It’s embarrassing that someone actually came to mind.
“Can I call you back?”
Julien pulls up Rafael’s contact and dials before he loses his nerve.
Between Thomas and Julien, it’s practically a teammate dinner at this point. A teammate dinner with Julien’s family. A family dinner where they will meet hissomeone special.
He should hang up right now.
“Julien?”
“Hey, Raf!” When has Julien ever in his life referred to the man asRaf?!“Uh, do you have dinner plans for tonight?”
“No…?”Why does it sound like a question? Surely the answer is either yes or no.“Would you like to get something together?”
“Uh, kinda?” This is a bad idea. Horrible idea. “My brother is making dinner for the family tonight and I—I wanted to invite you.”
“Invite me to meet your family?”
It sounds even worse in his voice. “Well, you already know one of them. It’s just more of that.”
There’s an agonizingly long pause before Rafael answers,“I’ve had Thomas’s cooking and I don’t?—”
“Oh! Not, not that one.” Julien laughs. Imagine Thomas boiling water for more than one person. There isn’t a large enough microwave. “No, Matthieu is the cook tonight. He’s a chef. You won’t get sick, I promise.”
“How many people will be there?”
“It’s just a small thing. Maman, Papa, Matthieu, Thomas, me… Oh wait, Maman said Thomas is bringing someonespecial.”
It’s probably Jean-Luc. They seem awfully close for driver and performance coach. Julien will have to practice his shocked face.
“So, I would be your someone special?”
Julien’s stomach drops. “I—” This is so embarrassing. “You’re my, uh, good friend. My back-up, in case Thomas and his new beau want to start a fight.”
Rafael can take Jean-Luc. The man is way too ripped for Julien to stand a chance against.
“Yeah, I can do that for you. Send me the address?”
For you.
“I can pick you up from the hotel.” Julien tries to temper his excitement, but his heart thuds hard in his chest. “Wear something nice. Semi-formal, like a button-up and slacks.”
“Semi-formal?”
“I’ll see you tonight!” Julien hangs up before the man can reconsider. He texts his mother and Matthieu the updated guest count and pushes himself up off the bench.
After a quick stretch, he continues his run along the marina. He’ll have to stop by the shops, iron his good shirt, and polish his shoes. It’d take far less work and be much more rewarding to stream instead, but the flutter of anticipation in his heart won’t settle.
I would be your someone special?
The thought doesn’t scare Julien so much this time.
“Sir, if you aren’t a guest of the hotel, you need to move your car.”
“I’m picking up a friend,” Julien repeats. “He’s in one of the fancy rooms and everything. Give me like, five more minutes.”
“You’re blocking the valet.”
