Page 41 of Real Tree / Fake Boyfriend

“I don’t care, but if it’s that big of a deal for you, I can,” Julien said. Alarms went off in his brain. As much as he didn’t have a contingency plan for getting the rest of his money, he also felt a sense of aching loss at the idea that Tyler could drop him just like that.

Tyler chewed on his bottom lip. “Fine. Yeah.” He opened his door so Julien could grab some clothes to sleep in.

Julien picked up his T-shirt and a pair of sweatpants before brushing his teeth and changing inside Tyler’s bathroom. The bathroom floor’s heated tile didn’t do anything to warm the chill that enveloped him.

He bunched up the stupid suit jacket and button-down, tossing them in a corner. He hoped Tyler was pissed he didn’t bother to bring them out to be neatly folded or fucking dry cleaned or whatever people did with suits.

Julien stepped out of the bathroom and tried to ignore Tyler, who stood by the window.

“You didn’t have to storm off,” he said, his voice tight. “It was kind of immature.”

Julien scoffed. “Me? I said I didn’t want to dance. You acted like a spoiled brat when I said no.” He gritted his teeth. Those alarm bells were still ringing. He wanted to tell Tyler precisely what the fuck he thought about who was immature here, but he also knew he needed that money.

Tyler frowned. “I just wanted to dance. I hired you as my perfect fake boyfriend, including dancing with me.”

There it was again. The two of them couldn’t even have a conversation without it being transactional. Julien had to be a real fucking moron to have thought for a second that Tyler might have wanted him.

He pressed his lips together, desperate to stop himself from saying something he would regret. “I’m not fucking perfect, Tyler. And neither is anyone else. Grow up.”

With that, Julien knew it was time to escape before he said more he would regret, and he stormed through the hall to the guest room.

The bed was smaller than Tyler’s and decorated like a hotel. He had the urge to throw the little vase on the nightstand at the wall, but he was already about to lose his $2,500. He didn’t need to owe the Ashfords for what was probably a thousand-dollar fucking decoration.

Instead, he flopped onto the bed and stared at the ceiling.

Maybe if he left now, he could still figure something out. He had about a week left. He could see about borrowing money from someone, maybe. Anyone he considered even remotely a friend was just asskintas he was.

But it wasn’t even about the money. Not anymore. An easy job with an attractive guy had turned into something downright complicated. He wanted Tyler. He wanted to be with him, for real. It would never happen. Tyler had made what he wanted perfectly clear, and Julien was not it.

It still sucked, though.

The barest ounce of human contact had sent him into a goddamned spiral, and he needed to man the fuck up and apologize. He should have just danced. Then maybe he would have managed to get through the rest of the week, falling deeper into the mess of feelings he created for himself.

But at least he would have his money.

At least then, he could start rebuilding his life and forget this all. In a few months, it wouldn’t even matter; in a few years, maybe he’d forget all about it.

“Fuck,” he growled to the empty room. Despite the stubbornness inside of him protesting, he stood up. He had to suck it up and apologize. Maybe he could still fix this, get his money, and run as far away from Tyler as he could once he paid Rossi.

He pulled the door open and met with Tyler, who stood in his pajamas, his hand up as if ready to knock.

“I’m sorry,” Tylerwhispered.

He wore glasses, and his hair stuck out at odd angles as though he had run his hands through it too many times.

“What are you sorry for?” Julien asked. “You were right. I’m here to do a job and….”

Tyler reached up to cover Julien’s mouth. “Shh, not in the hall.” Tyler pushed him into the room and followed.

Once Tyler closed the door, he turned back to Julien. “I’m sorry because I was being selfish, maybe.”

“Notmaybe,” Julien grumbled before he could help himself.

Tyler frowned. “If you didn’t want to dance, I should have let that be. But you just left me there. I looked like a total idiot. Everyone asked what happened. Hailey thinks we had a huge fight.”

Julien grit his teeth. “We should have probably talked about what you wanted me to do before we came here.”

“Yeah, but you’ve been fine with kissing, touching, and sleeping in the same bed. I figureddancingwouldn’t be a big deal.”

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