Chapter Text
Norway had made it to the quarterfinals after a twenty-eight-year hiatus from the World Cup. Erling couldn’t have been prouder of himself and his team.
They lost to England, an opponent that had arrived in spectacular form. Even so, they put up a fight until the very end.
Many believed he would be devastated. That he would cry. That he would shut himself away for weeks.
That wasn’t the case.
The match ended, he fulfilled his obligations to the press, and, officially, he was on vacation.
Weeks of travel, parties, and any excuse to stay away from home followed.
He returned to Norway as his birthday approached.
After so many days of euphoria, all he wanted was to rest. To find a little warmth, peace, and routine with his family.
Unfortunately, he found none of that.
The news itself didn’t shake Erling’s world—needless to say, he’d been expecting it.
Sooner or later, Isabel would find someone capable of giving her what he could never offer… stability.
His family’s reaction was the real problem.
Isabel had sent the invitation to her parents so they could give it to him when he was home, knowing that after the World Cup he would return to that little corner of Norway for comfort.
Handing him the invitation in person wasn’t an option—perhaps because she wanted to let him enjoy his vacation. Perhaps, even though they were still friends, it felt awkward to tell your ex-boyfriend that you were getting married.
The reason didn’t matter.
After settling into her old room, the whole family gathered for dinner.
Everything was going well. Erling shared anecdotes about the World Cup, his sister gave an update on her life, and his father didn’t miss a chance to tease his two children.
And then that look of pity appeared on her mother’s face.
They handed him the invitation as if they were handling an explosive device.
The invitation was brazen in assuming that Erling would bring a date. His parents had their own invitation, as did his sister and her husband.
The next three days were a nightmare.
His mother tried to set him up with female neighbors who had been her friends in childhood.
His father kept making thoughtless comments about how there was still time to win Isabel back.
And his sister took every opportunity to mock him.
By the fourth day, he’d had enough.
His pride was starting to take a hit, and he hadn’t even confirmed his attendance yet.
The wedding was just around the corner. The invitations had probably been sent out weeks ago, but Isabel knew he’d been focused on the World Cup.
Isabel had always been that considerate.
They were having breakfast when everything blew up.
“You can still take Ingrid,” his mother said as she poured him coffee. “She’s always liked you.”
“Mom, Ingrid is married.”
“Well, Astrid just broke up with her boyfriend.”
“I’m not taking Astrid.”
“Erl can go alone, Mom,” said his sister, chewing on a piece of toast. “Although it would be pretty depressing.”
“Thanks for your support.”
“I’m just saying people are going to make assumptions.”
“What kind of assumptions?”
“That you’re still in love with Isabel.”
“I’m not still in love with Isabel.”
“Then take a date with you,” his father chimed in. “Or better yet, tell her she made a mistake and win her back.”
Four days of hearing exactly the same conversation.
He slammed his cutlery down on the table.
“Will you guys cut it out already?”
Silence fell immediately.
“I don’t need you to set me up on a date. I don’t need to win Isabel back. And I’m not going to show up just because I’m not single.”
His mother blinked.
“What?”
The words had slipped out before he could stop them.
“I have a partner.”
The silence grew even heavier.
His sister was the first to react.
“You have what?”
“A partner.”
“Since when?” his father asked.
“A few months ago.”
“And you hadn’t told us anything?” his mother said.
“I wanted to keep it private; it’s a complicated situation.”
The lie was growing at an alarming rate.
“So who is it?” his sister asked immediately.
Erling opened his mouth, then closed it again.
His mind went completely blank.
He needed a name.
Any name.
Someone his parents knew.
Someone who could play along.
Someone who wouldn’t kill him when they found out.
“Jude.”
All three pairs of eyes were fixed on him.
It was too late to back down.
“Jude?” his mother repeated.
“Jude Bellingham.”
The silence was absolute.
“Your Jude?” his sister asked.
“I didn’t know you had another Jude.”
