“A fling that pulled your heartstrings, and this is coming from a man who doesn’t believe in love.” My brother’s words started to really sink in.
I pulled out my phone to see if she had sent me a text, but nothing. In fact, Julianna hadn’t contacted me since I had tried calling her that horrible night. Her text message had torn me apart inside, and I knew that it must have been hard for her to send. Remembering the look on her face when she walked into my office that day, after overhearing them say that I was needed back in San Diego, broke my heart.
“I’ll be alright,” I said.
Richard shrugged and kept on driving, as though he knew there was nothing more he could say to change my mind.
We didn’t say much else on the ride to the airport. I was too busy looking at all of the places Julianna and I had visited over the past few months. The thought of never seeing her again kept eating at me, but I needed to do this for my company. Above all else, I wanted to make my dad proud.
At least, that’s what I kept telling myself.
We stopped at a red light right in front of the city park. I stared at it the entire time.
“You’re making a big mistake,” Richard said.
I didn’t respond. Instead, I looked at every face along the way, hoping to see Julianna. Maybe she was out with Caley and Annie.
Caley. I shook my head, thinking about how I’d let her down was unbearable. As if leaving Julianna weren’t bad enough, I had to go and break Caley’s heart, too. Her Jakey was leaving without even saying goodbye.
I never should have let Julianna introduce me to her.
We drove out of River Valley, and I noticed the enormous mansion at the top of River Valley Hills to the left.
“Oh, wow,” I said. “That’s the old Myer’s mansion, isn’t it?”
Richard squinted his eyes and nodded.
"How long has that been on the market?”
“Beats me,” Richard said as we approached it. “Why? Are you interested in real estate all of a sudden?”
I squinted my eyes as we passed the For Sale sign, but couldn’t read the numbers fast enough.
“Go back,” I said as soon as we passed it.
Richard turned the car around, parked right in front, and I got out.
The mansion was exquisite, with tall, white pillars and floor-to-ceiling windows. It also had details that I knew Julianna would love, such as Victorian trimming around the top and shutters on some of the windows. She always loved homes that weren’t so cookie-cutter. Her current home blended in with all of the other ones on the street. She would love a place like this.
I pictured Julianna and Caley walking up the path, smiling from ear to ear at their new home.
Am I crazy?
Before I knew it, I was searching for my cell phone.
I grabbed it from the passenger side of the car and called the number. Richard watched me the whole time from his car with an entertained smirk on his face.
“Yes, I’m calling about the old Myer’s mansion that’s for sale. 1000 Crestwood Drive. Yes. How much?”
The real estate agent gave me all of the information about the property, including the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, along with the price. Once she knew who I was, she offered to come right over and show me the house.
Richard mouthed the words, “What’s going on?”
I gave him a thumbs-up, and like a true sibling, he was in tune with what I was doing.
* * *
Julianna
