Chapter 4
I was trimming roses in Julian's garden when Leroy called.
The name husband lit up on my phone screen, almost glaring. I answered with the shears still in my hand.
"Hazel, why is your walk-in closet completely empty?" Leroy's voice was still groggy from sleep, and I could hear the sound of heels tapping on marble floors in the background.
"Did you take even your favorite scented candle with you?" Leroy added.
Before I could get a word in, Sienna's playful, girlish complaint floated through the phone. "Leroy, the zipper on this dress is stuck."
"Come here, let me see." Leroy's voice turned gentle in an instant. He covered the phone, and I caught the soft sound of fabric shifting.
After a moment, he came back on the line. "Hold on, I need to—"
The shears gave a crisp snip as I cut off a stray rose branch.
I watched the sap seep from the fresh cut, hearing Sienna's petulant complaint through the phone. She said, "Come on, I need to wear this for the launch today."
Leroy's voice faded in and out. He asked, "Hazel, which villa are you at? I'll ask the butler to send you a few things."
Sienna's voice rose sharply in the background. "Are you seriously sending her things?" she asked.
"Knock it off," Leroy snapped.
Then he switched back to his usual tone with me. He said, "Be safe out there. Come back when you've cooled off."
After a pause, he added, "Oh, and I'm pretty busy these days. If you need anything, let the butler know."
The call ended abruptly.
I watched the screen go dark, and it hit me. I wasn't as upset as I used to be.
Before I knew it, Julian was behind me, taking the shears from my hand.
He gently brushed away a thorn stuck to the back of my hand with his thumb. "Are you cold?" he asked.
That was when I noticed my fingertips were already red from the chill.
The October wind swept through the garden, carrying the salty tang of the sea.
"Want a new phone?" Julian cupped my hands in his, breathing warmth into them.
"Or maybe a fresh start somewhere else?" he asked.
I instinctively tried to pull my hands back, but he held on gently.
His palms were warm, like he was cradling something precious and fragile.
"No, really." I shook my head. "This is good enough."
Julian didn't insist. He simply traced gentle circles on the back of my hand with his thumb.
His touch was feather-light, as if even the smallest movement might break the spell.
"How about we go sit in the greenhouse for a bit?
"I just planted some bluebells. They're in full bloom this season," Julian suggested.
I looked up at him, sunlight streaming through the sycamore leaves, highlighting the gentle lines of his face.
He was always like this, never forceful, always finding the most comforting way to show he cares.
"Alright," I heard myself say.
He smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling softly.
When he released my hand, he did it deliberately slowly, as if giving me time to reconsider.
Seeing I didn't shy away, he hovered his hand just behind my back, keeping a gentle distance as he led me toward the greenhouse.
The greenhouse was filled with the earthy scent of damp soil, and in the corner, a cloud of pale purple bluebells was in full bloom.
Julian picked up a watering can, and the fine mist turned into a tiny rainbow in the sunlight.
"See?" he said softly. "With enough patience, they'll bloom when the time is right."
I watched his focused profile, and suddenly realized he wasn't just talking about the flowers.
The sea breeze drifted through the greenhouse glass, carrying the salty tang of the ocean, but it couldn't break the peace of this moment.
"Julian, I want to go for a walk," I said.
He was watering the bluebells out on the balcony.
Hearing that, his hand jerked, and the watering can tipped, sending a stream of water splashing onto his shirt cuff.
He stood there stunned for a couple of seconds, then quickly set the can down, droplets falling from his fingers to the floor.
"Sure," Julian replied, his voice a bit tense. As he turned, his elbow bumped a small trowel off the plant stand with a clatter.
"I'll come with you," Julian said softly.