He shifted sideways and put the car in Reverse, then reached out and chucked her chin. “Apparently you.”
Molly laughed and started chewing her first cherry. “You haven’t told me what the love of my life has to say about me—his one true love—hanging out with the likes of you.”
Julian turned the wheel, shifted gears and sped onto the highway. “He mentioned guns. At dawn.”
Molly sucked on her second cherry. “Just please don’t make me a widow before I even marry him.”
“Marry. Whoa. Now there’s a big word.”
“There’s nothing wrong with the word marriage.”
“I said it was a big word.”
She stopped sucking on her cherry and stared at him in suspicion, pushing the cherry to one side of her mouth as she talked. “And please don’t tell me when you said guns you were talking about your biceps again?”
He just smiled that sexy smile. As if he knew a secret Molly didn’t. Or as if he’d seen her naked without her knowledge. Oops, where did that thought come from?
Her stomach jittered all of a sudden, and she figured she might be cold. It had started raining when they loaded up her suitcases, and now her clothes were soaked and clinging to her skin. Which was unfortunate, because she’d changed into something Julian might even consider sexy and sophisticated. Not because she cared what he thought, but just to prove to him that Molly Devaney had money of her own, had success on her own and only dressed comfortably because she believed inner beauty was more important than material stuff.
Now as she contemplated her soggy outfit, she didn’t know if her goose bumps were due to her wet tank or the cold milk shake or excitement.
Julian became pensive as he drove, but that was fine with her. Molly chattered on in her excitement about how she was going to get Garrett, how she could use one of Julian’s spare bedrooms if she felt suddenly inspired and had to paint… She did have an exhibition soon and needed to finish two more pieces within the next month.
When they arrived at his apartment building, he asked her if he could show her something and Molly nodded eagerly. Eduardo, one of the doormen, took charge of delivering her bags to the twelfth floor while Julian guided her to another elevator and pressed P. They were carried up to the penthouse.
What greeted them when the elevator doors opened was an enormous white space, with floor-to-ceiling windows in every corner and the smell of fresh paint lingering in the air.
“Wow. What is this?”
He met her gaze, and she was mesmerized by the proud gleam in his eyes, could even hear the pride in his gruff voice. “These just so happen to be my future offices.”
Molly’s eyes rounded in surprise. “You—what do you mean? Is the Daily moving from downtown?”
The Gage family owned the most thriving and successful newspaper conglomerate in all of Texas, which included several print publications, internet news sites and some cable-TV channels, all working under the umbrella of their first paper, the San Antonio Daily. It was a business of three generations and one that gave the family immense wealth and untold power. Their offices occupied an entire block downtown, so Molly couldn’t quite believe the move would be so easy.
A second passed before Julian answered, and it was as though he was selecting his words carefully. “No. I’m the only one moving out, Molls.”
Molly stared at his somber expression, loud warning bells chiming in her head. She immediately sensed this development was not a positive thing for the family. “Do your brothers know about this, Jules?” she asked, treading cautiously.
“They will.”
Molly took a couple of minutes to digest this shocking news. Her stomach did weird things at the thought of drama within the family, which had always seemed to revolve around Julian and his rebel ways. She still remembered each one of the times he’d been sent abroad for who knew what kinds of wrongdoing. Molly had missed her friend terribly, like she’d miss a thumb or an arm or a crucial and important part of her. All she remembered about those wretched months was that she’d cried. A lot.
Now she watched him move lithely across his new office area, easily stepping over plastic tarps while he surveyed the electrical wires that stuck out from the scattered pillars, and she wondered why he’d want to bail out on the family’s extremely successful newspaper and publishing business.
As the head of PR and chief of advertising for the company, Julian had the best part of the pie, in her humble opinion. He had the same whopping salary, just as many shares in the company as his brothers but the fewest responsibilities, which allowed him to have the most fun, the most women and the most time for hobbies like flying that Cessna plane he so loved and doing all the sports he enjoyed. Why would he leave the San Antonio Daily?
“I had no idea you were unhappy where you were,” she said as she caught up with him, searching his face.
He stared out the wide windows and the sunlight caught a dozen golden flecks in his green eyes. “I’m dissatisfied with my life, though not necessarily unhappy. A change was in order.”
Her heart clenched with a strange emotion; she supposed it might be disappointment, for she’d believed they were close enough for him to share this important information with her sooner. As in, before he signed the lease for the penthouse. But then Julian was very reserved with his emotions, which was why people thought he had none. “So…” She walked through the space with him, taking in each new desk waiting for its worker. “How long have you been planning this?”
She wanted to know more but also knew Julian disliked being pushed too far, and she sensed that this was all she would get for now.
“A couple of years. Maybe my whole life.”
He smiled down at her, a truly honest and content smile, and captivated by it, she returned it in kind, was helpless not to. But while a part of her wanted to clap and say good for you! there was another part, the one that was also loyal to the entire Gage family, that wished he’d reconsider. For Molly’s entire life, she’d sided with Julian about everything, anytime and anywhere, yet now she felt torn. Because she’d given her heart to Garrett two weeks ago and knew for certain that she’d never get it back. And she knew Garrett would fight tooth and claw to keep Julian in the business.
He was one of their greatest assets and the only Gage brother cocky enough to neither worry nor care about appearances. His suave manner and mysterious ways seemed to both annoy and charm the competition, and made him the best PR person in the state. Molly doubted the Daily would have even half the amount of advertisers it did when Julian no longer had a hand in reeling them in. Maybe he would reconsider in due time?