium where the ice breaker reception was to be held. “Do you know who all’s coming?”