Chapter Nineteen
Julian
––––––––
I was prone to sleeping in, even during weekdays. It was a bit of a joke in the family, especially when my brothers and I planned meetings. However, the morning after the party, I woke up at eight o'clock. That hadn't happened in years, but I was full of energy.
Georgie was so buried in the sheets that I could barely see her, but she was here; I could feel the weight of her body pressing into the mattress. She'd put a pillow over her head, and the only part of her skin uncovered was her left elbow. I was tempted to lean in and kiss her, but I didn't want to wake her up. Instead, I carefully got out of bed, grabbed my clothes, and left the room.
I'd never actually spent the night here. Usually after the party was over, I went home. It was the first time I saw it the morning after. It looked decent. Then again, I always instructed the waiters to bring less alcohol out as the party came to close so people didn't get messy and start trashing the place.
I noticed a menu on the huge dining table and looked it over. I was famished. After showering, Georgie and I stayed up late, and I'd explored her body until the early hours in the morning. Yet I couldn't wait to do it all over again.
They had decent options for breakfast. I wondered which ones Georgie would prefer.
Nah, this morning deserves something more special.
It was still early, and I was betting she wouldn't wake up anytime soon, so I had enough time to head over to Café Du Monde and grab beignets and coffee. Yeah, that was exactly what I was going to do.
I dressed quickly, putting on the crumpled shirt. It really did look like shit. Whatever. Without making any noise, I left the suite.
Taking the elevator, I was surprised when the doors opened to the lobby. The hotel was actually pretty crowded. People were probably checking out.
Outside, there were beads absolutely everywhere on St. Charles Avenue, but other than that, it was relatively empty. I was betting the Quarter would be even quieter than usual. Not for the first time, I was grateful that Café Du Monde was open 24/7. Usually I ran errands late in the evening for Bella’s beignet fix. I couldn’t remember the last time I was there in the morning. But I wanted to surprise Georgie and show her that last night was special.
She was mine, and I intended to keep her in my bed.
Well, not that one specifically.
The Quarter was just as full of beads and other paraphernalia as St. Charles Avenue. This was hands down my favorite place in the world. I traveled extensively for business, and no place could ever compare to the French Quarter.
The line at Café Du Monde was surprisingly short. It clearly paid off to be a morning person—something my brothers, and parents, and grandparents had touted repeatedly over the years.
I bought six beignets and two café au laits, then walked back at a very brisk pace. I didn't want the coffee to get cold.
Once I got inside the hotel, I went straight to the elevator. Obviously, there was no one working it like I'd hired specifically for my party last night, so it took a while. Apparently that whole crowd I’d seen before was checking in, not out.
An eternity later, I was on my floor, heading to the presidential suite. I opened the door with my elbow, listening intently. There were sounds coming from the bathroom, which meant Georgie had woken up. I put everything on the dining table, then headed that way. She was dressing fast, now clasping her shoes.
"Good morning," I said.
"Julian!" She straightened up, and her thick, gorgeous hair fell to one side. "You're back."
I frowned. "What do you mean?"
She looked around, and I realized she was nervous.
"Georgie?" I asked, slowly walking up to her, "what's going on?"
She bent down, putting on her shoes, and then rose to her feet smiling.
"Nothing. I just woke up and—”
"Thought I'd left," I said, realization dawning on me.
Her shoulders dropped. "You weren't anywhere, so—"
"Shit, I never even considered how that would look to you. I actually thought you'd still be asleep by the time I got back."
"Back from where?"
I took her hand, leading her to the dining table in the main room.
She gasped. "You went to Café Du Monde!"
I walked up behind her, kissing her bare shoulders and putting an arm around her waist. "Yeah. Wanted to wake you up with a surprise."
She softened against me. "Thanks. This is great."
I didn't like that she'd thought I'd left. It made sense, but I still didn't like it. I was going to bring that up later, though.
I pulled out a chair for her. "Sit down."
She immediately lowered herself onto it and opened the bag of beignets unceremoniously, making me laugh.
"Sorry. I'm like a bull in a china shop when I'm hungry."
"Go ahead, dig in."
She devoured her beignet. I ate two before stopping to breathe. Georgie was on her second one too. I liked watching her do mundane things like this. Was it insane? I wasn't exactly the guy who stopped to smell the flowers, so to speak. Sure, I took everything in stride, unlike Xander and even Chad to some extent. But this was different.
"Now I feel alive," Georgie said, taking a sip of coffee. She grimaced a little.
"Don't like the coffee?"
"It isn’t my favorite in the Quarter."
"What a coincidence. Mine either, but I wanted to be quick. Let’s finish the beignets, and then we can go grab some real coffee."
