Page 67 of Real Tree / Fake Boyfriend

“Well, now you have no choice,” Tyler said. “How much does he want?”

“Fifteen grand,” Julien said, and the shock on Tyler’s face was the same shock that Julien had felt when Rossi told him.

“Tyler, Julien, we’re waiting on you,” Mrs. Ashford called from the dining room. “It’s getting cold.”

Tyler looked up at him, the whites of his eyes visible with how wide they were. “What do we do?”

That was a question Julien didn’t know how to answer, but he wasn’t about to let Rossi hurt anyone. “I’ll think of something. Trust me.” He tried to sound more confident than he felt.

“I trust you.”

Julien wanted to protest, to tell Tyler all the reasons not to trust him but couldn’t. He pulled him close and pressed his lips to Tyler’s. “I’m sorry. I should have told you all of this before instead of acting like a dick.”

Tyler kissed Julien back with a few frantic pecks. “Let’s just get through this dinner and get rid of him. Okay?”

Julien nodded. He would think of something. He didn’t have a choice anymore.

Chapter 26

Tyler

Tyler’s heart was in his throat as he sat beside Julien and across from Hailey. The stranger, Anthony Rossi, sat at the end of the table next to Wally and his mother, and Tyler thought that at any moment, he might hurt someone.

But Rossi tucked his napkin into his shirt and picked up his utensils. “This is delicious, really good. My compliments,” he said once he had finished his first bite.

Tyler didn’t think he could stomach a bite of food. Instead, he took a sip of wine and tried not to stare at the dangerous man who ate dinner with his family.

“What a surprise to have another guest tonight,” Cece said. “What exactly are you doing here?” she asked Rossi with that snotty tone she always used when things weren’t going her way.

Tyler wished he could have stepped on her foot, but she was too far away.

“I heard Jules was here, and I thought I should pay him a visit since I was also in town.” Rossi sipped his wine. “Oh, this is fantastic. What is this, a Pinot?”

His dad beamed. “Yes. One of my favorites, actually. I thought it would go nicely.”

“Great choice.” Rossi lifted his glass to Dad and took another sip. “You guys seem like a really nice family. It’s good to see my friend cozy for the holidays. You know his mom died almost ten years ago now. Shame, really,” Rossi said. “It was around Christmas too, wasn’t it, Jules? No one wants such a tragedy this time of the year.”

Tyler put his hand on Julien’s knee and squeezed. The words were a threat.

“Yeah,” Julien said. His hands were tight around his fork and knife.

“That’s awful.” Mom shook her head. “I am so sorry about your loss, Julien.”

“It was a long time ago now,” Julien said.

Tyler looked up from his plate and caught Hailey’s eye across the table. He widened his eyes just a littleand darted a glance at Rossi before looking back at her. Maybe they could band together and do something if she could be on the same page as him.

Hailey gave him a slightly confused look but glanced at Rossi and shrugged one shoulder.

Tyler shook his head just enough that he knew she would see it.

She nodded.

“Kinda weird, though.” Brad leaned forward with a dangerous sort of grin on his face. “I mean that you picked the worst night to get here. You take your life in your hands driving on these roads.”

“I was on my way when it got bad. Nothing I couldn’t handle,” Rossi said after another bite of his food. He made a noise of appreciation and leaned over to seek out another helping.

Hailey glanced at Wally and nudged him a little. Wally looked at her and smiled like she hung the moon before the smile disappeared as he saw theslight distress on his fiancé’s face.

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