What You Left Behind

Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Julian

The startled look on her face told him that she remembered him. That flash of recognition had his heart jolting to life. He couldn’t believe the woman that stood in front of him. It was her. The same blue eyes and the same blonde hair.

My Stephanie.

She stood there, frightened. He watched her blink and then swallowed hard. She bit her lip and took a deep breath in. He was stunned. The urge to touch her was consuming. He wanted to feel her skin under his fingertips to ensure the sight before him was real. That she was real.

* * *

“You have the most beautiful blonde hair I have ever seen. It’s this shade of gold that I swear never existed until I met you... it’s beautiful,” Julian complimented as he ran his fingers through her hair as she pressed her back into his chest.

“You have some weird obsession with my hair colour. What if I said it’s from a bottle?” Stephanie said as she placed her book on the sand.

“No, this kind of blonde is natural. No chemical can make it this beautiful,” he said as he kissed her bare shoulder, tasting the saltiness from the seawater.

“It’s just blonde, Julian. No need for the overgenerous comments,” Stephanie breathed out as he moved his lips up the curve of her neck and she placed her hand on his knee.

“Never dye your hair. It’s the first thing I noticed when I laid eyes on you, Blondie. You stood out to me, calling me. It’s the first thing that took my breath away and had me walking over to you.”

* * *

Julian blinked at the memory that flashed before him. Four years later and her hair colour was still as beautiful as ever. His eyes hadn’t been deceiving him. That glimpse of blonde he saw not too long ago was the woman he fell in love with on that white sand four years ago.

The fear that consumed her blue eyes had his jaw clenching. Her eyes were no longer joyful or happy. They were guarded like she had seen far more than she should have, had experienced more pain than was necessary.

She straightened her posture and held out her hand. “I’m Stevie. It’s lovely to meet you. Rob has said so much about you.”

Julian flinched at the sound of his brother’s name. Rob and his Stephanie had chemistry the realisation had Julian clenching his fists. She had been in Melbourne all these years. He ran and his brother got her.

He unclenched his fists at the name she called herself. It was off, wrong and unsuited for her. When she introduced herself all those years ago, she said her name with a slight hint of a French accent. Later into their week together, she spoke to him in the French language. It was only a sentence but it made his heart ache with a need for her. He’d never forget that one sentence.

“Stevie?” he breathed out, confused. He saw the slight wince but she composed herself quickly.

“Wait... what?” he said, looking over her. It was her, he’d never and couldn’t forget her. Not one moment together had she ever called herself ‘Stevie’.

He shook his head and noticed Clara had stepped next to him. He turned to look at her as her eyes looked back and forth between him and Stephanie.

“No. Your name’s Stephanie,” he said, shaking his head to her. Those blue eyes clouded and he knew she didn’t forget. Stephanie took a step back, startled.