“We’re not forgetting anything, right?” Caleb wished he knew. “When I said we’re starting from scratch, I meant it. Our, uh, our friend’s apartment burned down, and he lost everything except what he had on him at the time.”
“I can’t think of a single other thing your friend might need,” the associate replied. He pushed his lips to the side in thought, dug through the basket in Caleb’s arms, then shook his head. “It’s all in there. If your friend needs anything else, it’ll boil down to a matter of personal preference, but really, I think he should be delighted. I know that if someone got me a basket like this—” the associate locked eyes with Caleb and flashed him a saucy smile, “—they wouldn’tjustbe my friend for much longer.”
Everett elbowed Caleb in the ribs, then took him by the arm and looked the associate head-on. In a normal, entirely serious tone of voice, Everett said, “That’s perfect, because we’re also looking into making him our financial adviser, and we were hoping that this might do the trick to bring our friendship to the next level. If you don’t mind me asking, what additional services do you offer? We don’t go around courting young men often, but with the right incentive, it’s not entirely off the table.”
The associate looked at Everett like Everett’s skin had peeled back to reveal he was nothing more than a meat puppet piloted by three especially grotesque alien children.
Caleb wasn’t fazed—he’d played this game with Everett before. No one beat Caleb at King of Bullshit Mountain. Everett could try, but he would fail, and Caleb, rightful king of bullshit kingdom, would keep his crown another day.
“Don’t bother him, Everett.” Caleb kissed Everett’s cheek, playing up their relationship. The associate’s mind melted. He looked at the basket, then at Caleb, and gaped. “If we end up convincing Nigel to be our financial adviser, the first thing he’s going to tell us is that we shouldn’t be out shopping to upgrade friendships we haven’t even made yet. We need dependability before we commit to anyone—you know that.”
“You’re right.” Everett awarded the associate an apologetic smile. “I get a little ahead of myself sometimes. If I didn’t have Hornet over here to keep me grounded, I don’t know where I’d be right now.”
“Baby, you know I don’t go by that name anymore.”
“How right you are. It’s so easy for me to forget.” Everett shook his head, his gaze downcast. Somewhere in the distance, minuscule violins accompanied his performance. “I’m sorry, Bumblebee, it’s just so easy for me to forget. I still miss the days when I used to ride on the back of your hog, nothing between us but my jeans and your leather chaps. But that’s not us anymore, is it?”
“No, Daffodil, it’s not.”
The associate’s look of terror grew until, at last, his retail training kicked into overdrive. With a smile so convincing it would have put the vendors on Canal Street to shame, he smoothed down the front of his black dress shirt, then looked over his shoulder at the unmanned cash register a few feet away. “And I, of course, wouldn’t want to hold you guys up for a second. I see that our cashier, Ashley, isn’t on the floor right now—I’ll go get her from the back so you two gentlemen can get going. Sorry for your wait!”
“You’re fine.” Caleb was too busy smiling at Everett to pay the associate much attention. Moments like this, where they were silly for no other reason than to test each other, reminded Caleb of why he’d fallen in love with Everett in the first place.
When the associate left, Everett barked out a laugh and bent over at the waist, clutching his stomach. “Oh my god,Daffodil!”
“I couldn’t help myself. Who else would Bumblebee want to climb up inside and getdirty?”
Everett looked up at Caleb from where he’d doubled over, his eyes alight with love and humor. When he spoke, his voice was similarly affected—light and breathless, like he was on the edge of orgasm, yet barely concealing a laugh. “Oh, yes, put your stinger in me, Bumblebee. I know we left that life behind, but tonight I want you to go hard—I want you to sting me over and over like the Hornet you know you are.”
Caleb grinned and tugged Everett upright, then brought him in close so their noses brushed. “I fucking love you, you know that?”
“I had a vague idea, yes.”
“Brat.”
Everett stuck out his tongue, but even if he said nothing, words weren’t important—Caleb saw the truth in his eyes.
He was loved. He was cherished. He was valued.
And tonight, when their crazy plan came to fruition, he hoped Jayne would feel the same way.
30
Jayne
Given the extraordinary odds of the situation, Jayne did what any rational human being would do—he pinched the bridge of his nose and muttered, “You have got to be shitting me.”
“Ha,” Parker intoned.
Jayne scowled. “Really, Parker? That’s rude.”
xVerity was different in person than Jayne had imagined. Online, he was collected and composed, and Jayne had always taken it as a sign that he was older—maybe somewhere in his fifties or sixties—but Jayne had been mistaken. Not only was xV young, but helookedit. His skin was smooth, his eyes bright. For an alpha, he had a baby face. Compared to his partner, who’d aged beautifully, but who was noticeably older, xV looked even more juvenile.
At least the stern, authoritative look on his face matched Jayne’s mental profile. If it had turned out that in person xV was as bubbly as TD, Jayne would have lost his shit.
While Jayne got over the shock of discovering that his once-nemesis-turned-hero was one of his new best friends, xV glanced down the hall, then stepped outside and closed the door behind him. No sooner had it latched than a stampede of footsteps rushed by. The doorknob, which xV held in place, jiggled.
“Daddy?” Nikki called through the door. “Daddy, are you outside? I came to find you to let you know the glittery doctor is here. Are you out there with him?”
