JUSTIN

I’m trying on outfits, because I figured I needed to dress for tomorrow's meeting, but I really don’t see the point, I’m just not built to be in the business world. Cynthia asked me to at least let King Kinney pitch to me. Like I really want to sit around listening to some old guy telling me why my art could be improved by being exclusive to one company. After looking and seeing there was nothing that would really work, cargos are really not something that go with Armani, I pulled the card out to see if maybe Emmett would go shopping with me.

“Hello?” 

“Hey, you might not remember but we kind of met the other night, you know ‘kitten slippers’.” I tell him when he’s still silent.

“Are you looking for Emmett?” The guy, whose voice was deeper than I remembered Emmett’s, asks.

“Yeah, can you tell him it’s Justin or, well he called me Baby.” I tell the guy.

I start looking around for shoes and realize my shopping needs to include something that doesn’t start with ‘slippers’. I grab my frog ones and figure no one really looks too much. 

“Hey Baby, you called, which is great because I need an opinion from someone who isn’t jaded.” He tells me.

“I can be jaded, it just takes more energy than I like to expend.” I tell him pulling on a Christmas sweater because it’s clean, and then grab some jeans that really should have been thrown out when I grew.

“I’m trying to figure out a nice way of telling a grandma, hot pink tights really don’t need to be worn instead of say, a dress, for her sixth wedding.” He tells me.

“Hey, if she’s still landing men, why tell her to change what works for her?” I ask him.

“You have a point, but never mind, so what can I do for you?” He asks me.

“I have to go to a business meeting, and my friend said her boss expects me to be properly attired, but I’ve never really bothered. I was wondering if you could suggest a place to buy clothes.” I tell him.

“Meet me at the Diner and we’ll go from there.” He tells me, hanging up.

“Rocky, is there some reason no one ever says things like, meet me at two o’clock. I mean, did he mean to go now?” I ask like Rocky cares about anything but the new catnip bag I bought for him.

I stood in front of the diner, deciding that too many people seem to look at my feet and not at me. The frogs weren’t all that big a deal. One guy looked at the sky then at my sweater, so I figured I was moving up because he didn’t stop at the frogs this time. 

I heard Emmett before I saw him, and he was with this very large man who looked like he would kick anyone’s ass just for the fun of it.

“Hey, sorry for not getting here sooner, but when I started changing, Drew started vetoing anything that he thought screamed touch Aunty Em in naughty places.” Emmett smiles at me.

“OKAY, um I was really just asking for advice.” I tell him, because well, Drew really doesn’t hit my gaydar.

“Honey, we need to go all ‘Pretty Woman’ because seriously, do you own shoes?” He asks, but grabs me without waiting for an answer.

I turned to see Drew waiting at the curb and a corvette pull up. How likely is it that it’s Brian? Well very, when he gets out and stares right at me. Emmett stops to see why he’s having to pull me along.

“Brian, you and Drew need to be home in time to come over tonight.” Emmett yells.

“Babe, I told you we were only looking at the cars today.” Drew yells back.

“Tell that to my Escalade, my Hummer, and your jag.” Emmett tells him with hands on hips.

“Nice frogs.” Brian winks, then hops in the car with Drew and takes off.

“Yeah they're nice, but Baby close your mouth before we attract the wrong attention.” Emmett tells me.

“You know, I always thought girls were nasty minded creatures, but I think men just say it in a way that makes it sound like it could mean something different.” I tell him.

“You really need to hang out with more than women if this surprises you.” He tells me. 

We go in the first store and he’s throwing clothes at me at lightning speed. I was almost buried under the pants when he starts stacking jock straps on then stops to get behind me and check it against my ass. I guess he thought they’d fit because I suddenly had three in different colors thrown on top. When a text comes through his phone he pauses, and then it’s like he thinks I need everything in the store. I’m not poor, but it’s because I don’t think credit cards were meant to be maxed out for the next twenty years.

“Emmett, I really only needed one suit, so maybe lighten this a bit.” I tell him.

“You didn’t tell me this was for Kinnetik.” He tells me like that explains anything about the hoarders dream pile in my arms.

“Teddy just texted to tell me that Kinney authorized us to dress you as an incentive for working for him.” Emmett tells me.

“How does he even know you're with me?” I ask Emmett, who got distracted by a purple pinstriped suit. “Emmett could you answer me?” I ask.

