TOBIAS HAD NOTHING TO wear.
Okay, that wasn’t technically true. His bed was filled with clothes he’d tried on and discarded after determining they were not quite right. And it had nothing to do with nerves.
‘Cough. Bullshit. Cough.’
Mind your business.
‘Never.’
He sighed and sat on the edge of his bed. In a little while, Chase would arrive to take him and Madison on a date, and he was trying not to freak out.
He took his favorite knot out of his sweatpants pocket and rubbed it, thinking through his choices as he did.
Maybe he was going about this all wrong. Chase askedhimout. Even when Tobias wore gym gear, Chase usually had trouble keeping his eyes off him. Tobias hadthe same problem. No matter what Chase wore, Tobias couldn’t help but be attracted to him. If that went both ways, it didn’t matter what Tobias put on for their date tonight.
He took a deep breath and stood up, dropping his sweats and replacing them with a pair of dark jeans, tight enough to show off his ass for Chase. He threw a navy button-down shirt over that, leaving the top few buttons undone and then finished the look with a leather jacket his mom got him for Christmas.
After putting his lucky knot in his jeans pocket, he took one more look in the mirror and deemed himself ready.
When he checked his watch, he noticed there wasn’t much time until Chase would arrive, so it was time to see if the third member of their date was ready.
He left his bedroom and walked down the hall to find Grace putting the finishing touches on a French braid in Madison’s hair. She tied it off with a bright pink bow to match her dress, black leggings underneath.
“You ready, Maddie-moo?” he asked as he leaned in the open doorway. “Chase will be here soon.”
“Yup!” Madison said as she hopped off her vanity chair. “Gigi did my hair in a pretty braid. Do you think Chase will like it?”
“Of course he will,” he answered. “But what matters most is if you like it.”
“I love it. Gigi makes the best braids.”
“And you give the best hugs,” Grace said as she scooped up Madison in her arms, both of them giggling.
A moment later, the chime of the doorbell echoed throughout the house, and Tobias’ heart began to race, almost as fast as Madison’s legs did as she tore out of her room.
Before he could follow her, his mom grabbed his arm. He turned back to see her soft smile.
“Have fun tonight, okay?” she said. “That’s all I want you to worry about.”
Tobias released a deep breath. “I’ll do my best.”
They left Madison’s room and reached the top of the stairs to see her opening the door to Chase. He wore black jeans and a dark purple sweater, his brown hair perfectly coiffed, and he beamed when he caught Tobias smiling at him at the top of his stairs.
Why does it feel like I’m getting picked up to go to prom?
‘How would you know? You didn’t go.’
Urrrgh.
Tobias couldn’t help the excitement flooding through him, the anticipation itching at him. He wasn’t going to let his brain ruin this night, as much as it might want to try. Tonight, Tobias was in control.
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For the first time in years, Tobias was on an actual date.
Well, he was pretty sure it was a date.
Does it still count as a date if my six-year-old niece joins?
