James nodded. “She didn’t betray any confidences, Holly. But she told me why Justin turned you. She also told me that you were determined to be true to your marriage vows. I appreciate that,” he added. “And I was too . . . mostly.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Mostly?”
“I never touched her,” he said quickly, and then grimaced and added, “Not while I was awake.”
“Ah, the shared dreams,” Holly said with amusement. “Pretty powerful stuff, huh?”
“You had them with Justin?” he asked with surprise and she realized that Gia really hadn’t betrayed any confidences.
“Yes, I had them,” was all she said.
James was silent for a minute and then said, “They are pretty powerful stuff.”
“Go ahead and say it,” Holly urged.
“What?” he asked warily.
“That we never had half the passion of those dreams. That what we’ve had was more like . . .”
“The love and affection between siblings,” he said when she hesitated.
She nodded. “I suppose that shouldn’t surprise us since we grew up together.”
“Yeah, but you were the hottest girl around,” he assured her.
She chuckled at the teasing words he’d often said to her and gave her usual response, “I was the only girl around.”
“That too,” he agreed, and then took her hand. “Holly, I don’t want to lose our friendship. You’ve been a part of my life almost since I was born. You’re family to me.”
“And I always will be,” she assured him, squeezing his hand gently.
“Good.” He smiled with relief and then admitted, “You’re taking this better than I expected. When Gia said you were so determined to stick to your marriage vows, I . . .”
“I married you in good faith, James,” she said quietly. “I do love you, and if we were both mortal still, we might even have made it as a -couple. The cozy home, children, growing old together and all that stuff we both dreamed of while growing up.”
“But circumstances have changed,” he said.
Holly nodded. “There’s a reason we edit what we say. Once words are spoken, they cannot be unheard. Unfortunately, the same is true of thoughts if you can read them.”
“I apologize for anything you may have heard me think that might have hurt you,” James said quickly. “And really, the Elaine thing—-”
“Don’t even go there,” Holly said with dry amusement. “You shouldn’t even have to go there. Your thoughts should be your own, James, not something you need to apologize for.” She grinned and added, “And with Gia, they will be.”
James nodded and relaxed, then reached for the door handle. “Come on. Gia was worried sick about how you’d take this. She’s afraid you’ll be mad at her and she really likes you. Let’s go give her the good news and then all three of us can go out to dinner to celebrate.”
“You go ahead and tell her alone,” Holly suggested. “I’ll just wait here.”
When he frowned at the suggestion, concern entering his expression, she pointed out, “She might feel weird about kissing you in front of me and you two are gonna want to kiss.”
“You’re right,” James said on a laugh and slid out of the car.
Holly watched him go and then got out of the front seat and moved to the backseat instead, leaving the front for Gia. She then sat staring at the house she and James had bought together after they’d married. They’d planned to sell and move to a larger place when they were ready to have kids, but it was a good starter home.
The house suddenly blurred in her vision, and Holly blinked, and then raised her fingers to dash tears from her eyes. They were unexpected. She hadn’t thought this would upset her. She really was happy for Gia and James and hadn’t felt a moment’s jealousy, which was just wrong. In fact, more than anything, all she’d felt was relief. Those two weeks before the accident had been impossible. She couldn’t imagine trying to struggle through a lifetime of that, even a mortal lifetime. And now she didn’t have to.
Still, Holly supposed she was grieving what had been. The dreams she’d had as Mrs. James Bosley. And maybe she was also crying a little because she wasn’t sure of her own future. She had turned Justin away, repeatedly rejected him. What if he now did the same to her? And if he didn’t, how could she be sure they could work? Until very recently, she’d been certain she and James could and that had been wrong. With Justin, she wasn’t certain of anything.
“Piccola!”
Holly glanced around with surprise when Gia slipped into the backseat beside her.
“I will ride back here with Holly,” the woman announced.
“Ah, you’re gonna make me sit up here all by myself?”
Gia clucked her tongue. “Drive, James.”
“Ha ha, very funny,” he muttered, starting the engine.
“Why is it funny?” Gia asked with confusion.