“Are you dating Jude Bellingham? Are you gay?” his father said, incredulous.
Erling realized he’d just ruined his life.
“Bisexual.”
“Erling.”
“Yes.”
“The same Jude from Borussia.”
“Yes.”
“The same Jude who’s coming for Christmas.”
Erling closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
His sister burst out laughing.
Judy B
Erling: Do you have anything planned for next week?
Judy: No, I’m still on vacation
Judy: Why?
Erling: I said we’d go to Isabel’s wedding together.
Erling: I already bought the plane tickets and RSVP’d.
Judy: ???
Erling: Oh.
Erling: I also said we were dating.
Judy: ?!?!?!?!
Erling: The wedding will be in Hawaii.
Erling: Think of it as a free vacation.
Judy: Erling, ANSWER MY CALL!
Erling: Give me a sec, my parents are grilling me about our relationship.
His parents asked questions, and he dodged as many as he could with the same skill he used to dodge questions from any reporter.
Finally, he managed to wriggle out of the interrogation and leave the house to answer Jude’s call. He knew another ordeal awaited him when he saw 15 missed calls.
After answering and calming a hysterical Jude, he managed to explain the situation. He told her how social pressure had cornered him until he had to lie.
“You know I have no problem going with you. But you could have just said I was coming as what I am—your best friend! It’s still a bummer, but not as bad as going alone.”
Erling, who was now in a garden, sitting on a swing that was too small to be comfortable, listened as his friend scolded him.
“Besides, you know I’m terrible at lying.”
“I know, I’m sorry…”
Jude was right; this whole thing was silly, an unnecessary problem. Erling heard a sigh on the other end of the line.
“I’ll do it, but you’re paying for everything—that’s your punishment for lying.”
“I already said that.”
“Okay, so what’s the plan?”
The days following his lie were the most peaceful—and at the same time, the most nerve-wracking.
His birthday came, and his parents asked him if Jude would be coming to Norway to celebrate. Erling decided to give a partial truth: Jude had disappeared from the public eye and was somewhere in England with his family, and they would arrive at the hotel a few days before the wedding to celebrate just the two of them.
During those days, he was also in touch with Jude to let him know what he was saying about their relationship. Now that he had Jude’s approval, Erling began answering more of his parents’ questions—sometimes with lies made up on the spot, and other times with lies planned out with Jude.
The Englishman seemed to be taking it all in stride, which put Erling at ease; after all, this was just a silly little thing that could end once they returned to normal life—each back on their own team and in their respective cities. When his parents were miles away and couldn’t really interfere in his life anymore.
Judy B
Judy: I’ve landed
Judy: I’m looking for our gate
Judy: There’s a Starbucks nearby
Judy: I’ll wait for you here
Judy: Everything okay?
Erling: Sorry, we just landed
Erling: omw, some kids just recognized me
Erling managed to continue on his way after taking a few photos with the kids. He’d agreed to meet Jude at that airport to take the last leg of the trip together and make it to Hawaii. He walked through the hallways until he found the Starbucks Jude had mentioned.
He found him sitting on a couch, scrolling through his phone. He was wearing a baggy gray hoodie that matched his sweatpants. He looked comfortable.
When he looked up, he quickly made eye contact with Erling. Without further delay, he walked over to say hello.
“I thought you’d been kidnapped.”
“I didn’t fit in the bag.”
Jude smiled and pointed to the cup resting on the table in front of him.
“I got you some coffee.”
Erling picked up the cup and read the label. It was the one he always ordered.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t thank me—it’s just to make up a little for the free vacation.”
Erling chuckled softly before sitting down across from him.
For a moment, everything felt strangely normal.
Like when they used to run into each other in Dortmund and spend hours together doing nothing important.
Jude set his cell phone down on the table.
“Well, boyfriend. Give me the updates.”
Erling rolled his eyes at the nickname.
“My parents will arrive a day before the wedding.”
“A day before?”
“Yeah.”
“And the wedding is in three days?”
“Yeah.”
