Forsaking All Others Read online

  Julianna made her way inside and waited with bated breath as she watched the initial encounter between Danicah and Evan. Danicah scrutinized him for a brief moment before she reached up for a hug, which Evan readily reciprocated. Julianna heaved a sigh of relief.

  “Evan. It’s so nice to formally meet you. Well, again. Come inside.”

  Inside, Julianna could smell the aroma of spices and smoke. Jason was grilling. Danicah stood awkwardly in the middle of the living room staring at Evan before she chuckled and retreated into the kitchen. Evan quietly followed, needing to put away the bottle of wine he had brought along. He scanned the kitchen and hesitated for a moment before he spoke.

  “Danicah, is there anything I can help you with?”

  Before she could respond, Julianna burst out laughing. Danicah, confused, glanced over at Evan, who was now blushing furiously and glaring at Julianna.

  “Danni, no! Evan can’t cook worth a damn—”

  “I could help to prep some stuff!”

  “No, baby. Stay out of the kitchen. It’s safer for everyone here.”

  Evan shook his head and fell silent, a sheepish grin on his face.

  “Aren’t you supposed to be on my side making me look good, though? I mean, how can you reveal my secrets like that?”

  Julianna tsked and placed her hand on his chest before she stood on her toes for a kiss which Evan readily supplied.

  “She would have found out you were an imposter the instant you got near a stove. I promise you, she would not have been happy if her house burned down.”

  Danicah stood back and watched the exchange, excited. There was something going on between the two of them she had never seen when her sister was with Devon. Devon had always been careful not to even speak of any flaws he had—which were plenty, and he always seemed annoyed at Julianna’s light-hearted banter. However, here she was with Evan, and there was a…levity in the air between the two that was refreshing…and contagious. She devilishly smiled and shook her head.

  “Julianna, if the man can’t cook, why haven’t you been teaching him?”

  Julianna opened her mouth to speak, but not before Evan spoke up.

  “Same thing I was thinking, Danicah. She left me to fend for myself.”

  “Liar!”

  Evan dodged Julianna’s swat and maintained his serious expression as Danicah chuckled.

  “Danni, I have been trying. Lord knows I have been trying, but the man is horrible.”

  “I’m standing right here—”

  “I tried to get him to make eggs this morning. Know how that went? He set off the smoke detector. Smoke everywhere. The eggs were burned to a crisp. I came down from taking a shower and he’s running around trying to get the smoke out before I could see it. My poor baby can’t cook.”

  Danicah doubled over in laughter and was soon joined by Julianna. Evan chuckled softly to himself as Danicah reached out and touched his arm.

  “Evan, I don’t mean to laugh, but…the visual is just too much.”

  At that moment, Jason entered the kitchen, lured by the laughter. He locked eyes with his wife, who weakly pointed at Evan before she and Julianna continued to chuckle to themselves.

  Julianna motioned to Evan, still chuckling.

  “Jason, this is Evan. Evan, Jason. Danicah’s hubby.”

  The two shook hands as Julianna lightly wrapped her arms around Evan’s torso.

  “You know it’s all love, Ev. One day you’ll learn.”

  She giggled as he continued to shake his head.

  “They’re having a laugh at my expense because I can’t cook.”

  Julianna beamed in response to the playful glare he sent her way.

  “Oh, no?”

  Jason cast a nervous glance towards the back of the house where he was grilling.

  “How bad, though?”

  “I can barely assemble a salad without breaking a sweat.”

  “That bad? Damn.” Jason rubbed his chin. “I was going to ask if you wanted to help out on the grill, but my man—if you’re that bad, ah, maybe not.”

  Julianna snickered.

  “Aw, Jason, but you can still take him outside, right? Maybe you could try to teach him something? Like how to not get caught on fire?”

  Evan glared at Julianna, and she gave his hand a squeeze, unfazed.

  “Danni and I will finish up in here.”

  She nudged him forward and the two men disappeared outside. Julianna fell silent as she quickly donned an apron and helped her sister. She was hard at work when she noticed Danicah staring at her.

  “Julianna.”

  “Hmm?”

  “You seem different.”

  “Good different or bad different?” She took a bite of a corn fritter and nodded her head. “These are good!”

  “Thanks.” Danicah paused. “Good different. You seem so at peace, so…happy.”

  Julianna could only hope that her sister didn’t catch the blush creeping up her cheeks. She was happy. Spending time with Evan had a lot to do with it. He was supportive, kind, and loving. He embraced her completely for who she was and always encouraged her to be open with him. She felt more at ease with Evan in a few short months than she had in four whole years with Devon. In fact, she was also sure she was falling in love with him.

  “Danni, how soon is too soon to be in love, you think?”

  At her sister’s silence, Julianna turned to her, an expectant expression on her face.

  Danicah was standing there with her knife mid-air as she stared at Julianna. “Love?”

  She had been trying to fight it for some time now, but every attempt had turned out to be futile. She was falling, and falling hard for Evan.

  At Danicah’s continued silence, Julianna shrugged once again and returned to her work.

  “I know, it’s stupid—I just got out of one bad situation, and I shouldn’t have even been thinking about dating, let alone love, but…”

  She allowed her voice to trail off as Danicah placed her hand on her arm.

