Read Online Chasing Julia (Rhode Island Romance #2) by Sophia Renny - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Sophia Renny
Ads: Link
simply
had no time during those early years when he’d been fighting to keep the
company afloat. And as she became more immersed in the event business, she
hadn’t had much time for days like this either.
Funny, she’d never
given it much thought until now—the fact that she and Joe hadn’t experienced
many of the normal dating and courtship rituals that most couples did. They’d
behaved like an established, settled couple right from the start. There had
never been anything close to a courting stage in their relationship; she had
never been wooed.
Tony grabbed her
hand to catch her attention. “Let’s go sit on the rocks. Watch the boats for a
while.”
“Okay.”
He kept her hand in
his as they retraced their steps to the breachway, and she let him. His grip
was gentle, but she felt its underlying male strength. She missed holding hands
with a man. When they reached the breachway, he released her hand so that they
could put on their shoes before clambering over the rocks to the other side.
They found a flat, dry surface and sat down side by side.
It was very
entertaining watching the various outbound and inbound boats go by: large
commercial fishing boats, recreational trawlers, leisure boats and the
occasional sailboat.
Joe brought his
legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. “I loved coming here as a
kid. This was one of my dad’s favorite places.”
She copied his
pose. “I miss him.”
“Yeah.” His tone
was gruff.
She rested her
cheek on her knees, her head turned towards him. “You remind me of him. I think
you take after your dad the most. There’s something around the jaw and the
eyes. Joe has your mother’s eyes.”
He looked at her.
“Do you know that’s the first time you’ve spoken his name out loud to me since
the day you came back from San Diego?”
“It is?”
“Yeah.”
“I guess that’s a
good sign then.”
His eyes sharpened.
“Did you watch the show?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“I could literally
see them falling in love. Part of me was hoping…” She faltered. She pressed her
lips together and slid her eyes away from his.
“Hoping for what?”
She lifted her
head, keeping her gaze forward. She shrugged one shoulder. “That it wasn’t
real. That it had only been infatuation. That he’d change his mind.”
“You’d have taken
him back?” His harsh voice was almost like a whiplash.
She flinched. She
sat up straight. “Of course not.”
“Look me in the eye
and say that.”
She swung her head
towards him. “You sound angry. Why?”
“Just tell me that
you wouldn’t have taken him back.”
“It’s a moot point.
He’s not leaving her.”
“Say it.” His voice
was low and terse.
She lifted her
chin. “No. I wouldn’t have taken him back.”
His tense posture
relaxed a little. “Good. My opinion of you would have dropped several notches
if you’d said yes.”
She felt a rising
tide of anger, the kind of anger she’d only felt during those long ago
arguments with him. “Don’t be nasty.”
“I’m just stating
the truth. I don’t like weak-minded women. It’s not attractive.”
“I’m not weak,” she seethed.
His features
softened. He unclasped his arms from around his legs and reached out to brush
the back of his hand across her cheek. “No, you’re not,” he agreed, his husky
voice grabbing her low. “You’re one of the strongest women I know. But you’ve
had your time to be miserable. Now it’s time to move on. Be the Julia that I
love.”
She stared at him
mutely, her thoughts and emotions all jumbled.
And then Tony took
on his usual cheerful personality again. He removed his hand from her cheek and
rose to his feet. He pulled his cellphone from his pocket and glanced at it.
“It’s almost two o’clock. How about we get an ice cream cone for the road? There’s
somewhere else I want to take you.”
Chapter Five
What
was the matter with her?
Julia shifted
restlessly in her seat, keeping her
had no time during those early years when he’d been fighting to keep the
company afloat. And as she became more immersed in the event business, she
hadn’t had much time for days like this either.
Funny, she’d never
given it much thought until now—the fact that she and Joe hadn’t experienced
many of the normal dating and courtship rituals that most couples did. They’d
behaved like an established, settled couple right from the start. There had
never been anything close to a courting stage in their relationship; she had
never been wooed.
Tony grabbed her
hand to catch her attention. “Let’s go sit on the rocks. Watch the boats for a
while.”
“Okay.”
He kept her hand in
his as they retraced their steps to the breachway, and she let him. His grip
was gentle, but she felt its underlying male strength. She missed holding hands
with a man. When they reached the breachway, he released her hand so that they
could put on their shoes before clambering over the rocks to the other side.
They found a flat, dry surface and sat down side by side.
It was very
entertaining watching the various outbound and inbound boats go by: large
commercial fishing boats, recreational trawlers, leisure boats and the
occasional sailboat.
Joe brought his
legs to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. “I loved coming here as a
kid. This was one of my dad’s favorite places.”
She copied his
pose. “I miss him.”
“Yeah.” His tone
was gruff.
She rested her
cheek on her knees, her head turned towards him. “You remind me of him. I think
you take after your dad the most. There’s something around the jaw and the
eyes. Joe has your mother’s eyes.”
He looked at her.
“Do you know that’s the first time you’ve spoken his name out loud to me since
the day you came back from San Diego?”
“It is?”
“Yeah.”
“I guess that’s a
good sign then.”
His eyes sharpened.
“Did you watch the show?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“I could literally
see them falling in love. Part of me was hoping…” She faltered. She pressed her
lips together and slid her eyes away from his.
“Hoping for what?”
She lifted her
head, keeping her gaze forward. She shrugged one shoulder. “That it wasn’t
real. That it had only been infatuation. That he’d change his mind.”
“You’d have taken
him back?” His harsh voice was almost like a whiplash.
She flinched. She
sat up straight. “Of course not.”
“Look me in the eye
and say that.”
She swung her head
towards him. “You sound angry. Why?”
“Just tell me that
you wouldn’t have taken him back.”
“It’s a moot point.
He’s not leaving her.”
“Say it.” His voice
was low and terse.
She lifted her
chin. “No. I wouldn’t have taken him back.”
His tense posture
relaxed a little. “Good. My opinion of you would have dropped several notches
if you’d said yes.”
She felt a rising
tide of anger, the kind of anger she’d only felt during those long ago
arguments with him. “Don’t be nasty.”
“I’m just stating
the truth. I don’t like weak-minded women. It’s not attractive.”
“I’m not weak,” she seethed.
His features
softened. He unclasped his arms from around his legs and reached out to brush
the back of his hand across her cheek. “No, you’re not,” he agreed, his husky
voice grabbing her low. “You’re one of the strongest women I know. But you’ve
had your time to be miserable. Now it’s time to move on. Be the Julia that I
love.”
She stared at him
mutely, her thoughts and emotions all jumbled.
And then Tony took
on his usual cheerful personality again. He removed his hand from her cheek and
rose to his feet. He pulled his cellphone from his pocket and glanced at it.
“It’s almost two o’clock. How about we get an ice cream cone for the road? There’s
somewhere else I want to take you.”
Chapter Five
What
was the matter with her?
Julia shifted
restlessly in her seat, keeping her
Similar Books