Her eyes lit up in surprise. "Great. I mean, I only have this outfit, but you know what? Who cares? We’re still officially in Carnival season."
I nodded with a grin. "That's right."
"But let's finish the beignets first."
She ate the third one much slower than the previous ones.
"What are you thinking about?"
She put the beignet back down on the torn paper bag.
"That this is a bit surreal. I can't believe we’re in this place. That you're here with me."
"Which part is harder to believe, that this is a presidential suite or that I didn't leave?"
She sighed, looking straight at me. "You really don't pull punches, huh?"
I rested my arms on the table. "No. I didn't want to push earlier because I didn't think it was the right time, but let's clear the air."
I shifted on the chair so I was facing her, and she did the same. I trapped her legs between mine, pressing my knees to her thighs. "Talk to me."
"Everything last evening was amazing, but unexpected. And I... I'm sorry. I know it's not fair to you to hold you to shitty standards."
I cleared my throat. "Technically speaking, it would be fair considering my... history. But you have to know this is different. It's been different from the very beginning. And believe one thing: I wouldn't just run out on you like that. Not in a million years. I wouldn't do anything to hurt you."
She nodded. "Thanks for saying that. But considering you woke up and went to Café Du Monde to bring beignets, that sort of cleared it up for me."
"Still, I wanted you to hear me say it."
"I appreciate it."
I pressed her legs closer together. She started to blush.
"What's that?" I asked, pointing at her cheeks.
"Nothing. I was remembering last night."
I tilted forward. "You know, we still have time. Checkout isn't until eleven."
"No, you did promise coffee, and I don't have that much time."
"You're working today?" I asked incredulously.
She scoffed. "Yes, of course, Hello, fellow business owner. Your bars are open seven days a week, too, right?"
"True." What could I say? That I had a team in place and told them I won't show my face today? That would sound pedantic. "How much time do you have?"
"We can grab a coffee and chat a bit more. Zelda is opening the store. "
"Why did you say 'chat' like that?" I teased.
"So you don't get other ideas about what might happen after our coffee."
I burst out laughing. "Georgie, I've been getting the wrong idea for weeks now."
"Well, I'm glad it's settled," she said with an impish smile.
We rose to our feet and headed to the exit. Her coat was hanging by the entrance. I grabbed it, sliding it onto her arms.
"If I button this up, I won't look like I've just stumbled onto the street from a float." She giggled.
"Do you need to go home and change before work?"
"No, it's fine. I always keep some spare clothing there."
"How come?" I asked as we left the suite and headed down the lobby.
"Because I'm a klutz. I spill stuff over myself all the time. Once, I managed to rip my dress—don't ask me how—so I always have some things there. And sometimes I work so late, especially during the busy season, that I just spend the night and curl up on the recliner."
I stared at her. "Georgie!"
Her eyes widened. "What's with the judgy tone?"
"You can't work yourself to the bone like that."
"I'm not. It's only happened a few times over the years."
She avoided my gaze, so I assumed it was more than a few times. I liked her work ethic, but no one could work seven days a week straight forever and then put in extra hours during peak periods. It was a recipe for burnout. One of the reasons I was so laid-back was that I’d seen enough of my friends burn themselves into the ground over the years by overworking. I swore to never let that happen to me or any of my brothers. I didn't want it happening to Georgie either.
She looked around once we stepped out of the hotel, closing her eyes and holding her hands up. "Oh, New Orleans, how I love you. You can still smell the joy in the air."
I scrunched my nose. "Well, I can smell a lot of things, but it's not joy."
She opened her eyes, elbowing me lightly. "Hey, have a little bit of imagination."
"Yeah, that isn't going in the direction yours is either." I wiggled my eyebrows. "So, your coffee place or mine?"
She laughed. "Show me yours."
"Your wish is my command."
I took her hand as we crossed the avenue, completely ignoring that this wasn't a pedestrian crossing. There were barely any cars around, so it didn't matter. The morning was pleasant. I wouldn't describe it as warm, but I was comfortable even without a jacket.
"You like to break rules, huh?" she said once we were on the other side.
I winked at her. "Always."
"Oh no," she gasped suddenly. "We didn't take the masks from the suite.”
“I'll tell my assistant to get them from the hotel tomorrow."
"Are you sure they won't just throw them away?"
"Positive."
We walked leisurely along Dauphine Street. Georgie kept looking around. "My, my. I do see my beads now and again."
She was bursting with pride—as she should.
"How can you tell they're yours?" I held her hand even tighter every time she stopped. It was ridiculous, but I wanted this contact.
"I can’t explain it, but I always recognize my work."
"Fair enough."
"I can't believe I'm lucky enough to live in New Orleans and work in the French Quarter," she murmured as we continued our stroll.
