Free (Sequel to Through The Dark) Complete

Chapter 35

Harry watched Julie mingling with everyone throughout the next few hours.  Dinner had gone well.  Everyone was light and happy.  Laughter filling the entire patio.  There was hardly a break in conversation; the mood was happy and carefree.  Mitch grabbed his guitar and was playing around with some random melodies.  Julie leaned back against a chair watching him.  Harry smiled and raised his glass slightly when she looked over at him.

Julie was impressed by the way everyone interacted and got along.  They had only been with each other for a couple of weeks; yet, they all seemed like they were best friends.  She felt jealous that they could open up so quickly to people they just met.  She liked them.  But she wouldn't share herself so completely with people she'd just met.  It was nice to see, but often baffled her.  When she caught Harry's eye and he raised his glass, she nodded her head towards the beach.   She needed a break from the interaction.  And she was dying to see the beach in the moonlight.  She pushed herself off the chair, set her glass down, and walked towards the ocean.

When Harry saw Julie nod towards the beach, he set his glass down and excused himself.  He caught up to her a short while later and fell into step with her walking towards the water.  "Can't get enough of this place?"

Julie smiled and then linked her arm with his.  "Thought it'd look different in the moonlight, and I was right.  This place I think will amaze me every moment I'm here."

Harry watched her take his arm.  Yes!  He chuckled silently.  He put his hand over hers as they continued to walk down the beach.  "Are you having a good time?"

"Yeah.  Everyone's great.  You're very lucky.  Well, actually, I think you're just very good at surrounding yourself with good people.  Makes me wonder what you ever saw in me."  She said flipping her pony tail which had blown over her shoulder back behind her.

Harry laughed and looked down at her.  "Because, as I've said before, you play big and bad, but deep down, you're one of the best people I know."

"Oh, stop with the compliments.  I'm already here, and I'm going to South Africa with you.  What more do you want?"  She asked knocking into him a little with her shoulder.

Oh, what a loaded question, he thought.  But she already knew what he wanted.  He bumped back into her lightly.  "Nothing, I'm good.  I'm enjoying this.  And it's just the truth, will you stop?"

"No."  Julie did stop, however, and looked out over the water.  She let go of his arm and when he turned to her, she stepped up to him and rested her cheek on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist.  "Thank you, Harry.  Thank you for everything you've done."

Harry gasped when she walked up to him and hugged him the way she did.  He wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her tightly for a moment.  "Please, stop thanking me.  I did it for selfish reasons just as much as I did it for you.  I wanted you here.  I want to take you to see Harrietta.  I've told you, what I want."  He said quietly.

Julie closed her eyes but didn't step back from his arms.  "I know.  I'm trying here.  I know that it's frustrating.  I know I'm frustrating.  When I'm alone with you, when we're together, everything seems so easy.  But when I get back to the real world and try to include everything all together, that's when it becomes messy.  I can't decide what's right."

"I know."  He sighed and put his hand on the back of her head.  "I don't want to push you.  It's hard, I have to admit.  Part of me just wants to shake you and tell you that we're right for each other."  He chuckled lightly.  "But I'm not going to force feelings on you."

She took a deep breath and pulled back a little and looked up at him.  "Harry, it's not like I don't have feelings for you.  I told you I loved you, and I meant it.  I'm just afraid to go back to the same thing that happened before.  You enjoyed the chase.  Don't deny it.  But once that was over, it was hard for you to deal with it being over.  There wasn't as much to work for.  It was supposed to be better, and easier, but it wasn't."