Julia's Journey (A Coming Home Again Novel Book 2) (21 page)

“Mr. Greyson, Daddy says you and Miss Julia need to stay
here with us,” one of the twins named Layla states.

The other twin is busy loving on
Fifi
.
“Yeah, we got a river cabin and everything. Daddy said it was all right,” she
pipes in. I recall them calling her Lola. I love their names. They really suit
them.

I look over at Greyson and he just shrugs his shoulders at
the unexpected invite.

“We’ll see,” he answers.

Little Gabe looks up at me and whispers, “Stay.” And my
heart melts instantly.

Before I can comment one way or the other, Crowley sticks
his head in the door. “
Y’all
just
gonna
sit out here or get busy with swimming?”

They all run back out at this. Lola says over her shoulder,
“Come on,
y’all
.”

I sit Gabe down, and he scurries off behind his siblings. I
look over and find Crowley propped on the side of the door.

“We’ve got a river cabin, if you two would like to make this
an extended pit stop on your road trip. We’d love to have you for a spell.” He
looks to me then over to Greyson.

Greyson shrugs his shoulders again and looks at me for the
answer. It’s his trip. I don’t know why he wants me to make this call.

“It’s up to you, honey.” I put it back on him.

Greyson smiles.
“We’d love too. Thanks, man.”

“Don’t be thanking me yet. We’ve dumped you in the river
already. Who knows what else might happen,” Crowley says with mischief lighting
his face.

He heads out and Greyson stands to follow him, but hesitates
at the door. “You sure?” he asks me.

“Sure,” I say, and he backtracks and places a kiss on my
cheek. It’s not the lips, but he’s getting closer. That makes me hopeful.

I spend the rest of the day frolicking in the pool with the
children, and I’m surprised to find myself famished by the time supper rolls
around. I’m quite impressed that Crowley and Greyson have cooked supper.
Crowley says it’s his country boy go-to meal—fried fish, fried potatoes and
onions, and coleslaw. We eat outside by the pool and it’s so good. We stay out
here way after the meal is finished, just talking late into the night. We
eventually yawn more than we can talk, so the entire Mason family escorts us to
the cedar cabin.

“This is beautiful,” I say as Leah shows me around. The two
oldest boys carry my bags in like the gentlemen I’m sure they are being taught
to be and place them in one of the bedrooms while Greyson claims the other.

Leah brings in a bag she grabbed from her house and starts
unloading snacks and drinks in the cozy kitchen. “This should hold you over
until tomorrow.”

“Thank you so much.” I’m so floored by their hospitality.

“Church services start at nine in the morning. You want to
catch a ride so you don’t have to drive the RV?” Crowley asks. I didn’t even
realize tomorrow is Sunday. I’ve lost track of the days on this trip.

“We have scooters,” Greyson assures him.

“Better yet, why don’t you leave them the jeep,” Leah
suggests.

“That’s a good idea, Lee,” Crowley answers her. I smile at
the nickname. He fishes a key out of his pocket and hands it to Greyson. “It’s
parked right outside.”

Greyson grins. “You’re mighty trusting. That’s a sweet ride you
drove up in. My girl and I along with that jeep may have vanished by morning,”
he warns.

Crowley laughs.
“Nah.
I trust
you’ll still be here tomorrow. You’ve not eaten a proper Lulu Sunday dinner
yet.
Y’all
don’t want to miss that.”

“I suppose you’re right,” Greyson agrees, and I swear you’d
think these two guys have known each other all of their lives. How can Greyson
just get on with people with such ease? It boggles me.

After coercing the children out the door, the quaint cabin
falls silent. Greyson and I laugh at the absurdity of the day as we shake our
heads. It definitely wasn’t what we had planned.

He surprises me by gathering me up in his arms. “What a
day.”

I snuggle close and just enjoy the warmth of him and repeat,
“What a day.”

We hold onto each other until that tension starts to build
as it did last night. I feel him beginning to pull away from me so I grasp
ahold of him tighter. I look up and see the storm in his green eyes.

“Kiss me, Greyson,” I whisper.

He takes an unsteady breath and shakes his head. “No,” he
answers, causing my eyes to prick with disappointed tears. Before I can shed
the first tear, he begins running the tip of his finger along my bottom lip,
causing me to shiver. He studies my lips as he licks his own. “I want to be the
last man to ever kiss these beautiful lips… I just don’t think you’re ready for
that yet,” he murmurs as he traces over my lip one last time. He releases me
and heads to his room.

