Chapter Ten
Leary felt a little sick. The day had already been such a whirlwind, and now he had to eat with his parents.
Meanwhile, JJ seemed perfectly fine. Little did JJ know that Leary was nervous enough for the both of them.
While Leary was in no way, shape, or form ashamed of JJ, Leary knew his parents.
They would very likely take one look at JJ's sexy shoulder-length hair and immediately judge him as lacking.
Then they would learn that he was a security guard, because that would be the first question they asked, and the nail would be in the coffin.
They would be determined to dislike JJ without ever getting to know him.
That was just the kind of people they were.
The worst part was, JJ wasn't dumb or blind.
He would know exactly why he was being disrespected.
As they headed for the door, JJ took Leary’s hand. He flashed Leary a smile. “I promise everything will be fine. My own parents didn’t want me. Yours aren’t special.”
A laugh snorted from Leary. It was JJ’s tone. Leary swiped his hand over his mouth, trying to erase the sound a little too late. “Sorry. It was the way you said that. I don’t think it’s funny your parents didn’t want you.”
JJ wore a bright smile. “Don’t apologize. I meant for you to laugh. You’re looking a bit stressed. I was just letting you know I don’t care—”
The front door opened, and his dad stood in the entryway. “You’re early.”
The urge to roll his eyes was real. “Yet you still didn’t let me knock.” Even Leary heard how tired his dad made him.
“Knock? Nonsense, this is your home too. You don’t knock.”
That was how he did it. That right there. He knew Leary heard the insult behind being early, but ensured JJ thought he was a great dad by saying this would always be Leary’s home too. Leary was exhausted, and they hadn’t even made it inside the house.
JJ released Leary’s hand and held it out for his dad to shake. “I’m JJ.”
His dad hesitated at the sight of JJ’s bionic hand. Leary saw the moment his dad realized JJ had to be a patient of Leary’s. He shook JJ’s hand. “Mike. It’s nice to meet you.”
“You too.”
His dad took a step back. “Come in.” He looked Leary’s way. “Your mom is picking out the wine for tonight. She’ll be along.”
Of course she was. Leary smiled. “Okay.”
Mike focused on JJ again. “What does JJ stand for?”
JJ didn’t hesitate. “My full name is James Jacobs.”
“A fine name. What made you go with JJ?”
A bland smile touched JJ’s lips. “When you’re living on the streets, James doesn’t sound quite tough enough to survive.”
Leary fought a laugh.
His dad looked completely taken aback, but rallied quickly.
“I imagine. We have a huge homeless problem here.” He headed toward the dining room and spoke over his shoulder.
“We’ve held several discussions about what we can do to clean up the area.
Clearing out camps and throwing away tents hasn’t worked. ”
Leary’s gaze snapped to JJ.
JJ wore a malicious smile. Then he did something strange that caught Leary’s attention. As they passed a sideboard of various liquors, JJ touched it beneath the edge. He kept moving as if nothing had happened, but his tone changed slightly at Mike’s words.
“Yeah, that wouldn’t. That’s not solving anything.
That’s just making their lives harder. If you want to make a real difference, it starts with social programs and opportunities to start over.
Housing, education, job programs, and access to mental health care.
Without those things, nothing will change. ”
“Ha!” Mike pulled out the chair at the head of the table and sat. “Spoken like a true politician. Those things cost money. Someone has to pay for it.”
JJ shrugged. “If we can pay for golden toilet seats, wars, and supporting other countries, we can afford to take care of our own. The problem is priorities. None of you care about the people.”
Leary hoped the floor opened up and swallowed him.
His mom, Layla, strolled into the room carrying two bottles of wine.
“Oh. Sorry. I didn’t know everyone was here and waiting on me.
Virgil said he’s made us lamb. That calls for a Merlot.
I hadn’t noticed how unorganized the wine cellar has become.
I’ll have to have words with someone about that.
” She set the bottles on the table. Her gaze landed on JJ. “Hi. I’m Leary’s mom, Layla.”
JJ dipped his chin. “JJ.”
A bright smile lit her face. She looked Leary’s way and mouthed, wow. She didn’t try to hide it.
JJ chuckled.
Leary’s face felt hot.
Layla sat across from them. “What is it you do for a living, JJ? I don’t think Leary’s ever said.” Here it came.
“I’m an executive protection agent for a large entity. Beyond that, I can’t say more. I’m under a very strict NDA.”
Leary couldn’t stop staring at JJ. JJ obviously knew their game and played it better than them.
