"You're just being stoic?" Rico accused him and peered at Julian too closely.
"Don't crowd him," Rob told him.
"Right. That's your job," Rico said and pushed Rob at Julian.
The others went to join the kids and gave Rob and Julian a moment alone.
Rob was somber as he started to apologize. "Sorry. I flew off the handle back there, but seeing him put his hand on you, I..."
"You shouldn't have risked getting arrested," Julian told him, but he smiled too.
"So you're not mad at me for punching him? You only ever get fired up for the sake of other people, don't you?" Rob said.
"What do you mean?"
"The way you stepped in to protect me," Rob said.
"No, that's what you did. But I can handle myself pretty well as long as I don't have to worry about anyone else getting hurt," Julian admitted.
"Don't ask me to promise to stay out of it if I ever see that you're in trouble," Rob said.
"I know I can count on you," Julian told him.
"And I feel the same way." They kissed briefly, but Danny was looking back anxiously so they went over to him.
Mr. Upton was there too, handing out chocolate covered mini apples to all the kids. The festival was winding down and they were all making plans to go home before meeting up again at Mrs. Del Rio's. Mr. Upton was about to leave for his own family Thanksgiving.
"My apologies about Pete. That's no way for one of my executives to behave," Mr. Upton said to Julian. "One of these days I might need to fill his position. I'd be happy to consider you for the job."
Julian wasn't tempted by his offer. "I'm grateful but..."
"You want to stay here, don't you?" Mr. Upton guessed before Julian could finish.
"I do," Julian said with a glance toward Rob and Danny next to a display of pies. Raquel was buying a stack of them to take home with her, and Stan and Yu were calling her "pie crazy". The three of them were getting ready to leave too, and the others were busy saying goodbye to them.
"I don't blame you," Mr. Upton said and smiled wistfully. "If I had moved to a place like this maybe I wouldn't be on my second heart attack now. I don't know how you fell in with such a spirited bunch, but they'll be good for you."
Some of the others came over to say goodbye to Mr. Upton too, but Rob stayed back with Danny and the other kids. Maybe because Thayer showed up at the same time, Danny didn't warm up to Mr. Upton at all.
About to part company with them, Mr. Upton told Julian. "It was a very enjoyable day, except for that one hiccup." His eyes lingered on Rob for a moment. "I think our tastes run along the same lines, my boy."
Julian didn't know what he was talking about.
"You don't see it?" Mr. Upton said. "Your young man there is like the male version of young Stella."
Now everyone was looking back and forth between Rob and Stella, who was a few steps away, busy on her phone. Julian didn't bother comparing them, but when Mr. Upton stepped away, Rico was there squinted in Rob's direction. "I knew there was a reason I didn't like him."
"You are both insane," Julian told him while they watched Mr. Upton say his goodbyes to Stella. He was trying to tempt Stella to go with him to his Thanksgiving dinner. He didn't win out, but it looked like they were exchanging phone numbers.
"I thought she was into young and studly," Rico said and patted his fiancé's chest.
"Money well turn anyone into a stud," Lara said with a shrug.
As they looked on, Stella sent off Mr. Upton with a wave and a dazzling smile. After Mr. Upton was gone, Rico was still eyeing Stella suspiciously.
"We're leaving. Don't start anything," Sam warned him and went to join Wyatt and the boys.
That didn't stop Rico. As Julian went with Lara to thank Stella for her help, Rico was right there. Julian was barely done when Rico stepped up to have his say.
