After dinner, Maurice andDavid split off to their cabins to shower and change. Maurice lingered in front of the mirror longer than he needed to, smoothing his hair, hunting down any strand daring to fall out of place—as if Finn might notice the difference. He swapped his suit for dark jeans and a fitted black shirt, something that didn’t say “courtroom” so much as“maybe someone will actually look at me tonight,” a thought he pretended wasn’t aimed at one blond boy in particular.
Maurice met David back in the hallway, both smelling faintly of soap and cologne, and headed toward the Meet-a-Daddy Party. The moment they stepped inside the Party Car, Maurice took in the decorations. The entire car had been transformed with strings of warm Edison bulbs zig-zagged overhead, casting a soft amber glow over everything. Pride-colored paper lanterns hung between them, swaying gently with the movement of the train. Each table had a little LED candle flickering in the center, giving the whole place a cozy vibe. Someone had even chalk-drawn little hearts and arrows on the blackboard near the front, where the directions were written in looping handwriting.
A volunteer sat at a small table handing out name bands. Black rubber ones were for daddies and the red ones for boys. Maurice and David both slipped on black ones. The band snapped lightly against Maurice’s wrist, a tiny reminder he was supposed to be confident tonight, even if he didn’t feel it.
Refreshments were set up near the window: an enormous glass bowl of punch, stacks of cups, and a tray of rainbow-color cookies shaped like little trains. No alcohol in this car, which made sense. The vibe was more “structured mingling” than “chaotic Pride bar.”
Maurice entered the room already pulled toward one possibility: Finn, the pretty blond he hadn’t shaken since the Welcome Car. Minutes later, Finn surfaced from the crowd as if answering a thought. Finn stood with Mr. Santos, the engineer and director they’d met earlier, deep in conversation. And not just casual conversation — Finn looked serious, hands clasped in front of him, shoulders slightly hunched. Mr. Santos had that stern, listening expression he used when someone had messed up.
Maurice’s stomach twisted.
Great. What did he do now? Did he break another rule? Is he getting kicked off the train?
He didn’t even realize he’d started moving toward them until he was halfway across the room. He just knew he needed to get to Finn first—to check on him, to make sure he wasn’t spiraling, to… something. He wasn’t ready to admit what that something was. But before he could reach them, Mr. Santos lifted a microphone.
“Alright, everyone, welcome to your first swap. Your numbers are on the board; go to your assigned table. You’ve got fifteen minutes to get curious, get flirty, and get to know the man in front of you. Warm-up question first —then dive deeper.”
Maurice froze mid-step.
The boys and daddies drifted between tables, laughing, flirting, adjusting their name tags. It should’ve been playful. It should’ve been easy.
But then Finn looked up. Their eyes met for the briefest second—Finn’s wide and bright, like he hadn’t expected Maurice to be standing there at all. Something flickered across his face, something almost angelic.
Then Gage, another blond man Maurice met earlier, stepped up beside Finn and said something that made Finn laugh.
Maurice felt that laugh like a punch to the ribs.
Of course he’s with someone. Of course he’s smiling at someone else. Why wouldn’t he be?
David nudged him gently. “Good luck.”
Maurice forced his feet to move, even though his chest felt tight, like someone had cinched a belt around it.
Maurice reached Table One, his assigned table, and found a boy with thick green glasses already seated. That had to be Theo, the one David had been eyeing earlier. Maurice sat downacross from him, trying to shake off the sting still buzzing under his ribs.
“I’m Maurice Dubois, a friend of David’s,” he said.
“I know.” Theo smiled, bright and open. “I’m Theo Bukoski from Philadelphia.”
“Pick a card, Theo. Then ask me a question.” Maurice gestured to the deck in the center.
Theo plucked one up, but Maurice could tell he already had a question in mind. “How did you meet David?”
Maurice’s shoulders loosened a little. “We met at the University of Virginia. We were roommates the entire time we were there and when we went to law school.”
Maurice pulled a card of his own but asked what he actually wanted to know. “Do you live alone?”
“No. I have three male roommates. I’m working in a library until I finish school.”
“Pick another card,” Maurice said, though his mind drifted for a moment, imagining Theo in Charlottesville with David. A comforting thought, even if unrealistic.
Theo picked another card, then raised a brow. “Were you two ever a thing?”
Maurice laughed. “That’s not on the card.”
Theo grinned, unbothered.
“No,” Maurice said, shaking his head. “We’re best friends. More like brothers. But never beyond brothers. Never.”
