She knew what it was like to miss someone terribly. Her thoughts strayed to Jules. She wondered if she was still awake. She glanced at the big clock on the wall. It should be close to midnight now. Jules wasn’t a partyer, but she was a night owl who had a thing for watching old movies until she fell asleep.
Needing to hear her foster sister’s voice to remind her of why she should be down here instead of snug in bed with Dante, she reached for her phone. It rang once, twice, three times—
“Hey, Lizzie, what’s going on?” Jules’s voice was a bit groggy. “Is what’s-his-face still giving you a hard time?”
“I...I just wanted to touch base and make sure things are okay with you.” Her voice wobbled. Usually she told Jules everything, but suddenly she felt herself clamming up.
A groan came through the phone, the sound Jules made when she was stretching after waking up. Lizzie smiled. She could just imagine Jules stretched out on the couch. She really did miss her. They were like two peas in a pod. She couldn’t imagine they’d ever move far from each other—no matter what happened in life.
“Lizzie, I can hear it in your voice. Talk to me.” Her concern rang through the phone, crystal clear and totally undeniable.
This call had been a mistake. How could she tell Jules—that she’d slept with the dreamiest man on earth? She didn’t want Jules adding one plus one and ending up with five.
Because there was no way she was in love with Dante. He liked fast cars and beautiful women draped on his arm. She recalled the photos of him with various stunning women hanging in the dining room. The strange thing was she hadn’t found any evidence that he was anything more than a caring, compassionate man who appeared to be as commitment-phobic as herself.
“Stop worrying. I’m fine. Dante and I worked things out.” Lizzie ran her thumb over the edge of a tall stack of papers. “What’s new with you?”
There was a moment of strained silence.
“I had an interview for grad school. Actually, it was an all-day event. They even took the candidates out for a fancy dinner.”
“I hope you didn’t scare them off with all of your makeup and your black-and-white ensemble,” she said in a teasing tone.
Jules sighed. “You ought to give me more credit. Actually, I borrowed some of your clothes. I even received a couple of compliments.”
Excitement swirled in Lizzie’s chest and had her smiling. “Does that mean you’re ready for a wardrobe makeover?”
“Not a chance. I’m good the way I am.”
“Yes, you are.”
Jules used the makeup and clothes as camouflage—so people couldn’t see the real her. But someday she hoped Jules would feel secure enough to move beyond the walls she hid behind. Whereas Lizzie’s scars were all on the inside, Jules wasn’t so lucky—she had them both inside and out, and she took great care to hide them.
“Anyway, it went really well and I was told unofficially that I got in. But it’ll take a bit of paperwork before I get my official notification.” There was a distinct lack of excitement in Jules’s voice. “Lizzie? Are you still there?”
“Uh, yes. That’s great! I knew you could do it. And don’t worry about anything but getting through your final exams. I’ve got everything else under control.”
“I can tell you have something on your mind. If you aren’t happy there, come home.”
“It’s not that.” And it wasn’t even a lie. “I’m just tired. I didn’t sleep much. That’s all it is.”
“Are you sure that Dante guy doesn’t have anything to do with it?”
“I promise he’s been great.” Lizzie blinked repeatedly, keeping her emotions at bay. “If you must know, I’m a bit homesick. I miss my sidekick.”
“I miss you, too. But you’ll be home soon.”
“I know. I’m looking forward to it.”
“And here I thought Rome would be your trip of a lifetime. I was worried that you’d fall in love and I’d never see you again.”
Jules was so close to the truth. Perhaps she really could use someone else’s thoughts. “The truth is, Dante and I...we...umm...”
“You slept together?” The awe in Jules’s voice echoed through the phone.
“Yes. But it was a one-time thing. It didn’t mean anything.” In her heart she knew it was a lie, but it was the reassurance Jules needed to hear to keep her calm before her finals. “Don’t worry. I’ll be home soon.”
And the truth was it wouldn’t happen again. They’d gotten away with making love once, but to have a full-blown affair with him would run the real risk of breaking her heart. Already she felt closer to him than any other man she’d ever known.