What the hell?“My date canceled. He just texted me.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. Pretty upset, if I’m honest.”
“Does he do that often?”
I shrug. “Wouldn’t know. I’ve never met him.”
The guy chuckles. “Then that was one fuck too many over the cancelation of a blind date.”
“Actually, it was the appropriate number of fucks considering I haven’t seen my family in a decade, and now I’m going to be walking in there, completely alone, being judged by every single one of them …” Shit, my throat is doing that thing again. I turn away from the guy slightly to try and hide the fact that I actually might cry.
When I glance back up at him, the light he was radiating has dimmed. His arms are tight over his chest, pale blue eyes locked on me.
“Why haven’t you seen them in a decade?”
I blow out a breath, shoving a hand through my product-heavy curls. “It doesn’t matter. Sorry that I unloaded on you, I think I’m gonna … it was a dumb idea to come here anyway.”
“Maybe. But you obviously came for a reason.”
Well, shit. I’m in this now. I shake my phone his way. “I was going to rub this guy in their faces. He has this whole online life set up to make him look super successful and important, and I thought if they could see I was dating a guy likethat… I dunno. Like I said. Dumb.”
“Wanting validation isn’t dumb.”
“Yeah, well it is when your family has made it clear they want nothing to do with you.”
The guy pushes off the side of the building and trots down the few stairs between us. He’s light on his feet, with a tall, slim build and wide shoulders, and when he looks at me, heactuallylooks, and the closer he gets, the more unsteady I feel. Which isn’t a great thing when my body feels too big and awkward at the best of times.
“Did they disown you because you’re attracted to men?” he asks, point blank. There’s no accusation or judgment in his voice, which is why I build up the courage to nod.
A smile bursts across his face. “Well, joke’s on them, because I’m the queerest man-loving homo they’ll ever meet.” He holds out his hand. “Émile. I’m your date today.”
My jaw drops. “W-what?”
“I think you’re incredibly brave showing up here, knowing what you’re walking into, and you seem like a sweet guy. Plus, I have questions.Somany questions. Like why you were invited and what you’ve been doing with your life and why you think you’re some epic disappointment.” He sucks in a breath, body vibrating with excitement.
“And you’re gonna … pretend to be my boyfriend? Because you’recurious?”
“It’s also a much better use of my time than going back to …” He waves his hand toward the building. “All that.”
Confusion slowly builds because I think … I think he means it. I step forward, more out of shock than anything. “Are you sure?”
“I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t.”
“Oh, man. You’d be doing me a solid. Like, I’d owe youbig.”
“Why don’t we start with your name and take it a step at a time.”
“Christian.” I cringe when it comes out as a grunt. “Sorry, I’m nervous.”
“You mean you don’t usually speak like a Neanderthal?”
My face heats and I stuff my hands in my pockets. “I wish I could say I didn’t but I get nervous and embarrassed easily.”
“Noted. I don’t get embarrassed at all.”
“After a night with me, we’ll see if that’s still true.”