It's Better This Way Read online

  “Did you call to inquire about my health?”

  “No. I…

  “I’m good, Julia. More than good. I’m happy.”

  She swallowed hard, not wanting to read any more meaning into his words than what he’d said. From the tone of his voice, he seemed to suggest that the only way he’d found such unbound well-being was by separating his life from hers. He seemed to be looking for a way to hurt her. She could either take offense or ignore it.

  “Glad to hear it. I feel the same,” she said, after an awkward moment, choosing to take the high road by assuming his comment had not been a dig.

  “Wonderful. Now that it’s settled how happy we both are, is there a reason for this call?”

  Julia strongly suspected Laura was sitting next to him or was within hearing distance.

  “I have news I thought you’d want to know,” she said.

  “Is it important?”

  She closed her eyes, wishing it could be different between them. “Would I call otherwise?” she asked, keeping her voice even and controlled, unwilling to let him intimidate her. It hurt that their relationship remained strained.

  It didn’t need to be like this. She had released him without malice, and she hoped that after all the good years they’d shared together, they could part without hard feelings.

  Her throat tightened, and she waited a moment, the pause awkward. “Does it need to be like this?” she asked, softening her tone.

  “How do you mean?”

  She wasn’t fooled, he knew. “I only wish you well, Eddie. It used to be we were friends as well as lovers. We have children together. It shouldn’t be awkward between us, because we have both moved on. I don’t harbor bad feelings toward you, or Laura.”

  His sigh was heavy. “You’re right. I’m sorry, Julia. I saw your name and my mind went back to places it shouldn’t have. Now tell me what prompted the call.”

  “It’s Hillary.”

  “Everything okay with her?” His concern was immediate.

  “It’s great. She was by on Friday to let me know she and Blake are engaged.”

  Her announcement was met with silence. “And you’re the one telling me? Why is that?”

  “Trust me, Eddie, I urged her to reach out herself.”

  “Did you?” His words were full of skepticism. How quickly he reverted to being suspicious and annoyed.

  “Yes,” she returned emphatically. “I have repeatedly encouraged both girls to put aside their resentment and reconcile with you. You’re their father, and while they might never admit it openly, they miss you.”

  He huffed as if he found that hard to believe. “The ball is in their court. Heaven knows I’ve tried to have a relationship with them. The problem is they’re both too stubborn to listen to reason. They won’t have anything to do with Laura. They won’t meet her, won’t speak to her. It’s as if my wife doesn’t exist.”

  Silently, Julia wondered how much of an effort Laura had made to connect with their daughters. She quickly put an end to that line of unproductive thought. Once Laura’s sons and her daughters had gotten into a nasty verbal exchange, Laura had basically ignored Eddie’s family.

  “I know you’ve tried, and I’m genuinely sorry, Eddie.”

  He sighed again with frustration and regret. “Guess I shouldn’t complain, I can be just as strong-willed.”

  Julia grinned in full agreement. She didn’t know how long it had been since his last attempt to connect with his daughters. Neither had mentioned their father in several months, which told her he hadn’t made any effort for quite some time.

  “When’s the wedding?” Eddie asked.

  This was the point where their conversation was sure to get sticky. “She’s hoping sometime in November, before the holidays. As soon as she sets the date, I’ll let you know.”

  “I wish Hillary would tell me herself.”

  Julia felt the same.

  “Will she let me help with the costs? I’d like to do that. That might build a bridge between us.”

  The offer was generous, in light of the fact Hillary had barely spoken to her father in the last six years. “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her. My guess is that she and Blake will want to cover the expenses themselves. I offered to pay for the photographer and the cake.”

  “Hard to believe Hillary is close to thirty.”

  The years flew by far too quickly.

  “She waited long enough, didn’t she? Any particular reason she held off as long as she did?”

  No way Julia would admit she feared the divorce had destroyed her daughter’s view of love and marriage.

  “Again, that’s a question for Hillary to answer.”

  “Would you tell her that I’d like to help with the cost of the wedding?”

  “Eddie, I can’t. You should tell her that yourself.”

  He waited a couple seconds, mulling it over, and then said, “She’d probably reject the offer anyway.”

  “You won’t know unless you ask,” she gently reminded him.

  “She ignores my calls.”

  “Then text or email.” She didn’t know why she should be the one advising him. He knew how to connect with his daughters. She shouldn’t be the one pushing him. If it was up to her, she’d stay out of this messy situation entirely. Even being put in the position of telling him about Hillary’s engagement was more than she was comfortable with.

  “Do you remember when she was little, how she loved to play bride?” Eddie asked. “You sewed her a veil, and she moved the chairs around in the dining room to make an aisle. What was she, six or seven at the time? She insisted I needed to walk her down the aisle.”

  “I remember.”

  “Marie was her maid of honor.” His mind seemed to drift back to the days when their girls were small and filled with imagination and wonder. After attending the wedding of Eddie’s cousin, they’d returned home wanting to be brides themselves. Julia had constructed a small veil for Hillary, and she’d worn a pair of Julia’s high heels and carried a bouquet of yellow dandelions.

