The Bachelor

Chapter 22

“Mr. Astor…” she stuttered once again.

“Julianne, right?” he asked, walking closer.

Julianne nodded.

“Water?” he asked, his eyebrows arched.

Once again, Julianne nodded. Why was she speechless?

Oh, yes, because she freaking expected Zach’s mother to talk to her, not his freaking father!

She swallowed as she poured water into a clean glass and handed it to the old man.

“Thank you,” he uttered, eyeing her with curiosity. “You know, for someone of your reputation, I find it quite hard to believe that you’re in this show among all these women…” he said, his voice straight and serious.

Julianne swallowed all over again. Damn, what the hell was wrong with her tongue? “Well, a slight problem occurred and led me here,” she stated, not really ready to offer more explanation.

“Julianne, I’m going to be honest with you.”

She nodded when his eyes locked with hers. God, it felt like she was looking at Zach’s eyes—the older version.

“I know my son,” he started in a low voice. “He acts too impulsively—this,” he motioned with his hand, “this show is a perfect example of that. He does whatever his mind dictates him. But I want to tell you, as his father, that whatever this is between you two, might not be as what he wants to believe.” He looked at her for a long moment before he sipped his water.

Julianne’s heart was racing now. Why did she feel like crying? Why?

“Zach, sadly, is still a child inside. He’s been pampered too long for his own good that he thinks everything is easy to get. I’m not saying you should not believe him. I want to believe what he really feels right now is real myself and I would not even contradict for having you as a daughter-in-law,” Julianne blushed at that last words, “but I’ve seen quite enough in the past to think otherwise. I’ve seen how you looked at him during dinner, Julianne, and I think it will be good for you if you keep your guard up. I love my son. I do. But he’s been a pain in the ass since he knew how to kiss a girl and I don’t want another scandal coming from this show.”

Julianne was near to tears. Mr. Astor hit the right spots. Those were the very same things that had been holding her back since the very beginning and now that she heard it from another person—his father, in fact, of all people—she now strongly had to force herself not to get too involved.

Slowly, she nodded and smiled. “I know. I understand, Mr. Astor. I’ll keep that in mind. Don’t worry, I’ll be leaving here soon. I will make sure that Zach understands that what he thinks he’s feeling is nothing but a weird infatuation.”

Mr. Astor looked at her for moment. He appeared like he wanted to say something else, but he held his tongue. He stepped back and smiled. “Thank you for your understanding.” And then, he was gone, back out into the living room.

Julianne suddenly felt weak. She needed to breathe.

How could she have been stupid? She was right all along. Tonight, she was beginning to believe that Zach and she could actually be possible. But Mr. Astor himself approached her. His father, his own flesh and blood, the person who knew him best, talked to her and told her his doubts that reflected hers from the moment she heard Zachary say those three words.

And now, realizing that she might have been probably right all along, that Zach was just having a childish fantasy of true love, she felt crushed. Hurt. So much hurt her tears welled up.