Author's note: Thank you all for the reactions to the previous chapter!
Hutchison12 - I'm glad you enjoyed so much the last chappie!
1moeannie - Ryan is in love :) and much wishing to make a grand gesture! As for Adrian... this new chappie is all about him! (Jared's conclusion will come a lil' bit later)
LASFSEA - Adrian will follow the advice... in his own way, as you will see right away!
BlowPopJ - Your feeling is just right!
Baladeer - thank you for liking my story!
Anon - I'm sad to hear that, but I don't think Jared would be the kind to move on quickly. He's hung up on his hurt, and while that's a flaw, I believe is in line with his character.
***
Chapter Twenty-Four - He Said ...
He rarely drove, and his car was used to catch dust in the parking lot, but he had to do it for this particular quest. Adrian stood, his mind a haze, his hands resting still on the wheel, a few yards away from Edward's house. He had rehearsed everything he wanted to say over and over, but his words became a mess the more he repeated them. Clasping the wheel tightly, he was about to get out of the car when the large gate to the mansion opened, and Edward's limousine passed through. By the looks of it, the owner of the house was on the backseat.
Without overthinking, Adrian ignited the engine. What was he supposed to do now? Follow him? It sounded stalkerish, but Adrian didn't care about nuances at this point. For the fourth night that week, he had caught almost no sleep. No matter how final Edward's words from their last meeting had sounded, he needed one last explanation and definitive answer. He could only hope that Edward would be honest and tell him the truth. All that talk with the boys had convinced him that it was the most important thing he had to try.
The limousine didn't hurry, whatever the destination was, and Adrian prayed silently that it wouldn't be some fancy club where only members could enter. To his relief, the car stopped in front of a restaurant, and Edward was helped out of the backseat by his driver, who ceremoniously held the door.
From one side, someone walked over to Edward, and Adrian froze. Even from that distance, it appeared that the newcomer was a young man, no, probably a teenager, dressed in an expensive suit. Little else could be said about his features. There seemed to be affection between Edward and him as they shook hands and kissed each other on the cheeks before walking inside together.
The wave of jealousy clouding his judgment for a moment took him completely by surprise. So, it hadn't taken Edward long to replace Adrian. Or, worse, he hadn't had to do that; that thought brought a pang to his chest that stopped his breathing for a moment. He was a complete moron. Adrian pursed his lips. Well, if that was the truth, at least, now, he knew where he stood.
He walked into the restaurant with a nonchalant gait that was nothing but an act. He approached the maître d' with a charming smile. "I'm with Mr. Hastings," he explained, after greeting the man.
The maître d' quirked a thin eyebrow and examined the log in front of him.
"If you could just point me to that table, that would be wonderful," Adrian said as he quickly scanned the floor. He noticed Edward and his companion at a table in a corner. "Ah, I see them. Thank you for your assistance."
The maître d' stood nonplussed for just one second, and then he hurried from behind his desk. "Mr. Hastings is down with just one other person. Would you please let me check with him, first, sir?" the man said politely, but firmly.
Adrian was already walking toward Edward. He could see him just fine, but he couldn't make of his companion anything else but the back of his head. The young man had blond hair, a bit on the rebellious side by how it was sticking everywhere, and Adrian thought, with petty satisfaction, that he didn't fit Edward's pretensions for a perfect presentation.
"Sir, sir?" The maître d' sounded alarmed now and sauntered after Adrian.
The ruckus didn't pass unnoticed, as a few people at the tables stopped their conversation to observe what was happening. Edward raised his eyes and met Adrian's. For a second, he appeared surprised, but then his face schooled itself into a neutral demeanor. He stood up from his chair and gestured for Adrian.
Was Edward secretly taking acting classes? No one could suspect what he was thinking. Adrian felt a small chill down his back; it could be that he had never really known Edward, and he was simply delusional in his misplaced affection.
"Mr. Hastings, is this gentleman with you?" the maître d' asked in a slightly annoyed tone.
"Yes. Apologies for not letting you know in advance. It simply slipped my mind."
The maître d' turned into a sycophant in an instant, murmuring apologies. "I will send another menu to your table right away."
"Thank you, Mr. Garmont," Edward said, inclining his head an inch. "Adrian, please have a seat."
It was fucking surreal. The plan wasn't to walk in and sit politely at the same table with Edward and his latest conquest, or whoever that young man was. Adrian pursed his lips hard, but Edward warned him with his eyes. He pulled the chair and sat, although his teeth were grinding at the moment.
Edward's companion was examining him with curious eyes. Adrian stole a glance at him. Fuck, he was young and pretty. His big blue eyes were like taken from a commercial, and Adrian had to keep himself from staring. He couldn't be older than eighteen, and even that was a bit of a stretch. Boy, Edward liked them young, he thought with spite.
"Well," Edward started, once the maître d' was out of earshot, "to what occasion do I owe the pleasure?"
"We still have things to talk about," Adrian said, staring down stubbornly. He was afraid he would feel tempted to strangle someone, preferably Edward, if he looked up.
"You could have called."
"And you could have turned down my calls."
They spoke in low voices, and Edward smiled a few times perfunctorily until the interest around them died down. Adrian wasn't that good an actor.
"All right. This is not the time, nor the place -" Edward started.
Adrian turned toward the teenager sitting at the table who took in everything with eyes big as saucers. "How about you go powder your nose or something, sugar?"
The blue eyes widened so much that it felt like they were bent on swallowing the young man's entire face. "Sugar?" He snickered and looked at Edward. "Who's this, Ed?"
"None of your business, plaything," Adrian said through his teeth.
"Plaything?" The youngster didn't appear offended, just surprised.
"Yeah," Adrian said, now too worked up. "Edward, I had no idea you like your lovers this young. Barely legal," he added, after throwing another condescending look in the direction of Edward's companion. "You could have told me this is how you roll."
Edward frowned. "Keep your voice down, Adrian. This is my cousin -"
Cousin?
"Is this Adrian?" The teenager was obviously excited. "O.M.G." He grabbed Adrian's arm and leaned over the table to have a good look at him. "He is so frigging sexy!"
"Christian, do I have to reprimand you, too?" Edward became a bit aggravated.
Christian's eyes moved between Edward and Adrian, and then he nodded thoughtfully. "You two have matching dark circles."
Adrian looked at Edward. His aristocratic face was drawn, and he appeared tired, which was unlike him. Tough day at work? What could make Edward, who always seemed sharp no matter the moment of the day, look like that? He was still elegant, his hair was still brushed to perfection, but his eyes were dull.
"Your cousin? This is your cousin?" Adrian asked.
"Edward is my fifth cousin, once removed," Christian explained, although the question hadn't been directed at him.
Adrian didn't know what to say for a moment. Some of his righteous anger was gone, and he needed to regroup his thoughts. Somewhat intrigued, he turned toward Christian. "How do you know about me?" he asked directly.
Christian seemed to have barely waited to be asked that. "Are you kidding me? Ed told me all about you! And boy, you do live up to expectations. How was the test?"
