Cole’s truck was parked in the front of Julia’s house when they got back to Troy the next morning, and she assumed that he and Tucker were working. Elliot had driven them back to Connecticut in one of her cars, finally taken out of storage. It was a cute little silver Audi and he didn’t seem to mind driving it. She left her bags in the car and went inside, Elliot on her heels.

“Hello?” she called out and only heard the faint sounds of shuffling upstairs in return. “Hello?”

When she got to the top of the stairs, she was surprised at how much things had changed since she’d been gone. It had only been a week but the entire structure of the floor plan had changed. Now, instead of the original four bedrooms and bathroom, there was an open hallway with a sitting area at the end and two doors on either side of the hall.

“Hey!” Cole stuck his head out the door of the guest suite with a wide grin on his face. “You’re back!”

It still seemed foreign to her that someone cared when she came and went, but they did. Cole seemed genuinely happy to see her, glad she was home again, and it made her chest unexpectedly tight for some reason. When he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, she felt compelled to hug him around the waist, surprising even herself.

Cole, in turn, wrapped her in his arms. “You okay?”

“I’m glad to see you,” she admitted.

He smiled down at her. “I’m glad to see you too. We’re almost done the guest rooms. Want to see?”

She let him give her the nickel tour of the revamped old master bedroom which would end up as the guest room. The original wood floors had been refinished to perfection, dark and gleaming. The windows had been replaced with new energy efficient models and the trim had all been replaced and painted. New crown molding lined the ceiling and the chandelier she’d picked hung from the center.

“It’s perfect,” she murmured as she looked around.

“Check out the bathroom.” He beamed that charismatic smile and Julia knew he had a surprise in store for her.

She hurried to the bathroom. “Oh, Cole!” she exclaimed as she looked around the finished bathroom. “How did you guys do all this so quickly?”

“Well, it’s not totally finished and there’s still some work to do in your bedroom, but we’re just about ready for you to move in here while we wrap up the new master.”

“I can’t believe it. It’s exactly what I wanted.” She sent Cole a grateful look, bolstered by her weekend with Elliot and feeling so free. “I won’t ever be able to tell you how glad I am that I ran into you at the grocery store that night.”

Cole walked up to her and tucked her under his arm again. “You’re just saying that because you’re sleeping with my brother.”

She could tell he was joking but she was not. “No. I’m saying it because aside from Kelsey, you’re the first person that’s treated me like a real friend. I really enjoy having you in my life.”

Cole’s mouth dropped open and he held her at arm’s length to inspect her. “Who are you and what have you done with my Julia? My Julia is prickly and moody. Who are you, imposter?”

Julia just stood, letting him look at her.

“What did Elliot do to you?” He eyed her for another second and then pulled a face. “On second thought, I don’t want to know the answer to that.”

Tucker and Elliot came strolling in, chatting about what had been done in their absence and what was still on the agenda.

“If Elliot had been here, the master closet would be just about finished. He has a lot of catching up to do on the built-in woodwork, but he got pulled away at the last minute,” Tucker joked, handing her a few scraps of paper and a greeting card. “Some more ideas on the software and a card. From us. Congratulations on your deal.”

Julia just looked at the card in her hands, unsure of what to say. No one ever got her cards. Not ever. Not even for her birthday.

She looked back up at them and nodded, uncomfortable.

“I have to get back to work.”

Elliot spent the night at his cabin while Julia stayed at her house alone that night, catching up on some work she’d let slide. It was strange being by herself after spending just a few days sharing a bed with Elliot. He had such a presence in her life now, that his absence was felt severely.

She spent the night ensconced at her desk, deep into the new contracting software programming. Mostly putting final touches on the proposal and drafting emails and other correspondence. If all went well, within a few weeks, months at the most, they’d have an offer on their program, and she and the Williams brothers would make a few bucks. She took a moment to close her eyes and crack her neck.

“Good morning, Shorty.”

Julia’s head popped up, startled to see Elliot sitting in front her desk.

“Did you work all night?” he asked.

