Page 3 of Unexpected Boyfriends

“Um. I’m still at school,” Justin says, dropping his head a little and seeming embarrassed. “I’ll be doing my VCE this year.”

“And what do you want to do after? Do you know that yet? Lots of people don’t,” I add, in case he’s one of them.

“Yeah. I’ve known for a while,” he says. “I want to go to vet school, but I’ll have to do really well in the VCE to get in, because I don’t have the contacts to get into the private veterinary college. If I don’t get the marks, I could do a different degreeat Melbourne University – probably science – and then try and transfer over to the university’s vet school after that.”

“Sounds like that might actually be an easier option. A bit less pressure.”

“Maybe,” he says, “but they don’t keep many places for mature student transfers, so it’s not a given.”

“Mature, eh? What’s a standard degree – like, three years? Start at say, eighteen, finish at twenty-one, twenty-two… so twenty-one is the new mature?” I chuckle. “I think they blew that one out of the water a few years ago. The brain doesn't finishing maturing until at least twenty-five."

Justin shrugs.

“More mature than at eighteen, anyway,” he tells me. Maybe he's taken my comment the wrong way.

I figure he’s a pretty serious young man. Or at least, he takes himself seriously.

Then he adds, “I figure twenty-one, or twenty-two is pretty ancient.” And he looks at me deadpan.

Notso serious then. Somewhat flirty. And someone's told him how old I am.

The more Justin relaxes, the more vivacious he becomes. I see his beautiful smile more and more frequently, and we end up poking gentle fun at each other throughout lunch. I’m enjoying myself much more than I thought I would, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s very easy on the eye.

After an appetizer of fresh rockmelon and prosciutto, Justin’s grandmother has served a main course of baked garlic potatoes, a lamb casserole, and a colorful side-salad with home-madevinaigrette. The casserole is to die for, and the lamb almost melts in my mouth.

“This is amazing, Mrs. Beecham. The lamb is so tender, and the sauce is delicious.”

"Thanks, Axel. It's an old family recipe. Help yourself to some more." She smiles at me and indicates the pot sitting on the table, before turning back to the others and they resume their conversation.

The other adults aren't paying us much attention and Justin and I continue eating, occasionally exchanging comments and thinly veiled flirts just for fun. It's hilarious when Justin's cheeks pink up when a comment hits home.

But then it happens.

At some point during lunch, Justin’s grandfather makes a disparaging comment about the upcoming World Pride event. Although we’ve got our own conversation going at our end of the table, it’s impossible not to hear it. I flick a surreptitious glance at Justin. Clearly, hehasheard the comment, because he’s shrunk into himself a little, shoulders hunched, and is staring at his plate. A slight flush creeps up his neck.

I feel sorry for his discomfort. And it’s not fair that he has to endure that. It’s hard enough being that age, but when your family makes those sorts of comments…

I know this is not going to go down well, but I clear my throat and insert myself into the conversation.

“There’s still a lot of kids who get rejected by their families for not being straight,” I say. “Pride celebrations are important. It shows them they belong. That they have a whole community that supports them.”

My mother gives me a stern look. It’s not that she has anything against queer people. In fact, she and my dad have never been anything but supportive since I came out to them at fifteen,but I know she doesn’t want me to say anything controversial around my dad’s employer. Despite what they might say, this is not a simple social visit, there are business relationships that need to be respected.

Justin’s grandfather makes some retort about not throwing things in everyone’s faces, but I don’t say anymore. It’s enough. From under my lashes I can see Justin is sitting straighter now, and his head is up. In fact, he’s looking at me with a kind of admiration in his eyes, and a wordless thank you.

I smile reassuringly at him and then give him a conspiratorial wink, before resuming eating.

Chapter 03

The Beach

JUSTIN

When the main course is finished, I help clear the dishes. Anything to help speed things along. Lunch is always a production, so there’s still dessert to be offered and eaten, before I can engineer an escape to the beach. I’m enjoying Axel’s company way more than I’d expected, but I’d rather be somewhere I can relax. Lunch is too formal, what with having to make a good impression on the visitors, be polite and sit still. I have a restless energy that really needs to be doingsomething.

It's also highly distracting sitting across from Axel. He has an aura that draws me to him. And he’s totally gorgeous. The guy could easily have walked straight out of one of my wet dreams, which is probably why I'm sporting a half-chub right now. He's tall, has a mass of brown sort-of-wavy hair parted off-centre framing an attractive face, hazel eyes that crinkle into upside down quarter moons when he smiles, and dark pink lips I'd love to smack mine against. But more than his looks, it’s his personality which draws me to him. He’s confident, quietly and sarcastically funny, laughs readily and seems genuinely interested in me. Then he blows my mind by standing up to mygrandfather when he goes off on one of his homophobic rants. I mean, that is sexy as hell.

Maybe it’s just my teenage hormones, but I can’t help flirting a little, though I’m sure the effect is ruined as I blush readily as I do so. Axel kindly pretends not to notice. He doesn’t seem at all put out by my behavior.Hedoesn’t flirt though he does give me an appraising look from time to time. I still don’t have him figured out.

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