Page 46 of Return to Rosewood Beach

The sisters began to wander through the store together, but Julia found herself looking more at Alexis than at the makeup products. She could tell that Alexis was fighting back tears as they went, and none of the products seemed to be catching her interest at all. Alexis was usually cooing and chattering with excitement whenever she and Julia went makeup shopping together, and Julia felt her stomach twist with concern.

As they stopped in front of the lipstick section, Julia put on her brightest smile, hoping to cheer her sister up.

“I think one of these pink shades would look darling on you. What about this one? Dusty rose?”

Alexis looked down at the lipsticks and tears started to well up in her eyes.

“Oh, honey,” Julia said. “Picking a lipstick shade is no cause for tears.”

She’d hoped her gentle teasing might lift her sister’s spirits, but instead, Alexis took a shaky breath and a couple of the tears spilled out of her eyes.

“Can we just make our purchases and leave?” Alexis whispered, barely able to get the words out.

“Sure.” Julia laid a reassuring hand on her sister’s shoulder for a moment. “We definitely can.”

She quickly picked out a lipstick shade for herself—a color that she already knew she liked—and they went up to the counter to pay for their makeup. The store owner seemed cheerfully unaware of how close to tears Alexis was, which Julia felt was a blessing.

As they stepped back out into the fresh spring air, Julia glanced down the street and noticed the windows of Ocean Breeze Café gleaming pleasantly in the sunlight.

“How about we go to Ocean Breeze Café for lunch?” she suggested. “I didn’t eat breakfast, and my stomach is really starting to growl.”

“I didn’t either,” Alexis admitted, her voice still hushed from trying not to cry.

“Well, there you go! Not eating will always make things seem worse than they are. Food is an important way of bolstering the spirits.” She smiled at Alexis, but her sister was just staring straight ahead and seemed to have not heard her.

They made their way to Ocean Breeze Café and got a charming little table by the window. After they’d both ordered eggs benedict and hot chocolates, Alexis seemed steadier emotionally. She took a deep breath and looked Julia in the eyes.

“Okay. I know I should tell you what’s been happening. It feels better to not have all this be a secret anymore, and I—well, I think I should talk about this new development with someone.”

Julia nodded, her heart thumping with concern. She wondered what the new development was.

“I was making a payment to my and Grayson’s joint account,” Alexis said, her voice soft. She stared down at the table in front of them. “I saw a charge to this high-end downtown restaurant in L.A. It’s pricey there, but the bill still looked like a dinner for two. I—I’m worried that all of this—him not returning my calls, his lack of effort in our relationship—means that he’s been busy with another woman.”

Julia’s heart gave a jolt. “Oh, no—Alexis—there’s no way that could be true. Grayson is just busy with work, he’s not that kind of guy.”

“Well, Mom didn’t think Dad was a gambler either,” Alexis said, looking up from the table. Her eyes were brimming with tears again.

“Julia and Alexis Owens!” A woman wearing a bright purple sweater hurried up to their table, all smiles. “So good to see you both.”

“Hi, Alice,” Julia said, smiling at the woman as she remembered her. “Good to see you too.”

“Would you pass along a compliment to your mother and the chefs at The Lighthouse Grill? I just loved their latest dinner special, and so did my elderly father-in-law. He hasn’t been able to talk about anything else. He keeps asking when they’re going to have it again.” She laughed a loud laugh that reminded Julia of bells tinkling.

“I’m so glad.” Julia smiled at her. “I’ll be sure to pass the compliment along.”

“Well, I won’t keep you. Have a great day, both of you!”

“You as well!”

Julia waved goodbye to Alice, and Alexis mustered a smile of farewell as the other woman stepped out of the cafe. Julia turnedback to her sister with a frown of worry, her mind back on what Alexis had told her before Alice had come to speak with them.

“Don’t stress about it. You know he goes out to eat with other businessmen all the time. He probably just paid someone’s tab as a way of earning favor.”

Alexis pressed her lips together, looking doubtful, and at that moment, their waitress returned to their table with the hot chocolates.

“Your food should be out in a couple of minutes,” she said. “And I overheard just now that you’re the Owens sisters. I’d thought so, but I wasn’t sure. I want to offer my condolences about your father.”

“Thank you.” Julia felt touched by the woman’s kind manner.

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