When it ca to Julian Donovan, she had to admit he was still in her heart. He had always been there—the only one who ever was. But she couldn’t be sure she had the courage to get close to him again. If he hurt her once more, she didn’t know if she’d have the strength to bear it.
Lost in these troubled thoughts, she finished her shower. After changing into clean clothes and drying her hair, she stepped out. A knock ca from the door. When she opened it, she saw Julian Donovan standing outside holding a bowl of herbal dicine. His stern features seed to soften in the light. "This is my own special redy for a cold. Don’t you want to et that person Lara Nash ntioned? Hurry and drink this. It’ll help you get better faster!"
He had just gone out to a pharmacy to buy the herbs, then rushed back to brew the dicine for her.
A sudden warmth spread through Naomi Shaw’s heart as she looked at him. Seeing her hesitation, Julian Donovan smiled, leaned in, and teased, "What? Scared to drink it? Don’t tell you think it’s *that* kind of dicine?"
Before Naomi Shaw could even figure out why he was grinning like that, he continued, "I’d like to think my technique is good enough that I don’t need a drug to heighten your sensations, do I?"
Her face instantly flushed crimson. "Julian Donovan, can’t you be serious for once?"
She snatched the bowl and downed the dicine in a few large gulps. ’Why does he always have to twist things to be about *that*?’
The dicine was bitter, but it left a comforting warmth deep inside her. She couldn’t tell if it was the effect of the dicine or the effect of his thoughtful gesture.
Julian Donovan leaned against the doorfra, watching her drink the dicine. Even he was surprised at himself for running to a pharmacy in the middle of the night to buy herbs and brew them for her. ’I guess when soone truly takes root in your heart, you just do things for them automatically. You don’t need a constant reminder to treat them well.’
"I’m going to go downstairs and check on Dylan and Joy!"
Her face growing even redder under his stare, Naomi Shaw blurted this out and quickly headed downstairs.
Downstairs, the two children were behaving wonderfully. Dylan was earnestly reading a story to Joy, who was holding her Barbie doll and leaning sweetly against him as she listened. The sight made Naomi Shaw feel as if all her fatigue and sickness had lted away. She never would have thought that Joy, who was usually so shy with new people, would let her guard down so completely around Dylan.
Mrs. Somrs walked over with warm milk for the two children. Naomi Shaw took the glasses from her and said, "Mrs. Somrs, you’ve been busy all day. You should get to bed early!"
Mrs. Somrs smiled. "I’m not the least bit tired. As long as I can see that you two are doing well, and the children are happy and healthy, I don’t feel tired at all!"
Julian Donovan walked over. "Mrs. Somrs, why don’t you co live with us in Wincastle?"
Naomi Shaw shot him a grateful look. ’How did he know that’s what I was thinking?’ Mrs. Somrs was getting on in years, after all, and must be lonely here by herself. It would be much better if she ca with them to Wincastle, where they could look after her and repay her for her years of kindness.
Mrs. Somrs shook her head. "No, thank you. It’s not easy to adapt to a new place at my age. Besides, isn’t Julian’s mother in Wincastle, too? It would be even better to have her help you look after the children!"
Naomi Shaw lowered her gaze. She hadn’t seen Jean Coleman since learning that she was his mother, and she had no idea how she would face her.
But seeing that Mrs. Somrs had no intention of moving to Wincastle, she didn’t press the issue. "Alright then. Please take good care of yourself here. I’ll co back and visit you often!"
Mrs. Somrs nodded. After Dylan and Joy finished their milk, Naomi Shaw took them upstairs to bed. In the room next door, Julian Donovan tossed and turned, unable to sleep. ’I want to be in there, sleeping with her and the children, too,’ he thought.
After wrestling with the thought for a long ti, he finally got up, threw on so clothes, and went to knock on the door next to his. Dylan and Joy were already fast asleep, and Naomi Shaw was just about to drift off herself. Startled by the sound, she had no choice but to get up and open the door. She didn’t even have to guess who it was. It was definitely him.
She poked her head out, frowning at him. He leaned against the doorfra, a plaintive look on his face. "I want to sleep with the kids, too!"
She shot him an exasperated glare. "The bed is too small! There’s no way four of us can fit!"
"It’s fine! We can squeeze!"
He replied instantly. She flung the door open, stepped out, and told him irritably, "Fine, you sleep in here. I’ll go to your room!"
’He wanted to sleep with the kids, right? Fine. She’d make room for him.’
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