Page 98 of All Packed Up

“So… how’d it happen? I want details, guys,” Wendy pushed.

Arlo grinned. “I was cramming for finals and stressed as fuck. There was only one dispensary that delivered.”

“Because, of course, he could rationalize smoking weed to study but not sacrificing the time it took to drive himself,” Tate interrupted.

Humor rang the taut string of their bond. “I have my priorities straight, okay?” Arlo retorted. “I studied while you packed my order and drove.”

“Anyways, this is how it went down,” Tate began, scooting himself to the left on the mattress so he could see everyone at once. “To set the scene, it’d been a piss-awful day. This spoiled rich kid from the university had ordered weed, and I was the schmuck who had to deliver it—y’know, one of those days.”

Tate had actually been arguing with one of his dads that day. He couldn’t remember about what, go figure. Shit, he probably had daddy issues. Maybe that was why he thought Grif was so hot. I mean, with those biceps?

Tate knew he was in pretty damn good shape, but there was something so much more about Grif and it made Tate just… curious.

When he got off work though, he’d been ready to let them have it. Instead, he’d gotten sidetracked.

“It rained on the way there, of course. So I got soaked on my bike.”

“You ride a motorcycle?” Wendy asked, mouth gaping slightly.

His cheeks heated. He sounded like such a poser. “I used to. It was cheapest on gas, and I mean, I was a delivery guy, so I wasn’t making bank.”

“S’hot,” Wendy said with a grin.

Tate scoffed, and continued his story with a smile, sharing a glance with Arlo. “Anyway, I was soaked by the time I knocked on this guy’s door with his precious cargo.”

“I felt really bad,” Arlo said, running a hand over the back of his neck. “So I offered to get him a towel.”

Tate hadn’t expected the hottest little nerd to answer the door. “Here was this nerdy little freshman, clearly one more study question from losing his mind, and I happened to want any excuse not to go home.”

“Well, jeez, make it sound super sexy why don’t you,” Arlo drawled. “I felt like I was living a real live porno. Hot delivery guy, soaked through his gray tee, blue shiny helmet tucked under his arm? I would have been stupid not to take fate up on her gift.”

“You guys hooked up!” Wendy gasped.

“Well… kinda. I offered him a change of clothes, he rolled me the most perfect joint ever, and we made out,” Arlo offered.

“Came in our pants, y’know, normal freshman stuff,” Tate teased with a laugh. “I gave him my number and told him to let me know if he needed any more deliveries.”

“I assume you took him up on it?” Griffith asked. A half grin quirked his lips as he stared at Arlo.

“Yeah. And I aced the test, for anyone wondering,” Arlo whined. It made Tate want to fuckin’ tackle the guy or something. You know, with cuddles and shit.

“I was wondering,” Nic interjected.

Rolling his eyes, Arlo shot the beta a grin before continuing. Wendy yawned, and Tate tried to pretend he didn’t see it, but made a mental note to steer the conversation toward bed.

“We dated while he finished his degree and moved in together once he graduated. By that time, I’d saved up enough to get my own place, and once Arlo taught me about the stocks and stuff, it became a hobby of mine too. In the end, he’s the one who helped me open The Big Stretch.”

“Quit giving me so much credit,” Arlo told him, brows furrowed. “All I did was loan him a few business textbooks. I didn’t even know what for at first. He only told me about his plan when he already had a whole PowerPoint put together.”

“It was a damned good PowerPoint too,” Tate clarified. He’d been so proud of his research and two-toned graphs and the property. Tate didn’t have a degree or anything, and he’d felt a little over his head too many times to count. “Once I had the idea, I couldn’t let it go, and—”

“I was so impressed and excited for him. I had no idea that’s what he’d been spending all his time on and saving up so much for.”

“What did you get a degree in?” Nic asked Arlo.

“I got a degree in financial bullshit.” Arlo rolled his eyes. “Too bad I can’t find a job with no experience, and I was tired of jumping through hoops for corporate assholes. So I stuck with my part-time gig and got into trading stock. It did well for us, so I stuck with it.”

“You guys are literally perfect for each other,” Wendy cooed.