“Perfect. We have two days to get used to each other.”
Jude finished the sentence with an attempt at a flirty wink. Erling found it incredible that he didn’t even know how to wink properly and yet still had an effect on anyone.
“You talk as if this were a school project.”
He replied, ignoring her thoughts.
“You got me into this; I’m just trying to enjoy the experience.”
“That’s not funny.”
“It is a little.”
Erling shook his head before taking a sip of coffee.
“There’s something else.”
“That’s never a good sign.”
“I didn’t tell Isabel who was coming with me.”
Jude blinked.
“What do you mean, you didn’t tell her?”
“She didn’t ask.”
“And you didn’t tell her either?”
“I didn’t think it was important.”
“Erling.”
“What?”
“Your ex-girlfriend is going to find out at her own wedding that you’ve been dating me for months—that you’re gay.”
“Bisexual. She knows that… she just obviously doesn’t know about you.”
Jude stared at him for a few seconds.
“I could make a scene right here about how all this had to happen for you to tell me you’re bisexual.”
“It’s not relevant information.”
“It is to me.”
Jude looked annoyed, but true to his word, he decided to respect Erling’s implicit wish to treat the subject with indifference.
Shortly afterward, they announced boarding.
They walked to the boarding gate amid small talk and jokes that only the two of them understood.
During the flight and layovers, they didn’t have to try too hard either.
They used the time in the air to rest. The silences between them were never awkward; conversation arose organically at times, as did soft laughter at jokes only they understood.
Upon landing at the airport on those paradise islands, the first thing Erling felt was heat. His face crumpled in annoyance, and inevitably his pink skin turned red. Regretting not having a hair tie on hand—since it would have gotten in the way of resting on the plane—he kept his hair tied back.
“Do you want a hair tie? You look like a tomato.”
“Do you have a hair tie?”
“You left one at my place last time.”
Jude’s shoulders shrugged indifferently.
“That would really help me out.”
Jude pulled a fluorescent green hair tie out of his pants pocket.
“It doesn’t match, but it’ll do.”
Erling smiled at the implication. Jude knew he liked to match his garters to his clothes. And even though he wasn’t wearing anything green, he was very grateful.
Erling began to feel that the lie might just work out well.
Jude knew him.
He really knew him.
He knew his favorite flavor of coffee, his mannerisms, his quirks, the way he acted when he was tired and when he was in a good mood.
They could spend hours together without feeling awkward. Argue and make up ten minutes later. If someone were watching them from the outside, they’d probably understand why the story seemed so believable.
They’d just have to add a few details, a little affection, ridiculously cheesy nickname. Maybe holding hands every now and then.
Nothing complicated, nothing they couldn’t handle.
What could go wrong?
𓇼
From the moment they walked through the main entrance, it was clear why Isabel had chosen this place. The lobby was spacious and bright, with enormous arches that allowed the golden light of the sunset to flood the space.
Beyond the lobby, the landscape was vibrant with color. Palm trees swayed in the breeze, stone paths winding through manicured gardens. From almost anywhere on the grounds, you could see the ocean stretching out, its turquoise waters glistening in the sun. A few private villas were tucked away among the foliage, giving the place an intimate feel.
The staff welcomed them with discreet efficiency. The check-in process was quick, with no endless lines or prying eyes. In fact, the hotel seemed designed precisely to avoid that sort of situation.
They took an elevator that opened onto wide corridors decorated with artwork inspired by the local culture.
They were so absorbed in taking in the surroundings that they barely spoke on the way to their room. Upon entering, it was Jude who broke the silence; he was also the first to notice a small detail.
“Aren’t you going to invite me to dinner first?”
Erling didn’t understand Jude’s comment until he noticed the detail as well.
“There’s only one bed.”
“You’re telling me, big guy.”
As part of a wedding package, rooms were assigned to guests according to the wedding planner’s instructions and guest list.
“You sure know how to win over a guy.”
“If you keep talking, you’ll be sleeping on the balcony.”
