BRIAN

I opened my loft door when he knocked and felt I owed the Big Guy a thank you. Cargos were finally history. I really wanted to share this moment, but well, Jen wasn’t around to understand my pain. Justin was head to toe Versace, not my first love, but a very close second. I picked up my jacket, deciding to just bask in the moments I have, before the cargos return to Justin’s world. It’s sad when I’m missing them.

“Do you mind if we stop on the way?” I ask him.

“If we must.” Justin tells me, acting like it’s a chore.

“We must. My soon to be son was promised a bedtime story by yours truly, and I never break a promise.” I tell him.

“You never broke one.” He tells me, then shakes off the thought “Where to?” He asks.

I gave him directions and Linda was waiting at the door to let us in. We went upstairs to the room Gus shared with Jenny. It was something I would ask eventually, why the two of them ended up together.

“Jussin!” Gus says, excited.

“Hey little man, see I came to see you, like Hunter promised I would.” Justin tells him, kneeling beside the bed.

“Jenny here too.” Gus tells him.

Justin got up, looking in the crib and running his hand over her head. “Jenny, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Justin tells her.

“Story, Dada.” Gus tells me.

Justin walks over and sits next to Gus, not caring his suit would get wrinkled. “Yes Dada, story.” Justin smirks.

“Which one Gus?” I ask.

“Liberty.” He tells me. I hope Justin likes the sanitized version.

“Once upon a time there was a prince, wanting to see the world outside the country club, so he got his best friend to take him to a place called Liberty. He walked around the new world, seeing things he’d only heard of. After walking around and still wanting to know more, he stopped under a streetlight, trying to decide if he wanted to venture further. Across the street was the man who would change his life, complaining about… the lack of… talent he had been seeing for a while. The man stopped when he saw his prince standing in a halo of light and decided to see if the prince needed help. They agreed to spend time together and left everyone behind so the man could show the prince all the things he had yet to see. Only, in the middle of the tour, a phone rang and they left to meet the child who would become their son. It was during the naming that the man gave the prince the most important job of his life, name giver. The prince named the child Gus, not realizing that one day Gus would be the son of his heart.” I stopped when Gus fell asleep.

“Strange story to tell a kid.” Justin tells me, getting up and kissing Gus’s head.

“It’s a strange story from start to finish.” I tell him, as we leave the house.

“Lately, I’m thinking a lot of stories are strange.” He tells me, as we get in his car.

“Ben’s book?” I ask.

“He adds things that don’t seem like they belong in the story he’s writing. I really thought about publishing it just so people could bitch about Byron verses Aidan. In most cases, Byron should win because Aidan sounds like an asshole who shits all over the soul mate. Ben doesn’t even give a reason for why Aidan acts the way he does. People like to read about the reason behind a character’s flaws, but it’s like Ben just decided Aidan wasn’t worth the time the kid wasted on him.” He tells me.

“Did he give the kid a name, or was it just the kid?” I ask.

“It’s the one thing he is going to change if I publish this. No way will my name be attached to that character. I know it’s just a coincidence, but reading it and seeing my name in a character I want to hit every time he lets Aidan get away with shit, drives me crazy.” He tells me, looking over. “You okay?” He ask.

“Fine, where are we going?” I ask, thinking Ben really doesn’t ever write anything worth reading.

“A dinner where we’ll be bored to tears, all the publishers get together, allowing writers to come talk to us. Which normally I attended with one of my writers, but he wanted to take a vacation.” I tell him.

“Anyone I've heard of?” I ask.

“Theo West.” He tells me.

“I haven’t read him.” I tell him.

“He writes stories about redemption, love against the odds. Really just fantasy, but women love it, so regardless of my views on instant love, it sells.” He tells me.

“The name doesn’t really match the genre he writes.” I tell him.

“His real name wouldn’t have had anyone picking up the books. He didn’t even want his picture in the bio section because he likes not being recognized.” Justin tells me.

“Are you going to tell me?” I ask.

“Blake Wyzecki. It just didn’t scream romance author.” He tells me.

I waited until he stopped the car and kissed the twat for making it a little easier for us to get this shit done. All this started when Blake and Ted had a fight that had Ted and Blake leaving in separate cars after Emmett’s funeral. When Blake ended up in an accident and Ted lived the final days of his life blaming himself for a fight over Ted retiring before Blake buried Ted. When Ted died after me, Blake had already left to start his new life. Vic cornered me and Justin to tell us that Blake couldn’t have a life that didn’t include Ted, even if Blake thought so. Justin, of course, couldn’t let Ted do this alone. Then Emmett came to tell us if one goes, we all do.

We were given five years, the same amount of time it took me to tell Justin I loved him. I really thought we could just throw Blake and Ted in a locked room and Justin and I could wait for our family like the last time. Only without Molly and Jen, how is Kira possible?

Justin showed me he learned a few tricks when my seat went back and he was over me in seconds. We were plastered to each other, until someone knocked on the windows that seemed to steam up. Justin didn’t move off me, but let down the window.

“So hey, I was invited by Ted to come along and entertain him while Ben shopped the book.” Emmett laughs at us.

“Not now.” Justin tells him.

