Justin was nursing the mother of all hangovers when his mother showed up at the warehouse, wanting to have breakfast with her children. Justin hoped she didn’t notice the piles were bigger since she’d be quizzing them on how it happened when they promised not to add to Molly’s mess until she used most of it. There were days when Justin just wanted to yell that Molly was an adult, but he knew his mother was only concerned that they both might end up dying under a pile of crap. He gulped down his glass of water with two aspirin, planning to go to work and avoid the daily mom guilt over him working too hard. 

“So I was hoping you guys would come to eat breakfast with your poor old mother,” Jen said when she found Justin in the kitchen.

“I really need to check on a few projects before I have to go meet with Brett about his movie,” Justin told her.

“Which you can do after we have breakfast with our poor elderly mother,” Molly told him, unwilling to be the sole focus of Jen’s mothering.

“I’ll take you guys to a greasy diner since I promised to bring you guys to meet my friend from PFLAG,” Jen told them.

Justin debated, while his head pounded, his stomach was winning. It wasn’t often his mother offered to go out of her comfort zone. She wasn’t asking a lot, and he’d been gone so often that one breakfast wasn’t asking too much. This way he wouldn’t feel bad since he would be out of town for the next two weeks. Jen knew she’d won when Justin’s stomach roared its agreement.

Jen had hoped that Justin would meet some people, since his life seemed to be only about working and what Molly or Daphne wanted him to do. She wanted him to meet someone and hopefully fall in love so he could see there was more to life than working. Deb agreed with Jen, saying she wanted her son to meet someone. And if nothing else Justin would have a few friends, being introduced to Deb’s boys. Jen wasn’t matchmaking since Justin would kill her, just wanting to see her son have fun without having to bail him and his sister out all the time.

When they walked into the diner Deb was standing at the booth in the back talking to Michael, but turned, happy to see Jen walk in with two others. She pointed to the booth in front of the one Michael was in as she came over to meet Jen’s kids. Deb really didn’t want to listen to Michael whine about Brian taking off on him the night before.

“So who do you have with you?” Deb asked Jen.

“My son Justin and daughter Molly,” Jen told her.

Michael looked up hearing the names, and for a second wasn’t sure it was the same kids from last night. He realized he was wrong last night because they looked older than he thought they were. He grudgingly admitted that cleaned up, the blond had every eye in the diner on him. Which Michael didn’t care about as long as it wasn’t Brian’s attention Justin was getting. He was about to say something when Emmett and Ted walked in, and like everyone else, they looked Justin up and down before walking by him. Emmett sat in front of Michael while Ted bumped Michael over to keep staring at the blond. Michael didn’t know what to make of Ted acting like someone was more interesting than Michael. 

“Do you know who the cutie is?” Emmett asked.

“Friends of Ma’s. So how big is the betting pool so far?” Michael asked, bumping Ted to get him to quit drooling over Justin.

“The same as any bet Brandon and Brian make. Everyone’s sort of more interested in seeing the guy since it’s the first time the two of them ever focused on one guy.” Ted told him.

“Apparently no one’s ever heard of him.” Emmett put in.

Michael sat there trying to figure out how to get Emmett to say Justin’s name, not wanting to be the one to do it. He didn’t want to be blamed for it when Emmett or Ted could be. Now that Michael knew his mother was friends with Justin’s mother, the last thing he needed was her getting pissed at Brian, only to find out Michael started the whole thing. Justin walked by to go to the bathroom, and Michael didn’t like that Emmett and Ted both looked, forgetting all about the conversation.

“I’m sure someone knows him,” Michael told them.

“Knows who?” Deb asked, turning from talking to Jen.

”Justin Taylor,” Emmett told Deb.

“Why do you want to meet him?” Deb asked, smiling thinking it would be good for Michael to be interested in someone other than Brian.

“Apparently he’s the new bet between Brian and Brandon,” Ted told her.

“You both tell Brian and Brandon not this one,” Deb told them, hoping to fix it before Jen understood what exactly the bet was.

“Like they ever listen when they are focusing on a bet,” Ted told her.

“What bet?” Jen asked, not liking that it was over Justin.

“Don’t worry about it, the boys are just messing around,” Deb said planning to stop it before it upset Jen.

“Our friends like to bet on who can get…” Emmett stopped when Deb glared at him.

