Chapter Twelve
Georgie
How had tonight gone so insane? I couldn't even believe the chain of events.
Once Julian was out of sight, Xander asked, "How's your ankle? Want us to move closer to that railing so you can hold on to it?"
"It's fine. I'm placing most of my weight on the other leg. So, what tips were you going to give me about your brother?"
Xander was silent for a few seconds, and I couldn't tell if he was about to be serious or joke. "Julian is extremely impulsive."
"I sort of realized that."
"Sometimes that gets him into trouble."
"You think this could backfire?" I asked.
"It would be far-fetched to say that. But... he’s been talking to Robert, right?"
"Yes."
"I don't like that. Frankly, I hope Kyle snaps up that building so my brother doesn't have to deal with Robert or Kyle. No offense."
"None taken." I shook my head, looking down at my feet. “I'm not even sure how I started dating him.”
"The guy is a snake. On the bright side, you got the Tableau business back."
I smiled. "They were so nice. I didn't even have to negotiate or anything. They just offered to sign me back on.”
“The Tableaus are good people. My grandmothers were up in arms when they found out what had happened. Apparently, they were very fond of your grandmother."
My heart swelled at that. "Yes. Nana and Mom mentioned Isabeau and Celine a lot. I've never met them, though."
"I'm certain they’ll introduce themselves to you when you least expect it. They said something to that effect, anyway. And when Julian shares the news with the family..."
I was starting to get a bit unnerved. "Is that really necessary?"
“Yes, or they'll hear it from someone else for sure. It’s unheard of.”
"What exactly?" I asked.
"For Julian to have a girlfriend. Or at least one people know about."
My ears heated. It was a good thing it was dark outside or Xander would see exactly how fast I could blush.
"Do me a favor," he said as Julian's car approached.
"Sure, anything."
"Keep an eye out for my brother. See that he doesn't get himself into trouble."
"I'll do my very best," I promised.
"I'll help you to the car."
My ankle really was starting to throb. I hoped to God it was going to be fine by tomorrow after some Advil. I couldn’t afford a day off during Carnival season.
Xander brought me all the way to the car, then opened the door like a gentleman before helping me inside. "It was nice meeting you, Georgie."
"And you," I replied before he closed the door.
"Give me your address," Julian said as he started down the street. Even in the dim lighting from the old-fashioned streetlamps, the beauty of the homes took my breath away.
I took out my phone and tapped my address into the navigation system before placing it next to the wheel.
My stomach rumbled loudly.
"You hungry?" he asked.
"Yes. Those canapés were great but small."
"What are you in the mood for?"
"Something simple, like red beans and rice. But anything goes, really."
"I know a great take-out place here in the Garden District. Opposite direction, but it'll just be a short detour."
“Perfect.” I took off my shoes, which did wonders for my ankle. "Hmm. I don’t think it’s my ankle that’s the problem but the heels themselves. I already feel much better. I don't know how I'll put them back on to get into my house."
"You won't have to. I'll carry you."
I turned to him and laughed. "Right."
"I mean it. I'm strong." He flexed his bicep for emphasis.
"Oh, I wasn't doubting that." I'd felt those muscles up the way they deserved while he was kissing me. I sighed just remembering it. I’d been so completely undone, I'd even forgotten that we were kissing because Kyle was watching. I simply enjoyed everything this gorgeous man made me feel.
And now I was more confused than ever.
A few minutes later, Julian announced, "We're here. I'll jump out and buy us dinner. Any preference if they don’t have red beans and rice?"
"Surprise me. Want me to come with you?"
"No. Your ankle needs rest."
I relaxed in the seat after he closed the door. I was still trying to process this evening, but I’d need more time on my own to do so. Being around Julian clouded my ability to think.
Danger. That's a straight-up red flag , a voice said at the back of my mind, but I dutifully ignored it.
I didn't have too much time to mull over my thoughts because Julian returned a couple minutes later.
"That was fast."
"I know. It's why they're so popular around here."
The air smelled delicious. I glanced down at the paper bag he handed me. "Wait, there's a ton of containers here. What did you buy?"
I started to reach inside, but he stopped me. "You can only look once we get to your house."
"Why?"
"Because the anticipation will make you savor it even more."
Heat gripped my body at his words.
For God's sake, Georgie, he did not mean that in a sexy way.
Or had he?
When it came to Julian LeBlanc, I couldn't be sure of anything.
During the drive, I tried to convince him to spill all the secrets, but I had no luck.
Once we reached my house, I began to put on my shoes, but Julian boomed, "Don't. I told you I'll carry you."
"I thought that was a joke."
"It's not, beautiful. So grab your shoes and that bag of food, and I'll take care of you."
I knew it was just a saying, but his words warmed my heart. He came over to my side of the car and opened the door.
I held the food in one hand and my heels in the other.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Absolutely not, but I'm still willing to do it."
That was the kind of influence this man had over me. I was starting to enjoy it.