Jude looked at the large window that flooded the room with light and offered a perfect view of the sea.
“With that view? That doesn’t sound like much of a threat.”
Jude stepped out onto the balcony and took in the scenery just a few meters away.
Erling just rolled his eyes at the comment and let it slide.
It didn’t take them long to unpack their belongings in the room, after a brief discussion about who would be on the side of the window and who would be on the side of the closet. In the end, Jude got his way and ended up on the closet side.
Isabel
Isabel: Heyyyy
Isabel: Did you guys get here yet?
Erling: Hi
Erling: Yeah, we’re in our room setting everything up
Erling: You picked a really nice place
Isabel: Thanks so much 😉
Isabel: Do you guys want to go grab a bite to eat?
Erling: You’re dying to know who I came with, aren’t you??
Isabel: A little bit, yeah 🙃
Erling: Let me ask and I’ll let you know
“Are you hungry?” Erling asked as he picked out clothes to go out in—something more comfortable for the island’s heat.
“Yeah, we should go grab a bite to eat and then check out the pools.”
“Isabel texted me; she said she’s here too. Do you want to go eat with her?”
Jude paused for a moment and seemed to consider the offer.
“All right, we might as well get this over with.”
“Okay, I’ll tell her to meet us at the buffet.”
Jude grabbed his clothes to take off his hoodie and sweatpants, and crossed the room to the bathroom, passing by Erling—but not before planting a kiss on his cheek accompanied by an awkward wink.
Erling thought Jude might be a method actor.
𓇼
Erling and Isabel started dating when they were eighteen, after several years of friendship.
His parents and Gabrielle adored her. Isabel was there for every important milestone in the launch of his career, accompanying him to games and celebrating each new achievement with him as he pursued his dream of becoming a professional football player.
But as Erling’s career took off, so did the distance between them.
Travel became more frequent. Schedules grew more chaotic. Each began to build a life that, little by little, was moving in a different direction.
Then the arguments began. At first they were minor, but over time they became increasingly difficult to resolve. After so many years of being accustomed to each other’s constant presence, they found themselves trapped in a strange limbo. They weren’t really together, but they didn’t know how to break up either.
And it was precisely during that period that the distance helped them remember that before they were a couple, they had been friends. The pressure disappeared. Their conversations felt natural again. There were no longer any expectations or recriminations, just the affection they’d always had for each other.
Perhaps that’s why the final decision turned out to be less painful than anyone could have imagined. They loved each other too much to keep forcing a relationship that no longer worked. So they went their separate ways. Two friends who understood that it was time to move on with their lives down different paths.
Jude had joined Borussia a year before all that chaos; he knew how difficult that period had been in Erling’s life, and in a way, he felt the same affection for Isabel because of how things had turned out.
When Isabel met her now-fiancé, Erling was having a great season with Manchester City, and he could only be happy that Isabel was rebuilding that part of her life, after years of focusing on her personal projects, which were now bearing wonderful fruit.
Before arriving at the buffet, Erling thought about how ridiculous the situation was. He was about to have lunch with his ex, his ex’s fiancé, accompanied by his best friend, who was pretending to be his boyfriend so he wouldn’t feel so pathetic.
“Jude.”
Jude turned to look at him when he heard his name. This time, Erling took the initiative, taking Jude’s hand and letting their fingers intertwine. This felt very different from what they were used to, but it felt good. Jude’s calloused fingers, his slender hand—though larger than average—still weren’t quite big enough to fully encircle Erling’s.
Jude stared at their joined hands with an indecipherable expression.
“Does it bother you?”
Erling ask.
“No.”
The answer came quickly.
“We have to be convincing.” Jude added.
“All right, let’s go.”
Isabel was the first to spot them.
She was saying something when her gaze shifted toward the restaurant entrance. If Erling weren’t nervous, he’d laugh at Isabel and her poorly concealed astonishment. Marco, Isabel’s fiancé, followed her gaze and raised an eyebrow.
