12. Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Tyler
T he Christmas Market thrummed with activity. The festive music blared from speakers at each little booth and shop, and the lines wound up the side of buildings. Shops selling whatever you could think of lined the carefully cobbled paths.
The rest of the family had gone to watch the kids take their picture on Santa’s lap, and Tyler and Julien were left to wander alone. Tyler felt much more relaxed when it was just the two of them. It had only been two days, and Julien had been doing a great job selling the boyfriend thing, but when his family was around, Tyler was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Right now, though, Tyler was glad to enjoy some peace away from his family where he and Julien could be themselves .
“Brad is kind of an asshole, isn’t he?” Julien said when they stopped near a display of handmade gnomes. All of his boyfriend-like charms had disappeared when his family left. Tyler didn’t mind it, though. It was nice to turn it all off for a minute, even if he liked how his hand fit into Julien’s and how Julien casually touched him. He could get used to Julien’s facade, but it was good to be reminded of who the guy really was.
Tyler laughed. He was used to Brad and his sister bickering, which Tyler hardly noticed anymore. “Is he? He has a way about him, I guess.”
Julien raised his thick eyebrows and put back one of the gnomes as they continued to walk.
Some pine needles clung to the back of Julien’s hair, but Tyler tried to resist the urge to pull them off. His fingertips itched with the need to tidy up, and before he could stop himself, Tyler reached up and pulled a needle from one of Julien’s soft curls.
Julien paused and leaned in. Dark eyes focused on Tyler’s face briefly. Tyler gaped, lost momentarily in the intense gaze.
He either wants to murder me or kiss me. Please, want to kiss me.
When Julien spoke, his voice was gruff. “Don’t tell me that’s the kind of guy you’re into.”
“What? God, no.” Tyler cringed. He dropped the hand that brushed against Julien’s arm. “Brad’s not my type.”
“Are you sure? He’s clean-cut, seems like a perfectionist, and doesn’t mind dressing up like a doll. Does your sister make her whole family match every day?”
She wishes , Tyler thought to himself. He imagined Cece would love the order of a perfectly coordinated family all year.
“No, they’re doing pictures with Santa, so they must match. It’s tradition.” Honestly, it was as if Julien didn’t understand the meaning of the word.
They walked closer to one another now, and Julien’s knuckles rubbed against the back of Tyler’s hand. It almost felt intentional, and Tyler shivered when it happened again.
“What is your type, then?” Julien asked him with an eyebrow raised in a sexy way. Jules hooked his index finger with Tyler’s, and for such a brief moment, Tyler thought he had hallucinated it.
Tyler overcame the insane impulse to say it was greasy mechanics with scowling expressions that smelled like smoke and leather. That kind of man had climbed to the top of his list of perfect guys.
“I don’t know,” he lied. “I just want someone who fits in with my family and my life,” he told him. “You know, someone who is perfect and sweeps me off my feet.” His sisters had both found men who fit that ideal for them. It shouldn’t have been that hard for Tyler, but here he was.
“What does that even mean?” Julien tucked his hand into his pocket, and Tyler’s fingers curled around the cold air.
Tyler bit his lip, unsure how to answer. What did it mean? He imagined himself with someone like Walter or, worse , Brad. He didn’t want that. But they were in the ballpark of what he needed. They were successful, conventionally attractive, or absolutely unremarkable. Tyler didn’t think he was a winning prize, so he could settle for unremarkable and successful. Even if the thrill of someone mysterious and grumpy made his heart thud against his ribcage.
“I’m going to get a hot chocolate. Do you want anything?” Tyler asked instead of answering as they passed a stall.
“No. I’m good,” Julien said. “Thanks. I’ll wait for you.” He took off without another word toward a cluster of shops.
Tyler waited in line for the hot chocolate booth and tried not to become overwhelmed by the menu. They had so many choices that it seemed impossible to choose just one. He debated heavily between the s’mores hot chocolate and the chocolate orange flavor. Then something caught his eye.
“Hi, can I ask real quick what frozen hot chocolate is?” he asked the girl inside the stall when he approached the window.
She stared at him for a minute. “Hot chocolate that is frozen,” she said slowly, as if he might not have understood her words.
He glanced over and saw Julien perusing a nearby tent filled with handmade items. Jules was tall enough that he stuck out over the crowd. The black of his leather jacket was stark against the sea of puffy winter coats and Santa hats .
“Thanks,” he said and looked back at the girl. “I’ll get one of those and a chocolate orange flavor.” He paid and stepped out of the way while he waited for his order to be ready.
He pulled out his phone to see a slew of texts in the group chats with behind-the-scenes shots of Kelsey and Owen on Santa’s lap. Hailey’s several cry-laugh emojis made him smile. He knew the finished picture of the kids would look great. However, the ones his twin sent showed Kelsey crying and reaching for Cece, while Owen seemed too severe for a seven-year-old sitting with Santa.
“Here.” The girl caught Tyler's attention. He picked up the two cups and walked to where he had last seen Julien. However, Jules was nowhere. Tyler scanned the crowd to spot the familiar face, but only when he turned around did he see Julien.
He was inside one of the shop tents, kneeling beside an older woman who sat on a chair. She clutched his hand tightly. An oxygen tank was hooked up to her, and as she breathed, her shoulders heaved with exertion.