“What?” Ted asked since normally Deb liked to gossip.

“What bet do your friends have on my son?” Jen asked as Justin came back.

“Someone has a bet on me?” Justin asked, trying to figure out why his mother looked angry.

“Um… hi I'm Emmett and this is Ted… who… I mean… and you are...?” Emmett asked, practically ready to shoot himself when he realized why Deb was trying to shut them up. While Michael hid behind the menu, hoping Justin wouldn’t remember him.

“My son, Justin Taylor, the one your friends bet on,” Jen told him.

“I’m sorry, bet on me?” Justin said, looking at everyone.

“Shit,” Emmett whispered to Ted.

“What did they bet?” Jen asked again.

“Jen, don’t worry about it, I’ll deal with it,” Deb told her, planning to visit Brian then Brandon.

“I saw you last night didn’t I?” Justin asked, looking at Michael since he looked vaguely familiar.

“This is my son, Michael,” Deb said hoping to get off the subject.

“Hey, weren’t you the guy who tried to get us arrested last night?” Molly asked, remembering the whiny asshole from the night before.

“Why would he have you arrested?” Jen asked, wanting to know that answer first.

Justin remembered Michael now, but he wanted to know why anyone would bet on him. “So what’s the bet about?” Justin asked.

“It’s not that big a deal… you know the guys just like to compete, but it doesn’t mean anything.” Emmett said trying to figure out a way around the train wreck in front of him.

“So, anyone know who the guy Brian and Brandon are trying to get in bed?” Todd asked loudly as he walked with some guys.

“Who would that be?” Jen asked, finally understanding why Deb looked worried.

“Justin Taylor. Isn’t that the name?” Todd asked, looking around then to Emmett, Ted, and Michael.

“Is that right?” Justin asked, pissed that Brandon would be involved in this when Justin thought Brandon was really his friend.

Emmett felt like a complete shit for repeating what Michael had said. But he was only repeating what Michael had told him Brian and Brandon bet on. Most of the guys on the avenue love the idea of being part of the bets, but Emmett had a feeling that wasn’t the case here.

“How many people know about this bet?” Jen asked, grabbing her coat and purse to leave before she ended up in jail.

“Shit Jen, something like this, they all know. I’ll talk to Brian and Brandon to make sure they end the bet.” Deb told her, ready to murder them.

“Did all of you guys know about it?” Justin asked, looking around the diner as everyone nodded.

Michael ignored Justin. Emmett looked guilty, and Ted nodded with everyone else since the guy deserved the truth.

“Mom, let’s go,” Justin told her when he didn’t see the point in staying.

“I’m going to kick Brandon’s ass,” Molly told Justin as they were walking out.

Justin opened the door as Brian was coming in, ready to hit him when he smiled at Justin. “I only have one thing to say to you and your brother. FUCK OFF!” Justin told him, pushing him out of the way as he stormed off with his mother and sister. Deb grabbed Brian before he could chase after Justin, planning to rip into him.

“Look, I know you and Brandon do this shit all the time, but both of you are calling it off,” Deb ordered him.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Brian asked, thoroughly confused.

“Ma, leave it alone,” Michael told her, making Emmett wonder why Brian would be confused, and Michael suddenly looked worried.

“This fuck off bet you and Brandon have over Justin Taylor,” Deb told him when Brian acted like he didn’t know what she was talking about.

“What fuck off bet?” Brian asked, looking at everyone when they all seemed to know but him.

“Brian, you and Brandon are both going to call it off. DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?!” Deb insisted.

“What bet?” Brian asked loudly, waiting for an answer.

“From what I heard, you and Brandon bet over which one of you could get Justin Taylor into bed first. It was all over Babylon last night.” Todd told him, not liking that it was starting to sound like someone made it up.

“Where did you hear it from?” Brian asked Todd.

“I heard it from guys in the backroom, who heard it from someone else,” Todd told him.

“Let me correct the gossip for everyone. Justin Taylor better not be anyone’s bet or they deal with me.” Brian told them loudly, walking out and planning to call Brandon.

“Why the fuck would you make that up?” Emmett whispered to Michael.

“You’re the one who told half the club. Maybe you should be more worried about that since Brian will find out.” Michael said, already planning to make sure Emmett got the blame.