“Was it too late to turn back?”
Jude, of course, seemed to be enjoying himself.
“Smile.” He murmured as he gently squeezed his hand.
“We’re supposed to be in love.”
“Shut up.”
They walked to the table, and Isabel watched them approach without taking her eyes off their intertwined hands. Then she looked up at Jude, then at Erling, and finally back at their hands.
“Wow.” Isabel said.
“Hi, Isabel.” Erling greeted her.
Marco stood up to shake her hand before greeting Jude just as naturally.
Everything seemed surprisingly normal, except for Isabel. She kept looking at them as if she were solving a puzzle.
“What?” Erling asked.
“Nothing… I just didn’t expect to find out this way.”
“This way?”
Her gaze dropped once more to their clasped hands.
Jude looked down as well. “Holding hands?”
“A few days before my wedding.”
“I’m sorry.” Erling apologized.
Isabel shook her head. “No, you don’t have to apologize. I think I’m just really surprised that it actually happened.”
Erling blinked.
Jude cleared his throat.
“Can we sit down?”
Isabel laughed.
“Of course, you must be hungry—sorry.”
It was the same laugh Erling had heard for years—the laugh of a good friend.
The conversation was temporarily put on hold when it was time to serve themselves. The buffet took up practically an entire wall of the restaurant.
“Is that all you’re going to take?”
Jude looked at his plate and at Erling’s, which was overflowing with food.
Instead of getting an answer, Jude went back through each station and piled his plate with twice as much food as he already had.
Erling knew how competitive Jude could get, and when he pushed the right buttons, it was something he enjoyed watching.
“I can eat twice as much as you.”
“Want to bet?”
“Always.”
Once they were back at the table, Jude asked about the marriage proposal, since he hadn’t seen anything on social media.
Isabel’s face lit up, and she began chatting about her trip to Italy and how surprised she was when Marco got down on one knee.
The conversation turned to the wedding preparations, family members who had already begun to arrive, and some last-minute setbacks that, according to Isabel, had nearly driven her crazy over the past few weeks. Marco joined in the conversation as well, but for the most part he let her lead the discussion.
During a pause, Jude let out a sigh.
“I’m full.”
Erling set down his cutlery and leaned toward Jude with a smug look on his face.
“I won—I’m going to get my dessert.”
Isabel shook her head as she sipped her mimosa.
Marco chuckled.
When Erling returned, Isabel got straight to the point.
“So… Erling, Jude, when did all this happen?”
Jude was the first to answer, giving an exact date; Erling added to the answer by explaining how things had unfolded. Their responses had been coordinated via text—realistic ideas about something they would do.
They based their story on a get-together they’d had a month before the World Cup to celebrate that both had been selected—up to that point, it was true. The made-up part was that, after a few drinks, they both got sentimental and ended up waking up in the same bed.
Isabel teased them both, saying it was very much like them. Marco asked about the World Cup—what it had been like for them to compete with their relationship in the mix. Erling answered honestly, as did Jude, since in the end, the bond they truly shared was strong, and it only helped fan the flames of their competitiveness.
From there, the conversation turned to the World Cup in general. They shared opinions and anecdotes about how each of them had experienced it. At some point during the conversation, they decided to leave the restaurant and head to one of the hotel’s pools. They found an empty one, surrounded by palm trees and flowering shrubs. They left their belongings on the lounge chairs around the pool and stepped in to feel the water warmed by the sun.
As Jude took off his shirt, Erling couldn’t help but glance over; part of him rejoiced at having such an attractive fake boyfriend.
The conversation continued as if it hadn’t been interrupted. Jude kept up the conversation with Isabel, floating a few centimeters away from Erling and Marco, who were talking about something else.
Erling was engrossed in the conversation when Jude approached him to set his glass down at the edge of the pool, and out of habit—in response to their closeness—Erling wrapped his arm around Jude’s waist, caressing his bare skin beneath the water. Isabel’s smile at the gesture made Erling tense up slightly. Jude must have sensed it, because he immediately pressed his body closer to Erling’s to let him know he was fine with it.