"I was just thinking about that this morning. I've traveled a lot, and no other place compares to this."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"I've always wondered if I'm not biased because I haven't been outside Louisiana much. But between you and me, New Orleans is my favorite place in the state."
I laughed. "Oh, if those Charleston lovers could hear us now. I quite agree with you."
"A man after my own heart. I can’t wait for the day when I’ll live in the Quarter."
I wanted to make that happen for her. How crazy was that? I was thirty-eight. I hadn't had this thought about a woman ever.
"It's going to happen eventually."
"I love your optimism."
"Life is good," she said with a huge grin. "What's not to like?"
We turned right on Toulouse, and her smile fell. I immediately realized why.
"Is it on Bourbon?" she asked softly.
"Yes. I didn't think about it. Let's go to your coffee shop instead." Damn, why didn’t I think about that? It bothered the hell out of me that her ex still had such a negative impact on her. I needed to change that.
We stopped on the corner of Toulouse and Bourbon. She rolled her shoulders, which I was starting to learn was her way of bracing herself.
"No. I'm not a chicken. I can't avoid Bourbon my whole life. For God's sake, I work in the Quarter."
"Sure, but we don't have to go there this morning." I pushed a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. "You don't have to be strong all the time, Georgie. It's fine if you don't feel like it. Or if you'd rather avoid it for a while."
She looked at me strangely. "I never knew that not being strong was even an option."
"Well, it is. Especially when you’re with me. So it's your call."
She stood up straight and nodded. "Let's go to your coffee shop. I want to taste something else, and... well, I'm not as brave as you think, but Kyle is never here in the mornings. Like, ever. The club only opens in the afternoon anyway."
"All right."
"I wasn't even aware that there were coffee places on Bourbon," she said as we strolled down the street. Probably the only place in the city where the stench of alcohol was acceptable... along with some other things.
"It’s small, nowhere to sit down. More of a take-out place.”
"Oh, I love those. I wish we had more."
"I think that's starting to change."
I'd noticed this trend in the Quarter. Every time a business went up for sale, it was replaced by three smaller ones. But it made sense. More square footage meant higher rent.
"All right, here it is," I said, pointing at a narrow door with a lopsided sign. "Maria's Coffee."
"This is so quaint. How did you find it?"
"Chad got me hooked on it,” I explained as we stepped inside. Maria was standing behind the counter with her back to us.
"Good morning," I greeted her.
"Julian LeBlanc in person," Maria said, turning around. "Haven't seen you in a while. You usually send someone to get your coffee." She stopped talking when she noticed Georgie. "Hi."
"Hi, Maria," Georgie replied.
"What will you two have?" she asked in a polite tone.
That was very unlike her. Maria was a busybody. Belatedly, I realized that this was going to reach my family's ears sooner rather than later. Chad had gotten all of us hooked on Maria's coffee, and now it was sort of gossip central for the LeBlancs.
"I want coffee with milk."
"Same for me," I replied.
Maria looked at me expectantly, flashing me a knowing smile.
"To go," I added.
She frowned but turned around. Georgie gave me a curious look.
"Later," I mouthed, and she nodded, looking around at all the coffee blends Maria had.
She had shelves filled with coffee blends from the floor up to the ceiling, which was very high. That's what I loved about her shop—her focus was purely on coffee. She wasn’t selling you mugs or memorabilia or any kitschy things that every other shop in the Quarter sold no matter what their actual business was.
"Are we supposed to choose a blend?" Georgie asked loudly.
"No. I give you what I think is best. Unless you're a longtime customer," Maria replied.
Georgie looked at me in surprise.
"I'm a longtime customer, Maria," I reminded her.
"Yep, but she's new. Cancels each other out."
Ah. That was her punishment because I hadn't even introduced Georgie by name. I was starting to like this game with Maria.
She handed us our coffees a few minutes later. "Have a great day," I told her after paying, and then Georgie and I stepped out onto Bourbon again.
She took a sip of coffee. "Oh, I might become a fan."
"I know. All it takes is one sip. Which way do you want to go?"
She bit the inside of her cheek, and it hollowed out. "We can walk down Bourbon."
"Or we can move on to Royal."
She immediately nodded. "Let’s do that. I do like it far more than Bourbon anyway."
"Me too."
We turned right.
"The whole vibe couldn't be any more different," Georgie said.
"I agree."
The Quarter was waking up. The smell of food was thick in the air, a mix of gumbo and jambalaya, plus something sweet.
"So, what was that with Maria?" she asked.
I put a hand on her waist, leading her down Royal toward Books & Beads. "My entire family likes that coffee. And for some reason, she's very up-to-date with what's happening with everyone."
