Chapter <b>87 </b>


    “Thank you for the invite,” he said to her, then turned his smile up to me. “It was a nice surprise.”


    The… invite?


    Alice nced back at me, then quickly away, looking guilty. A certain someone must have gone behind


    my back to see Julian. I was annoyed by this, but I could recognize my own part in it. By forcing them apart, I was only making Alice more curious.


    For now, I supposed the damage was done. As long as I stayed close to Alice, I was sure I could stop


    Julian from stealing her away if he tried.


    “My treat,” Julian said, righting himself. “What do you want, Alice?”


    “Chocte fudge sundae!” she said brightly. She must have realized I was going to let her get away with


    what she’d done, and I was… at least, for now.


    Julian looked at me. “And Amber?”


    I startled slightly, surprised to be included.


    “I… uh…”


    “Chocte cone with extra sprinkles?” he asked, remembering the way I had ordered ice cream when we’d gone out once, long ago, before we’d even been married.


    How could he remember that?


    Despite my best efforts to keep my heart guarded and my feelings cold toward him, I warmed somewhat.


    “Yes, that would be fine. Thank you,” I said.


    Julian went to order our ice cream, while Alice and I found a table.


    “You are in trouble for this, youngdy,” I said.


    “Okay,” she said, still smiling, with not a lick of remorse in sight.


    “Later,” I added with a sigh.


    After a few moments, Julian returned with the ice cream.


    The extra sprinkles on mine added that extra kick of sugar that I so rarely allowed myself to indulge in, but what I could easily be addicted to if I wasn’t careful.


    Before long, Julian had made Aliceugh, and for a moment, if I had forgotten who we were and all theplications between <b>us</b><b>, </b>I might have thought we were a happy little family on an ice cream outing.


    The sunlight warmed Julian’s handsome forehead and his clear, blue eyes, reminding me of the ocean, a warm ocean. He looked at me, and I couldn’t help but shiver all over.


    Quickly, I masked it. But his gaze didn’t waver.


    “Amber…” His deep voice was maic.


    I hurriedly said, “Let’s talk about work.”


    He paused for a moment.


    –


    Julian started talking about the project, exining to Alice some of what I already told her – that during


    her uing summer break, we would go around to a bunch of different packs and help treat sick


    children. Alice was more excited when Julian told her than when I did, because I had left out the part


    about Julianing with us.


    Honestly, I still thought he might back out. Even with all the training he had been diligently taking part <ol><li>in. </li></ol>


    With how excited Alice was now, I hoped he was genuine. It would hurt her greatly if he bailed on her


    after telling her he woulde.


    I still wasn’t sure what exactly I wanted to happen.


    The rest of the snack went fine. I grew nervous as it came to say goodbye, but Julian and Alice simply


    hugged. Then Julian let her go and Alice came to stand beside me.


    “Goodbye, Dad!” Alice called. I didn’t correct her.


    Julian smiled. “Goodnight, Alice. Amber.”


    Then we parted ways.


    That things went so well helped fill me with some measure of hope. I still was distrustful of Julian’s ns


    for Alice’s future, but thoughts of him simply stealing her away like some cartoon viin did slowly ebb


    from my mind.


    I wasn’t ready to trust him, but I was actually starting to look forward to this project.


    Yet, that morning, as I walked out of my office to greet my first patient of the day, I froze in ce.


    Olivia was sitting in the waiting room.