“Greyson Stone,” I call out with a shaky tone. He stops by
his door and looks over his shoulder. “That was the sexiest thing I have ever
heard.”

I expect one of his sweet smiles but get a sultry look
instead that sends a warmth through me. “Good night, honey,” he says in a husky
voice and closes his door behind him. I hear the lock click into place and snap
out of my lustful haze. Smiling, I head to my room and leave him be for the
night.

~~~~

Sunday is a grand day as well. I find the church service
very pleasing. The pastor preached a message on love and I got giddy when he
shared the verses,
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 -
 
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it
does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily
angered,
it
keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes,
always
perseveres.
I think they have become my favorite.

After the preacher read it, I leaned
into Greyson and whispered, “That’s my verse, honey.” He just smiled and nodded
his head.

It was such a sweet service and very
uplifting. I thought I was going to come in here and have this man scream fire
and brimstone at us. I was prepared for that, but this achingly sweet service
surprised me. I sense that same overwhelming feeling as I did at the mountain
service. I’m beginning to understand that having God in your life isn’t the
sacrifice I imagined it to be—I’m gaining. That nagging feeling of missing out
on something is still tapping me on the shoulder nonetheless. I’m almost
certain that I’m close to figuring it out, though. I know I’ve given some
things up in this last half a year, but it only feels like burdens have been
shed. For the first time in my life I sense the chains of my past loosening.

Lulu cooks a Sunday feast at her
riverside home and we fill her house to the seams. A little guy named Jessup
joins us, as well as Ana and her husband and daughter. We stay for hours but it
only seems like mere minutes have passed. The entire group of them is a dizzy
fun and I just get consumed by it all. Greyson does too. He and Crowley are
both only children and I guess it’s sort of bonded them together. Wherever one
is the other has been all day, talking nonstop like they have so much to catch
up on, even though they’ve just met only yesterday.

We head back to the river cabin as the
sky shows signs of an approaching storm. Greyson heads inside to check on
Fifi
, but I pause and scan over the lush green grass. I
slip my sandals off and walk towards the center of the yard. After thinking
about it for a few seconds, I give in and stretch out on my back. I tuck the
skirt of my sundress underneath me and cross my ankles in pure contentment. I
peer up at the gray whirling sky as I run my hands through the soft blades of
grass. I’m staring up at one of the steely clouds that
is
shaped like a bunny rabbit when Greyson runs up and straddles me dramatically.

“Julia! Are you okay?”

He’s mocking me, so I playfully pop his
leg. “You’re not funny, Stone.”

He sets into tickling my sides, and I
squeal out until I can barely breathe.
Fifi
darts
over to check on me and starts yapping at Greyson to knock it off. She gives my
face a lick and I reach over and give her some love back. I scratch behind her
ears before she scurries off.

Greyson settles on top of me and tilts
that gorgeous head of his as he watches me curiously. He finally asks, “What
are you doing out here anyway?”

“Taking a page out of the Greyson Stone
handbook of simple living and enjoying the clouds drifting by.”

He looks up, then back at me, shaking
his head. “It works better on blue sky days when there are big ole cotton-ball
clouds. Not during stormy skies. You didn’t study the handbook very well,
Miss.”

“I find beauty in storms,” I comment.

Greyson gazes at me as though he’s thinking
my statement over. “You, know. I have to agree with you on that.” He bends down
and places a tender kiss on my forehead. “I’m going to the dock to fish before
the storm shows up. You want to join me?” he asks as he gets up and pulls me to
my feet.

“I’ll keep you company, honey. But I’m
not fishing.” I wrinkle my nose.

“Okay, Miss
Priss
.”

The Mason children show up and keep us
company until the storm starts rolling in and they bustle back home. They are
great company, and I enjoyed watching Greyson eat it up. We are sitting in
rockers on the screened-in porch, watching the rain dance on top of the river
now. The day has pretty much drifted away. I look over and find Greyson lost in
thought. I automatically know somehow that he is thinking about those children.
A smile keeps passing over his lips.

“How many do you want to have?”

He glances over at me, then back to the
water, and just gives me a faint shoulder shrug.

“I know you want them.”

“The issue isn’t me wanting them. It’s
if
