Hearts Ahoy Page 17
“As it turns out, my granddaughter—Emma—is epileptic, but she’d also hit her head quite hard during one of her seizures. She suffered a bit of brain trauma and they kept her in a medically induced coma for the first few days.”
Julia’s hand flew to her heart imagining the small child in a big hospital bed, hooked up to tubes and machines. “Oh my God.”
Martin held up a hand again. “She’s okay. She’ll need some physical therapy and she’s getting wonderful care, but it was a very important moment in my relationship with Jonathan. We spent a lot of time together at the hospital and I won’t say that things are perfect, but I threw myself into being a father and a grandfather while I was needed there.” He paused and waited, but when Julia said nothing, he went on. “I’m sorry for leaving. I’m sorry for not being able to juggle something new and exciting with you and to also be what my family needed me to be at that moment. I truly am, Julia.”
“Martin…” It was Julia’s turn to reach across the table and touch the tips of her fingers to his shirt sleeve gently. “I don’t want you to apologize for going to your family. Not at all. I was just worried that…you know.” She rolled her eyes at what was about to come out of her own mouth, but then went ahead with it anyway. “I was worried that you went there and that you and Esme got back together but you didn’t have the guts to tell me.”
Martin waited. He said nothing, watching her face as though waiting for the punchline. “Oh, you aren’t kidding?” He searched her face. “Julia no. Esme and I have a relationship because of our son and because we once loved each other very much. But it isn’t like that, and hasn’t been in a long time. You never need to worry about that. In fact, as I said, she’s married now and her husband was there almost the entire time.”
Julia couldn’t hold it in—a relieved laugh escaped from her lips. She looked around now, wondering if anyone could see her blushing in the low light of the dining room. “Okay. Understood.”
When she looked up again, Martin’s face was hopeful. “Yeah. So I wanted to wait until I was able to see you face to face and—“ he gestured with both hands, “—start again. All over. No gameshows. No speed dating. No crazy singles dances. Just you and me.”
Julia blinked as he spoke, considering the lengths he’d gone to in order to plan this and to make it a surprise. As the puzzle pieces fell together in her mind, she realized that he must’ve gotten ahold of Blaine and roped him in on this whole scheme to make it seem as though she’d won the trip somehow.
“This is actually pretty impressive,” Julia said, relaxing for the first time since he’d sat down. Her heart picked up its pace. “And I do like the idea of skipping all the dating games.” She laughed, remembering Blaine and Kerry. “And no cupids, either.”
Martin reached across the table and took both of her hands in his own. “No cupids,” he agreed, holding her gaze with his dark, intense eyes.
Julia eyed the waiter moving amongst the tables with a tray in hand, a bottle of red wine balanced on it. “Hey,” she said, leaning forward across the table. “I don’t feel so hungry right now,” she admitted. “Are you?”
Martin’s eyes danced in the flames from the candle. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
Julia paused for effect. “You want to go find a bar and dance to Duran Duran?”
Martin’s face cracked and he started to laugh. “I was thinking maybe we’d try to find Dirty Dancing on the TV in my room…and order room service.”
Julia stood up and pushed her chair back, looking at Martin with the kind of happiness she hadn’t felt since the last time they’d been together. He stood up, a tentative smile on his lips as he waited for her to say something.
“You know what?” Julia said. “I think that sounds perfect.”
About the Author
Stephanie Taylor is a high-school teacher who loves sushi, "The Golden Girls," Depeche Mode, orchids, and coffee. Together with her teenage daughter she writes the American Dream series—books for young girls about other young girls who move to America. On her own, Stephanie is the author of the Christmas Key books, a romantic comedy series about a fictional island off the coast of Florida, as well as other teen and YA titles.
www.redbirdsandrabbits.com
redbirdsandrabbits@gmail.com
Also by Stephanie Taylor
To see a complete list of Stephanie’s other books, please visit:
Stephanie Taylor’s Books
To hear about any new releases, sign up here and you’ll be the first to know!