Love Finds the One (Sully Point Book 2) Page 17

  "Hey, what's going on?" he asked. But then the door to the conference room closed and he heard a key in the lock. When he looked down to unlock the door, he saw there was no way to do that from inside the room.

  "Dad! What the hell?" A gasp of surprise caused him to turn around, only to find Julia sitting at the conference table. "Julia? What is this?"

  She shrugged. "I have no idea. Mrs. Gilchrest told me to come in to sign some papers."

  Cody banged on the door. "Dad, open this door right now!"

  The phone on the desk rang. Julia answered it, putting it on speaker. "Yes?"

  Cody heard his father's voice. "Okay, here's the deal. You two have been acting like idiots. It's time you talked all this out. I don't know what your problems are, although I can make some guesses. The only way any relationship ever really works, is when the two people talk. Shutting each other out isn't the answer. Now, we've," they heard a protest and then Frank said, "rather, I, have locked you into the conference room. When you reach some kind of agreement, or meeting of the minds, you dial the number five on the phone."

  "Dad--wait, you can't do this."

  "Frank," Julia said, "this isn't going to help."

  Frank hung up on them.

  Cody flopped into a chair at the table. "Of all the ridiculous ideas..."

  Julia said coolly, "Oh, I don't know, it's a novel idea, talking, that is."

  "You know, Julia, you need to watch that sarcasm. It might be an inherited trait."

  "Damn you, Cody!"

  He raised his hands, palms out. "Sorry. It reminded me of her."

  "Yeah, well, I'm not my mother. Why haven't you talked to me since you walked out?"

  "I haven't known what to say to you," Cody replied, looking down at the table.

  "Haven't known what to say...how about 'Sorry your mother's a bitch, but let's move on from this' or something to that effect. I don't understand what is going on with you--why you left, why you aren't talking to me--"

  "I think you know."

  "You don't want to be with me anymore? Because of my mother, worrying I'll end up like her? Or are you going to tell me it's about the money?"

  Cody sat up in the chair and leaned forward, arms on the table. "No, Julia, I know you are separate from your mother, and I don't think you could ever be like her, and yes, she is a bitch."

  "That leaves the money."

  "Why didn't you ever say just how much money was coming to you in the trust fund?"

  Julia stared at him. "I do not believe this is about the money."

  "You never said you'd be coming into millions of dollars. Everyone is going to think I only want to marry you for your money."

  "Cody, no--"

  "Yes, they will. I've been trying to figure out if I'm okay with that, if I can live with it and not become resentful."

  "I don't understand this. You're telling me because there is a bunch of money, you don't want to be with me? That you're afraid of what people will say?"

  Cody pushed away from the table, stood up, and began pacing.

  * * * *

  Frank peered at his watch and then said, "I think we should order a pizza, Betsy. If they didn't settle it right away, it may take a while."

  She was sitting on a loveseat against the wall of her office. "You and your bright ideas. Okay, yes to the pizza. I still think it will be a miracle if this gets them back together. Do you even know what started it?"

  Frank slowly nodded his head. "I think I do. After what the mother said, and then after meeting Julia's father. I think I know what's eating at my son. I'm not saying it's legit, or progressive, but I think I'm right."

  "Well, tell me! But, order the pizza first."

  * * * *

  Julia watched Cody pace up and down the long room. She felt confused and angry and on some level betrayed. Realizing she was twisting her ring around on her finger over and over, she stopped and placed both hands flat on the table.

  Cody stopped and looked at her. "Take your engagement ring for instance."

  "What about it?"

  "That ring took a huge chunk out of my savings, but I was more than willing to spend it on something for you, something beautiful that would last forever. Then, I hear about your money and realize you could buy yourself a dozen rings, or more, and not even worry about the money. It's like we live in different spheres, different versions of the world."

  She held up a hand when he was going to continue. "Hold on. This ring means everything to me. The fact you cared enough to have something special made for me, and used up so much money to do it, just makes it more special. Nothing I will ever buy for myself will compare to what I feel for this ring."

  He sighed. "You don't get it. Here I am trying to make a good living with my businesses, and you--with all that money--"

  "Okay now, let me ask you something. Do you think I'm going to stop working when I come into the money?"

  "Aren't you?"

  "No! Of course not. Money doesn't give meaning to our lives, it just makes some stuff a little easier is all. My father could have retired years ago. Why does he still go in every day to do battle in the financial world? Because he loves what he does at his work. He gets a kick out of it. It gives him a reason to get up in the morning."