“How long have you been here?”

“I parked out back and came in the kitchen door a few minutes ago.” He reached across the desk and took hold of her hand. “Did you work all night?” he repeated.

She’d tried to sleep, but it had proven impossible. The combination of sleeping in that tiny back bedroom on top of being alone had made her feel restless. She’d finally just given up.

“Mostly,” she admitted.

“Come on.” He tugged her hand and urged her to stand. “You need to eat.”

He sat at the island while she gathered something for herself, offering him a bowl of fruit salad and a fresh cup of coffee. He nodded his thanks as she sat next to him and they sat in their comfortable silence until his brothers trooped in the back door like a herd of bulls. Cole dipped his fingers in the bowl of fruit salad and helped himself.

“Morning,” he garbled around the piece of fruit in his mouth.

Elliot scowled at him.

“Whose car is out front?” Tucker asked.

Julia’s head swiveled toward the front door, her brows bunched in question.

“Do you think it’s the press?” Elliot asked, presumably ready to throw them off the property. She’d been hounded relentlessly when they’d been in city and he’d hated every second of it. There wasn’t even a small chance he’d let that happen in her own house, she knew.

The front door clicked open and a knock sounded. An accented voice called down the hall. “Jules? This you, love?”

Elliot stood forcefully, his stood scraping the floor, but Julia grabbed his arm, stopping him as she got off her chair.

“It’s my father,” she explained before calling out. “In the kitchen, Dad.”

She immediately wondered what in the world her father was doing at her house. She’d just seen him last week.

When he strolled into the kitchen, a wide smile splitting his face, she knew exactly why he’d shown up. Dressed in his beat-up jeans and leather jacket, she saw Cole’s mouth drop open and heard Tucker’s coffee mug hit the counter in recognition. Elliot stood stock still next to her, watchful.

“There’s my girl,” her father exclaimed at the sight of her and took her in his arms. “Which one is he?” he whispered while he squeezed her.

She pulled back from his embrace. “You came here to snoop,” she accused.

“Of course,” he admitted unapologetically.

“I should make you leave,” Julia threatened, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Hold up.” Cole interrupted, eyes still wide, hands out in front of him. “Your father is Bram Hawkins? Hair of the Dog, Bram Hawkins?”

Julia sighed. “Cole, my dad, Bram. Dad, Cole.” She waved her hand between them as an introduction. They shook hands, Cole beside himself with excitement.

“You could have given me a little bit of a heads up on this one, Shorty,” Elliot murmured while her father introduced himself to Tucker.

“I told you my father was a musician,” she said plainly.

Elliot palmed her backside and gave it a squeeze. “Nice try.”

Her father came to stand in front of her and Elliot. “Now, you must be Elliot.”

Elliot held his hand out and the two men shook, staring into each other’s eyes. Searching for what, she didn’t know. When a sufficiently manly time had passed, they let go and stood in a strange standoff. Thank goodness for Kelsey who happened to come in the back door at that moment.

A wide smile broke out on her father’s face. “Now, there’s my Hellsey!” He used the nickname he’d given Kelsey one day when he accused her of enjoying giving people hell.

Kelsey squealed and threw herself at him. “Bram!”

It was a strange thing to watch her father twirl around another woman, like Kelsey was his long-lost daughter instead of her, but that just wasn’t part of Julia’s makeup. She’d never consider letting herself go like, that and she knew that Kelsey and her father had spent quite a bit of time together when she worked and had sent Kelsey to entertain him. They’d formed a friendship.

“How’s my brassy babe?” Bram joked when he put Kelsey down.

“This is awesome.” Cole laughed and looked at Julia.

She narrowed her eyes at her father. “Yeah. Awesome.”

“Oh, love,” he sighed. “I told you I’d be flying in this week. You told me I was welcome to come see the house.” He looked around. “Frankly, I thought it would be bigger.”

“I don’t need bigger,” Julia defended.

“Of course you don’t need it,” he scoffed. “But you can afford it.” She tilted her head in response. “I should never expect you to do what everyone else does.”