“Wait, what does that mean? You think—" She gasped loudly. "You think she realized we’re doing the walk of shame?"
"I showed up at her shop in the morning wearing a crumpled shirt with a beautiful woman on my arm. Knowing my grandmothers and probably even my mom, they maybe let it slip about you. So I think we can assume she thought exactly that."
"But she seemed upset with you."
"Because I didn't introduce you. On purpose."
She smiled. "Sneaky. So I could just be anyone else."
"No, you couldn't." I leaned in close, kissing her forehead. "You really couldn't." She instantly softened but then pulled back, drinking her coffee. “There is no one else.”
Georgie looked at me and sighed, then asked, "What exactly does your family know?"
I kept her close to me. Royal was getting more crowded, and I didn't want anyone slamming into her.
"That we've gone to a few events together and that I introduced you as my girlfriend."
" Fake girlfriend."
"Yes."
"What did they think about that? Oh, I'd hate to disappoint your grandmothers. They seemed so adorable when they came to my shop. What would they think if they knew what was really going on?"
"Georgie," I said seriously, "they’d be thrilled."
She immediately looked at me. "How come? They don't even know me."
"They gave you lilac."
“Oh... I remember you told me about that. It’s supposed to have special powers.” Her mouth twitched. She was clearly fighting laughter. “Your grandmothers are special."
"That's a good word."
"So, they're not... I mean, they weren't mad that you introduced me to their friends as your girlfriend?"
"They knew from Beckett before they came to your store. Clearly, they’re not mad. Why would they be?"
"Because I'm not part of this world." Her hands drifted out like she was trying to show me something.
"Georgie, let's get one thing straight. Kyle Deveraux and his brother, they're not good people."
Georgie didn't reply. I stopped in place, and she did the same. I wanted her full attention for this.
"A lot of families in the city think like that," she replied eventually.
"Not mine.”
She sighed heavily. “I hate that he made me feel so small. Before dating Kyle, I never, not once, thought I wasn’t good enough. But he kept on with this status crap, and I just began to feel inferior. Stupid, I know.”
"He’s such a useless ass, and one of these days, I will kick him and his brother out of the Quarter. Swear to God, I will."
"Don't say things like that. "
"I mean it. They’ve gotten away with a lot of stuff for far too long."
"Well, whatever. You don't have to do that on my account."
"Trust me, Georgie, I’d be doing you and the entire Quarter a favor.”
She laughed, but I could tell she was a bit wary.
"After things with him ended," she said quietly, "I swore to myself that I'd never date someone like him again."
My muscles stiffened. "I'm not like him."
“I wasn't implying that you are. He's an asshole, and you're the opposite. You're amazing."
I grinned. "Yeah. That's more like it, see? Keep thinking like that."
"What I meant is... from his world, the upper crust of New Orleans."
"Georgie, it isn’t like that, not now. Sure, there’s old money, and some in the older generation might feel superior, just like Kyle and his brother, but believe me, they’re not. He made it seem like that because he loves feeling above everyone else. But all these invitations, all these parties, they're not my life. They're just something I do because it's good for business. It's not who I am."
She tilted her head, smiling. "I know that. God, I can't believe you're so different from my initial impression."
"Humor me. What was your first impression?"
"You sure you want to know?" She laughed, taking the last step as we turned onto Burgundy Street. The Quarter really was filling up quickly, and I knew she would prefer to be in her shop with her clients. "Arrogant. An asshole."
"Fucking hell, that was harsh. I understand arrogant, but why an asshole?"
"I couldn't believe that you would just brush me off on your employees."
"I thought everyone did that," I replied without thinking, which prompted her to burst out laughing. “I mean delegate.”
"Ah, see? Big difference between you and me. I actually thought no one did that except if they wanted to be extra asshole-ish." We reached her store far too quickly. "Oh my God. How is it so full?" She tensed up as her front window came into view.
"People know where to go. That's a good thing."
"You are really buttering me up this morning. I wonder why."
"I just want you to have a good day."
She sighed. "Julian, thanks for everything. I had a great time at the party."
"And last night. Don't forget that," I pointed out.
"How could I forget? Wait, if I pretend to forget, will you remind me?"
"Fuck yes," I growled. "I can remind you right now, whenever you want me to. My house isn't far away.”
"That's right. You live in the Quarter," she said.
"Exactly. So you know, anytime you're up for a reminder... call me." I wiggled my eyebrows.
“Will do.” She laughed, throwing the empty coffee cup into the nearest trash can.
I watched her until she disappeared inside the shop, fighting the urge to throw her over my shoulder and carry her to my house. I wanted more time with this woman. I needed it.
And I would get it—just not today.