Secret Fantasy(26)
Author: Carly Phillips

“Wow! That good. Well, I read about Fantasies, Inc. in a magazine. Would you believe couples actually end up married thanks to that resort and its owner?”

Married. Before Juliette could either process the word or speak, Gillian continued. “And speaking of married—or more accurately, not married—you should know Stuart’s been suspiciously silent since you’ve been gone.”

Juliette let out a stream of breath. “Silent in what way? I haven’t been in contact with him since we came to that so-called understanding to keep quiet.”

“He called the day you left.”

“He called me?” Gillian was staying in Juliette’s house to throw the reporters off the trail. “Why would Stuart want to deal with me now?”

“Most likely he was checking up on you and, believe me, he wasn’t buying my ‘this is Juliette’ act.”

Despite the circumstances, Juliette laughed. “He’s known us too long.”

“Well, don’t worry. I wasn’t talking or giving away secrets. He tried a few more times and gave up. It’s the giving up part I don’t like or trust.”

Juliette played with the covers, pushing the comforter into a large hump and smashing it down again. Making mountains out of molehills, she thought wryly. “How about Dad? How’re he and Mom doing?”

“Fine. And don’t worry on that front either. Dad’s not giving away your whereabouts. Much as he respects Stuart, at least for now, he loves you more.”

Juliette swallowed over the lump in her throat. “He’ll be so disillusioned when he learns the truth.”

“Better disillusioned with the snake than confused and worried about you.”

Juliette groaned. She knew her parents were concerned she’d called off the wedding without notice or prior suspicious behavior on her part. She’d given no one a clue things were about to unravel with Stuart, mostly because she hadn’t had any warning herself. And her sudden vacation wasn’t Juliette-like either. She wondered what her entire family would think if they knew she’d taken up with a stranger? A man she wanted to know intimately.

“Have you come up with any ideas on how to reveal this mess with minimal fallout or are you too involved with your fantasy man? My guess and hope is number two—it’s why I sent you down there.”

Despite her preoccupation with Doug, Juliette had thought plenty about the problems back home. She just hadn’t come up with a solution yet. “Actually I met someone who may be able to offer some advice. An impartial third party.”

Gillian laughed. “An impartial he or an impartial she?”

“As if you don’t know. After all, you set up my fantasy.”

“The fantasy, not the man,” Gillian said. “So what’s he like?”

“Incredibly special.” And Juliette had her sister to thank. “What is it you wrote?” Juliette lunged for the night table drawer and retrieved her copy of Merrilee’s paperwork, delivered to the cottage upon request. Juliette had been curious what her sister thought she needed in a fantasy.

“Aha. Here it is.” She read aloud. “To experience the luxury of being catered to and doted upon by a very special man. To feel desirable, be the center of his universe and forget the hurt of a broken engagement.” Her voice trailed off. “How did you know?”

“Because you’re part of me. When you hurt, I hurt. And if I’d been through what you just suffered, that fantasy is what I would need.”

As twins, they weren’t as different as Doug thought, Juliette realized. Which brought another realization to mind. “This trip you sent me on? It’s because you feel guilty, isn’t it? Because I got involved with Stuart, not you.”

She heard her sister’s deep sigh. “If I weren’t the wilder teenager, the one constantly grounded and in trouble, you wouldn’t have gone overboard to compensate. To make sure the reporters had someone else to focus on the times they were out for blood. You took one look at Dad’s face when you saw Stuart was interested in you and you saw a way to please him, and you reacted without even asking your heart if it wanted to follow. I feel responsible for that.”

“I make my own decisions, even if they’re sometimes the wrong ones. You never had to feel guilty.” Anymore than she had to overcompensate for her sister’s personality. “Oh, the tangled web of our lives.” Juliette laughed. “But things always work out for the best. I met Doug.”

“Whoever he is, you sound happy. That’s all I wanted.”

Juliette hugged her knees to her chest. “It’s a vacation,” she told her sister. “It’s temporary.” If she said it out loud, she hoped she’d prevent any foolish notions of seeing Doug beyond this week from taking hold. “He’s from Michigan.”

“Worry about the logistics later and just enjoy for now.”

“Oh, I intend to.”

“I take it this Doug is the disinterested third party you think can help you formulate a plan to help Dad. You trust him?”

Juliette didn’t hesitate. “Yes. I know my history doesn’t back me up, but this man’s different. And he doesn’t know me or my background. He can’t possibly want anything except…well, me.” She laughed.

“You don’t need to convince me. The happiness in your voice speaks for itself. You have fun and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

Juliette rolled her eyes. “That leaves a lot of leeway.”

“Exactly,” Gillian said, sounding all too pleased with herself.

Juliette hung up the phone filled with restless energy. After washing up, she pulled her hair into a loose ponytail, slipped on the most relaxed outfit she could find, a light-green tank dress and sandals, and headed out the door. Maybe a tour of the island and its lush beauty would ease her spirit. Besides, she needed to kill an hour before any of the resort restaurants opened for breakfast.

The hot, humid outdoors was quiet except for the wildlife, the chirping of birds and slight rustle of trees, making her feel as though she had the island to herself. Half an hour later, her mind was clear, her body relaxed. And then a noisy stirring sounded in the bushes behind her, too heavy and loud to be a lizard or other small animal. Startled, Juliette turned fast, but she didn’t see anything or anyone behind her.

“That’s strange.” She rolled her shoulders, easing the sudden tension. Although she knew the island was private and safe, suddenly she no longer wanted to be so isolated and began a quick walk toward the main building. The entire way the uncomfortable feeling she was no longer alone remained with her.