Tyler headed into the shop.
“I’m fine. I need a minute,” she gasped. “I’m usually alright, but I get a little dizzy sometimes. Thank goodness you were here. I don’t know if I could have gotten up on my own.”
Julien shook his head and patted the woman’s wrinkled hand tenderly. He hadn’t noticed Tyler yet. His attention focused on the woman in the chair. “Don’t worry about it. Are you alright? Do you need me to call someone?”
“No, I’m fine. I’m okay,” The woman wheezed some more. “Thank you for spotting me.”
Tyler watched the exchange in awe, then approached, concerned and confused. “What happened? Are you alright?”
“Oh, Sweetie, I just had a bit of a fall, but this nice young man helped me. It’s nothing to worry about.” The woman gave Julien a grateful smile.
“Let me get you some water at least.” Julien stood up and put a tiny shopping bag into his pocket.
The lady shook her head. “No, no. Don’t go through all of that trouble. Really. I need a minute. My daughter is on her way over here anyway. I’ll get her to take me home. ”
Julien nodded. “Alright. I’ll wait with you until she gets here. How does that sound?” He gave the woman such a tender and genuine smile Tyler felt unreasonably jealous of her.
“Yeah, I mean, we’re not in a rush,” Tyler said.
“I’m Julien, by the way. This is my boyfriend, Tyler,” he told the woman. How he kindly spoke to the poor woman and let her cling to his hand was definitely not an act.
Tyler didn’t know why it was shocking to see this big man with tattoos and arms big enough to break bones kneeling next to a fragile older woman, asking her about her plans for Christmas, what her grandchildren were getting from Santa, and about their holiday talent show.
Tyler hadn’t even realized Julien called him his boyfriend until the woman, Patty, looked over at him. “You have got yourself a good egg, Tyler. A perfect egg.”
Tyler had to force the smile off his face, which had appeared at some point while he watched Julien. “I know I do,” he told her honestly.
His stomach flipped when Julien looked at him with the same gentle smile.
Yeah. I am fucked.
A young lady rushed in. “Mom? Are you alright?” she asked. She looked at Julien suspiciously. “What happened?”
The woman explained what had happened, and the daughter regarded Julien with wide, thankful eyes. “Sir, thank you so much. Is there any way I can repay you?”
Julien stood up and held his hands up. “No. Don’t be ridiculous. I’m sure anyone would have done the same thing.”
“God bless you,” the daughter said. “Thank you.
“Merry Christmas,” Julien said. “Hope the talent show is good.” He winked at the old woman, who smiled at him one last time.
Julien stepped away, and Tyler followed as if he were attached by a tether.
“Sorry. I just saw her fall and had to help her. ”
“No, I mean, yeah. That’s really nice of you,” Tyler told him.
Julien raised his eyebrows. “What? Did you think I would let a sick old lady lay there on the cold ground and do nothing?”
No. He hadn’t thought that, but Tyler wasn’t exactly sure if he would have rushed over to help her up and stay with her for ten minutes. He might have just called an ambulance or something, honestly.
“No, you’re a good egg, remember?” Tyler bumped Julien’s chest with a smile. “Did you buy something?” Tyler gestured to Julien’s pocket where he’d seen him stow the bag.
“Not really.” Julien stepped back onto the main street of the festival. “What is that?” he asked, pointing to the frozen hot chocolate.
Tyler beamed and stopped walking. “Well.” He proudly handed the cup over. “You said you don’t like hot drinks, so I got you a cold hot chocolate.”
“That makes no sense.” Julien took the whipped cream-topped plastic cup.
Tyler laughed. “Does it have to? I can’t let you go the entire Christmas season without at least having one hot chocolate. It’s blasphemy.” He sipped his drink and moaned a little at the flavor. It was creamy chocolatey, with a punchy hit of orange that brought a brightness to cut the sweetness of the rest of the drink.
Julien stared at him with dark eyes, but he brought the cup to his lips and took a sip. “It’s pretty good,” he decided, taking another sip and getting some whipped cream on his nose. “It’s like a milkshake.”
“Hold on, you have cream on your nose.” Tyler stood on his toes to reach up and wipe it off with his thumb. He recalled what had happened at breakfast and blushed, stepping away. “Sorry.” There was no one to perform for right now.
Julien grabbed his hand before he could wipe it off on one of the napkins and brought Tyler’s thumb to his lips.
The warm heat of Julien’s mouth surrounded his fingertip, and he shivered. Julien’s tongue ran over the pad of his thumb, and Tyler bit down on his lip as he felt the gentle scrape of teeth on his skin .
As soon as it started, Julien dropped his finger from his mouth and returned to sipping his drink as if nothing happened.
Tyler swallowed, opening his mouth to think of a response, but words didn’t come. What was that about? And can Julien please do it again? Maybe to other parts of my anatomy? Tyler thought with a slight grin.
“There you are,” Cece said, coming up behind Tyler, causing him to jump and wipe the grin off his face. “We have to get out of here. Kelsey is having a fit. I think she needs a nap. We’re going back to the house. Hailey and Walter are already in the car.”
Oh. Oh . Julien must have seen Cece and did that for her benefit. Tyler ignored the twist of disappointment in his gut, which seemed to be stubbornly stuck, even as they walked back to the car.