* * *
Today was my short day,which meant I was back in the suite before Chase got done with his classes. To make up for being a butthead at breakfast, I got right to work tidying up our room. I gathered all of our dirty clothes and headed down to the laundry room at the end of the hall. Besides not having to rely on cafeteria food, having laundry facilities on every floor was one of the big benefits of living in Talbert. Brandon still freaked about someone stealing our shit, but I trusted the guys on our floor enough that I didn’t camp out while the washing machine ran. And, seriously, if someone needed clothes bad enough that they were willing to steal from guys they’d see at some point, more power to them. We’d been scary broke when I was a kid, and it gave me a unique perspective.
Brandon met me at the door after I’d swapped laundry into the dryer. “I thought you were hanging out with Chase.”
“I am, but he’s not home yet.” I sighed and my shoulders sagged forward. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he bails. I should’ve been more careful this morning.”
Brandon shut the door behind us, dropped his bag to the floor, and pulled me into his arms. “Yes, you should have, but it’s done. Chase said he was okay, and we have to believe him.”
“I just don’t want people to be mad at me,” I admitted before burying my face in the crook of Brandon’s neck. I couldn’t say why, but that was my second favorite part on his body. The first was pretty obvious… This shit with Chase was weighing on me so hard, I couldn’t even think about the first. “All I wanted was for him to know I was cool with Jayden being his Daddy, and I wanted him to see he’s not all alone. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
Brandon scooped up his backpack and led me down the short hall to our bedroom. He sat down on his gaming chair and pulled me onto his lap. I liked it when we sat like this. I could scoot down and close my eyes and pretend that it was Daddy rocking me to sleep. It made me feel safe and loved.
“You need to remember not everyone’s as bold as you are,” he reminded me before kissing the top of my head. “And it’s not easy to be open about a lot of things that are more common than calling your boyfriend Daddy. So cut him some slack.”
“I will. Promise.” Eventually, I drifted off to sleep. A nap on Daddy’s lap while he played his video game was just what I needed to feel better about the crappy start to the day.
12
Matt
“Hey, you sure you’re okay? You’re not playing with me.” I thought playing Pokémon together would be a good way for us to get to know one another more, but then Chase’s phone wasn’t working. I’d offered to go back to Talbert, but he insisted he was fine following me around. But now, we were stuck in that awkward we’re-friends-but-only-sort-of zone. “I’m a little hungry. Do you want to get ice cream?”
“I don’t know—” The way his eyes lit up said hedidwant ice cream, but something was holding him back. I was pretty sure thatsomethingwas his Daddy’s permission, but until he knew that I knew, I couldn’t mention it. “Maybe just a small one. I know Brandon’s making dinner later and I don’t want to upset him.”
“Deal, but maybe we shouldn’t tell him, just to be safe.” I winked and grabbed Chase’s hand. He muttered something about me being ridiculous when I started skipping through the park, but eventually he lost the battle with himself and started skipping beside me.
Because it was one of the first really warm days of spring, the ice cream parlor was packed. I spotted a family getting up from their table and told Chase to claim it while I grabbed ice cream.
I really did plan on getting two small dishes of ice cream, but then I saw the new sundae of the month that was on special. I was weak. Everyone knew I couldn’t be trusted when sweets were on the line. I beamed as I ordered, considering it a victory that I was only buying one for the two of us to share.
Chase’s eyes bugged out of his head when I brought the sundae to the table. Six scoops of ice cream, fudge, caramel, sprinkles, and I wasn’t even sure what all else went into it. This was a stomachache waiting to happen and I regretted nothing. “Matt, we’re going to puke if we eat all that!”
“Yeah, but it’ll be worth it.” I handed him one of the long spoons. Unwilling to let the ice cream go to waste, I dug in while he made a plan of attack for his side. “Come on, I promise I won’t tell Jayden, either.”
Chase’s face went white. He curled his fingers around the edge of the table, and I could tell he was seconds away from bolting. I grabbed a napkin and set down my spoon. A friend in crisis trumped ice cream. Brandon should be proud of me for being mature. “Okay, I’m probably going to get in trouble because I wasn’t supposed to say anything to upset you, but that’s not how I roll. Chase, look at me.”
With his chin still tucked against his chest, Chase’s gaze flitted up. Someone bumped into him as they got up from their table. I leaned in closer, even though there was so much noise it was impossible to make out the conversation’s others were having. “Do you know why Brandon makes breakfast every morning and dinner after classes, no matter how much homework he has?”
“Because he likes it?” he answered, his voice so quiet and shaky it was hard to hear him.
I pushed the sundae aside and leaned in. This was top-secret shit and I didn’t want anyone but him to know. Suddenly, I understood what Brandon was saying about how hard it was to be open sometimes. “It’s so he can take care of me. He isn’t just my roommate or my boyfriend, Chase. He’s my Daddy.”
“He’s what?” I expected Chase to be relieved to know he wasn’t alone. The icy glare and tense set of his jaw threw me for a loop. He shoved back from the table and stood quick enough that his chair clattered to the floor. “Stop it, Matt. You’re being mean now. I know it’s weird, but I can’t change who I am.”
“Chase, can you sit down for a minute?” I pleaded. “I know it’s scary because I feel the same way. I know it was wrong for me to say something when you aren’t ready, but I had to. I heard you and Jayden one night and I’ve been watching you guys together. I guess… Well, I thought maybe we could be friends because we get each other.”
I didn’t let out the breath I’d been holding until he finally sat down across from me again. Maybe I wouldn’t have to go back to the room and explain how I’d really fucked up and upset Chase.
“You mean it? You’re like me?”
I nodded. He scrunched up his face and cocked his head to the side a little. “But you don’t look…”
I raised an eyebrow, daring him to finish that sentence.
“Sorry, that was dumb,” he quickly apologized. “This is just… It’s a lot to take in.”
“I promise, Chase, I wasn’t trying to make you uncomfortable. Da— Brandon told me I couldn’t say anything to you because it’s your secret to tell. But if you have a secret and I have the same one, and neither of us say anything about it, how are we supposed to know we have a friend we could play with right on the other side of the wall?” I rambled. “This is something that’s new for us, and it’s so confusing. I have all these feelings I don’t know what to do with. I look at stuff I shouldn’t like and wish I could have it.”
