Page 85 of Strut

“I’ll let them know to expect a call,” Alec said.

“You do that.” Tui’s voice grew soft as he added, “And you better call your mum so I can drop by later today and clean up the spilled parental angst. I can talk to Lachlan now if you like. He’ll be pissed if he finds out through your parents. You know they’re gonna want you home, right?”

Alec’s gaze shot to mine. “Yeah, I do. And thanks, about Lachlan. To be honest, I’m sick of talking about it. Tell him to call me tomorrow.” He closed his eyes and dropped his head back on the pillow. “Iwasgonna wait until then to tell my parents, but you’re right. I can’t risk it, not with half my damn cousins following me on social media.”

“I’ve got your back, mate. I’ll talk to them. Just don’t fucking shut me out again, okay? I wanna know when shit like this goes down.”

Alec’s gaze landed back on me. “I promise. I just didn’t know how to—”

“You don’t have to explain,” Tui interrupted. “Just fucking call.”

“Okay. Deal.” Alec ended the call and stared at his phone.

“You want me to go while you talk to your parents?”

Alec’s wide eyes shot to mine. “No. Jesus, no. Stay, please.” He took a deep breath and pressed Call, leaving it on speaker once again. I grabbed his free hand and tucked it against my chest.

After a quick exchange of hellos, Alec asked his mother to get his dad and then he got straight to the point. They listened in shocked silence and my heart squeezed for him. He’d told that damn story so many times in the last few days. When he was done, Elise was crying softly, and Alec’s father, Gordon, was deathly silent.

After a few moments, Alec gave a frustrated shake of his head. “Will somebody please say something?”

I squeezed his hand and reached over to kiss the side of his jaw. He leaned into the kiss and swallowed hard.

Elise finally spoke in a choked, barely there voice. “Oh god, Alec, we’re so sorry. This is what your father and I have been afraid of. Well, notthisexactly, butsomethingbad. How could the man do that to you, to anyone? I can’t imagine what he’s put you through. Who the hell does he think he is? Dammit, I need to hug you, sweetheart. Come home. You don’t belong there, Alec. What sort of industry lets people like that loose on young men?”

“It’s not just modelling, Mum. This kind of thing happens in lots of—”

“We’ll transfer money today. You need to be here with your family, with people who love you.”

“Come home, son,” Gordon croaked, not able to hide the worry in his words. “We don’t want you to be alone.”

“I’m not alone, Dad.” Alec turned and kissed my forehead. “I’m with Hunter. He’s been my rock. He, um... well, we’re together. Boyfriends. So, I’m okay.” My eyebrows hit my hairline and Alec winced and mouthed, “Sorry.”

Yeah, not quite how I pictured the meet-the-parents thing to go.

“Together?” Elise was clearly confused. “Hunter? The photographer man.”

Alec bit back a smile. “Yes, Mum. He’s been in New York for work. We... reconnected.”

I rolled my eyes, making Alec smile.

“He’s actually with me now,” Alec continued, eyeballing me. “It’s... serious... between us.”

There was a long moment’s silence except for the tripping of my heart. This suddenly made our relationship very real, and I put a phone call to my sister and family on the agenda for the next day.

“Well, we’re happy you havesomeone,” Elise said cautiously, and I could almost picture the look his parents had to be sharing. “Maybe when you get back, you can bring Hunter to dinner so we can get to know him.”

“I’m not coming back, Mum, at least not yet. Please don’t ask me again. I love this job and I’m not giving up without a fight. I hope you can understand that. I’ve got friends helping me. Rhys and Kip from Flare. And Tui as well. We’ve got a couple of ideas.” Alec gave them the bare details of the social media plan, but the silence that greeted his words said his parents didn’t understand.

“I hope you know what you’re doing.” Alec’s father sounded worried.

“I don’t have many options, Dad. I have to try.”

More silence, then, “Okay, son. And this Hunter... you promise he’s looking after you?”

Alec cupped my cheek and stared into my eyes. “He’s amazing. I’ll put him on to say hello.”

My eyes bugged as Alec turned the phone and I sent him my best I’ll-kill-you-later glare. “Hello, Mr and Mrs Williamson. I’m Hunter.” I paused but when nothing was forthcoming at the other end, I widened my eyes at Alec and continued. “I promise I’m looking after Alec the best I can. I won’t let anything hurt him. He’s a wonderful man, which, of course, you already know, and I care deeply for him.”Shut up. Shut up.But oh no... “I’ll do my best to fill the gap until you see him again. I won’t let you down, and—”

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