“Hey, Will, sorry I missed your call yesterday. So, how is everyone? You guys having a good time?”
“Uh, yeah.”
She could hear the hesitancy in his voice. “Hey, is everything okay?” A loud PA announcement intruded on the call and she pressed a finger against her free ear.
“Jules, where are you?”
“The emergency room,” she replied, only realising how careless that was when Will practically shouted, “What?” into her ear. “I mean, I’m here with a friend. I’m fine. He’s fine too, mostly. Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“So, he’s okay? You’re okay?”
“Yeah, he’s just getting an X-ray. He fell off a horse and it’s probably just a sprain, but we’re getting it checked out.”
She heard her brother blow out a long sigh, picturing him clearly. He’d be rubbing the back of his neck and puffing out his cheeks in relief. She smiled, missing him like crazy. “So, what’s up?” she prompted. He sighed again, but this one didn’t sound like relief. “Will?”
“Actually, I’m really pissed at you, Jules.”
Her stomach plummeted. She loved that she and Will were close enough to tell each other when they were pissed off, but she knew exactly what this was about. And she felt terrible that she hadn’t made things right with Lucy yet. She’d put it off and now Will was calling her from half a world away.
“I know, I get it,” she said, falling on her sibling sword.
“Well, what the hell, Jules?”
She shook her head even though she knew he couldn’t see her. “I don’t know …”
“That’s not good enough. You’ve made Lucy feel like crap. For no reason, and she basically avoided me most of Christmas Day.”
Jules tried to swallow the lump in her throat. Will and Lucy were two of the most important people in her life, a select group she could count on one hand, and she had completely screwed this up. “Will, I—”
“She’s amazing, Jules,” he said, interjecting. “Amazing, and I …” He trailed off and Jules took the opportunity to jump in. She had to try to make things right.
“I know. She is amazing. She’s warm, she’s kind, and super smart.”
“Yeah, she is—all those things. And she’s fun. And she gets along well with everyone.”
“All true.” Jules knew that letting Will rant at her was part of her penance for being such a crappy sister.
“So how is it that she’s not good enough for me? ’Cause that’s how you made her feel.”
“I didn’t … she is, Will. Of course, she is, but—”
“Wait, do you think I’m not good enough for her?”
“No! That’s not it.” She stood, the need to pace intense. She’d let Will rant, but now she needed to set the record straight and explain how they’d come to this horrible situation. “Can I just … can you listen? Please?”
“Fine.”
“Hey, where are you? In the cabin, I mean?”
“I’m in my room. Don’t worry, she can’t hear me.” Jules heard the curtains slide on their track and imagined him staring out the window at the wintry landscape, feeling a pang for home.
“Is it snowing?”
“What? Uh, no. No fresh snow since the twenty-fourth. You’re stalling, Jules.”
“I know. Look, I’m really sorry I screwed this up. It’s no excuse, but when I was talking to Lucy and you came up, I was pretty tipsy, and it was late.” Will was silent and she could sense his impatience. “Like I said, it’s not an excuse, but it was a surprise and I reacted poorly. I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but as soon as I heard that you and Lucy had kissed, all I could think of was Tiffany—” A short groan from Will made her pause.
“That was years ago, Jules.”
“Yes, it was, and that’s my point. It’s been years since you dated anyone seriously. Your breakup with Tiffany, that was … It’s like you’ve never really got over it. And then there’s Lucy, who’s one of my best friends, and she lives in England … and I guess all those thoughts tumbled together at once and I let my worry come out as judgement.”
Another long sigh from Will. “I get it.”
Jules pressed her lips together, her eyes tearing up. It was only three words, but she knew from Will’s tone that he’d forgiven her. Now she just had to make things right with Lucy—dear, sweet Lucy.
“Look,” said Will, “you’re right about the breakup with Tiffany. It almost broke me, and I know you know that. I mean, you were there for most of it. But that’s why you shouldn’t be worried about me and Lucy. She’s literally the first woman I’ve had strong feelings for in years. I haven’t been single all this time because I’m afraid, Jules. It’s because I haven’t met anyone who mattered enough. Do you understand that?”
A thousand thoughts and worries slotted into place in an instant and she smiled. “Yeah, yeah, I do,” she said. “Look, Will, whatever happens, I just want you to be happy, okay? Both of you.”
“Thanks, Jules.”
“And I promise I’ll call Lucy.” Matt appeared at the end of the hallway, his arm in a sling and an abashed smile on his face. He raised his good arm in a greeting. Jules’s heartstrings abandoned the mess she’d created in Colorado and landed with a thud in the hallway of an emergency room in Australia.
“Will, I have to go. I love you. Tell Lucy I’ll call her later.” Without waiting for a reply, she pressed her thumb on the red button and rushed down the hall to Matt. She stopped a couple of feet away. “Hey.”
“Hey.”
“Is it broken?”
“Nah, just a sprain.”
Relief flooded through her and she threw her arms around Matt’s neck and hugged him, careful not to press against his sprained wrist. “It’s all good, Jules. Just a silly fall, that’s all,” he said softly.
Jules leant back leaving her arms where they were. She felt the warmth and strength of Matt’s hand against her back as her eyes roved over his face, taking in his chocolatey brown
