Worth Waiting For (11 page)

****

They left the club shortly thereafter, hand in hand, and were soon on their way to his house. On the way there, Freddie pulled into a gas station.

 
“Do you need anything?” he asked. She didn’t have a purse with her, so he knew she didn’t have any money.

 
“I would like to get a ginger ale,” she replied.

She needed to settle her nervous stomach. It wasn’t as if she was a virgin, but she couldn’t squash the persistent anxiety she felt. It had been so long. She wanted everything to be perfect, and in truth, she was out of practice. She’d been out of practice for over two years, although she didn’t want to count the one encounter she’d had after her break up. She was still mortified she’d thrown up right afterward, embarrassing herself and the other person. She had not been ready for that type of intimacy. She had simply used the man as a bolster for her damaged ego.

Freddie pulled open a compartment built into the dashboard and handed her some cash.

She smiled at him. Fun, sexy, a gentleman, and sweet. What more could a woman ask for? “I’ll be right back,” she said.

Inside the convenience store, Julia moved to the back to the refrigerator section. She browsed the contents. “Ginger ale,” she muttered to herself, scanning the shelves.

“Julia?”

She reacted like an electrocuted cat. The hairs on the back of her neck came to fearful attention at the sound of her name. Her heart rate accelerated to breakneck speed in her chest. In the reflection of the door of the refrigerator, she recognized the tall image reflected over her shoulder.

She turned to face him. Her eyes traveled slowly up the Italian suit, past the buttoned white shirt and silk tie, and slowly past the prominent Adam’s apple, to the face of the man she once thought she would spend the rest of her life with. Three years ago all that had changed. Her undying devotion had mutated into a burning desire to never see him again.

“Hello, Julia.”

She was speechless.

It was
him
.

CHAPTER NINE

Julia took a good look at the man who’d shattered her heart into a thousand pieces, denying her the dreams she’d thought he shared of having a family and growing old together. She forced her breathing to slow to a calm pace, because initially she’d felt as if she was about to hyperventilate.

He stood there, immaculate and inviting like a tall glass of chocolate milk. He smiled down at her with teeth whitened so much they sparkled. How could she have ever thought his smarmy grin was attractive?

 
 
A quick glance behind him made her realize the young woman—no, girl—in the little black dress was with him. She hovered close enough to be within listening distance.

 
“You look different,” he said, studying her face. “I’m not sure what it is.”

“I’m happy.” Julia supplied the information with a toss of her head.

He laughed. The rich baritone of his voice didn’t have the effect it used to. “You’ve gotten a bit cocky, too. I like it.”

He didn’t hide his interest. He let his eyes wander down the length of her body, stopping for a moment at the neckline of her top, not even bothering to hide his blatant approval of the figure flattering outfit.

Julia tried not to squirm, instead standing up straight. How dare he, after all this time, with his new plaything standing right behind him within earshot?

He leaned against a shelving unit and shoved one hand into the pocket of his trousers. He looked the epitome of relaxed and confident. His confidence had been one of the things she’d admired about him at first. He acted as if he ruled the world and everyone should just fall in line with his plans.

What she admired about him had also been the problem.
She’d
fallen in line with his plans. There had always been some reason why they had to postpone starting their future together. First he had to get his MBA. Then he strived for a promotion. Once he got the promotion, he became busy settling into his new post as director, working hard to impress the higher-ups. It was always something. She had been patient and understanding and had wanted him to achieve all the success he deserved, because she had loved him.

In loving him and devoting her time to supporting him and his endeavors, she’d lost a part of herself. She had her own career, but her focus had been making sure he achieved his goals and making sure whenever he was ready to move forward, she was available. Eight years she had spent with him, slowly curling into herself.

Deep down she’d known the relationship wasn’t going anywhere, but she’d been afraid to move on, and who would be crazy enough to walk away from such a catch? She’d already invested so much time. So instead of giving him an ultimatum or walking away, she had invested more time. In the end, their relationship ended because she was no longer fun. Because somehow his nineteen-year-old lover satisfied something in him she couldn’t.

“I heard through the grapevine you’re on your way to making partner,” he said.

“That’s right.” Julia tilted up her chin.

“Good for you. You’re breaking through the glass ceiling and shaking up the good ole boy network. You always did have an amazing drive.” He paused dramatically, and she knew his next words would cut her down somehow. “Too bad you didn’t put as much effort into our relationship, or we would still be together.”

Jerk. “You have that backwards. You’re the one who wasn’t giving one hundred percent to our relationship. By the way, how’s the kid?” She paused for dramatic effect, too. The sideways smile slipped from his face. “She should be, what—twenty-one, twenty-two now?”

