Page 43 of Real Tree / Fake Boyfriend

Chapter 17

Tyler

Tyler had not slept a wink that night.How could I be so stupid?Julien thought he was a fucking monster. All those times he had been smiling at him, cuddling him, that mistletoe kiss, he was really thinking about how Tyler was a meal ticket.

Tyler didn’t know what had happened last night or why, but now he knew everything was ruined.

He’druined everything.

He could see that now, but it didn’t help that Julien was the most amazing guy he had ever met.

No. Julien wasn’t the perfect prince Tyler thought he wanted. But he was funny, caring, observant, and Tyler liked how he smelled, the dimples on his cheeks when he smiled, and the little comments he made when no one else was listening. He even liked how much he frowned. It made the smiles even more satisfying.

It wasn’t real, though. No matter how much Julien sold the boyfriend experience, it was all an act. Tyler was fooled just as much as his family was. Only he had no excuse because he knew the truth. He was stupid enough to let himself be fooled because it felt good to be held, cuddled, and hold hands with someone.

With a deep breath, he put his robe on and went downstairs. Part of him expected Julien to be gone. Why should he still be there? He had what he wanted,hispayment.

Of course, all his stuff was still in Tyler’s room, so Tyler wasn’t surprised when he spotted Julien with a cup of coffee and ice at the table.

What surprised him was how the room went quiet when he walked in.

Walter looked up from making coffee and quickly turned around. His father cleared his throat from the head of the table. His mother widened her eyes and looked back to her laptop, her lips set and tight. Duke even shifted his head away from him, where he lay on Julien’s feet under the table.

The feeling of being talked about loomedover him.

“What’s going on?” he asked as he took stock of the strange way his family was acting. His eyes landed on Julien, who he realized was just in his pajamas, his tattoos on full display. He grimaced. That cat was out of the bag.

“Morning,” Hailey said tightly. Tyler knew her well enough to know she was mad at him.

“Morning,” he replied warily as he went to sit. “Is everything alright?”

Hailey folded her arms and fixed him with the same piercing look she had given him when he told their mother she’d slept over at her high school boyfriend’s house their junior year. “Julien told us everything.”

“What?” Tyler’s feet felt as if they were glued to the spot.

Hailey nodded. “Yeah. We heard you fighting, and he came down to ask Wally for a ride to the bus station.”

The blood drained from Tyler’s face, and his stomach nearly fell out of his butt. “You heard us?”

“Yeah. Julien told us that you were worried that we wouldn’t like him because he’s just a mechanic, and that you made him buy all these new clothes to impress us.”Hailey shook her head, clearly biting her tongue about something. Tyler knew her well enough to see that. He could only imagine what that something was.

Then her words registered. They hadn’t heardeverything?They had just heard them fighting, but Julien somehow kept up the ruse. Even though it would have been easy for him to come clean about being hired.

“I…” He had no idea what to say and looked to his mother, who stared at him, her mouth set. “I just…wanted things to be perfect.”

His mother laughed sarcastically, a quick noise that Tyler wished he had missed.

He would have given anything for the floor to swallow him up right now. He didn’t know what would have been worse at this point, everyone finding out that Julien was a hired boyfriend or thinking he was a dick, just like Julien did.

Hailey shook her head, pushed out of her seat, and walked to the kitchen where Walter still faced away. Tyler watched her approach him, but his gaze returned to Julien.

“Can, uh, can we talk,Julien?” His voice sounded ridiculously small.

Dad nodded to Julien as if to encourage him orcomforthim.Has my whole family turned against me?

Julien got up and followed Tyler into the garage, which was the safest place Tyler could think of.

It was chilly, and Tyler wished he wore thicker socks, but at least they’d have a moment alone so he could figure out what was happening.

---