For what was probably only the third or fourth time, even though it felt like the hundredth, Brad Cooper woke up next to a white man. He was a gorgeous, intelligent, interesting white man, but he was also seven different kinds of clingy. For a brief moment, Brad wondered if this was how he had come off when he first started pursuing Felix.
"Shit," he groaned when he lifted his phone from from the nightstand. Britt Westbourne, his boss and occasional compatriot, had called three times and sent him at least ten times as many texts. He looked at the time on phone, decided it wasn't too early, and called her while feeling incredibly grateful that Lucas Jones wasn't the type to snore.
"Brad?" Britt sounded as tired as he felt. "What the hell were you doing? Dante knows about Ben, he knows that he's the father."
Biting back a groan, Brad looked down at Lucas. He had one arm slung around Brad's waist and the other tucked under the pillows. He didn't know anything about Britt and the baby stuff Brad had gotten wrapped up in. Brad wondered if Lucas would care.
"Felix told me last night," Brad sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "Do they know you aren't his mother? Felix didn't seem to know that."
"Did you tell him?" Britt didn't answer, but her question answered his.
"Of course not. Your mom scares the hell out of me."
There was a laugh on the other end of the phone. "Mother scares me, too. Brad, can you meet me for breakfast? We have to talk."
"Are we going to Kelly's? I'm getting sick of that place, to be honest." There were only so many BLTs a man could eat before he went nuts. And if the news was to be believed, it drove women nuts, too.
"Where else is there to go in this piece of shit town?"
"There's an Italian place I've wanted to try. I hear they have a decent breakfast menu, too."
"Fine. Whatever, text me the directions. I have half an hour left on my shift and I need to not be seen talking on the phone. Mother seems to check the supply closets hourly to make sure nobody is slacking."
After hanging up, Brad slid out of Lucas' embrace and grabbed his pants from the night before. He didn't know where his boxers had gone. After sliding them on, he slipped into the bathroom and shut the door. He turned on the light and stared in the mirror.
He didn't get it. Objectively, Brad knew was decent looking. Sure, he displayed bravado now to overcompensate for being the fat kid in school, but he was just decent. What did someone like Lucas, someone who was legitimately hot, see in him? He was just a short Asian guy just this side of being middle-aged. Was was so special about him drew Lucas in, and why couldn't Felix see it?
Brad turn on the faucet and slapped himself in the face with cold water. It sent any remaining vestiges of sleep running for the theoretical hills. As he listened to the sound of running water, he dragged a comb through his hair, then began brushing his teeth. The last thing he needed was for the man in his bed to see what he looked like unkempt. Though, technically, he had already seen it twice before.
"Oh, you're awake," Brad observed when he saw Lucas lounged seductively indecent in the bed. It took all the willpower he had not to take up the unspoken invitation.
"It got cold without you." Lucas was flirting, and he was good at it. He sat up and, when Brad got close enough, reached out and pulled the man to the edge of the bed. He kissed Brad's stomach and ran a finger the length of his waistband. "You know, sooner or later you're gonna have to do more than use me as a late night booty call when that other guy blows you off."
"Sorry about that. You inspire bad decision making. And I don't mean to use you. It just happens."
"I don't mind being used," Lucas argued as he leaned just enough to kiss the small of Brad's back. "But really, what is it about this guy that you let him treat you like crap all the time?"
Brad closed his eyes and focused for anything but the fingers exploring his body. "Honestly, I wasn't always the nicest guy. Shit, more often than not I'm still a son of a bitch. But he gave me a chance and I don't want to mess it up."
"Sounds to me like he's the one who messed up." Lucas' breath was even hotter on Brad's skin than his hands. He released Brad and leaned back into the bed. "If I'm the inspiration for bad choices, you can't be all that bad. Lord knows I've made more than a few of my own."
"Did you ever try to blackmail a straight man into sleeping with you?" Brad wasn't sure why he was telling Lucas about what was likely the worst thing he'd ever done, and it was a long list.
"I can't say I've ever needed blackmail. Tequila usually does the trick." Lucas smiled, which made Brad smile.
"Oh fuck you," he laughed.
"You did that last night. Or is your memory that bad?" Lucas grinned evilly and Brad really had to fight the urge to jump on top of him. The blond man pulled back the comforter he was laying on and patted the bed. "I can refresh your memory."
Brad actually did lean down and kiss Lucas. It was nice, to be able to kiss someone and not have to worry about if he would be judged or chastised immediately after. Then he pulled away.
"I would love to. Really, I would, but I can't stay. I have a thing with my boss and she gets pissy if I'm late."
"You told me last night that you had today off." Lucas was pouting and Brad kissed him again.
"It's not a work thing. It's a personal thing."
"Sooner or later, we're gonna have a proper date and you won't be able to run out on me."
