Shield by Claire Boston

Author:Claire Boston [Boston, Claire]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Bantilly Publishing
Published: 2019-09-18T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Jamie’s hold on Elijah’s hand tightened as they entered the restaurant. The urge to drop it was strong, but Lincoln was right. None of his friends would care—not if they were true friends. And if it meant he could be close to Elijah to protect him, it was worth it. He’d worry about everyone else in the morning.

His pulse fluttered in panic as Elijah led him back to the table, hand in hand, both of them slightly damp from the rain. The waitress served the desserts and Jamie released Elijah’s hand in order to take his seat at the other end of the table. No one in the restaurant was looking at him.

“Where did you two go?” Jeremy asked as Jamie sat.

Jamie glanced at Elijah. “Ah, we had some things to discuss.”

“Wedding stuff?” Kim asked, digging into his crème brûlée.

His face warmed. “Not exactly.” At the other end of the table, Fleur’s father spoke to Will’s dad about fishing, and Elijah made Will laugh as he sat.

Adam glanced up the table at Will and lowered his voice hissing, “You guys didn’t get Will a stripper, did you?”

“No! We’re not that cruel.”

Jeremy frowned as Lincoln came back to the table. “Is something wrong? Lincoln was gone as well.”

Trust Jeremy to notice. He’d been super observant since his fiancée, Zamira had been kidnapped. “No.” At least nothing they could discuss here.

His three friends still waited for his answer. Shit. Just get the words out. “Well, see, the thing is… Elijah and I are kind of dating.” His voice trailed off as each of his friends’ eyes widened almost comically large.

Jeremy was the first to speak. “Didn’t you have a girlfriend in Perth?”

Jamie cringed but before he explained, Kim said, “Congrats.”

Jamie blinked. “You don’t sound surprised.”

Kim shrugged. “I overheard the musketeers mention you were bi back in high school when Mai had a sleepover. I had to look it up to understand what they meant. I couldn’t ask them, because I wasn’t supposed to be eavesdropping.”

Jamie chuckled. He could imagine Mai’s wrath if she’d known her younger brother had been listening in.

“So you’re the reason Elijah spent so long in the bathroom last weekend,” Adam said. “I knew he was primping for someone.” He smiled as if pleased to be proven right.

Jeremy was still frowning. “Did I crash your date the other night?” He winced.

Jamie laughed. “Kind of. We were working things out.”

“Sorry, mate. If I’d known I would have left you in peace.” He ate some of his chocolate mousse. “This is damned good.”

And just like that, the conversation switched to food. Jamie’s hand shook a little as he picked up his spoon and glanced up the table at Elijah. Elijah caught his gaze and grinned. He’d been right. None of their friends cared. A weight lifted from his chest.

He’d cleared the first hurdle.

But there would be more to come.

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