  Cody recalled thinking about that last night. "Maybe, but everyone, and I do mean everyone, is going to think I only wanted your money."

  "Cody, if you were the one with the money, would you expect me to have a hard time about it?"

  "Well, no. I mean, a man is supposed to provide for--"

  "Argh!"

  "Did you just make a pirate noise?"

  "Yes! You are not telling me, are you, that this is about me being a woman with money versus you being a man without the money, don't tell me that."

  "Well, kind of, if I am following what you just said. Look--I know it's old fashioned."

  "Old fashioned. Try antiquated. Neanderthal."

  "No name calling."

  She gave him a brief smile.

  "I realize it's not the best way to look at things. I know I would have to accept that it's your money to do with as you will."

  "Do you want me to give up the money?" Julia asked quietly.

  "What--no, of course not. It's yours and you should keep it."

  "But if we were married it would be ours. Ours to decide how to spend."

  He shook his head.

  "Let's see...if it was you who had all the money, and I didn't want to touch it, how would you feel then?"

  "That's different," he said and then looked at her sheepishly.

  "Right. You need to get over this. I love you, and I think you love me. That means you get all of me, all my good points and all of my faults, including the money. Just like I get all of you, including your boat and the Bait and Tackle Shop and the charter business. We bring all of ourselves into the relationship."

  "I'd just as soon not have you out there fishing, if you don't mind. You're really lousy at it."

  She gave a surprised laugh. "And I'd prefer you not to touch my computer components because you don't have a clue."

  "Would you want to donate some of the money to charity?"

  "Yes, I've always planned to. We could use some of it to fund something useful right here in Sully Point. But tell me this--when it comes time to buy a house, will you go along with using the money to get one we really want?"

  He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Yes, all right. I'd want us to have as nice a place as we could get, especially if we plan to have kids someday."

  "What about vacations?"

  The negotiations began.

  * * * *

  "You are kidding me," Betsy said to Frank. "It's about the money?"

  "It has to be. It's the only thing that makes any sense."

  "It makes no sense at all, Frank!"

  "Well, now, sometimes it's hard for some men to handle when a woman makes more money than they do, in a relationship. He works his butt off with two
businesses and she will suddenly have millions...I think it got to him."

  "That is the most asinine--wait a minute--he's your son. Do you have a problem if the woman makes more than the man?"

  He laughed out loud. "No. I was fully aware you probably had more money than I ever will from the beginning. I think Cody met Julia's father, in his obviously expensive suit and tie, with his cultured manner, someone who is clearly a mover and shaker. Then, the next thing you know he's hearing himself being torn down by that awful woman, with all her rude comments. And suddenly he's finding out Julia will have all this money. He knows right away everyone will think just what the mother thought--that he's only marrying her for that reason. He doesn't know what to think, so he walks out. And gets very drunk."

  "Wow. Men."

  * * * *

  In the middle of the discussion about how to handle the money, Cody asked, "What do you think your mother will do now?"

  "Probably try to drain the trust fund."

  He looked startled. "She could do that?"

  "She could, except my father is one of the trustees. He can prevent it from happening since he is now firmly on my side."

  "I liked him," Cody said. "He impressed me."

  "The one thing I know is, he's tough enough to stop my mother if he decides to do it. And he will."

  "Okay, back to this." Cody motioned to the pad of paper in her hands with the document they were working on. "If my business fails, then it fails. No bail-out from wifey."

  "Wifey." She snorted. "Okay. And another thing--if, or rather, when we have kids there will be no boarding schools. Ever."

  "Agreed."

  "I think we've about got everything on here," Julia said. "We'll still need to do wills which will spell out how, if I go first, you get the money."

  "I still think--"

  "No. It probably won't happen, but if it does, there's nobody I trust as much as you with the money. You'll do good with it. And we have to make it very clear, so Mother can't get her hands on it, ever."

  "Ah, yes. Okay."

  Julia dialed the number five on the phone.

  * * * *

  Betsy hung up the phone. Frank watched her set it carefully down and saw confusion in her eyes.

  "What?"

  "They want a notary public," she said slowly.

  "They want what? What the hell are they doing in there?"

  "I'm not entirely sure," she answered. "Let's go in and find out. I'm still a notary, let me get my seal." She found it in a drawer and the two walked quickly into the conference room.

  Frank unlocked the door and walked in to find Julia and Cody kissing. "See, I told you this would work," he said to Betsy who was looking down at a paper she'd found on the table.