"Maybe." Brad wasn't making any promises. As much as he liked sleeping with and talking to Lucas, there wasn't much more to whatever their relationship was. And he still had Felix. Maybe.
GH
"The service here is terrible. Why did I choose this stupid town, of all possible places, to do my residency?" Britt didn't even bother to greet Brad when she saw him. "Sorry, I ran into that bitch Elizabeth as I was leaving work, and she felt it necessary to gloat about Ben. I shut her ass up quick, though."
"That is one big rock," Brad noted when Britt held up her hand. "Nik proposed?"
She smiled and nodded, playing with the ring before looking back to him. "Yeah, he did. He didn't care that Dante is Ben's father."
"And you don't care that he has hair plugs." Brad snorted as he took his seat and looked around the restaurant. There was literally nobody else around. "Was I wrong? I thought this place was open. I mean, the sign says it's open."
"Don't look at me. I've been sitting here for ten minutes and haven't seen a soul." Britt grimaced and stared at the bar before yelling. "Get your useless asses out here and serve your goddamn customers!"
Ignoring her outburst, Brad brushed leftover crumbs from a previous customer off the table and to the floor. "So, Dante and Lulu know that Ben is their son and not yours?"
"Ben is my son. Just because I used Dante and Lulu's embryo..."
"Stole," Brad interjected. "You stole their embryo. And I helped you."
"Yeah, right, whatever. Anyway, they think I used Dante's sperm with one of my eggs. And it's gonna stay that way. I mean, Felix doesn't know the full story, does he?"
"Like I would admit to embryo theft. Stealing a straight dude's sperm is bad enough. I mean, good god, that sounds like something from a terrible porno."
Britt laughed at Brad's face. "You gays and your porn. Next you'll tell me that you and your girlfriend are making your own. Which I don't want you to tell me. Ever. But we should probably get our stories straight. I told everyone that I didn't know the sperm was Dante's, that Mother is the one who set everything up. And you need to go along with it."
"Oh." Brad scratched the back of his head and nervously chuckled. "You should've told me that sooner. Because I told Felix we did know it was Dante's. I mean, he already knew that Dante was the father, so it was obvious we stole it. Which kinda makes you the obvious liar. Sorry."
"Thanks a lot, Brad!" Britt yelled before slouching in her chair and crossing her arms. "Now what the hell am I going to do? Is there any chance you can shut that bitch up for me?"
"Felix threw me out of his apartment on Valentine's Day, so I seriously doubt anything I say is gonna keep him from running to Liz."
"Why do you even like him? He's such a shrill, whiny harpy and nosey as all get out. Not unlike Liz, now that I think about it. Why do the people in town never mind their own fucking business?"
Brad shrugged. "I'm still trying to figure out why none of them seem to have any friends. I mean, the closest I have to a friend is you, and you're a bitch."
"Aw, thanks, Brad. You're a bitch, too. But because you're a dumb one, I have to figure out how to spin this so that Nikolas still marries me. I could always go to Mother for help, but that involves talking to Mother."
"That woman scares me."
Throwing her hair back, Britt looked at the time on her cell phone. "Imagine how I felt growing up with her. But that is going to be nothing compared to what I'm gonna do if the rude as fuck wait staff at this dump doesn't come out soon!" She screamed the last words for emphasis.
"I'm coming!" A man yelled in return as he burst out of the back. Then he froze when he saw Brad. "Get the hell out of my restaurant."
"Oh, hi, Mikey," Brad leered before he could stop himself. "Listen, we just want some food."
"I'm not going to serve anyone who tries to blackmail me into sex!" Michael Corinthos screamed at Brad as he thrust a finger in his direction.
Then Britt started laughing raucously. "A skinny white boy? Seriously, Brad? If you're gonna go that route, you could at least blackmail someone a little more attractive. And you, Mikey or whatever, stop screaming. It's unprofessional. Now take your constipated ass over to the hostess table and get some damn menus so I can eat your shitty food before going home. I've had a rough few days and I'm not in the mood for any shit."
"I was being polite before," Michael shouted at Britt, before turning back to Brad. "Get the hell out of my restaurant before I call the cops."
"But your father is a mobster. Do you really want the cops involved?" Brad countered with a raised hand. "I mean, I didn't even know you worked here."
"My dad owns this place. It's a legitimate business. Now leave."
Standing, Britt slung her purse over her shoulder. Brad followed her lead, sans purse.
"You know," Britt sneered at Michael, "if this is a legitimate business, then I'm the fucking Virgin Mary. Come on, Brad. I'm not in the mood for trade today."
"What's trade?" Brad asked as he looked Michael over.
"You are a terrible gay," Britt informed Brad before she stormed out of the restaurant.
"I am so leaving you a negative review on Yelp," Brad warned Michael before following Britt out the door.