“I would let you and Brian do what you two have always done best, but I need moral support.” Emmett tells me.

“Why?” I ask.

“Drew is staying at this hotel with his beard, which means controlling Emmett’s need to explain to them that she doesn’t have a dick.” He tells me.

“How did you find out?” I ask, kissing Justin one more time before getting us out of the car.

Emmett went behind us and straightened out our clothes before linking his arm with Justin’s and taking Justin with him. “I don’t get why Drew always plays hetero in the closet in these lives, but I am not going to play in his closet with him. It worked the last time and damn it, it will work again.” Emmett tells him.

“You guys do know there are doctors for this?” Justin tells him.

“For what, Baby?” Emmett asks.

“The crazy shit you all say.” Justin tells him.

“I believed you when you told me, so it’s your turn.” Emmett tells him.

“Honeycutt.” I warn him.

“Don’t call me Honeycutt, and Justin it’s time for you to stop fucking around. I need Baby back.” He tells Justin.

“I see someone sane I need to talk to.” Justin tells us, walking to Carl.

“Deb is going to land herself a millionaire. Carl is big in publishing.” Emmett whispers.

“Blake is Theo West.” I tell him.

“You know this, how?” He asks.

“He’s Justin’s normal date to these things.” I tell Emmett.

“Yikes, Justin better not be playing no degrees of separation.” Emmett tells me.

“Justin wouldn’t, it’s why he didn’t take you up on your flirting.” I growl.

JUSTIN

I’m worried about Brian and his friends, they keep talking about things like they happened. I went to see if Carl was as bored as he gets at these things. Carl and Sean were best friends and when I took over for Sean, he let me know Carl was an ear I could bend if I ran into problems. When I called Carl made a point of answering.

“Justin, am I seeing things, or did you bring a actual date tonight?” Carl teases.

“I brought one, but only because I’m ready to shove a book down an author’s throat.” I tell him.

“How did that end up with you having a date?” Carl asks.

“The author doesn’t like the guy I brought. I figured Ben would come, since he thinks he should tell me how to run my personal life, I’d show him no one decides for me.” I tell him.

“Justin, you don’t give a date hope as a way to piss someone else off.” Daphne tells me.

I looked over at Brian and Emmett staring at us strangely. “He thinks I’ll break all the rules.” I mumble.

“You just did, you have a real date. Did I mention I hate you?” Daphne asks me.

“Use it in your next horror novel, you’ve already killed me in the last two best sellers.” I tell her.

“Justin, introduce us.” Daphne commands.

“Brian, Emmett. Meet one of my writers, Daphne.” I tell them. Why are they smiling at us?

“My goodness, it’s a pleasure that you finally showed up.” Emmett tells her.

“I’ve been here for the last two hours.” Daphne tells him, confused, as I am by Emmett.

“Don’t mind Emmett, he thinks everyone’s his friend.” Babe sneered at Brian.

“Interesting to see you here.” Ian tells Brian.

“You too, still trying to convince the world you're a writer?” Brian comments.

“Ethan was invited to meet with real publishers.” Babe tells me.

“Then go find one, Carl and I don’t publish something we don’t see selling.” I tell him.

EMMETT

“There is champagne.” Deb comes up giving Michael a glass, ignoring Ethan’s put out expression. “Hi I’m Deb.” Deb zeros in on Carl.

“I’m enchanted, care to take a stroll around while the youngsters talk?” Carl asks her, looking directly at Michael.

“Aunt Deb, you came with us.” Michael whines.

“Why does that sound wrong?” Justin says, watching Carl whisk Deb away.

I looked up in time to see Drew passing the door with his fiancee on his arm. She looked at the marque and pulled Drew in. I stood there, waiting for him to see me, but he walked by me, not even looking. I get what Brian said, this isn’t the fun part. I followed behind Brian and Justin as Justin talked to people and then introduced Brian. The fiancee turned to Brian and asked about his gallery and then I was stuck in a group with Drew and the beard.

Ben came up with Ted, and I could just see us all having a fabulous time, or not. Brian had that look that said Ben might be losing the thing that makes him a man. Brian excused himself and dragged Ben with him. I followed because Ben really shouldn’t fuck with Brian on a mission.

“You really had me fooled, congrats on it.” Brian tells him.

“I avoided everything, but still ended up living with this bullshit. Why?” Ben seems to ask as if the Big Guy answers to us.

“I couldn’t tell you, but fucking up Ted’s life or mine doesn’t change anything, unless you fuck up Ted’s life, then I’ll change it for you.” Brian tells him.

“I don’t understand why you keep going after Justin. In the first life you never paid attention to him.” I tell him.

“You really think I didn’t see Justin, I did, but he loved Brian and couldn’t see past it.” Ben tells me.

“He never will Ben, he’s mine, with no room to include you.” Brian tells him.

“There’s a life he didn’t lead.” Ben tells us.

“Ask Marty about it, apparently Justin wasn’t interested you. It didn’t matter that Brian wasn’t in that life.” I tell him.

“Break it off with Ted, he doesn’t need another reason for Blake to think he’s better off without him.” Brian tells him.

“I’ll do what I want, not what you order.” Ben tells him, walking over to Ted, kissing him.