"Isn't it traditional to let relatives pay for the wedding?" Julian asked.
"It's Mitch. That's what he wants, and if it's important to him, then I'm all for it," Rico said and Julian could see how dedicated he was to making Mitch happy.
"I guess you won't be a terrible husband," Julian told him with a smile.
"Watch it or I'll think you like me or something," Rico claimed. "You'll make your boyfriend jealous."
"Do you ever let up?" Julian said.
"This is what you get for being uptight. But that can be a turn on too. Double check with Rob, see if he's into that." With that Rico went off.
As he got back to work, Julian wondered what Rob would think if he could hear the way Rico talked about him. The whole thing reminded Julian about his conversation with Rob last night. Thinking back to sitting with him on the stairs, Julian remembered how easy he was to talk to and be with. Just sitting with him, Julian wanted to listen to his deep, hushed voice and stay all night in his company.
***
Julian had work to do, but he didn't want Rob's help in the office. That left Rob free to do some decorating in Danny's room. They had fun, but Rob didn't like that Julian could do without him so easily.
By the time he went to bed that night, Rob was still worrying about that. Thoughts about having to leave wouldn't let him sleep. He gave up, got out of bed so he could go to that room down the hall and stare at the TV screen for a while.
Stepping into the hallway, Rob saw that the light was on like always. But before he even got there, Rob noticed the light was on inside the sitting room too. Stopping in the doorway, he saw Julian sitting on the sofa with his laptop on his knees and some files by his side and on the coffee table.
Though he was ready to leave him to it, Rob lingered too long. He was staring at Julian's handsome profile and he was spotted. Once Julian turned those pretty, brown eyes on him, he didn't even want to move.
"You can come in," Julian told him.
Rob still hesitated. "I was just going to watch some TV. I don't want to disturb you."
"I told you to use this room. I'm experimenting with leaving Danny alone, but I don't want to be too far in case he comes looking for me. This room is right across the hall. That's why I'm here. You won't bother me if you watch TV," Julian told him.
"If you're sure," Rob said and he went in. He wondered where he would sit when he saw that Julian was clearing space next to him on the sofa. Grabbing the remote, Rob took a seat, leaning into the corner so he wouldn't crowd him. From there he could see that Julian was working. "Is this something urgent? I can help, if you want," he offered.
Once again Julian refused his help. "That's OK. I was just working to keep busy."
"Is working what you do to unwind?" Rob asked.
"Kind of," Julian admitted.
In response, Rob hung his head and groaned. "OK. You're setting that aside and watching TV with me."
To his surprise, Julian agreed easily. "OK."
Julian put the laptop and the files on the coffee table while Rob flipped channels. He stopped when he came across a nature documentary.
"Is this for me?" Julian asked him.
"I had a hunch you might like something like this," Rob said.
The documentary was about the tundra, and after watching it a while Julian said. "It looks desolate and lonely. Wouldn't you rather watch something more cheerful?"
"So you can tell I need cheering up?" Rob asked.
"I didn't want to pry, but I did wonder why you couldn't sleep," Julian admitted turning sideways to face him. "You made it sound like it happened often."
"From time to time. That's when I need the TV for company," Rob told him.
"Not the internet?" Julian asked.
"TV is kind of traditional. After our mom died, my sister and I used to keep each other company when we couldn't sleep, which was a lot. We would watch TV together or just flip channels. Sometimes we did that straight until morning, not getting a wink of sleep. Back then my sister said that I had forgotten how to sleep, and I guess I never relearned it." Rob remembered how Christie came over to keep him company whenever he was up, and Rob did the same for her.