He was amazing. Pride filled his chest the way it always did with JJ.
Again, JJ made a slight motion, touching beneath the table.
Maybe it was a nervous tic. Grounding himself or something.
Leary had never seen him do that before.
He also didn’t know what it was about the motion.
Each touch seemed deliberate and happened both times his dad’s focus was elsewhere.
Virgil appeared with their dinner.
Leary’s insides knotted again. He knew what came next. Virgil set plates in front of everyone before placing a completely different meal in front of Leary. He hated it here.
“I had Virgil make you a light salad. You need to work on your weight.”
At Layla’s words, Leary’s gaze dropped to his plate and refused to budge.
Shame burned through him. He was never good enough.
Perfect grades and even finishing school early.
He had become one of the youngest surgeons in the U.S.
Didn’t matter. He had gotten used to this feeling a long time ago, but now JJ witnessed his shame.
His plate disappeared, and Leary’s head shot up.
JJ swapped plates with him. “I’d much prefer the salad. I’m allergic to lamb.”
“Oh no.” Layla sounded genuinely distraught. “I didn’t think to ask if you had any allergies. That’s not very common, I should think.”
JJ nodded. “I have Alpha-gal syndrome.”
How did Leary not know that? They’d lived together for over six months. He knew JJ didn’t eat red meat, but he had assumed that was just a preference or whatever. Leary hadn’t known it was an allergy. He should know these things.
His parents got distracted by how much wine should be served in a single glass. His mom’s vote was completely filled, of course.
Leary leaned JJ’s way and lowered his voice. “Why didn’t you tell me about this allergy?”
JJ beamed before touching his lips to Leary’s ear. “Because it doesn’t exist. Nobody keeps food from my baby.”
Happiness exploded through Leary. JJ never failed him. “My hero.”
“Always.”
Virgil filled Leary’s glass with ice water and everyone else’s with wine.
JJ swapped their glasses. “I’m driving tonight. Leary can cut a little loose.”
Holy shit. JJ was just openly challenging them now.
Layla smiled. “Virgil can get you some water as well. Leary has discipline issues. He’s letting himself go. I’m trying to look after his health.”
JJ shrugged. “If Leary wants water, then we can get another. Otherwise, he’s perfect exactly as he is.”
No one had ever stood up for him like this. Every time he thought he couldn’t fall in love any deeper, JJ proved he could.
Virgil caught Leary’s eye and winked.
He had always loved their long-time chef. Virgil always made him a real plate and passed it his way to take home.
Layla’s mouth thinned. She visibly held back all the words. Finally, she managed a tight smile. “You’re not the only person who has to look at him.”
JJ squeezed his knee under the table. He laughed. “I’d better be. He’s mine.”
Mike cut in. “Let’s make a toast to gaining a new family member.”
Layla straightened her shoulders and put on a pleasant facade.
“Yes. We’re thrilled Leary finally found someone who wants him.
Welcome to the family.” Without waiting for any sort of glasses clinking, she downed her entire glass and waved for another.
JJ flashed Leary an evil grin on the sly. God, he was so in love.
The rest of dinner went fine. There was no more talk of politics or Leary’s weight.
The conversation centered around mundane things like his mother’s latest doctor’s appointment and the shoes she found on sale last week.
When dessert came, Leary was included without argument.
When the wine was gone, his mom went in search of more, and his dad stood.
“Now it’s time for the men to talk. Head in here to my office, JJ. We’ll have a cigar and chat.”
“You don’t have to—”
JJ squeezed his knee. “It’s okay. He’s your dad. It’s his right to tell me I need to treat his son like the god he is.”
The look on his dad’s face made every single past insult worthwhile. JJ really got under his skin.
JJ stood.
Leary did too. “I need to head to the restroom anyway.”
JJ smiled and swiped a kiss across Leary’s lips. “I won’t be gone long.”
“Okay.” Leary followed on their heels since they were headed in the same direction.
There was a table with a plant on it outside his dad’s office.
His dad went inside first. JJ paused and touched beneath the edge of the table as he passed, just as he had done earlier before he followed Leary’s dad to the dining room.
Leary hung back and waited for the door to close. He sneaked closer and looked under the table. One of the tiny chips they had found around his home earlier was stuck right where JJ touched. His stomach churned. Leary stood and listened at the door.
“You may as well get on with it. I know why Beau sent you here.”
“Do you?” JJ sounded completely calm, yet harder than Leary had ever heard him be.