"Well, I'm intrigued and I never pass up a free lunch." She stood and grabbed her coat. "Where are you taking me?"
Luc hadn't though that far ahead, so he gave her a shrug in response. He was sure they'd find a place they could both agree on.
They walked to the high street together and eventually settled on a French Brasserie.
"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Adrianna asked, as she perused the beige menu.
Luc's gut twisted. He wasn't sure why speaking to Adrianna felt harder than telling his parents. He doubted she could react as badly. Then again, however she reacted, he had to work with her five days a week. Briefly, he contemplated coming up with something trivial, but decided against it. His relationship with Adam might not have been her business, but he considered her a friend, as well as his boss. He respected and valued her opinions and God knew he needed someone vaguely impartial to talk to; someone who wasn’t emotionally invested in what happened between himself, Adam and their parents.
"I need to come out."
"Come out?" Her voice raised in pitch. "You mean, you'renotgay?" She put the menu down. "It must have been really hard for you to tell me that." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. She reached across the table and touched his hand. "I'm here for you," she told him. "Maybe I could throw you a coming out party?"
Luc chuckled. "I'm not straight."
"Really?" She rolled her eyes. "I guess I'm out of luck then."
Luc wasn't sure what expression crossed his face, but it made Adrianna snort with laughter.
"Don't worry. I'd never fool around with someone I work with. It's not worth the drama. I'm most definitelynothitting on you."
Luc's shoulders dipped as he exhaled. Not that Adrianna wasn't an incredibly beautiful woman, but he had to agree that sleeping with a co-worker, especially his boss, was stupid and never ended well.
"I'm dating my brother.Stepbrother," he corrected, the words rushing out of him before he could stop them.
He held his breath again, waiting for her to react in some way. When she stayed quiet, he rubbed the back of his neck, wondering if he could simply walk out on her. He'd known telling her would be awkward, but it was turning out worse than he'd hoped.
"If you want me to hand my notice in—"
"Excuse me?"
Luc stared at her. "Which part? The part where I told you I was dating my stepbrother, or where I offered to quit?"
"Yeah,that. You arenotquitting on me, Luc Earnshaw."
"And the other part?
"It's... unconventional," Adrianna said, picking up the menu again. She held it in front of her, almost like a shield. "But you've got different parents?"
Luc nodded. "We were brought up together. My mum married Adam's dad when I was five and he was four. They adopted each of us." He stared at the table. "As far as they're concerned, we're brothers in the eyes of the law, which means sleeping together is incest." He forced himself to look up to meet Adrianna's stare. "I'd understand if you felt the same way."
"Like I said, it's unconventional. But you know me: I'm a live and let live kind of person. Who you love doesn't impact me in any way. As long as you're still getting the job done, why should I care who you want to sleep with?" She pursed her lips. "I'm also not sure I agree with your parents' logic. I don't care what a piece of paper says. The fact is, you and Adam aren't biologically related."
Luc sighed heavily. "I wish Mum and Dad saw it that way."
Adrianna tilted her head to the side and regarded him sadly for a few moments. "I'm sure they will. Parents get to make mistakes too, you know. They get to have knee-jerk reactions and throw their toys out of the pram. And then they get to apologise."
Luc hoped that was how things would pan out, but with every day that passed, that hope was fading.
"Do you have a photo?" Adrianna asked, her voice brighter.
Luc pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket and pulled up one of the photos he'd taken of Adam dancing.
Adrianna whistled as she took the phone from him. "He ishot. I can see why you'd want to screw him." Her eyes sparkled mischievously. "I don't suppose the two of you are into ménage à trois?" She licked her lips. "Having sex with two brothers is on my bucket list."
Luc gaped at her, not sure whether she was being serious or not.
"I'm kidding," she said, laughing and waving her hand at him. "The look on your face is priceless." She turned his phone towards him and snapped his picture.
