Barbara Wallace - I Do... - Her Accidental Engagement / A Bride's Tangled Vows

“It means there’s something wrong with my brain,” Julia finished. “Stupid is a much clearer description of my basic problem.”

“You must have been pretty clever to have hid it all those years. I’m guessing you still are.”

“I cut hair for a living. It’s not nuclear science. Or molecular biology.”

“That’s right. My mom told me you’d taken over the Hairhouse.”

“I’m working on it. The loan still needs to go through.”

“Are you going to keep the name?”

Julia relaxed a little as she smiled. “I don’t think so. ‘The Best Little Hairhouse in Brevia’ is quite a mouthful.”

Lucy returned the smile then pulled at the ends of her hair. “I’m in town until Tuesday. Could you fit me in?”

“You don’t hate me?”

Lucy shook her head. “In high school, I thought I was the only one who was miserable. Once I got away from Brevia, I realized lots of kids had problems. We were all just too narcissistic to see it in each other. Some people can’t let go of the past. I’ve moved on, Julia. I’m happy in Chicago. I have a great career and a fantastic husband. I don’t even mind visiting my mom a couple times a year, although I avoid the old crowd. I know in my heart they can’t hurt me because their opinions don’t matter. I don’t hate you. You probably did me a favor. You made me determined to escape. Now I can come back on my own terms.”

“I’m glad for you, Lucy.” Julia checked her mental calendar. She’d trained herself to keep her schedule in her head so she didn’t have to rely on a planner or smartphone. “How about eleven on Monday?”

Lucy nodded. “Maybe we could grab lunch after. I may not care too much about certain ladies’ opinions but I wouldn’t mind seeing their faces if we showed up at Carl’s.”

“I’d love that.”

“I’ll see you Monday.” With a quick, awkward hug, Lucy hurried out the door.

Julia studied herself in the hazy mirror above the row of bathroom sinks. She felt lighter than she had in years, the weight of her guilt over how she’d treated Lucy finally lifted. One past mistake vanquished, only a hundred more to go.

“She’s right, you know.” The door to one of the stalls swung open to reveal Lexi Preston.

Julia’s shoulders went rigid again. “Eavesdrop much?” She took a step toward Lexi. “I don’t suppose you’re going to put that conversation on the official record? It didn’t make me out to be the deadbeat you’re trying to convince the court I am.”

“I don’t think you’re a deadbeat,” Lexi said, sounding almost contrite. “You’re not stupid, either. But I have to do my job. The Johnsons—”

“They call the shots, right? You do the dirty work for them, digging up damaging information on me and probably countless other family enemies.”

“It’s not personal.” Lexi’s voice was a miserable whisper.

Julia felt a quick stab of sympathy before her temper began to boil over. She was always too gullible, wanting to believe people weren’t as bad as they seemed. It led to her being taken advantage of on more than one occasion. Not this time, though.

She had to physically restrain herself from grabbing Lexi’s crisp button-down and slamming the petite attorney into one of the metal stalls. “How can you say that? You’re helping them take my son away from me. My son!” Tears flooded her eyes and she turned away, once again feeling helpless to stop the inevitable outcome.

“I don’t want you to lose your son,” Lexi said quietly. “If I had my way...” She paused then added, “Hiding who you are and the reasons you did things isn’t going to help your case. You’re not the one with the big secrets here.”

Julia whirled around. “Are the Johnsons hiding something? Do you have information that could help me keep Charlie?”

Lexi shook her head. “I’ve said too much.” She reached for the door. “You’re a good mother, Julia. But you have to believe it.”

Julia followed Lexi into the hall, but before she could catch up a loud crash from down the hall distracted her. She heard a round of shouts and her first thought was of Charlie.

Chaos reigned in the gymnasium as people pushed toward the exits. Julia stood on her tiptoes and scanned the crowd, spotting Joe Callahan with his arm around her mother near the bleachers. Vera held Charlie, who was contentedly spooning ice cream into his mouth, oblivious to the commotion.

Julia elbowed her way through the throng of people to Vera and Joe. “Charlie,” she said on a breath, and her son launched himself at her.

“Banilla, Mama.”

“I see, sweetie.” She hugged him tight against her.

“Why is everyone rushing out of here?” She noticed that many older folks, like Joe and Vera, hung back.

“Big fight outside,” someone passing by called. “Eddie Kelton caught his wife in the back of their minivan with his best friend.”

“He’s going to kill him,” the man’s companion said with a sick laugh. “Someone said Eddie’s got a knife.”

Julia grimaced. She’d gone to school with Eddie’s older brother. “The Keltons are not a stable bunch,” she murmured.

Joe patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry, hon. Sam will handle it. I’d be out there but I don’t want to leave your mom.”

“Such a gentleman.”

“Sam?” Julia’s heart rate quickened. “Why is Sam out there?”

“Because he’s the police chief.” Vera spoke slowly, as if Julia were a small child.

“He’s not on duty. Shouldn’t they call a deputy?”

“Cops are never truly off duty,” Joe said with a sigh. “But Sammy can take care of himself.”

“Eddie Kelton has a knife.” Julia practically jumped up and down with agitation. Her palms were sweating and clammy. Sam could take care of himself, but she couldn’t stop her anxiety from spilling over. “This isn’t part of the evening’s entertainment. It’s real life.”

Joe nodded. “Being the wife of a law-enforcement officer isn’t easy.” He patted her shoulder again and she wanted to rip his wrist out of the socket. He pulled his hand away as if he could read her mind. “If it will make you feel better, I’ll check on him. I may be rusty but I could handle a couple troublemakers in my day.”

Vera gave a dreamy sigh. A muscle above Julia’s eye began to twitch.

“I bet you were quite a sight,” Vera practically purred.

“You know what would make me feel better? If I go and check on him.” She sat Charlie on the bleachers. “Stay here with Grandma, okay, buddy?”

“Gramma,” Charlie said around a mouthful.

“I’ll escort you,” Joe said in the same cop tone Julia’d heard Sam use. “If you’re okay for a few minutes on your own?” he asked Vera.

“Be a hero,” Vera answered, batting her lashes.

Julia thought about arguing but figured he could be useful. “Can you get me to the front?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

He took her elbow and, true to his word, guided her through the groups spilling into the parking lot. Was it some kind of police Jedi mind trick that enabled cops to manage throngs of people?

She poked her head through the row of spectators to see Sam between two men, arms out, a finger pointed at each of them.

Eddie Kelton, his wife, Stacey, and a man Julia didn’t recognize stood in the parking lot under the lights. The unknown man had his shirt on inside out and his jeans were half zipped. Julia assumed he was the man Stacey had been with. Another telltale sign was the black eye forming above his cheek.

Stacey stood to one side, weeping loudly into her hands.

“For the last time, Eddie, put the knife down.” Sam looked as if he’d grown several inches since Julia had seen him minutes earlier. He was broad and strong, every muscle in his body on full alert. A surge of pride flashed through her, along with the nail-biting fear of seeing him in action.