From then on, Jude decided to have his way, kissing Erling’s cheek every now and then, or leaning his back against Erling’s chest. Erling responded with equal intensity to each of his caresses.
It felt so natural that, even at the end of the day, they were both still seeking each other’s touch without realizing it.
While Erling called room service, Jude leaned against his shoulder to listen to the conversation.
Later, as they ate dinner while watching a movie, their thighs remained in contact on the mattress. Even when they ran into each other at the sink while brushing their teeth, Erling simply placed a hand on Jude’s waist to nudge him a few centimeters to the side and make room for himself. Neither of them seemed to think much of it.
But as soon as it was time to go to bed in the only bed in the room, the situation changed. Suddenly, all that closeness that had seemed so natural during the day became impossible to ignore. An uncomfortable tension settled between them. They both settled in at opposite ends of the mattress.
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
The words faded against the walls as the two lay with their backs turned, facing opposite sides of the room.
It took Erling much longer than usual to fall asleep. And as he stared into the darkness of the room, a single question kept running through his mind.
What the hell was he doing?
𓇼
The next morning, Erling woke up to an empty bed. Jude came out of the bathroom ready for the day, a calm smile on his face.
Erling decided to play dumb, perfectly ignoring the tension from the night before. And if Jude felt it too, he did a good job of ignoring it.
“Shall we have breakfast alone?” Jude asked as they stepped into the elevator.
“Yes, today. My parents are arriving this afternoon, around the same time we arrived yesterday.”
“Will we eat with them?”
“I think so.”
Jude nodded, stepping out of the elevator and walking calmly toward the garden.
“You don’t seem nervous.” Erling remarked, following the stone path where Jude was walking.
“Why would I be? Your parents adore me.”
“They’re your in-laws now.”
“It makes no difference; I’ve always gone out of my way to win them over.”
Erling scoffed at the comment, but before entering the restaurant, he stopped.
“What does that mean?”
Jude shrugged.
“Nothing. Come on, I want to get some pancakes.”
They entered the restaurant and served themselves breakfast without much ceremony.
The conversation quickly drifted to harmless topics like the start of the preseason and the immense exposure the World Cup had brought them.
After breakfast, neither of them seemed to have any concrete plans.
The hotel was still slowly waking up. Some guests were in the pool, others were strolling through the gardens or seeking shade under the palm trees.
“We have a few hours before my parents arrive,”
Erling remarked.
“What if we do something radical?”
Erling looked at him suspiciously.
“Like what?”
“Do absolutely nothing.”
“What a revolutionary suggestion.”
“I know—it’s the only thing I’ve wanted to do since my vacation started.”
They ended up wandering aimlessly along the hotel paths until they found a quiet spot by the beach. The Balinese beds were almost empty at that hour, and Jude chose one and flopped down on it with a satisfied sigh.
“Perfect.”
“You’re an incredibly lazy person.”
“I have plans—come on.” He patted the spot next to him, and Erling gave in to the suggestion, sitting down beside him and gazing out at the sea.
Jude sat up straight, grabbed the backpack he’d been carrying from the room, and pulled out a deck of cards. Erling knew those worn-out cards very well.
“Is that your plan?”
“Yeah, it’s for your own good. Maybe if we keep playing, someday you’ll beat me.”
“I’ve beaten you before.”
“Of the few times that’s happened, I wasn’t in my right mind.”
Erling finally gave in. He would never let Jude win on purpose, but he couldn’t deny that his favorite part was seeing Jude get excited when he was about to beat his opponent. He was like an open book—so easy to read.
Jude was about to shout “one” when a voice interrupted them. It was a couple of teenage girls who had recognized them.
The girls asked to take a photo with the two of them, without asking what they were doing there—just the two of them. They simply congratulated them on their respective achievements at the World Cup and gave each of them a small pink flower.