“He’s seems to always know everything, but Baby, when a man offers to give you unlimited spending, you just say yes.” He tells me.

We finally got out but not before I wanted to stop the woman from delivering more clothes and shoes than I could ever wear to my house. Shopping is exhausting, that’s what Amazon and Ebay are for, so I can sit on my bed with my foot warmers (Rocky and Regina) and not have to stand in line.

“I think we just put a dent in the national debt, so is there any way to get fed before I decide my hermit existence is really a much better life?” I ask him.

“We need to work on getting you out of your bed, well Kinney might not mind keeping you there.” He mumbles as we get to ‘Greasy Burger Heaven’.

“I promise not to whine if you let me get something to keep me from starving.” I beg when the same waitress passes by with a plate of Heaven.

“Couldn’t you at least have changed shoes?” He asks, but smiles so I figured froggies grew on him.

“EM, you can take the booth in the back!” The waitress yells.

“Come on Baby, you're about to meet Mom, just be prepared if you think what we say is dirty.” He seems to warn me. 

I go to sit down but got grabbed by my hips and shit that stung. I tried not to cry, but man it hurts. I gingerly sit down and look up to see what Bear decided my ass needed a beating.

“Well Em, he’s adorable, but don’t you think Drew might have a problem with you bringing home this cutie.” She tells Emmett while I look for who could have wanted red handprints on my ass. Then I realized Mom spanked my ass.

“Deb, as much as I’d love to bring him home, he’s just a new friend.” Emmett smiles as I try to find a comfortable position to sit in.

“You look like you could eat a good meal, how about a burger with chili cheese fries?” She really isn’t asking me. I smiled because really it’s the best thing I’ve been offered since the night I saw Brian.

“Emmett you’re going to have to protect Sunshine here from all the boys.” She tells me smiling.

“Sunshine?” I ask her.

“Deb gives nicknames to all the boys.” Emmett tells me.

Deb walks off but then turns and looks down at Wilma and Fred (maybe I do need to get out, because I’m starting to think of names for all my slippers), then gives them a thumbs up. 

“So what do you do that Kinney wants from you?” Emmett asks me.

“I do art for campaigns or logos for companies, just depends on if they can afford my prices. I really want to paint for a living but until then, I can handle being a whore.” I tell him, worried that he’s going to choke on the water.

“You know I think you are going to fit in this family.” Emmett tells me and I’m just not going to question him on what that means.

I looked out the window, but about smashed into the window when someone shoved me over. I was about to ask what the fuck, when to my disappointment, MM leered at me.

“Hey, you look like you’d like some company?” Is this a joke, because he didn’t seem to think I was all that great the other night.

“Michael, leave him alone. He’s too new for you to need him to start rejecting you.” Emmett tells him.

“How would you know anyone would reject me? You're too busy up Drew’s ass lately, like Ted is with Blake.” Now he says this with a smirk as if it’s funny, but I don’t see the humor in it.

“I guess it would be hard for a player like you to understand.” Emmett tells him.

I really didn’t mean to spew my coke all over MM, but hey, player is not what I see when I look at him. He acted like I just ruined an expensive designer suit, not and I’m guessing, superhero wannabe shirts and Big Q jeans. Emmett grabbed him and dragged him away while he was cursing me out.

“Don’t pay attention to my son, he can’t seem to understand that while a mother will lie to make you feel good about yourself, it doesn’t make you what you think you are.” Deb tells me.

“I’m so never going to understand you guys, you know that right?” I ask her.

“All you new boys think that, but eventually you do.” She pats my cheek.

I decide to write a note on a napkin, because I honestly don’t want to have tell MM, players have to have game, which he definitely needs to work on. Fred and Wilma decide it’s time for a cab because my puppies are tired. I wait until I see one, and turn when someone calls my name.

“Justin, I’d really love to Kiss It.” Brian yells as I hop in, wondering what the hell he’s talking about.

Getting home, I find the squad in my house going through my bags.

“Justin, when did you get a Sugar Daddy?” Daphne asks, holding up the blue jock strap.

I grab it and run to my room to hide because when they get to the see through jock strap, there will be no end to the teasing they’re going to do. Looking for my babies I notice the sleep pants and now I’m wondering how Brian seemed to know.