Page 93 of Julien (Confessions 2)

Julien winced but nodded. “Yes. I’m going to see if she’ll reschedule. With any luck, she won’t hold a grudge.”

Priest frowned. “If she’s smart, she’ll realize she’s lucky you’re asking her back even though she broke your contract.”

Julien placed a hand on Priest’s chest and kissed him. “Right.”

“Right,” Priest said. “She was in the wrong, Julien. Don’t forget that.”

“I won’t. Now go. Or you’ll be late.”

Priest narrowed his eyes, but when Julien smiled, he felt himself relax. This was the Julien he’d been hoping to see. The Julien he recognized. “I’ll see you both later.”

Robbie walked up beside Julien and took his hand in his, and with a final look at the both of them, Priest turned and left for the day, knowing in his heart that the two of them would be okay.

IT WAS AMAZING WHAT a difference a few days made, Julien thought, as he stepped through the doors of the restaurant and took in his surroundings. When he’d left on Friday it’d been with a heavy heart, knowing exactly where he’d been heading, and today… Today he was walking in with a newfound vision of what he wanted for this place.

It also didn’t hurt that he had Robbie standing beside him chattering away about anything and everything, trying to distract him, and Julien knew that was what Robbie was doing—not that he needed to.

For the first time ever, Julien had been able to feel a sense of happiness this weekend for Jacquelyn’s anniversary, and it was amazing how much of a difference it made to celebrate her life as opposed to punish himself for it.

“So what exactly am I supposed to wear to the opening?” Robbie asked as they wandered down the corridor that led to the elevator up to the skybox. The rest of the staff hadn’t arrived yet, but would at any moment. “Is it a fancy black-tie shindig? Or is it more a smart businessy-suit shindig?”

Julien pushed the button on the elevator, and when the door opened he ushered Robbie inside. “More fancy black tie. There will be reporters and photographers, so you’ll—”

“Want to look my best, of course. I mean, I always want to look that, but if it is going to be captured on film, I definitely need to go shopping and find something suitable.”

As they reached the skybox and headed inside, something Robbie just said had Julien reaching for his arm. “Suitable?”

“Well, yeah,” Robbie said as he turned to look at him. “I don’t want to embarrass you and Priest, and most of my clothes are—”

“Gorgeous,” Julien finished for him, as he looked Robbie directly in the eye. “You can wear whatever you like. You could never embarrass us.”

“You don’t have to say that, Jules,” Robbie said, and then shook his head. “I know I’m a little loud. Bright colors—”

“Suit you. You’re one of the brightest, happiest people I’ve ever met, princesse. And whether you are in a black suit or a bright pink one, you will be the shiniest, loveliest person in attendance.”

An extraordinary smile curved Robbie’s lips, and Julien put a hand on either side of his face and said, “I don’t know where you got the idea that Priest and I would ever be embarrassed by you, but you need to crush it. If it weren’t for our unusual relationship, and how it might make you feel telling people, we would have no problem announcing to the world that you were ours.”

Robbie kissed the center of one of Julien’s hands, and then reached up to circle his wrist. “Yeah?”

“Oui. We are quite…enchanted by our princesse.”

“I’m quite enchanted by the both of you too,” Robbie said, and Julien chuckled and took his hand, leading him over to the table.

When they got there, Robbie looked at the photos that lined the shelves. There was one of Julien from Chef Master and with Priest in Paris, and another with his idol Jacques Pepin, and Julien put a hand on Robbie’s back and said in his ear, “There’s a couple of photos missing from up there.”

Julien opened the top flap of his messenger bag and pulled out a small black frame. Inside was the image of Jacquelyn standing by the Christmas tree, and as he set it on the shelf by Jacques, Julien trailed his fingers over it and whispered, “Now you’re back with me, ma petite poulette.”

When Julien straightened, he said, “She should’ve always been here with me. That’s where she belongs. Not stuck back there where it’s cold and sad. But where I’m the happiest, because that’s what she used to make me, and that’s what all of these people have done. They have shaped my life and made me happy, and now there’s only one person missing.”

Robbie wiped his cheek where a tear had escaped, and Julien pressed their lips together in a soft kiss. “I need one of you.”

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