I can ever have them,” he mutters.

He’s young and so promising. I think it
would be a shame for him to not have the pleasure those kids so clearly give to
Crowley. Greyson Stone would make a great daddy. I think about this for a few
minutes, waiting for him to explain. Instead, he keeps rocking and stays
silent.

“What do you mean, Greyson?” I reach
for his hand and he allows me to have it. His hand is always warm and inviting.

“All the different treatments I had to
have killed the cancer… And I’m so very thankful. But that also came with a
pretty extensive list of side effects—both short and long term…” His words
trail off. I see a pucker form between his brows, but it disappears by the time
he turns to look at me. “Fertility issues are a side effect.”

Oh… Now I get it.
Poor
Greyson.
“How certain is it?”

He shrugs again.
“Won’t
know until I give it a try.
It’s in God’s hands, and I’m going to leave
it there.”

Greyson may be in remission, but it is
still costing him a lot, I’m noticing. Another question arises and I’m not sure
I want the answer, but ask it anyway. “What are the chances of the cancer
coming back?”

He squeezes my hand and his smile
falters as does my own. “I’ve got a fifty-fifty shot.” He taps his chest. “I’m
pretty sure that’s why they want me to hang on to my port for a while. Again,
it’s in God’s hands. I plan on leaving it there. I’m living today. That’s what
I’m going to focus on.” He reaches over and tries to dry my cheeks. “No pitying
me,
Thorton
,” he reminds me sternly.

“Not pity, Stone.
I’m
just loving
you.” I weep stronger after noticing his eyes mist up as
well.

“Do you really love me, Julia?”

“I’ve loved you since the moment I met
you. But in the last few months, I’ve
fallen
in love with you.” It’s true too. I have fallen in love with him. I just didn’t
even know it was possible. And more shocking, how easy it was to do.

I get out of my chair and go sit in his
lap. Greyson wraps me in his arms securely and holds me. Rocking on this porch,
our feelings only seem to grow more intense. My body trembles from its power.
I’ve not even kissed him yet, so how on earth will we even survive such a
potent connection as that?

Chapter
Twenty-Five

Greyson

August slips away and September shows up unexpectedly. I can
only shake my head at this. It feels like just yesterday we pulled up for a
one-day stop in
Rivertown
and now I realize we have
been here for a month. The Mason kids started school yesterday, so I think
that’s what finally snapped me awake. I’ve fallen in love with the whole lot of
them. Honestly, I’ve fallen in love with the town too. And even more honestly,
I have absolutely, with ample certainty, fallen completely in love with Julia
Thorton
. That’s a mouthful, but it still doesn’t come close
to how strong my love is for her. I tried not to. I really tried… Nevertheless,
it happened and there’s no going back. I’ve never wanted for something as much
as I want to be able to claim Julia as my destiny.

We decided last night it’s finally time to head to Bay Creek
before we grow any more roots in
Rivertown
and never
leave. I’m honestly thinking about making this place my home. I can do
advertising anywhere so long as I have a computer. I love the town and the
people. And I’ve felt so at home at the church. This place just fits.

We’ve spent the month fishing, swimming, boating, or at some
festival or celebration the town seems to enjoy putting on. All of this has
been great, but there are two things that stand out the most. I will carry them
with me always.

First was the day the kids finally talked prissy Julia into
going mud bogging with us. We all loaded up on four wheelers and struck out in
the woods, after a generous rainstorm, with her holding on for dear life on the
back of my machine. By the time we got back, we were all covered head to toe in
mud. Julia had grumbled lightheartedly about receiving a mud treatment. She
said she just didn’t see ever getting it all washed off.

That’s when Crowley ordered the kids to take care of it.
“All right
young’uns,
take her out back and hose her
down.”

They pulled her to the garage and literally set out to
hosing her down. She squealed and hopped around in the spray until she grabbed
it and turned it on the children. I stood off to the side and snapped several
pictures. I had never seen her more happy—or beautiful for that matter.

As I’ve watched her with the Mason kids, a longing has
showed up so severe I can scarcely ignore it. I can’t go there. It’s something
I just have to put away, but it’s hard. With me finally seeing how precious
life can be, all I can see when I close my eyes is a family of my own. It’s
selfish to want any more than what I already have, but I can’t help but hope
for more. Selfish, I know.

The other thing that has happened during the last month is more