He lifted me very easily by putting one hand behind my knees and the other on my back. It would probably be better if I could cling to him, but my hands were full. I had full confidence that he could carry me to the house without dropping me.
He walked carefully to the front door. “There’s no way for you to get out your key, is there?"
"Not at all."
He put me down and took the shoes and paper bag from me. I reached into my small clutch and immediately found the key.
I unlocked the door quickly, pushing it open. "Welcome to my humble home."
He looked around curiously as we both stepped inside. "This place is very cozy."
"I know, right? I love it."
"But it's far from the Quarter. How do you even get there every day?"
"I take the bus. It's perfect, really. The station is by St. Louis Cathedral and drops me off around the corner."
Julian frowned. "That’s not safe at night."
"I've never had any issues. You can put the food there." I pointed at the small table between the kitchen and the TV. My bedroom was separate, but the kitchen, dining, and living areas were one and the same.
"Where do you live?" I asked him.
It was funny to see him wearing his tux in my house. It didn't fit my life. Everything else around here was either secondhand or inherited. He looked polished and in perfect shape, and I was the girl from the opposite side of the tracks.
"In the Quarter."
I sighed wistfully. "It's my dream to live in the French Quarter one day. Having my own little house or even just an apartment there would be fantastic.”
"I'm sure you'll make it happen," he replied.
He always said just the right thing.
"Can I open everything you bought? The anticipation is killing me," I said theatrically.
He grinned devilishly. "Good. That was my intention."
"Fair warning: my expectations are sky-high."
"I will deliver. I never overpromise. You should know that about me." He looked me straight in the eyes as he said it, and I had the uncanny feeling that he meant something completely different.
I took out the five containers and opened them one after another. Two of them contained rice with red beans, and it smelled absolutely divine. The third had shrimp étouffée.
"I haven't had this in a while."
"It's their specialty. I figured you might enjoy it, since you loved the shrimp at the event. Savored it like it was a delicacy." He grinned.
He'd watched me that closely? That was good to know.
"Well, it was." The fourth container had a gumbo. "Oh, I haven't had gumbo in a while either. It takes forever to cook it. Mom makes a superb one, but I don't see her often enough." The last one had king cake. "Oh, what a treat!"
"It's not Carnival season without king cake, is it?"
"Precisely. I don't know why more people don't understand that."
I brought over cutlery for each of us, and as we sat down, I became aware of how small my table was. My goodness, I felt like we’d bump into each other—involuntarily, of course—no matter how we moved. It was definitely close quarters.
"God, I didn't even realize I was so hungry," I said as I took the first mouthful. "It's really, really good. Why aren't you eating?"
He was looking at me intently. "Want to make sure you’re fine with everything first. You’re far more relaxed right now."
"Well, I got rid of the shoes from hell. My ankle is much better."
"I'm glad."
"And being home helps. It’s my safe place."
"Kyle still makes you nervous," Julian concluded.
I shuddered at the sound of his name. "Yes, and I don't know why. He wasn’t like this when I was dating him—this vicious, I mean. He always had a snide remark here or there, but lately he’s just been nasty. Anyway, I would've paid good money to see his face when he saw us."
"Me too."
"Well, for all I know, he might be at the Landrys' party too."
"I didn't even think about that," Julian said. "Yeah, I bet he will. But you know what? I'll just go on my own then."
"No, I've thought about it," I went on carefully, taking another mouthful so I could mull over my words before continuing. "I want to go."
"Georgie, you were tense most of the evening."
"How do you even know that?"
He moved his hand, touching my naked upper back. "This was more tense, and it was visible."
My skin turned white-hot at the contact, but I relaxed into his touch. "Now that you mention it, it does feel like the tension just melted away. But I’m enjoying the prospect of another event. Good food and music..."
"Don't forget the business connections," he added.
What were we doing? Convincing each other that it was a good idea for us to pretend? The idea of kissing Julian again made me think that even running into Kyle was worth it.
"All right, then. If you're sure. But don't you have to check if you can get an invitation first?"
He tilted his head. "Don't mean to brag, but I'm a LeBlanc. I will get that invitation."
“Hmm... that sounds a lot like bragging.”
He winked. “Sometimes I can’t help myself. Besides, we should smooth out a few details if we're telling people that we're a couple ."
He said the last word in a strange tone, like he'd never uttered it in his life. I was fighting laughter with all I had. I was successful only because I stuffed another forkful of food into my mouth.
"You first," I managed to say.
"So, there are six of us brothers. I'm the oldest, and then there's Chad. He runs the restaurant branch of the Orleans Conglomerate. Obviously, LeBlanc & Broussard is the flagship one, but there are many in the portfolio."
"And you're in charge of bars," I said after I swallowed.
"Exactly."
"How many do you have?"
"Twenty."
My eyes bulged. "That's impressive. All of them are in the Quarter?"
"No, but quite a few are. We have ten in the city and ten more throughout Louisiana. Then comes Xander. He’s the CFO of the Orleans Conglomerate and doesn't focus on a specific branch. I'm not even sure how that happened. One day, he started going through numbers, we all realized he was very good at it, and that was it. Then there's Zachary."
