Broken Wings

Part Fifty Three...teething problems

Julia blushed, "I'm not out that much...."

"She says. What ya doing? Are you in a car?"

Julia nodded to the screen, then tilted the phone in Aaron's direction, "your brother-in-law is taking me out of the city."

Aaron waved at the screen, before she turned it back to herself, and it was then that Abi gave a knowing wink. Julia rolled her eyes, she wasn't about to clarify her relationship with Aaron to her friend, even if he wasn't sat beside her.

"So I'm sending you some bridesmaid dress options, you are the only one, so you have the say....all I will say is that I want a kind of sage green colour."

Julia rolled her eyes again, "a beautiful colour of you." And it was, the green would compliment her friend's luminous pale skin and deep red hair, but her own pasty complexion...she wasn't so sure. But it wasn't her choice, she was honoured to be her bridesmaid, and would wear a bin bag if she had to.

The conversation settled in and she relaxed into the seat.

Aaron had made the trip up state many times, not as many as he should have, but enough that he didn't have to concentrate on directions or his satnav. But he was more distracted than ever, and that was because of Julia. She lounged beside him, feet kicked up on to the dashboard, her chair half reclined, and she was laughing. He never made her laugh like that, he knew he'd have remembered it, her face crinkled, his eyes almost closed. It was beautiful to see.

Every now and again she turned the phone to him, and he gave an appropriate answer to his soon to be sister in law, then the two would resort to peals of giggles, it was almost as though they spoke a different language. All the while her cute toes wiggled on his dashboard, drawing his attention.

She was happy, in work and in life – if he read her answers to Abi's questions right, that made him smile, especially after her reception to him earlier. Luckily he managed to win her over, and was rewarded with another trip to heaven, he was a lucky man. But he had been too absorbed in his job to call her, he knew that he should have done more, he knew she was vulnerable and he knew that he wanted the same commitment from her. He had to cut back in work, step off the treadmill and relax. He needed more of those long days at the beach, dinners that lasted for hours and walks through parks, holding hands with the woman who'd woken him up so such simple delights.

That was part of his agenda for this trip, whilst he liked visiting the Hadden family, he needed to work out where he could cut back with Tom, the recent betrayal of a manager he trusted had thrown his world upside down, he didn't know who to trust, and he was starting to think about selling the business. Getting rid of it all. He'd be useless with no work, no agenda, but he was sure he could freelance, or maybe become a troubleshooter consultant. That would involve travel, but on his terms.

It was a long moment before he realised it was all quiet in the passenger seat, and a quick glance found Julia watching him, her bottom lip being chewed anxiously, nervously.

"What's up?"

She stared at him for a moment, then shook her head, "you weren't listening?"

He shrugged, "there's only so much girlie shit that a man can deal with."

That made her chuckle, a hearty deep sound and it made him laugh too. "So why are you looking at me like you need me to chop off an arm for you?"

That made her gasp, then blush, dropping her head for a moment, "you really didn't hear that?" When he shook his head she sighed, "Abi mentioned my mother...."

If he was on a smaller road he'd have stamped on the brake, but he wasn't, so he took a deep breath, "what? She's in cahoots with her?"

She shrugged, "no. Not really, but she's been contacting Abi, wanting me to talk to her."

"You're not going to?" He hated that it sounded so imposing, but he feared for where this would end.

"I don't know, but I suppose I have to deal with it, I can't hide away forever."

He struggled to keep his hands from curling into fists around the steering wheel, she was just starting to get over this, to move on, to rebuild. He didn't think she was ready for her mother, the money...all that past baggage and pain. "Julia, I can't tell you what to do. But I really think you have to put yourself first, you've come so far, don't let her drag you back into things."

She nodded at that, reaching out to place a hand over his, "I love that you worry about me. No one ever does."

That made him smile, he liked being her protector.

The Hadden house was a large detached building at the end of a long driveway, as they pulled up to the door, Julia leaned towards Aaron and murmured, "you must have a lot of legal needs to buy this house for him!"

He rolled his eyes, if only she knew.

As he pulled to a stop on the gravel driveway, the front door opened and Adele Hadden, a pretty petite brunette came out, their eight month old baby Caspar on her hip. Waving, she rushed down to the car and was embracing Julia before he had chance to round the car and make the introductions, and he had to watch as Adele slid her arm through hers and led her into the house.

Tom appeared in her wake at the front door and raised an eyebrow, "helluva lodger."

"What?" He couldn't help that he snapped.

Tom shrugged, taking his bag from him, "pain in the ass, no one interesting, you were very quick to play her down, but she is...."

He held up a hand, "don't."

He hated that Tom saw how transparent he was, and with her hair flowing, her face bright and in her short shorts and strappy top, she was a vision of perfection. And he was fucking besotted. He had to tell her that, tell her that this was more than a game, more than him helping her. And he had to tell her now.