important than anything else that has happened in the last three years. And
that is Julia asking Jesus into her life. It was during a Sunday worship
service and I saw it all over her before she left my side and headed for the
altar. Lulu had joined her at the altar and held her as though Julia was her
own. I guess now she is. The following Sunday, Lulu had a celebration supper
after Julia’s baptism. Those pictures of my beautiful Julia waist deep in the
river being baptized are my favorite of the trip. Since this,
a calm
has settled over her that I’ve never seen. I thank
God that he saved her. It has been the most important thing I’ve wanted for her
since we met.

So this morning we saw the children off
to school and said “see
ya
laters
”
instead of goodbyes to our new friends.
The first twenty minutes or so after we pulled out, Julia quietly cried as she
held
Fifi
close. I’ve kept an eye on her for any
signs of stress, but I’ve found none. Her hands are still and she’s calm.

I scan the GPS and tell Julia, “We’re almost there.” It is
only an hour drive and it feels like we arrive in a flash.

She glances at me and murmurs, “Okay, honey.” She then goes
back to staring out the window.

“Are you ready for this?” I ask her, unsure.

“I think so. I miss Savannah and Miss May.” She seems to
think about it some and smiles over at me. “You think my sister will talk to
you this time?”

I chuckle as I take the exit for Bay Creek. “I sure hope
so.”

“It’s your own fault. You struck the poor girl dumb with
your gorgeous self.”

I drive down a beach access road until we are only a block
from the beach. Julia instructs me to park on the side of her family’s
restaurant. The lot is already pretty packed. I hop out and scan the two
buildings’ exteriors while Julia walks
Fifi
over to
the grassy area behind the restaurant. The other building is a seafood market
but both places look like well-preserved beach houses. They’re pretty cool.

Julia meets me up front and, after taking a deep breath, she
walks us through the front door of the restaurant, where she is immediately
surrounded by people. They hug her and tell her how much she’s been missed.
After greeting everyone warmly in sweet Julia fashion, she asks about her
sister and brother.

The hostess answers, “Savannah is in her office and JP is
globetrotting.”

Julia promises to catch up some more with everybody later
and
starts heading us in the direction of what I’m guessing
is
the office. She opens the door and we are both stunned still at what
we find. Her sister is in a bikini sitting on top of the desk and is wildly
making out with who I’m hoping is her husband.

Savannah hops up in surprise and the dude firmly plants her
in front of him. “Julia!” she says breathlessly.

Julia shouts back, “Your belly!”

“Told her to lay off the hush puppies,” the dude mumbles
from behind her.

Savannah reaches around and pops him. “You forgot to lock
the door, hotshot.”

“I thought you got it.”

I interrupt them, “We’ll give you two a moment.” I pull
Julia away from the door and close it behind us. We both laugh in embarrassment
as we claim a booth.

“I thought your sister has a problem with being touched?” I
raise an eyebrow and smirk at her as I take a seat across from her.

“That’s her husband, Lucas. I think they’ve been working on
that issue.”

“From the looks of her belly I think that issue has been
solved.” We both laugh again. “It was nice to finally hear her voice. She’s got
one sweet southern drawl.” I watch Julia nod her head in agreement. “Please say
ain’t
.”

“No.”

After her laughter dies down, Julia seems to notice me for
the first time today and is studying me up and down. I’m wearing my Superman
tee and plain shorts with my baseball hat shoved low on my head. Nothing
spectacular, but the way she’s looking at me begs to differ.

“You look so cute today, honey.” She smiles sweetly at me.

I grimace at this. I’m a guy. Cute doesn’t do anything for
my manhood. “I have well over a half million followers on Facebook declaring me
sexy, I’ll have you know.”

“All they know is the face and hot body. They don’t know the
doll baby behind it. Honey, you are cute whether you like it or not.” She’s
looking at me like I’m some
cute
puppy and that’s not cutting it.

I lean over the table closely and gently run my fingers
along the side of her face and assess her slowly. Tracing her lips as I lick my
own, I can’t help but imagine tasting them. My fingers skim down the side of
her delicate neck, making her breath shudder and a luscious pink to warm her
cheeks. The pace of my own heart startles and picks up speed. “You calling me
honey
is sexy,” I say, my voice low and
coarse. Her dazed eyes meet mine in a smolder and there’s nothing cute about
that.
Stunning…

We sort of lapse into a spell until
someone clears his voice.