  That seemed a lifetime ago now. Her daughters had once dreamed of happily ever after, never suspecting that one day that dream would shatter when reality set in and their parents divorced. At the time of the divorce, both girls were adults. She’d assumed they were mature enough not to be affected by the disillusionment of the marriage. Even after the clash with Laura’s sons, Julia had hoped the girls would accept their father’s decision to remarry and move on. It stunned her even now how personally they had taken his choice.

  “I want to be the one to escort my daughter down the aisle.”

  Oh dear, Julia had hoped to avoid this. It wasn’t up to her to report what Hillary had said.

  “It’s what I always expected,” she agreed, perhaps a bit overly emphatically.

  Her voice must have given away some hint of discouragement, because Eddie picked up on it right away.

  “What aren’t you telling me?” he demanded.

  “If you do or don’t escort Hillary is between the two of you,” she said, as gently as she could. “I have nothing to do with this, and I don’t plan to get in the middle, either.”

  “She knows as well as you that’s my right as her father.”

  Julia agreed. Hillary had made it plain she had no intention of letting her dad know her plans. Hearing the pain in Eddie’s voice made her heart ache for him. Even though they were no longer married, and he’d betrayed her, she continued to have feelings for Eddie. She always would.

  “This is a matter you need to discuss with Hillary. Please, Eddie, all I ask is that you leave me out of it,” Julia said. “Don’t use me as a go-between.”

  “Come on, Julia. Hillary isn’t talking to me.”

  “Then try again,” she advised. No way was she stepping into this
cesspool of hurt and anger.

  “It’s Laura, isn’t it?”

  “Eddie, did you not hear me? I refuse to get in the middle of this. I was uncomfortable even telling you about the engagement. I would have left it, only I knew if you heard the news and didn’t know, you’d be hurt.”

  He paused for a moment to digest this. “I suppose I should be grateful you called. My guess is Hillary is going to use this wedding to—”

  Julia cut him off. “Don’t go reading more into her actions than warranted. She would never admit it, but I know my daughter. She misses you. If she’s using this wedding for anything, it’s to bring her father back into her life and save her stubborn pride at the same time.”

  “I wish that was true.” Eddie sounded utterly defeated. “She made it clear how much she dislikes my wife. From the moment I moved out of the house, Hillary and Marie have refused to have anything to do with me if Laura is involved.”

  If there was anything Julia could personally do to make this better, to get her daughters to be logical, she would gladly have done it.

  “I’m sorry, Eddie, I wish…I wish the girls would listen to reason about you being with Laura. I’ve tried talking to them. Laura is your wife, and sooner or later they need to accept that there’s no going back for either of us.” Julia had moved on, and she wanted her children to do the same.

  His voice dropped, weary and sad. “I know.”

  Julia sincerely wanted to help. She’d tried numerous times pleading with the girls to be reasonable about their father and Laura. They, however, weren’t open to their father or his relationship with his new wife.

  If ever there was a time for reconciliation, it was Hillary’s wedding. “Eddie, listen, this is your life. I don’t mean to interfere; that’s the last thing I want. What you should recognize is this may well be your last chance to reconcile with your daughters.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Being indifferent and avoiding reconciliation simply isn’t working. This engagement is a gift. An opportunity. Fight for your daughters. Let them see your heart and how important they are to you.”

  Eddie’s sigh came over the line. “You’re right. Thanks for the call, Julia.”

  “You’re welcome, Eddie.”

  What had started out as an uncomfortable conversation had ended on a gentle note. When she disconnected the call, Julia leaned back and closed her eyes, praying that Eddie would take her words to heart and do whatever was necessary to be reunited with his girls.

  Chapter 7

  Heath spent the weekend thinking about Julia. More than once, he’d been tempted to call to ask if she’d go sailing with him. He’d kept his boat in the divorce and often enjoyed time on Lake Washington. Lee had never taken to the water, so he’d frequently gone out with friends or his sons. Since both Michael and Adam had plans for the weekend, Heath had ventured out with a friend he’d known since his college days.

  As it so often did, time spent on the water had relaxed him. As he leaned back, letting the wind carry him across the choppy waters near the University of Washington, his mind had continually drifted to Julia. He would have enjoyed sharing this day with her. The desire to ask her had been strong. He would have given in, if not for fear he was coming on a little strong.

  They were together nearly every morning as it was, and recently they’d fallen into the habit of having coffee together following their workout. He enjoyed her company, far more than any other woman he’d met in the years since his divorce. Like him, Julia was gun-shy, and he didn’t want to overwhelm her.

  But he was interested in Julia. Very interested.

  Monday morning, after they’d exercised, parted, and showered, they met at the Busy Bean. It was her turn to buy coffee, and he let her, although he would have preferred to pay himself. Probably a sexist thought, but he couldn’t help that. It was how he’d been raised. The man paid. Any woman paying for his half made him slightly uncomfortable.

