“Running. Wow. On purpose? Without someone chasing me? That would be new.” Hobbit looked back at the FU Club flyer, frowning slightly. “Getting my parents to sign this is gonna be...” He looked at Jules. “But yeah, I’m up for the challenge. I mean, why not learn to kill Rodney with a Vulcan nerve pinch, right?”
“I’m pretty sure that’s not part of the curriculum.”
“Don’t assume anything. Mr. H is pretty intense.”
“He kinda is, isn’t he?” Jules signaled to make a left.
“Oh, wait, no, sorry, I live over on Pond Street, it’s down...” He pointed to the right.
“I know where you live, Kevin Clark,” Jules said as he took the turn but then pulled immediately into the parking lot for the Soft Serve. “First you saved my life, and then, after I trapped you in my car on the pretext of driving you home and instead endlessly woe-is-me-ing, you were unbelievably kind, and delightfully honest. Child, I’m buying you an ice cream.”
“Gee thanks, Grandpa!” Hobbit said in a high, squeaky voice. “You’re the best!”
And yeah, the kid was young, but he was sweet and funny—and brave—as hell.
And he was right.
Both Javid and Dules were stupid names. But if Jules went home to find David waiting for him, sitting on the front steps of his house? He’d take him back. No questions asked.
CHAPTER TEN
Present Day
Sherman Oaks, California
Mission Day One
Robin was pacing back and forth across the living room floor of the rental house when Jules and Sam finally—finally!—pulled into the driveway.
Jules was on the phone, and he stayed outside talking to whoever was on the other end while Sam came in.
Robin did his best not to pounce on him. “How’d it go?”
His anxiety must’ve been leaking out of his ears because Sam pulled him in for a quick hug and a noogie atop his head—which was completely not normal. But these were not normal times, and God, he appreciated the warmth and connection more than Sam could ever know.
“The world,” Sam told him, “hasdelivered us an enormous, quivering what-the-fuck perched atop a suitcase full of cash.”
Robin pulled back, uncertain. Sam sounded cheerful but... “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“Oh, it’s good.” Jules’s call must’ve ended, because he was standing in the doorway, taking off his jacket and tie as he added, “Nothing like a giant what-the-fuck to provide a distraction from the raging American shitstorm. Plus the suitcase appears to be stuffed with limitless cash, so any worries about how long this job could take aren’t an issue.”
“That’s great,” Robin enthused, hoping he’d get a hug from Jules, too, but his husband was already heading back into the entry toward the stairs to the second floor.
“I need to hit the bathroom and change,” he called back to them. “I’ll be down in a minute and we can figure out dinner.” But then he turned and came back a few steps, asking Robin, “How’dyourmeeting go?”
“Oh it was fine,” he said dismissively, even though it was so much more than that. A casual meet-and-greet with a studio head had turned into an offer for a series. A really good series—and a comedy for a change. God knows, these days people needed to laugh. But now was definitely not the time to steal the focus with a deep dive into whether or not Robin should take on a project that could possibly lock him in for three long years. That conversation was desperately needed, but not right now.
“Go pee,” he told Jules. “And change. I want to hear all about this—” he glanced back at Sam, who’d parked himself on the sofa, how had he put it? “—quivering gargantuan awfulness.”
“Enormous quivering what-the-fuck,” Sam repeated, his attention on his phone, “Although gargantuan awfulness works.”
“It wasn’tthatawful. But there aremanyunanswered questions,” Jules told Robin with—wait, was that the hint of a twinkle in his eyes?
“Wig!” Sam shouted from the living room, which—yes!—made Jules laugh as he headed up the stairs.
Although, a-few-months-ago-Jules would’ve taken the steps two at a time, in his haste to get back down here to tell Robin—wig?—all about whatever had happened. Today’s Jules trudged. But he’d laughed and even twinkled his eyes a bit, which was a vast improvement.
“How’d it really go?” Robin asked as he sat down next to Sam on the couch. “Is he okay?”