Snapping me out of it, I lean back away from her and look over to see we have
company. Savannah is now dressed in a colorful sundress with her damp hair
brushed out and her husband is more appropriately covered in a black polo shirt
and khaki shorts. Savannah sits by Julia and wraps her in a hug as he
introduces himself.

“Lucas Monroe,” he says as he shakes my hand.

“Greyson Stone.” I want to tell him he’s my hero for that
scene in the office, but figure I should keep that to myself since there are
ladies present.

He slides in the booth with me and we both study the
sisters.
One white-blonde with baby-blue eyes.
The
other with dark-brown hair and grey eyes
that look
closer to clear. The resemblance is still evident in their bone structure.
Their features are so elegant and refined.

Savannah extends her hand. “It’s nice to see you again,
Greyson.”

I smile at her hand and lightly shake it. Last time she
wouldn’t take my hand when I offered it. I can’t even remember how many years
ago that was now.

“You too, young lady.”

“I was worried Julia had run you off for good,” she says
with some sass.

My gaze eases over to Julia and she’s looking at me, too.
She’s thinking about why I was gone, but she says nothing to rebuke Savannah’s
jab. Instead she sets in to giving her sister a hard time.

“Enough about me.
You mind explaining a few things? I want you to start with
when exactly you were planning on telling me you’re pregnant,” Julia says as
she gives her sister a stern look.

Savannah’s cheeks color some and she looks away from her sister.
“You’re a busy woman. I didn’t want to bother you.”

“That’s nonsense.” Julia looks hurt. I wonder how strained
their relationship might actually be. It’s clear they are not as close as they
want to be.

“She’s about two months away from her due date,” Lucas says
proudly.

I clamp him on the shoulder. “Congratulations to the both of
you.”

Julia is still studying Savannah when she asks, “Please tell
me you are not surfing while you’re pregnant?”

Savannah scoffs at her. “I’ve got better sense than that. But
I can still swim and watch my husband surf.”

“We’ve also got two sons,” Lucas says quietly.

I look over to Julia and she seems to be just as confused as
I am. Her mouth is agape and eyebrows drawn together.

“We adopted them earlier this year,” Savannah adds. “They
needed a home and we have a big one, so it’s a win-win.”

“Wow. Thanks for sharing your life with me,” Julia says in a
snappy tone.

I glance over at Lucas and he is brushing his damp hair
back, looking a little uncomfortable with the two of them bickering. I’m not
crazy about it, but I’m used to Julia’s mouthy ways.
Mouthiness
seems to be a shared quality between these two sisters.

“How about I go round us up some food while you catch up,”
Lucas offers, and I wish I could escape with him. He’s gone before I can beg to
go, too.

Thankfully the sisters brush the tension off and set into
catching up.

“So where exactly is JP?” Julia asks.

“Japan this week, and then on to
Australia next week.
He’ll be
home for a while after that. He’s promised to not book anymore photo shoots
until after the baby is born so he can help Lucas out with the businesses.”

“I hope to see him before we head out.” I can see Julia is a
little disappointed. She looks over at me and explains, “JP has become a
hotshot photographer in the past year, thanks to Savannah.”

Savannah colors a bit and rebukes, “No. JP had the talent. I
just gave him the push he needed to get on with it.”

Julia smirks. “More like a giant shove. She entered one of
his collages in a contest without his permission.”

Savannah shrugs. “Well, he got over it real fast when he won
every blame top-award that night and had signed photography contracts before
the awards were finished being handed out.”

Julia is straining to look over the back of the booth now. I
guess she’s ready to move the conversation along. “How about Miss May? Is she
here?”

“Today is her day off. I’ve finally put my foot down with
that old woman and told her to let Vanessa have a good go at the kitchen. So
she agrees to take two days off a week and leaves her granddaughter in peace.”
We chuckle at this. Savannah is a feisty thing and I like it! “Why are
y’all
here?” Savannah asks.

I think to myself,
it
is home
. Can’t you visit home anytime you want? But then again, this is a
completely different family than my own with totally different family notions.

Julia doesn’t seem bothered by the question. She sets in to
filling Savannah in on the last several months until Lucas and a waitress bring
out seafood platters with a basket full of hush puppies and teas all around.

The lunch date has been great. My stomach is overloaded and
I feel quite tired. Savannah hands over the keys to JP’s beach house and we are
there within minutes. It’s a cool bungalow set right on the sand.