Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
JULIUS
“Again!”
I throw the ball, and Kellie tries her best to catch it but fails.
“She’s never going to get a spot in the Women’s Football Alliance,” Hella says, leaning against the door to Kellie’s bedroom. “Also, what did I say about throwing balls inside?”
“Mommy, it’s cold outside. I get sick.”
“She does have a point,” I say.
Hella crouches and Kellie goes straight to her. “Huggle.”
“Hey, sweetie, how about you make a picture for Uncle Julius to take home?”
“Okay, Mommy. Uncle Julius, what’s your favorite color?”
“Pink,” I say, and she scrunches her nose. “Yellow?”
She shakes her head.
“I tell you what, why don’t you pick what you think should be my favorite color.”
“Purple!”
“I love it.”
Hella sets Kellie up at the small desk in her bedroom. I know exactly what she’s doing, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.
“Out with it,” I say when we get to the kitchen and she puts a cup of coffee in front of me.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Don’t play coy, Hel.”
“Fine. People saw you leave the fundraiser yesterday with Connie. This morning, you show up here like someone kicked your puppy.”
“We…there’s something between us. Something really good.”
“That’s great. Why the kicked-puppy face?”
“Can you stop saying kicked puppy?”
“Can you stop making the face?”
I make an exaggerated grin.
“Ew. Stop that.”
I chuckle and then tell her what happened this morning.
“So you think he’s going to accept this job?”
“He’d be stupid not to. He has responsibilities and is the sole carer for his brother. I can’t pay him what a fancy restaurant like Nobu can. And I won’t stand between Constantine and his dream job.”
“Hmm.”
Hmm? “What’s that supposed to mean?”
She hits me upside the head. “You’re assuming that the most important thing to him is a job. You know, the same person who moved across the country to work for you while looking after his little brother. Yeah, I can see how you’d think he’d jump at the chance to work twenty hours a day in a kitchen rather than a place that is literally a flight of stairs away from home.”
She has a point. “I know, but I’m scared.”
“Of what? I’m sure you can hire someone else.”
I can’t even believe I’m willingly walking into her trap. “I really like him, Hel. Fuck, I’m falling for him so hard. I’m scared of him leaving and taking my heart with him.”
“Then you have to tell him.”
I shake my head. “I can’t. I’m not going to make him choose.”
“It’s not your choice, little brother. It’s his, and he needs to know all the facts. He needs to know he has options.”
I hate that she’s right, so I don’t tell her. “I should go. Think I can slip out undetected?”
She laughs. “Good luck.”
After posing for my niece for half an hour, I am the proud owner of a purple portrait that captures my essence better than an actual photograph. Purple with some green squiggles and questionable ears.
I walk back home, thinking about what Hella said. It was a dick move not replying to Constantine’s request to come over, but I needed to think.
As I approach my house, I see a figure huddled against my door.
“You really need to get a proper winter jacket,” I say.
Constantine practically runs down the steps in my direction and wraps his arms around me. “Why do I need one when my boyfriend is more than happy to keep me warm any time I want?”
My heart stops.
“Boyfriend?”
He bites his lip. “Can we talk inside?”
“Yes, of course.” He keeps hold of my arm and laces his cold fingers with mine. “You also need to buy gloves. Your hands are freezing.”
“Not for long.”
He goes straight to the couch when we get inside. I turn the heat up and join him.
“I know you saw the message,” he says straight away.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to, but you asked me to check. I shouldn’t have read it once I saw it wasn’t from Leo.”
He shakes his head. “It was unavoidable. I just want to make it very clear that I don’t intend to take that job or move anywhere.” He looks around. “Maybe here one day, when you have the place all fixed up and we’re ready to have some giant kids of our own.”
My heart is stuck in my throat. “Do you mean it?”
“Did you not hear me when I called you boyfriend earlier?”
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around that.”
He tells me about the conversation he had with Leo.
“I’m really happy he’s got a friend he can confide in. He’s a great kid, and it’ll be a privilege to see him grow up and become a funnier, better version of his amazing older brother.”
“Ass.”
“What’s that? You want to eat my ass?” I tease.
Constantine straddles me the same way he did that first time.
“I’m falling for you, Julius. I know you feel the same way.”
“I do. I fucking do, baby.” I pull his lips against mine and show him exactly how I feel about his decision to stay, be my boyfriend, and even have our own kids in the future.
I’m so fucking in love with this man.
“Hey,” he says, pulling his lips away from mine. “I’ve been given permission to stay with you for the rest of the day. Apparently, Leo has a test to study for and doesn’t want me pining for you from afar.”
“Pining, huh?”
“Don’t know where he got that idea from. Point is, I need to go home later. But I’m yours for the next”—he looks at the clock on my wall—”six hours.”
I pull his shirt up and pay attention to his nipples one at a time until he’s squirming and hard. “I can do a lot with six hours.”
“Then let’s get to it, boyfriend.”
I put my hands under his butt and take him with me as I stand and walk to my room. I’ve never been anyone’s boyfriend, but I’ll be anything Constantine wants me to be. Best friend. Boyfriend. Husband.
I’ve watched so many of my friends find their soulmates, but between kitchen fires and frustrations, I never thought my soulmate would be the one to find me.
I guess I’m just lucky.