Cole laughed. “Ain’t that the truth.”

“Show me the house, Jules.” Bram held his hand out but Julia didn’t take it. She turned to look at Elliot, though she wasn’t sure why. She wasn’t asking his permission because she knew she didn’t need it. She wasn’t asking him to come because she knew he didn’t want that either.

It was strange to look to him for some unknown reason and she didn’t like it. It made her feel off-kilter and needy. Before she figured out how to address her feelings or the look she gave him, she turned on her heel and left the room, assuming her father would follow.

“We’ll just bring the closet built-ins inside while you’re up there!” Cole yelled after her.

“Slow down!” Bram made a grab for her at the top of the stairs. “What the hell was that?” he asked when he caught her.

“You wanted to see the house. I’m showing you,” she told him.

“Not that. The storming out of the room bit.”

Julia sighed and looked down at her feet, rubbing a hand across her forehead. God, she was tired. “I don’t know. I just felt like I was standing there…” she paused and took a breath. Her father was looked at her with nothing more than curiosity. “Checking in with him or something,” she finished.

“What’s wrong with checking in, love?”

“I don’t check in,” she countered.

“That’s because you’ve never had anyone to check in with before.”

“It felt strange. And awkward.”

“You’ll get used to it.”

“What if I don’t?” she asked.

“You will.” He smiled.

Julia showed him the empty upstairs and let him check out every nook and cranny. He was not surprised in the least by the enormity of the closet, but marveled at the Williams’s handiwork. While he looked around, Julia leaned against the doorjamb and yawned. She was getting too old to stay up all night and work, she thought. Certainly, too old to do it often. She wanted to relax, not work herself to death.

It made her think of the vacation she’d just come back from. She imagined herself on the beach in front of the water, watching it lap against the shore. The clear blue sky, the clouds rolling by. Elliot next to her, content in their silence, as usual.

“Stubborn girl,” she heard her father say quietly. “You’re dead on your feet.”

“I’m fine,” she told him as she stood.

They went downstairs to the kitchen to find only Kelsey going through some paperwork.

“Hellsey, you need to make sure Julia gets some rest. She was falling asleep standing up a minute ago.” He pushed Julia into a chair.

“Aren’t you staying?” Kelsey asked.

“Oh, no.” He shook his head and hugged her assistant. “I’m only in the city for one night. This afternoon I have to meet with the financial planner about the H-Surf stocks in the city. Then a quick morning show appearance before I fly to Los Angeles.”

Kelsey pouted. “I didn’t get to see you at all!”

“Next time,” he promised. “And next time, we won’t let Elliot run off without at least a little intimidation from Julia’s father.”

“I’m still here. There’s time.” Elliot’s voice came from the doorway.

Julia took in his stoic face, that serious expression, and had no idea what he was thinking. She had no idea what she was thinking, for that matter. Now that she was back home, she was reminded just how strange she felt when she lived in the real world. Apart. Different. When it had just been the two of them on the beach, things had seemed so much easier. It had been simple to separate herself from that stigma with just Elliot to see her. Now she felt like a fledgling bird taking a nosedive out of the nest again. She wasn’t sure if she had it in her to fly.

Although, now that Elliot was in the room with her father, Bram seemed at a loss for words. Elliot cut her a look that said absolutely nothing to her. It didn’t say he was mad about her hasty exit before, but it certainly didn’t say he couldn’t wait to see her naked either. His silver eyes were mysterious and they hid whatever he was thinking.

Holding out the proverbial olive branch, a silent apology for acting foolish, she quirked her mouth into a half smile. She liked to think his expression softened a fraction but she may have been dreaming.

“Walk me out, Elliot.” Her father used a stern tone she’d never heard from him before.

Elliot nodded and held his hand out to indicate he’d follow Bram. Julia absently said goodbye to her father and watched as Elliot walked out the door without another look. Ignoring Kelsey, she made her way to the back bedroom, flopped on the bed, and covered her head with a pillow. Without question, she was a total social failure. She’d never get it right.