  “Julianna, there’s no time frame on love, and it sure as hell doesn’t follow some pretty schedule. You feel what you feel.” She paused and glanced toward the back of the house where the two men had retreated to grill.

  “Have you told him yet?”

  Julianna shook her head.

  “You should tell him.”

  At that, Julianna suddenly became nervous; her heart beat wildly in her chest. Never once had she asked Evan just exactly where he envisioned their relationship going, because in all honesty, it wasn’t something she wanted to think about yet, either. In fact, if she were being honest with herself, it was also because she feared his response.

  Instead of responding, Julianna just shrugged again and turned on some music, deliberately keeping it to a low drone. She stirred the pot on the stove and allowed her mind to drift.

  Am I being a fool for opening my heart up to someone so soon? Does Evan feel as strongly about me as I do for him?

  Julianna sighed and did her best to think about something else. It made no sense worrying about it now. She lifted her head as the corner of her mouth lifted into a crooked smile.

  “I’m just really happy right now, Danni, and I don’t know where any of this is going. I just want…to live in the moment for now.”

  Evan shifted to accommodate Julianna’s sleeping head on his chest. After eating dinner, they had all sat around in conversation and had finally opted on watching a movie. However, Julianna had fallen asleep a few minutes after it started. His fingers absently stroked her hair as she murmured something in her sleep and snuggled closer. He stared down at her for a few beats of silence before he pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. Satisfied, at least for that moment, he returned his attention to the movie, feeling content. Although he had been more than willing to meet Julianna’s sister and brother-in-law, he had found himself uncharacteristically nervous. This encounter had meant much more to him than he had been willing to admit to himself. He d
esperately wanted to be accepted by them because Julianna meant a lot to him. He wanted to be an integral part of her life, which meant that he wanted her family to like him. He needed it. Evan shifted once again, uncomfortable with the admission of vulnerability. However, things had gone well with Julianna’s family. They had been welcoming and warm, and he really felt comfortable. He even enjoyed the light-hearted banter that existed between all of them.

  Jason had given him the third degree when they had been outside, and he honestly couldn’t blame the man. Julianna had been through a lot with Devon, and they wanted to make sure she was happy. He sighed. That was all he wanted, too, and he would make sure she was happy. He glanced down at her sleeping face once again and lightly cupped her cheek. Julianna made him want to demand more out of life and give it all to her. He…loved her.

  How did this happen? And so soon?

  Evan blew out a sigh at his admission and did his best to focus his attention on the TV but was failing miserably. His heart pounded in his chest at his realization, and anxiety coursed through his veins. Love. He wasn’t even sure if he knew how to love anyone properly, at this point. He had believed his past to be too tainted by sorrow and grief, but he knew what he felt. And it scared him as equally as it intrigued him.

  He looked up to lock eyes with Danicah, who had been watching him intently with an odd expression on her face. She glanced at Julianna and back up at him. She nodded her head as if providing him with her silent permission before she snuggled closer to her husband. She knew. As if he could continue to hide his true feelings for much longer. He was normally the type of man to play his cards close to his chest—always leaving room for interpretation, but never confirmation, but this time, he wanted Julianna’s sister to know. He needed her to understand where he was coming from so she would be able to trust him with her sister’s heart. He had told Julianna at the beginning that he would be damned if he hid his feelings from her. As much as it unnerved him, he wanted to keep that promise. He wanted her to know that he could be the man she relied on for safety, support, and comfort and, most importantly, love. He loved her with everything he had.

  Devon sat quietly in his car as he finished the last of the coffee in the cup. He watched as Evan led Julianna inside, and lights immediately illuminated the space. He also continued to watch as their silhouettes seemed to melt into one as they embraced. Devon snorted in disgust. He had been extra cautious about following them. There was more to Evan than met the eye, but even without him saying so, it was obvious to Devon that the man possessed some sort of formal training. As much as he hated to admit it, Evan possessed a poised demeanor that made Devon realize that he had to tread lightly with him. Therefore, Devon had waited…and waited some more for the right opportunity. Julianna had to be alone. Evan would have picked up immediately on being followed.

  Devon rubbed his chin. He scowled at the stubble he found there. All of this waiting had prevented him from taking care of himself as well as he usually did. However, none of that mattered to him as he sat across from the home. This was the first time he had actually waited at the home. The first two times, he had idly followed Julianna along, and had passed by just as she had opened the door to her home. This time, he waited. He had to be sure that this is where she lived. What he couldn’t figure out, however, was how much time Evan spent at this place. Devon stretched, a triumphant grin on his face. He knew that it would only be a matter of time before he found her.

  Honestly, he was quite surprised.

  A house? On her budget? Surely Evan had to be helping her. Julianna wouldn’t have even known the first step in acquiring a home. He was usually the one to handle all of that business. Maybe this Evan was handling all of that too. Devon tapped his chin as he mulled over his options. He really had Victoria to thank for all of this. Victoria had been an easy target. The poor thing was so damned naive she hadn’t even realized how much information she had been giving away. He chuckled as he recalled his tearful “admission” to Victoria.

