Page 45 of Mouth to Mouth

“Nothing wrong with being a baby,” Luca teased.

“Not that kind of baby,” Scott said with a smile. “Just…I am more than capable of holding down a part-time job and school. Hell, I could date if I want to.”

Date? Oh, this had way more to do with just Scott wanting a part-time job. “If you do want to date, this place gets plenty of customers. Some customers are even regulars.”

An evil look flashed over Scott’s features. “You don’t say.”

Luca cackled. This was going to be fun.

“Luca,” Dawson barked. “Stop your evil planning and come help me.”

“We’ll plan later,” Luca whispered to Scott. “I’m an expert at evil planning.”

Scott smiled. “I like the way you think.”

Dawson groaned. “Why am I surrounded by brats?”

That reminded Luca of something else. He whirled on his friend. “You.” Luca pointed at Dawson.

Dawson paused in stocking the small fridges under the counter from the big refrigerators in the back. “Me?”

“You are in an awfully good mood this morning,” Luca accused.

Dawson scowled. “Am not.”

“You kind of are,” Scott said. “You even smiled at me this morning.”

“Did not.” Dawson crossed his arms over his chest.

“Oh my god!” Luca danced all the way to the counter. “You had a good time last night!”

Dawson narrowed his eyes.

“With Josh! You had a good time with Josh!” Oh, this was so good. And Dawson wasn’t even arguing with him.

“Work,” Dawson reminded him sharply.

“You are work,” Luca nodded his head sadly. “The right man won’t care. The right man will⁠—”

Dawson threw a towel at Luca’s head before huffing and going into the back.

Luca turned and winked at Scott, who giggled back. He walked around the counter to finish the task that Dawson had abandoned. He could hear Dawson in the back, pulling out the racks of sealed bakery goods.

This little coffee shop was important to him. Maybe it didn’t make sense that Luca was content to manage this place for a woman that was never around. The owner had moved to Florida once her first grandchild had started to be born. The income that Luca brought in allowed Sarah to spoil her precious grandchildren, so it was important to Luca that the coffee shop was well run.

And it was the people. The staff and the customers that made this place what it was. A second home for Luca and those who walked through that door.

Luca didn’t need the money from the endorsement deals. He was perfectly happy with a morning surf, running a coffee shop, attending a few classes, having friends that were as close as his family, and maybe a man that would one day let Luca call him Daddy.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Brad

Wearing his best pair of dark-washed jeans and a white button shirt with his sleeves rolled up past his elbows, Brad was more nervous for this date than he’d ever been before. Truthfully until he’d lost weight, bulked up, and started his daily skin care routine, Brad had never dated. Jordan was his first real relationship. And that had ended about as badly as possible.

He’d hooked up in clubs for a couple of years before he’d become Jordan’s boyfriend and Daddy. But dating? Luca was only the second man that Brad had ever taken out on a date.

Wait! What if Luca didn’t realize that this was a date? Shit. Brad hissed as he closed the door to his SUV. As doubt and the familiar insecurity filled him, Brad pulled out his phone. He was hitting the contact for his brother before Brad could talk himself out of it.