Chapter 4
"You see him for who he really is now," Julian said, his words slow and heavy. "And then?"
The live comments rolled in.
[Choose Julian!]
[Julian's asking. He's asking for real.]
[Oh, I can't handle that look in his eyes.]
[Elizabeth, just answer him.]
I looked at him, the booze hitting me hard, and my mind just acted on impulse.
"So," I blurted out, "do you have a spare room here?"
He froze.
I froze too.
The live comments blew up like fireworks.
[Holy crap!]
[Elizabeth, you're fearless.]
[Julian's totally dumbfounded.]
[He's in shock. He can't even process this.]
[Say yes! There's a bed. Just you and him.]
Julian was stunned for several seconds.
Then he swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing.
When he finally spoke, his voice was rough and hoarse. "Yeah."
He smiled back at me.
It was just a small curve of his lips, but for the first time, I saw a spark of light in those usually shadowed eyes.
He moved aside and held the door open for me.
I stepped inside.
The door clicked shut behind me.
The live comments exploded:
[Oh, the door just closed.]
[I wanna go in. Let me in.]
[Don't worry, girls. We've still got the live comments. We can watch what happens next.]
[Julian's definitely not gonna be able to hold back.]
[Tonight, it's better to go down. It has to.]
Julian's room had the exact same layout as Grady's.
But the style was completely different.
Grady's place was all cold grays and whites—minimalist, icy, and distant.
Julian's was warm and inviting, with soft lighting, a deep brown sofa, a few books on the coffee table, and a potted plant by the window.
It felt comfortable.
I stood in the entryway and looked down at myself.
My wedding dress was mermaid style, floor-length, and honestly, it was hard to move in.
I'd been in these heels all night, and my feet were killing me.
Julian grabbed a pair of cozy slippers from the cabinet by the door and set them down at my feet.
They were brand new, tags still on.
He crouched down, going to undo the straps on my heels.
I instinctively pulled my foot back.
He looked up at me and asked, "What's wrong?"
"I can do it myself," I said.
He didn't say a word, just quietly kept his head down, and started unfastening the straps.
His movements were gentle and slow, like he was afraid he might hurt me.
The live comments exploded.
[Help, he's so gentle.]
[If he were tying another girl's shoes, I'd puke, but taking off Elizabeth's heels? This is too cute.]
[That's the double standard at work.]
[Elizabeth looks kind of uncomfortable.]
[It's no wonder she's feeling awkward. Grady never spoiled her like this.]
I slipped my feet into the slippers. They were soft and cozy.
Julian stood up and asked, "Are you hungry?"
I shook my head.
"Thirsty?" he asked.
I thought for a second. "Yeah, a little bit."
He went to pour me some water.
I stayed where I was, looking around the place.
One of the books on the coffee table was open. It was about economics.
There was an ashtray next to it, with a few cigarette butts inside.
There was a dark gray jacket draped over the armrest of the sofa, the same one he'd been wearing at the door earlier.
There was an empty vodka bottle in the trash can.
He really did drink a whole bottle.
He came back with a glass of water and handed it to me.
I took it and took a sip. It was warm.
He stood nearby, just watching me in silence.
The vibe between us suddenly got a little weird.
The live comments started hyping things up.
[The mood's here!]
[Time to talk. Say something.]
[Julian, step up already.]
[He already crouched down to take off her shoes. How much more obvious do you want him to be?]
[LOL, Elizabeth just finished her water, and now they're both back to being awkwardly silent.]
I set the glass down and looked up at him.
He asked, "Do you want to take a shower?"
I froze for a second.
He realized it sounded a bit suggestive and quickly clarified, "The guest room has its own bathroom. You can shower there if you want."
The live comments exploded.
[LOL, he's totally panicking.]
[Excuses!]
[Julian, what's got you so worked up?]
[A guest room with a private bathroom, seriously? LOL.]
I nodded, trying to sound calm. "Alright."
I followed Julian as he showed me to the guest room.
The room was small but super tidy, everything neat and cozy. The bed was made up with pale gray sheets, and the curtains matched perfectly.
The bathroom had all the essentials lined up. Everything was brand new, even a face mask. I couldn't help but feel a little surprised at how thoughtful he was.
"Take your time in the shower," Julian said gently. "I'll bring you something comfortable to change into."
"Clothes?" I asked.