"Is he like you?"
"In some ways, yes. He's very blasé about everything, but he's also the one you want in charge if there's an emergency. He's the head of the shipping part of the company."
"The Orleans Conglomerate does just about everything, hmm?"
"Yes, though the shipping part is rarely talked about. Probably because it’s not as flashy as the rest. My youngest brothers, Beckett and Anthony, are running the rest of the branches between them—bakeries and music venues and so on."
"How are those different from bars?" I imagined something akin to Kyle’s place on Bourbon.
"Some are jazz clubs. We also have two big music venues for concerts.”
The LeBlanc family had to be fabulously wealthy. I hadn't put two and two together until now, possibly because Julian seemed so approachable. I mean, I knew they were legends in the community, but it was more than I could’ve imagined.
"And you took over from your parents or grandparents?"
"Both sets of grandparents and my dad ran it for a long time. Each branch of the family had quite a few businesses. Some were direct competitors, which was why they weren't very keen on my parents being together in the first place."
I nodded. "Family rivalry. I'm starting to dig this. It's so juicy."
"It really is," Julian went on. "And my grandparents can't stop repeating it. They add more details every time. I keep wondering if some are made up or not."
"My nana was like that too. She kept repeating stories, but they were a bit different each time. When I was small, I figured it was just that old people had a bad memory. Then I started to suspect that she might be embellishing them."
"Exactly!" Julian snapped his fingers as if he'd had a light-bulb moment.
"Your grandmothers seem to be very involved."
"They’re the soul of the family. Very outgoing too."
"And your grandfathers aren't?"
"They mostly keep to themselves. They’re either at the house or out on the bayou, fishing. My grandmothers mostly attend events together."
"Whatever works for them is good."
After we finished eating, we moved on to the dessert.
"I admit, this isn't my favorite king cake in the city," Julian said, "but it’s good enough."
"Which is your favorite?"
"The one our bakeries make, of course." He winked.
"And you're still not bragging?" I challenged.
"Maybe I am a bit, but it really is the best."
"I like this one too."
King cake was pure happiness for me. Well, honestly, any kind of cake was.
“What’s your favorite dessert?” Julian inquired.
“Bananas Foster. Yours?”
“Don’t think I have one.”
My jaw dropped. “I’m trying not to judge... but I am judging.”
We both laughed, then focused on the cake.
Once we'd finished, I started to put all the containers in the paper bag, but Julian stopped me., "No, I'll do this. Let’s get you on the couch."
“My ankle's fine. I can walk on my own, Julian.”
“It's doing fine because you're not putting any weight on it. Don't move more than you should."
I put my hands on my hips. "I'll have to get around on my own anyway because I intend to shower. Or do you have a solution for that?"
His eyes flashed, and I sucked in a breath. Then his gaze went down to my lips.
Holy shit. I was starting to believe he’d had very specific thoughts about me in the shower.
The tension increased with every passing second. His nostrils flared, and he glanced at the floor. "Try to keep moving to a minimum."
He stood up, putting everything in the containers and then taking the cutlery to the sink and washing it. I was tempted to jump to my feet just to see what he would do, but when I put my foot on the floor and tried to push myself up, I realized he had a point. It felt tender when I put weight on it.
So I stayed put, drinking him in instead. It was perplexing to see him washing dishes in his tux. It wasn't fair, but I couldn't help comparing him to Kyle. He refused to do absolutely anything. Throughout his life, he always had employees to do all the chores. It was unnerving.
After Julian finished, he dried his hands and turned to me. He looked so damn hot, standing there at my kitchen sink. That tux truly was amazing on him.
Though it would look even better off.
"I'll be on my way now," he said. "Let me know if your foot is still tender tomorrow."
"It’ll be fine. I’ll wrap it or something."
"We have a family friend who's a doctor. He makes house visits if we ask him."
My eyes widened. "House visits? That's still a thing?"
"No, it's a favor for us."
"I'm sure that's not necessary."
He pinned me with his gaze. "You only go to the doctor when you've got no other option, huh?"
"Pretty much."
He walked up to me, putting a hand on the sofa back and the other on the table. "Georgie, promise me you'll give me an update tomorrow morning. Otherwise, I’ll come here and check myself."
That was very appealing. How exactly would he check? Just look at my ankle, make me walk, or touch it thoroughly?
"I promise I'll text you."
"Good. I'll be in touch with details about the Landry party." He straightened up. “Need my help getting up from the couch?”
“Yes, please.”
He carefully slid an arm around my waist. Well, that was nice—I'd thought he might just give me his hand, but this was far too delicious to even question it. When he hoisted me up, I pressed myself against his chest. Completely involuntarily, of course, but my body still tingled everywhere.
When he stepped back, I felt his absence.
"I had a lot of fun tonight despite everything," he said as he walked toward the door.
"So did I. And your dancing really is on point."
He winked at me. "And I didn't even get to bring out my best moves. But I promise I will next time."