"Because she thinks I'm g*y so won't be attracted," he pointed out grimly.
"Now, Christian, your being g*y won't affect her attraction to you," Marguerite said soothingly.
"I'm not gay," he bellowed, scowling at his father when he released another guffaw.
"No, of course not, dear. She'll just think you are," his mother agreed.
"But I'm not!" he roared. "And how the hell am I supposed to get close to her when she thinks I am?"
"Christian," Marguerite began with concern.
"Allow me, cara." Julius took Christian's arm and urged him away from the rest of the group. It did little good since they all immediately crowded forward behind them, but Julius ignored that and put his arm around Christian as he said, "Stop thinking about the g*y bit, and think about her being your beard. That's a pretend girlfriend, right?"
He frowned but nodded.
"So, you'll get to spend time with her, take her out for dinner, talk, get to know each other, and"-Julius added firmly-"
you'll get to hold her hand, put your arm around her, dance with her, and so on, like a boyfriend does. It will be expected. At least in public, right?"
Christian nodded slowly, considering this.
"We can even make sure she lets you kiss her," Julius added.
"How are we going to do that?" Marguerite asked with interest.
Christian scowled. "I don't want you taking control of her and-"
"That's the beauty of it," Julius interrupted. "We won't have to control her to get her to do anything. All I have to do is say something like, you two never kiss or anything, I don't believe you're dating, and you'll be obliged to kiss her and she'll let you to uphold her position as beard."
"Oh, Julius, you are clever," Marguerite praised.
"But if she thinks I'm gay, she'll hardly be attracted to me and want me kissing her," Christian said unhappily.
"Her thinking you're g*y isn't going to affect her attraction to you," his father said firmly. "Nothing can affect that. The nanos somehow control that. She'll want you no matter what she thinks you are. All this g*y and beard business does is make it so she just won't be afraid that you're attracted back. So she won't fear having to deal with, or face up to, an attraction she feels is inappropriate.
She'll have no reason to run. You'll be free to woo her."
Christian could see how that could be helpful. It was certainly better than having her avoid him and not getting to spend time with her at all. Still... "All right, but what happens then?"
"What happens when?" Julius asked uncertainly.
"Well, once I have her liking me and get her to know me, how do I then roll it over from I'm g*y to I'm not?" he asked dryly.
"Oh." Julius removed his arm with a shrug. "I have no idea."
"I'm sure natures will takes it course, dear," Marguerite said at once. "The important thing is that this allows you to at least begin the wooing process."
Christian sighed and nodded wearily.
"It's not my clothes," Zanipolo said with certainty.
"My clothes are no different from what you guys wear."
"Now," Marguerite murmured, ignoring Zanipolo's mutterings. "I told the girls we were going to see if you guys were up for joining us. Are you?"
When Christian hesitated, unsure if he was ready-or even knew how-to play a g*y man, Marguerite added, "If so, you can ask her to go for a walk, tell her Gia told you she agreed to be your beard and you appreciate it and then kick it off. Ask her to dinner tomorrow night, maybe."
Christian hesitated. "I don't have to talk in a higher octave or start walking or behaving effeminately, do I?"