  She began to laugh. "It's a pre-nup! A strange one, but that's what it is all right."

  Cody and Julia turned to look at them. "Notarize that, and we're all set," Cody said.

  Frank asked, "Is the wedding back on?"

  "The wedding," his son said, smiling, "is definitely on. And we're not waiting a year for it either. As soon as we can, we're getting married. That is, if you'll agree to be my best man."

  Frank swallowed past a sudden lump in his throat. "You know I will, son."

  "Thank you, Frank, for locking us in here," Julia said with a grin. "It's a good thing it's just the four of us here or this would be the biggest rumor in town."

  Betsy looked at the ceiling. Frank gave them a sick-looking smile. "Uh, we had to order pizza because you were taking a long time. And Charlie was the delivery guy. When he asked what we were doing in a bank ordering pizza..."

  "You didn't. You didn't tell him...did you?" Julia asked, appalled.

  "Did you?" Cody asked, starting to laugh.

  "I'm sure everyone will be glad to hear we have a happy ending," Frank said, virtuously.

  * * * *

  That night Cody and Julia went to the loft. He apologized again for being an idiot. "How could I have been so stupid? You're the one I've waited for my whole life--what's a little money compared to that?"

  Julia laughed. "A little money. Listen to the man. You know, I never knew I was waiting for anyone. I just knew nobody was right for me, until I met you. From the very beginning, you made me feel comfortable, safe...and really turned on."

  Cody grinned at her. "I have plans for more along those lines tonight."

  "Yeah? And just what plans do you have?"

  "Remember the tub big enough for two downstairs? I figured we'd start there."

  She came up to him and ran her fingers through his blond hair. "And end up where?"

  He laughed and put his arms around her waist. "Wherever we collapse from exhaustion, which will hopefully be the bed."

  "I love you, Cody, so much."

  "And I love you, more than you'll ever know."

  The kiss they shared was gentle and sweet, and became passionate and strong.

  "Let's make love," he said softly.

  She nodded and answered him with a kiss.

  Chapter 11

  The May wedding of Cody and Julia was the event of the year in Sully Point. It even got a mention in the gossip columns of the city. At least half the town showed up, which worked out well enough because they had the wedding on the beach. The crowd sat on the beach or stood around for the ceremony.

  Julia's deceptively simple-looking gown was sleeveless and covered with a fine lace. She wore pearls her father gave her, with a blue star sapphire pendant in the center of the necklace. Violet, the yarn lady, gave her a very old intricately crocheted handkerchief to carry for the ceremony as her borrowed and old item.

  Holly came to town for the wedding as Julia's maid of honor, and looked beautiful in blue chiffon. Anna had refused to be a bridesmaid, on the grounds that she might have the baby during the ceremony. They ended up with just Holly and Frank for their wedding party, if you didn't count the entire town spread along the beach. When the kiss happened at the end of the ceremony, the crowd applauded loudly, and Cody and Julia ended up laughing as they walked down the makeshift aisle on the sand.

  Everyone went to a spectacular barbecue, held in the park in the middle of town square after the wedding. Mr. Tremaine, known to everyone now as Rob, supervised the grills and the chefs he'd brought in from New York. Anna had made the beautiful wedding cake covered in a profusion of colorful sugar blossoms.

  At the end of the party in the square, Julia stood with her back turned in front of a small crowd of women hoping to catch the bouquet. She was pleased to see Holly catch it, although she noticed a small frown on Holly's face for an instant before she was smiling again.

  The honeymoon locale was kept a secret through the simple expedient of Julia and Cody telling no one, not even family, where they were going. They had a wonderful time in the Caribbean.

  Returning to Sully Point, they decided to use her father's wedding gift of a down payment on a house to buy a two bedroom Cape Cod style home. Living on the boat and in the loft had grown old fast and they wanted a place that was theirs together.

  One evening, after coming home and parking the Corvette, Cody walked up the stone path through the flowers Julia had planted in the front yard. He found her sitting in one of the two rocking chairs they had placed on the front porch. Just as he was going to say hello, he realized she was sitting very still and looking down, hair spilled around her face.

  "Julia? What's wrong?" Cody said as he ran quickly up the steps and onto the porch.

  She looked up at him with a blazing smile on her face. "Everything's right. We're going to have a baby."

  Cody sank to his knees beside her chair. "For sure?"

  She nodded. "Absolutely positively."

  He laid his head in her lap and spoke to her belly. "Welcome to the best life."

  # # #

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