When the girls left, they both returned to their seats. Erling placed the flower next to his cell phone, while Jude tucked it behind his ear.
“Stay like that.”
Jude looked at him, confused, watching as Erling picked up his cell phone and pointed it at him.
“Are you going to take a picture of me?”
Erling nodded. In the first two photos, Jude looked confused, but the next ones turned out well. Jude didn’t have to try very hard to look good on camera; his face was symmetrical, with high cheekbones and a sharp jawline.
Erling opened his photo gallery to look at the pictures. When he saw them, he smiled—even the ones where Jude looked confused turned out well.
“You should post them.” He said as he showed him the photos. “You look cute.”
Jude snorted. “Did you just call me cute? Me? A grown man.”
“I stand by it.”
Jude smiled to himself, shaking his head, he looked embarrassed—in a good way.
Erling took advantage of the moment and placed a card on the table.
“One—and you didn’t say ‘one,’ so you have to take two.”
“Cheater!”
Even so, he took the corresponding cards while Erling celebrated his victory with a satisfied smile.
“I’ve never met anyone so competitive.”
“We’re professional football players; I doubt that’s true.”
“I’m aware of that, but still, no one can beat you.”
Jude shot him an accusing glance before settling more comfortably on the cot.
They decided—Jude decided—to start another game. Amid empty threats, accusations of foul play, and rules made up on the fly, time flew by. At some point, Jude picked up his cell phone again to take a closer look at the photos Erling had sent him.
“This one’s awful.”
“That’s my favorite.”
“I look weird.”
“You are.”
Jude rolled his eyes, and Erling burst out laughing.
Jude slumped back against the headrest of the cot.
For a few seconds, neither of them said anything. The breeze gently rustled the nearby palm trees, and the distant murmur of the pool reached them in a muffled way. Finally, they put the deck of cards aside and spent some time chatting. At some point, a waiter approached to offer them something to drink. And then, fell silent again.
The breeze was pleasant, and the sun was starting to feel warmer on their skin.
“Maybe I am a little nervous.”
Erling looked up from the sea. “What?”
“I don’t like the idea of lying to your parents.”
Erling snorted. “Now you’re worried about that.”
“I was worried about it before.”
“It didn’t seem like it.”
“Because you were panicking enough for both of us.”
That made him smile.
The waiter returned with the drinks, and they both thanked him before being left alone again.
Jude twirled the glass between his hands.
“What’s going to happen when this vacation ends?”
“I’ll wait a few months for us to get back into our routine, and once enough time has passed, I’ll tell them we’ve broken up.”
“How thoughtful of you, Erling.”
Erling watched his friend’s profile. That comment was cutting—it even sounded sad.
“They don’t have to know it was a lie, so don’t let moral guilt weigh you down.”
“Okay.” Jude took a sip of his drink and looked out toward the beach.
Erling frowned slightly.
There was something odd about this whole conversation; up until now, Jude didn’t seem to have had any trouble lying. Of course, his parents loved him dearly, and it surely weighed on him to lie to them, just as it did for Erling. But Erling felt there was something more.
Before he could dwell on it too much, Jude looked at him again.
“Don’t make that face.” Said Jude, returning to his usual tone.
“What face?”
“The one where you’re overthinking things.”
“I’m not overthinking things.”
“Of course you are.”
And, once again, the conversation carried on as if nothing had happened.
Gabri
Gabri: We’ve landed, little brother
Gabri: I regret bringing long sleeves
Gabri: The heat is awful
Erling: You’ll get used to it
Erling: Should we wait for you guys for lunch?
Gabri: Mom says yes
Erling: 👍
Jude craned his neck to read the screen, squinting against the sunlight. “Are they here yet?”
“Yeah, I want to take another shower—I feel like I sweated a lot.”
“Me too.”
They both started gathering their things. The calm of the morning quickly vanished amid hurried showers, clothes tossed on the bed, and a minor argument about how long each of them was taking to get ready.
