“No. Private is a boundary. Vague is a deflection.” He meets her eyes steadily. “I’m happy to answer direct questions. I’m less happy to volunteer information I consider personal.”
Sage considers this. “Fair. Direct question: what are your intentions with Poppy?”
“Sage!”
“It’s a fair question.” Julian doesn’t look away from her. “My intentions are to help her through her sister’s wedding with her dignity intact. That was the original arrangement.”
“And now?”
“Now my intentions have expanded to include being worthy of her trust.”
“That’s a non-answer.”
“That’s an honest answer.” He sets down his wine—still mostly full, I notice. “I care about her. More than I expected to. Morethan is perhaps wise. My intention is to be honest about that, while respecting her right to decide what she wants.”
“And what about after the wedding?”
“That depends on Poppy.”
“Depends on me how?” I interrupt. They both turn to look at me. “You keep saying that—after the wedding. Poppy decides. What exactly am I deciding?”
Julian hesitates. “Whether you want to know who I really am.”
“I already know who you are.”
“You know who I’ve shown you. There’s more.” His voice drops. “Significantly more.”
“Like what?”
“Like things I can’t explain until you’re ready to hear them. Things that will change how you see me.”
Sage leans forward. “Are you married?”
“No.”
“Criminal record?”
“No.”
“In a cult?”
“No.”
“Then what could possibly be so—”
“Sage.” Julian’s voice is gentle but firm. “I understand you’re protecting your friend. I respect that. But there are things about me that I need to tell Poppy directly, in my own time, when we’re alone.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“It’s not meant to.” He turns to me. “I’m not dangerous, Poppy. Not to you. But I have a past. A complicated one. And I want to share it with you properly, not in pieces during a social ambush.”
“This isn’t an ambush,” Sage protests.
“It’s absolutely an ambush,” I say. “That’s exactly what this is.”
“Fine. It’s a loving ambush. A protective ambush.”
Julian’s mouth curves. “I appreciate that. Truly. Poppy’s lucky to have someone who cares enough to interrogate strangers for her.”
