Page 18 of Real Tree / Fake Boyfriend

“We need rum balls, chocolate crinkle cookies, snickerdoodles, chocolate chip, and gingerbread men,” she stated.

Julien didn’t know how many cookies would be made today, but he felt they would be there a while.

Mrs. Ashford was in the dining room with several boxes on the table. She carefully pulled out holiday decorations and inspected them before putting them back in the box or on the table.

“Brad, help Mom,” Cece called to her husband as she washed her hands.

Brad didn’t even hesitate and went over to ask his mother-in-law what she needed.

With everyone distracted, Julien knew this was the perfect moment to sneak out for that much-needed cigarette. He stepped toward the front door.

He found the door locked and, upon trying to unlock it, felt like a complete idiot. He tried to pull on it, confused by the entire mechanism.

“It’s kind of weird,” Walter told him.

Julien jumped because he hadn’t noticed who came up behind him.

“Fucking Jesus.” Julien took a breath. “Yeah, it’s childproof or something.”

Walter shook his head. “No, just tricky. You should have seen me the first time I tried to leave. It took forever. I thought I might die of embarrassment. You have to unlatch it here.” Walter reached up and flicked a latch on the top of the door.

Before Julien could pull it open, though, Tyler approached him. “Where are you going?” He touched Julien’s arm. He held one of those orange-vanilla seltzers and offered it to Julien.

“Outside?” Julien took the can without a second thought.

Walter gave Julien a nod before he went back to hover in the kitchen.

Tyler frowned at him. “You’re here to spend time with me and my family, not disappear outside,” he hissed.

Frustration bubbled in Julien’s chest. “So, what, I’m your prisoner now?” he asked.

Tyler actually pouted. His bottom lip stuck out like a cartoon character, and as much as Julien wanted to push hisface away and continue with his plan, something in his stomach flipped. The urge to lean in and bite that stupid bottom lip was so overwhelming that he stepped away from the door.

“No. But don’t leave me in here to fend for myself.” Tyler finally dropped the pout so Julien could think again.

“Fine,” Julien said.

He followed Tyler back into the kitchen. Tyler immediately went to the other side of the island and helped Hailey measure the ingredients for one cookie or another.

Julien had no idea where to go or what to do. He stood there drinking his seltzer and watched the family move around each other with ease. They laughed and joked, and even Tyler seemed to loosen up. It was as if they had all been choreographing this dance for years, and Jules wasn’t sure if he was supposed to jump in or if he was supposed to stand there and watch.

Cece alternated between giving her children instructions and demanding her husband help her with them. Brad worked with Mrs. Ashford to put up wreathsbefore heading back into the kitchen to follow his wife’s orders with only a few noticeable eye rolls.

Tyler laughed with his sister and father. The adults routinely checked on the kids, who were having fun as they mixed batters and stole tastes of the dough.

Watching this picture of holiday bliss unfold in front of him made his chest ache in a way he didn’t know how to describe. He was glad, at least, that Duke had decided to sit on his feet while he stood off the sidelines, which gave him an excuse not to move.

“It’s nice to have you here, you know,” Walter said as he approached Julien’s side and looked at the family in the kitchen. “I sometimes feel like a total outsider.”

Julien raised his eyebrows. “Really? But you and Hailey are getting married,” he pointed out.

“I know, but I still feel like the new guy, sometimes,” he admitted. “They can be intimidating. I’m an only child. I’m used to quiet Christmases. But whatever they do is perfect. As if they’re living in one of those silly Christmas movies.”

Julien watched Wally as he watched the Ashfords. He could see what he meant. Everything from the house to the coordinating clothing to how they carefully decorated Christmas cookies with big smiles on their faces seemed unreal.

Julien didn’t know scenes like this existed outside of movies. His Christmas tradition was watching stupid rom-coms on TV while eating shitty takeout. This looked more like a ritual where he didn’t think he would ever fit in.

No, the real Julien wouldn’t fit in, but the Julien Tyler wanted him to beshould. The pout burned itself into his mind, and even though Tyler seemed content enough for Julien to spectate the familial charm, Julien wasn’t going to give Tyler any reason to back out of paying him.

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