hadn’t seen Matt in a month so their reunion was going to be rough. Add to that wearing uncomfortable clothes, posing for cameras, and spending the day with people she didn’t know, and the stress of the day would be too much for Lilly. She would most definitely have a meltdown. Matt would know this if he spent any time with her.
Julia collected herself and spoke in a low, cajoling voice.
“Okay, Matt, listen. Why don’t I pick Lilly up from wherever you are when you’re done with the pictures, or I could bring her to the studio and wait until you’re finished? Lilly doesn’t do well with strangers and she can be a handful. This way you and Carla can have your pictures and have a good day with her family.”
“Julia, I’m not going to argue with you any further. Lilly is my daughter and I want her for the day. I don’t have to justify my every move to you or ask your permission to spend time with her. As for her behavior, that’s your fault. She’s spoiled and willful, but she’ll have to learn how to behave in public sooner rather than later. If you can’t teach her appropriate behavior, and it appears you cannot, Carla and I have no problem doing so. Have her ready by ten sharp. Goodbye.”
Julia stared at the phone. What the hell just happened? Matt was difficult, but he never acted like this before. He never went out of his way to spend time with Lilly, never demanded to see her, and never commented on her behavior. Although Julia should be happy, he wanted to spend time with his daughter, her gut told her something wasn’t right.
As for Lilly’s behavior, Lilly was two. Yes, she was spirited, but she wasn’t spoiled. There was no way Julia was going to let him teach her child how to behave. She didn’t like his tone or the implied threat. Julia knew all too well that kind of teaching and she’d be damned if she let him, or anyone else, lay a finger on Lilly.
The sound of the doorbell brought Julia out of her daze. Ethan had arrived and she hadn’t changed out of her scrubs yet. She sighed in frustration and exhaustion. She made sure Lilly was still sitting snuggly in her chair then went to open the door for Ethan. As she walked toward the door, she ran her fingers through her hair. It was a lost cause. She was a mess. Julia took a deep breath and opened the door. Poor Ethan had no idea what he was walking into. It had been a challenging day and the phone call with Matt fried her nerves.
“Hey, Ethan. Glad you found us. Come on in.”
Ethan came into the house surprising Julia with a light kiss on the cheek. His delicious scent filled her nose—cinnamon and musk.
“Hi, beautiful. Oh, oh, what’s going on? What’s that look on your face about?”
“Uh, nothing’s going on. It’s been a long day. Come on, Lilly’s in the kitchen. We can eat there.”
Julia turned before Ethan saw the blush that crept up her neck and face, warming her whole body. Even in her distracted state, she would’ve had to be blind not to notice how incredible he looked in dark jeans and a Harvard t-shirt. He was better looking than any Calvin Klein model she’d ever seen and his t-shirt was stretched to its limit, barely covering his muscular biceps and pecs. His hair was still wet from a shower and he had a sexy, mouth-watering five o’clock shadow going. The man was gorgeous and she was a hot mess. Life was so unfair.
It wasn’t lost on Julia Ethan called her beautiful. The word rolled off his lips as easily as it did years ago. He needed glasses. She wasn’t as thin or as toned as she used to be. Matt reminded her of that fact a million times. Her hair was a mess and needed a cut. It was a wild beast that grew thick and long. Another thing Matt hated. He said she needed to look less like Mother Earth and more like Anne Hathaway. But she was who she was.
Julia walked through the family room to the kitchen with Ethan trailing behind her carrying a couple of bags. The yummy scent of Chinese food filled
Julia collected herself and spoke in a low, cajoling voice.
“Okay, Matt, listen. Why don’t I pick Lilly up from wherever you are when you’re done with the pictures, or I could bring her to the studio and wait until you’re finished? Lilly doesn’t do well with strangers and she can be a handful. This way you and Carla can have your pictures and have a good day with her family.”
“Julia, I’m not going to argue with you any further. Lilly is my daughter and I want her for the day. I don’t have to justify my every move to you or ask your permission to spend time with her. As for her behavior, that’s your fault. She’s spoiled and willful, but she’ll have to learn how to behave in public sooner rather than later. If you can’t teach her appropriate behavior, and it appears you cannot, Carla and I have no problem doing so. Have her ready by ten sharp. Goodbye.”
Julia stared at the phone. What the hell just happened? Matt was difficult, but he never acted like this before. He never went out of his way to spend time with Lilly, never demanded to see her, and never commented on her behavior. Although Julia should be happy, he wanted to spend time with his daughter, her gut told her something wasn’t right.
As for Lilly’s behavior, Lilly was two. Yes, she was spirited, but she wasn’t spoiled. There was no way Julia was going to let him teach her child how to behave. She didn’t like his tone or the implied threat. Julia knew all too well that kind of teaching and she’d be damned if she let him, or anyone else, lay a finger on Lilly.
The sound of the doorbell brought Julia out of her daze. Ethan had arrived and she hadn’t changed out of her scrubs yet. She sighed in frustration and exhaustion. She made sure Lilly was still sitting snuggly in her chair then went to open the door for Ethan. As she walked toward the door, she ran her fingers through her hair. It was a lost cause. She was a mess. Julia took a deep breath and opened the door. Poor Ethan had no idea what he was walking into. It had been a challenging day and the phone call with Matt fried her nerves.
“Hey, Ethan. Glad you found us. Come on in.”
Ethan came into the house surprising Julia with a light kiss on the cheek. His delicious scent filled her nose—cinnamon and musk.
“Hi, beautiful. Oh, oh, what’s going on? What’s that look on your face about?”
“Uh, nothing’s going on. It’s been a long day. Come on, Lilly’s in the kitchen. We can eat there.”
Julia turned before Ethan saw the blush that crept up her neck and face, warming her whole body. Even in her distracted state, she would’ve had to be blind not to notice how incredible he looked in dark jeans and a Harvard t-shirt. He was better looking than any Calvin Klein model she’d ever seen and his t-shirt was stretched to its limit, barely covering his muscular biceps and pecs. His hair was still wet from a shower and he had a sexy, mouth-watering five o’clock shadow going. The man was gorgeous and she was a hot mess. Life was so unfair.
It wasn’t lost on Julia Ethan called her beautiful. The word rolled off his lips as easily as it did years ago. He needed glasses. She wasn’t as thin or as toned as she used to be. Matt reminded her of that fact a million times. Her hair was a mess and needed a cut. It was a wild beast that grew thick and long. Another thing Matt hated. He said she needed to look less like Mother Earth and more like Anne Hathaway. But she was who she was.
Julia walked through the family room to the kitchen with Ethan trailing behind her carrying a couple of bags. The yummy scent of Chinese food filled
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