When they finally made it to the lobby, Erling’s family was already waiting for them.
His mother was the first to stand up, and the first to hug Jude.
“Finally!”
“Hello, Mrs. Braut.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell us anything.”
Jude shot a quick glance at Erling.
“It was a team decision.”
“A terrible team decision” Gabrielle declared.
Gabrielle’s husband chuckled as he shook Jude’s hand.
The greetings continued for several minutes, amid hugs and reproaches for keeping the supposed relationship a secret. If Jude was nervous, he didn’t show it, he moved among them with the same ease as on his previous visits.
After waiting for the bellhops to take the Haaland family’s luggage to their rooms, they headed to one of the hotel’s restaurants. The meal went smoothly, with everyone at opposite ends of the table discussing different topics and enjoying the restaurant’s extensive menu. It didn’t take long for Erling’s mother to monopolize some of Jude’s attention. Then Gabrielle, and finally his father as well, who didn’t miss an opportunity to include him in every discussion that came up.
Erling noticed the way Jude responded to everyone with the same ease, he joked around with Gabrielle, listened patiently to his mother’s stories, and laughed at his father’s sometimes reckless comments. Jude was a magnetic person; he captured your attention, and it was hard to look away.
Erling didn’t want to be left out; he wanted a piece of Jude for himself, too. So, not wanting to interrupt the conversation the dark-haired man was having with his mother, he decided to place his hand on Jude’s thigh. Jude made it clear that the gesture hadn’t gone unnoticed by placing his hand over Erling’s. It all seemed too easy.
Erling felt a strange warmth in his chest. It was nice to see them like this, to feel his family accepting him without reservation, and to know that Jude fit in there perfectly.
A thought popped into his head before he could stop it, and idea as sudden as it was alarming. Erling looked down at their clasped hands. It didn’t matter how well things were going, how much his family seemed to enjoy Jude’s presence, or how warm Jude’s thigh felt beneath his palm.
All of that had an expiration date, it was a lie—one that would end as soon as the wedding was over. When he looked up and found Jude watching him with concern, Erling understood why that thought was so dangerous.
They spent the rest of the day exploring the hotel.
It was big enough to feel like a small town. Every time they thought they’d seen it all, they’d find a new path, another terrace, or a different pool hidden among the gardens.
Gabrielle insisted on taking pictures at practically every pretty spot they came across.
They ended up relaxing by one of the infinity pools overlooking the ocean, the conversations drifted aimlessly back and forth. Erling let that thought slip away, completely enveloped by the sense of familiarity offered by the people around him and the hotel’s relaxed atmosphere.
When fatigue began to set in, they returned to the main building to call it a day. It wasn’t worth staying up late when the wedding would demand so much of them the next day. The group split up in the elevators, making plans to have breakfast together the next day.
Soon Erling and Jude were walking alone down the hallway on their floor, still holding hands just as they had when they said goodbye to their family.
The hotel was quieter at that hour.
“Your mom has way too many photos of you as a kid.”
“And now you do, too. You can delete them—it’s not necessary…”
Jude interrupted. “Actually, I’m planning to frame them.”
“I should have thought this through better. You and my mom are a very dangerous duo.”
“I told you, your parents adore me.”
Erling smiled as he let go of Jude’s hand and pulled his access card out of his pocket.
The day had gone by so fast it almost seemed impossible.
When the door to the room opened in front of them and they were alone again, far from the laughter and family conversations.
“I’ll go take a shower first.” Jude walked over to Erling and gave him another one of those kisses on the cheek that no longer surprised him. “I enjoyed today—being with you and your family. Plus, the hotel is really nice.”
“I’m glad you’re enjoying all of this.”
Jude stopped in front of the bathroom, with the same look he’d given him when he mentioned what he’d do after the wedding. He looked disappointed. But once again, the expression vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
“Yeah, I’m even considering retiring from football and becoming a sugar baby.” He gave him a fake smile before stepping into the bathroom and closing the door behind him.