Bride of Convenience

Chapter 18

Julia walked in once again paraded on Harrison’s arm. She was wearing a dark blue, almost midnight blue gown. Fitted at the top with a stunning full skirt. When she had put it on back at the apartment, she spun around like a little girl and watched her skirt spin.

Tonight they were attending a private party the hosts were rich and famous just for something different. James and Sarah. Sarah was actually the rich one, and James had married into her wealth. James, Harrison had explained, can be very flirtatious and to watch out for him.

The dinner was meant to be a small gathering of their close friends. There must have been thirty couples in attendance. There were cocktails before the sit-down meal. Harrison introduced me to several people.

“Julia? Tell me that’s not my lovely Julia?” The voice made both Julia and Harrison turn around. Standing in front of them with his arms stretched out wide was Brad Simons. Brad had worked as her dad’s financial advisor and spent a lot of time with them while he was ill. He hugged Julia and kissed both her cheeks.

“Harrison, this is a good friend of mine Brad Simons. He worked with my dad. Brad this is my fiancé Harrison Bendleman” He found that comment a little suspicious as he knew that Julia’s dad didn’t work after the tragedy of his wife. Harrison smiled a tight smile and held out his hand to shake Brad’s. Brad was quite tall and dark, he was getting attention from all sorts of women around the room and Harrison was worried about the connection he and Julia shared.

“Please to meet you, Brad. What brings you here tonight?” Harrison realised that Brad could hardly take his eyes off Julia to answer him. He felt like an intruder standing there.

“Oh, I help Sarah with her finances. She invited me last minute actually. I was helping out today, and they ask they I stay for the party. God, am I glad I did. You look amazing. I imagine it’s been hard for you, these last couple of years.” He touched her sympathetically on her shoulder. Harrison’s blood was boiling. He found it very irritation that Julia allowed this man to touch her so tenderly. “Are you here on holidays?”

“No actually, I moved here a couple of months ago.”

“You left Australia! I thought you would never leave there, you were a total Aussie, and it fits you so well. Of course, you seem to be fitting in quite well here too.” He gave her one of those longing looks. Harrison knew precisely what that look meant. He had given plenty of girls that look. He was so tense, holding his glass so tightly that it was a wonder it hadn’t burst by now.

“Thank you, Brad.” She smiled, and her eyes lit up. Did she feel the same about this man? Did she long to be with him? Did they have a past? Had he touched her, how Harrison longed for her?

“Listen, we will have to catch up. I here for another couple of months, I pretty busy with work but here” Brad handed her his card “give me a call when you have, and we can chat about old times.” She took the card and glanced at Harrison. She certainly didn’t want another scene regarding business cards. Brad rushed off to speak with some other people he knew.

“Well, he seems quite the character. What did he do for you dad, exactly?” He asked in a very strained voice.

“He was his financial advisor. He managed his accounts for him, especially towards the end when dad couldn’t do much of anything. He was always there when we needed him, and he was there when my dad passed away.” She smiled as though remembering something only Brad and she was privy to.

“How long has he felt like that about you?” Julia turned towards Harrison. Is he crazy Brad was like a brother!

“You’re kidding, right? Brad, he doesn’t think of me in that way. He is more like my big brother, I could always lean on him when I needed too.”

“Oh Julia, surely you could see he was pinning for you. He didn’t even realise I was here until you introduced us.”

“He is a friend Harrison. I haven’t seen him in nearly three years. Yes he and I were close, and he helped me out a lot when my dad died, but that was as far as it went. We don’t think about each other like that.”

“Just remember Julia, like I’ve told you before it’s not always what I think or what you think but how people in public perceive us.”

“Well, you can relax because there is nothing and never was anything going on between us. Can we drop the subject now?” Did he think every male she spoke with wanted to bed her, Christ, he is so uptight!