Thewesets Nicholas’s nerves on edge, his expression narrowing as he steps into the house and gets all but dragged into the living room by Alec, clearly stronger than he looks.
“Hey, Nicholas.” That’s Jason, the other always happy brother. All of Andrew’s brothers are weirdly happy. Must be the by-product of a well-adjusted childhood or some shit.
Forcing on a smile, he makes direct eye contact with Jason and his boyfriend Emerson, which ends up with Emerson blushing fiercely.
“It’s okay,” Jason murmurs, smoothing Emerson’s hair back and whispering something to him.
“Hey, Jason—” Alec starts but Nicholas cuts him off.
“Where’s Andrew?”
“One track mind, this one,” Alec says, tipping his head up to stare at Nicholas. “You really like him, don’t you?”
“Not that it’s your fucking business, but yes.”
“Good,” Alec grins, “by the way—how many push ups can you do?”
“Why?”
“Because I was thinking?—”
“Alexander,” Theo interrupts, rising from his spot on the couch with Jason and Emerson to wrap his arms around Alec. “Maybe save the push up challenges for after the party.”
“How’d you know what I was going to say?” Alec pouts.
“Because I know you,” Theo whispers, kissing the side of his neck.
Nicholas sighs, wondering how much more of this he has to endure before Andrew shows up. “So, Andrew? Where is he?”
Alec turns and points towards the entryway. “He’s right there.”
The man standing there might share the same face as his Andrew, might be wearing Andrew’s ironed khakis and favorite mint green polo shirt, but he sure as shit isn’t Nicholas’s Andrew.
“What the fuck?”
“What’s wrong?” Jason asks with an air of innocence that’s suspicious as shit.
“Where’s Andrew?”
“Andrew is right there,” Alec tries again. “You’re staring at him.”
“I’m staring at the cheap knock off version of Andrew,” Nicholas snarks. “Charlie isn’t my perfect fucking Andrew.”
“HisAndrew,” Alec sing-songs.
“I told you this wouldn’t work,” Eden says, coming into the room from fuck knows where. He sits on the edge of the sofa, smoothing out his vibrant pink skirt.
“Seriously,” Charlie groans. “How the hell did you know it was me?”
“Yeah, how did you know?” Jason asks. “They look identical.”
“They really do,” Theo agrees while Emerson nods.
“The fuck is wrong with all of you? He doesn’t look like Andrew.”
“Yeah, uh—so you know they’re twins right,” Alec says. “Like identical twins. As in our parents couldn’t even tell them apart as kids. Some of Charlie’s partners in the past have even gotten them confused.”
“Not me,” Eden pipes up, eying Nicholas with an unreadable expression. “I can tell them apart.”