  “Please, Victoria. I can’t go on like this. I only want to do the right thing with Julianna. She won’t answer me, so anything would be helpful. I love her. Please.”

  Love. As if that had any place here. He deserved a medal for his moving performance.

  Victoria had been reluctant at first, had told him she didn’t know where Julianna had been living, and appeared uncomfortable during their conversation. She acted as if he would pounce on her at any moment. Julianna had done that. She had made them all believe he was something he was not. He had managed to coax out of Victoria that she thought she had spotted Julianna a few weeks back on the east end. Victoria had stressed that she hadn’t been certain. Judy was also ignoring all of her calls. It was as if she had completely severed ties with anyone who knew him. It had taken more pleading and idle “conversation,” but it had worked. Devon grinned. It was all that he needed. It had given him a place to start. After combing the east end for what seemed like an eternity, he had lucked out after catching her leaving the grocery store one afternoon. She had been alone and had also seemed preoccupied. She had, albeit unknowingly, led him directly to her home. Now he knew, however, he needed a further plan of action. He needed to know exactly how to handle this new bit of information. Would he come right out and let her know he knew where she lived? Or, would he taunt her until she broke from desperation?

  He rubbed his chin, mulling over his options. He had to convince Julianna that what she was doing was foolish, and that running around with another man so soon was not a good look for her.

  Easy.

  Devon laughed as he drove away to Adela’s house. From the way he saw it, Julianna would be home in no time.

  “Hi, Julianna.”

  She had been standing in the back of the nearly empty coffee shop, waiting on her order when she’d heard him. The hairs on the back of Julianna’s neck rose as recognition hit her. It was Devon. He stood several feet behind her, dressed in an expensive and immaculately tailored navy-blue business suit, doing his best to appear nonchalant as he leaned against the wall. Although his voice was calm, alarm bells were already sounding off in Julianna’s head.

  “It’s been far too long, no?”

  Devon flashed a smile and took a step forward. Her irritation mounted as she stood her ground.

  As much as he scared her, she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction in knowing that he did. She remained silent as she glared up at him, waiting for him to continue to speak.

  “What, you have nothing to say to your husband?” He took another step closer.

  “I would, if I had one. What do you want, Devon?”

  Julianna did her best to keep her voice even as she stood her ground. Her heart was bounced off the walls of her chest as she watched Devon take another step closer.

  Where did he come from? How did he know where to find me?

  As if he could read her thoughts, Devon responded.

  “I was just out, getting coffee, and I happened to see you.” Another step. “Imagine my luck—I have been meaning to talk to you.”

  “You could have called.”

  “You don’t answer my calls.”

  The smile on Devon’s face wavered briefly as his eyes challenged hers. Although he wanted to appear calm, she could tell that he was angry. Furious.

  “What do you want, Devon?”

  She fought to keep the tremor out of her voice as she did her best to appear nonchalant. Her order couldn’t be ready fast enough.

  Devon sighed.

  “As if you don’t know.” He glanced down at his watch, the material gleaming, before he returned his focus to her. “Come home.”

  “We’re divorced.”

  “Why do you keep this up, Julianna? What are you trying to prove?”

  Julianna closed her eyes, doing her best to remain calm. Either Devon really was that dense, or he truly couldn’t see their marriage for what it had been.

  “Are you serious, Devon?”

  T
he smile left his face. “Listen—”

  “No, you listen, Devon. There wasn’t anything left in our marriage. There was no love. No intimacy. No trust. Nothing.”

  Devon remained silent as he glowered at her.

  “You cheated on me, and you tried to justify it. You never listened. You actively avoided me—”

  “I’m here now.”

  “Devon.”

  Julianna massaged her temples in an attempt to ward off her mounting headache.

  “Julianna, honestly, this is all juvenile. Okay, I cheated. I did it to advance us and our status. I didn’t and don’t love her. Or any of the others. She won’t be the first or last, and you have to comprehend that. As for there not being any intimacy or trust, that’s a lie. Point blank. You see what you want to see.”

  Julianna stiffened at his admission.

  So there had been others.

  Instead of addressing his admission, she forced herself to remain focused. “And what do I want to see?”

  “You only see my faults. I worked tirelessly to provide for you. You weren’t secure enough with yourself or mature enough to understand any of this.”

  “You mean ‘secure’ and ‘mature’ enough to not bat an eye to being cheated on? Disrespected?”

  “Secure enough and mature enough to understand that there are sacrifices in relationships.”

  He opened his mouth to say more before he suddenly stopped and chuckled to himself as he ran his hand through his hair.

  “Look, I didn’t come here to fight.”

  Julianna relaxed slightly, but kept her guard up, knowing it was a lie. “Why did you come here?”

  “To say hello to my wife. It’s been too long. This has gone on long enough. I won’t let you embarrass me any longer with how you’ve been acting.”

  “Ex-wife. It’s over, Devon.” Even after everything, he still couldn’t see past himself.

  “Really? And for what? Tell me what I did that was so terrible that would make you do this? That would make you openly parade around with that other guy—Evan.”

  Devon nearly spat as he said Evan’s name.