  He was early enough to get a table, and stood when Julia arrived, after collecting their coffees. Standing was likely another faux pas, but again, this was how he’d been taught. Ever the gentleman.

  Once seated, he asked, “Did you have a good weekend?” He hoped to feel her out about joining him on his boat the next time he went out on the water.

  She seemed to be weighing her answer. “It was a mixture of the wonderful and the not-so-wonderful.”

  “How do you mean?” With anyone else he might have left it at that and awaited details. He wanted to know, and so he asked. “If I’m prying, stop me. What happened?”

  She smiled, letting him know she hadn’t taken offense. “The best part was when my daughters stopped by. My oldest, Hillary, just got engaged. She’s been dating Blake for three years and I’d been hoping, of course.”

  “That is good news.” His own sons were getting to the age where they should be thinking along those lines themselves. To this point, neither of his boys seemed to be in any hurry to make a commitment. Heath wondered if the divorce might have something to do with their reluctance. It could be what had held Julia’s daughter back.

  Julia’s eyes lit up with happiness, as she relayed what she’d learned about her daughter’s plans to this point. “It’s wonderful news and I couldn’t be more pleased.”

  “And the not-so-wonderful part?” he prodded.

  “Yes,” she said, sighing, “Hillary remains on the outs with her father. I was put in the uncomfortable position of being the one to tell him his daughter is engaged.”

  Heath didn’t envy her. “I take it the conversation didn’t go well?”

  “It actually ended up being fine, after an uncomfortable start. Naturally, Eddie was hurt that I was the one to tell him. I’d rather stay out of this conflict between my ex and our daughters. The last thing I want is to be caught in the middle. The only reason I called was because I was afraid if word got out, and Eddie heard about the engagement from someone else, it would devastate him.”

  Julia’s sensitivity toward her ex-husband’s feelings impressed Heath. “It sounds like your girls haven’t forgiven their father.”

  Julia groaned. “That’s putting it mildly.”

  She didn’t elaborate, and he didn’t press her with more questions.

  “What about your sons? Do they have issues with their new stepdad?”

  Quite the opposite, from what Heath could make out. He never wanted to put his boys in a position of having to choose; consequently, he didn’t ask, and they seldom volunteered information. “Apparently not. They don’t mention much about my ex and her husband, and frankly, that’s just as well.”

  “You’re fortunate. My girls took the divorce personally. They don’t seem to understand that while Eddie no longer wants me in his life, he loves our daughters and wants a relationship with them.”

  Seeing that Julia was struggling with this situation, Heath sought a way to brighten her day. “Let’s concentrate on the positive. Your daughter is engaged, and you’re pleased.”

  “I am,” she said, brightening at the reminder.

  “I say this news calls for a celebration. Let me cook you dinner,” he suggested. Since living alone, Heath had become adept in the kitchen. The first year following the divorce, he’d dined on takeout most nights. Within a few months, he was tired of the same menus and the same restaurants, and decided to teach himself to cook. He signed up for an online cooking class, tried out a few basic recipes, and was pleased with the results. It was possible to teach an old dog new tricks! He was eager to show Julia he was a man of many talents.

  “When?” she asked, and then playfully narrowed her eyes. “Heath Wilson, are you asking me out on a date?”

  “Ah…” He was unsure how to answer. Thinking quickly, he said, “Not a date. A meal between friends.” Then, because he was eager to spend time with her after the long
weekend, he added, “How about tonight?”

  Her shoulders slumped in disappointment. “I can’t tonight. I’ve signed up for a charity pub crawl.”

  That sounded like fun. “How about tomorrow, then?”

  “Sure, anytime,” she readily agreed.

  He mentally reviewed possible menu choices. He considered three different recipes that were sure to impress her: two with shrimp and another with sole. He had a couple good chicken recipes, along with a few others.

  “Heath?” Julia said, pulling him from his thoughts.

  Looking up, Julia had a huge smile. “Come with me,” she said, and then, reading his bewilderment, added, “on the pub crawl. I have a ticket I got for my sister. Amanda intended to go and then this morning she called to say she couldn’t make it because of some quilting class she wants to take. I’d rather not go alone. The event would be much more fun if you were able to join me.”

  “You’re on,” he said, grinning. Then he jokingly added, “Remember, this isn’t a date.”

  She smiled. “Not a date. It’s two friends enjoying good draft beer and having fun together.”

  “Count me in.”

  He was in, all right. Nearly over his head when it came to this woman.

  * * *

  —

  The thick line of people around the bar awaiting their beer made it nearly impossible for Heath to maneuver back to Julia. Loud voices echoed off the walls, making conversation difficult.

  This was their second stop, and Heath held the flight of beer over his head as he waded through the mass of customers to return to Julia. She was at a high-top that was shared with a young woman who lived at The Heritage. They’d been introduced before the event, but the chatter was too loud to clearly hear her name. It sounded like Kennedy. She had a friend with her. They both taught high school—at least that’s what he thought he heard. Kennedy didn’t look much older than her students would be.