Take that,
Julia thought with grim satisfaction. He straightened to his full height, a tactic to intimidate her and make her feel small.

“She and I are no longer together. She’s doing fine, though. So is my son.”

Julia felt a twinge of pain at the reference to his son. When she’d left him, she hadn’t known the gender of his child. She was certain he hadn’t either at the time, because it had been too early to tell. Now she had that bit of information, the child became real, and the old wound reopened.

He must have sensed the break in her armor because he went in for the kill. “Any kids, Julia? A man, even?”

His arrogant tone indicated his confidence she hadn’t found anyone to replace him. He had never liked the fact she had broken up with him. He’d actually tried to convince her they could work out the “problem” of his girlfriend and their child together. How pathetic had she been that he would even suggest such a thing—to think she would consider staying with him after he’d crushed her hopes and humiliated her in such an effective manner. Or was it simple arrogance that made him think she would remain in a relationship with him?

As if on cue, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Freddie round the corner on his way toward them. Their eyes locked, and relief flooded her system.

“You find what you were looking for?” he asked, his worried gaze resting on her face, ignoring the man standing nearby. He must have figured out right away something was wrong.

“Are you kidding me, Julia?” He stood there, staring at Freddie with a look of disbelief on his face. “You’ve upgraded your professional life and downgraded your personal one? You’re living
la vida loca
now?”

Freddie finally acknowledged the stranger by turning to face him. They stood toe to toe, about the same height. “And you are . . .?”

“The love of her life. Her soul mate. The man she thinks about when she’s with you.”

“What?” Julia’s incredulous stare didn’t bother him a bit.

Behind him, the young woman drifted away. If she weren’t so caught up in her own drama, she would sympathize the young woman had to hear what she’d heard. She was probably better off for having heard it.

“You don’t have to be ashamed of it, baby. We both know I’m a hard habit to break. The only reason we’re not together right now is because I messed up—but tell the truth. How many times have you thought about a reconciliation? How many times have you picked up the phone to call me but were afraid it was too late?”

Julia’s mouth fell open. He actually thought she still wanted to be with him. She started to shake. “How do you even manage to carry around an ego that size?”

“Are you going to deny seeing me tonight brings back memories and makes you wish you hadn’t left me?”

Julia drew a sharp breath. Freddie stepped between them and folded his arms across his chest. In that instant, with his feet planted firmly on the floor, he became her protector, her shield against the barbs. She could take care of herself, but she couldn’t deny it felt good to have him run interference and show her that level of caring.

 
“It’s time for you to leave,” he said, his firm voice brooking no argument. “It seems to me you’re the one having a hard time accepting Julia’s moved on.”

 
He laughed and peered around Freddie’s solid chest to look at her. He gestured with his thumb. “Your man’s a thug, baby. That’s what you’re into now?”

 
“Speak to me, not to her.”

 
“Listen, Ricky Martin, this is none of your business.”

 
“If it concerns Julia, it is my business. And my name is Frederico Ernesto Mendoza Diaz.”

 
They stood there, staring each other down like two gladiators about to square off, neither wanting to be the first to retreat. The cash register peeled open up front. Sensing trouble, an old Asian man made a U turn back toward the front door. Julia placed a hand on Freddie’s muscular arm.

 
“Let’s go.”

 
He didn’t budge. It was as if he hadn’t even heard her.

 
“You should listen to her,
Frederico
.” He said the name as if it soiled his mouth. “Don’t let the suit and Bruno Magli shoes fool you. You don’t want none of this.” That sickening smile returned to his face. Only this time it was topped off with a sneer.

 
A cold chill settled over Julia. He was nothing like the young man she met more than ten years ago. Ambition, the pursuit of materials things, and the problems brought on by his own lusts had changed him.

 
“Tell you what,” he said, “I’ll leave.” As he backed away, he lifted his thumb and little finger to his ear and mouthed, “Call me.”

 
When he was gone, Freddie looked down at her with concern etched in his face. “Are you okay?”

 
Julia took a deep breath. She wasn’t completely, but she would be once she had a chance to recuperate from that brief episode. “Yes, but I want to go home now. Please, take me home.”

****

The cabin of the truck remained as silent as a tomb. They weren’t talking, and Freddie didn’t bother to play any music. It would somehow seem out of place. Finally, he could remain silent no longer.

“Who was he?” He’d gathered enough to learn the other man was an ex, but that was all he knew. Had they been engaged? Was he the one who broke her heart and made her stop believing in love?

“No one.”

That was obviously not true. Whoever he was, he was an important part of her past. He wished he hadn’t suppressed the urge to grab the guy and smash his face into the glass door of the refrigerator. It would have given him great pleasure to make the snake-oil-salesman smile disappear from his face.