Page 35 of The Princess, the Prick & the Priest (Confessions 4)

A problem Priest knew he was going to have a hard time tackling himself.

WHEN ROBBIE HAD said his family was big, Julien hadn’t quite envisioned just how big. Really, he should’ve guessed, considering the sheer amount of food and alcohol that had been purchased and prepared for tonight’s party. But as more and more people arrived, Julien found himself staring out at a sea of loud, chatty Italians—and loved it.

It had been several hours since the party had begun, and it was now in full swing as they headed toward the midnight hour. With the alcohol flowing, Julien had found Robbie’s family to be kind but…inquisitive. More so as the evening went on.

They’d each made him and Priest feel welcome, and been polite in how they approached the topic of them and Robbie. But as the latest relative—Robbie’s Uncle Nico—talked his ear off, Julien had to admit, it was rather amusing to watch him tiptoe around what he really wanted to ask. So far, though, whenever someone got a little too invasive with their questions, one of Robbie’s sisters saved the day.

With a fresh drink in hand, Julien was about to head out to find Robbie and Priest, when he spotted Penny standing with a couple with an uneasy expression on her face, as though she wanted be anywhere but there.

Wanting to make sure she was feeling okay, Julien made his way over, and when he stopped by her side, she gave him a strained smile, then wound her arm around his elbow and said, “Oh, look who’s here. I’m not sure if you’ve met our celebrity guest tonight. But let me introduce you.”

Julien quickly deduced that what was making Penny feel slightly nauseated had nothing to do with her health, but perhaps the people she’d gotten stuck talking to.

Julien’s eyes shifted between the man and woman staring at him. The woman beamed, her brown eyes smiling right along with her lips, while the man looked like he was sucking on a lemon.

“This is Julien Thornton,” Penny said, as she patted Julien’s arm. “He was the winner on Chef Master.”

“Oh yes,” the woman said. “I remember now. You’re French, aren’t you?”

“Oui, that’s correct,” Julien said, and then held his hand out to her. “And you are?”

“I’m Mary Beth Paulson. And this is Jack, my husband.”

Jack Paulson. Jack Paulson… As Julien ran the name over in his head, he tried to place how he knew it. But considering he’d just met Robbie’s entire family twenty-four hours ago, the likelihood of him actually knowing the man was slim to none.

But that name, Julien thought. It’s so familiar.

“Bonsoir,” Julien said, and held his hand out to Jack. “It’s nice to meet you. And how are you related to the Bianchi clan?”

“He’s not,” Penny said, and her tone, while friendly, had taken on a slightly sharper edge. Julien glanced her way, but Penny’s eyes were locked on the handsome man standing by his smiling wife. “He’s a longtime family friend.”

Jack nodded. “That’s right—we used to take summer vacation by their holiday home at the lake. Our families are close.”

Mary Beth laughed and ran a hand up and down Jack’s arm, completely oblivious to the tension thrumming in the air. “Robbie used to have a crush on him, right, Penny? He always joked that watching Jack in the lake was the reason he knew he was gay. I mean, could you blame him?”

As Julien tried to process that piece of information, Penny’s fingers tightened on his arm.

“No,” Penny said. “No one could blame him. In fact, I’m pretty sure each of us Bianchis had a crush on Jack at one time. But it always passed, like a bad case of chlamydia.”

And that was when it hit, the exact reason Julien knew Jack Paulson’s name. Jack Paulson was—as Robbie had so eloquently put it one night—the Bianchi Baby Daddy.

“What?” Robbie had said. “He was bound to impregnate one of us with all the testosterone he threw around. Hell, I’m surprised he didn’t knock me up.”

“That’s really mature, Penny,” Jack said, bringing Julien back to the tense discussion underway.

“That’s me,” Penny said, the happy couple in front of her having clearly destroyed any attempt she’d been making to employ good manners. “Maturing, ripening. More and more every day.”

“Dieu,” Julien said under his breath, as he plastered on his best smile and grabbed hold of Penny’s arm. He needed to get her away from these two, stat—especially Mary Beth, who was still trying for a polite smile even through her confusion.

“Veuillez nous excuser, but do you mind if I steal Penny? I’m hoping she can help me track down Robbie,” Julien said, and as he pulled her aside, Penny aimed blurred eyes his way, an apology written all over her face as Julien led her through the crowd.

As they pushed through the back door and walked out onto the porch, the loud music and conversation greeted them. But instead of heading down to where the double garages were lit up under twinkle lights for the dance floor, Penny went in the opposite direction.

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