Disclaimers: all the same, no one making money, hurt, injured or otherwise ... well, maybe Hal's ego has been impacted negatively, but Brett didn't really mean it.

many thanks to the jell-o pit, thanks for the support. Orange jellow shots, ladies? I'm buying.

The Ultimate Debate – Boston take 2
By Alf.

The drive to Boston had been boring, really. I mean we didn't pass any major accidents, we weren't stuck in a blizzard and the radio died so I didn't have to listen to his music anymore.

We checked into the Rangeman office and been given assignments. It was truly a case of same job, different scenery. Since Ranger wasn't here all the time, the break room had what was considered to be contraband in Trenton, oatmeal cookies. So they were homemade and probably with all organic ingredients, but they were cookies with tiny chocolate morsels in them. I think I may have to move to Boston considering that chocolate isn't on the banned list here.

It was nearly midnight when we headed to the hotel. It was one of those business affairs that has an office/sitting room and a separate sleeping area. At least that's what their internet advertisement had said.

"May I help you?" the brunette running the front desk asked Brett.

"Yeah, Liz, reservations for Rangeman," he said.

He'd obviously read her name tag but she blushed despite it. She started typing furiously and was making faces at the screen.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing in the system under that name. Could there be another name?"

Brett gave her his last name, Davidson. Nothing there. Nothing under my last name, Day. She worried her lip and ran her hands through her hair, not an encouraging sign.

"I see that there was a reservation, but it was only on a hold and when you didn't check in by six, we considered it canceled. We've sold your rooms," she said.

"No one guaranteed the rooms?" I asked. Surely that couldn't be the case. Whenever Tank had rooms booked, they were always guaranteed to the company credit card.

"Do you have anything at all?" Brett asked turning on his smile. "Just one teenie, little bitty room that no one would know about?"

Eww. I didn't really want to be witnessing this, but maybe this was part of what Tank wanted me to learn from Brett. Never mind, probably not.

"Nothing," she said frowning at him.

He took her hand and smiled at her. "Isn't there anything at all? We only need one room."

Usually his approach worked, all women seemed to love Brett.

"No."

"Any rooms that have been guaranteed but haven't checked in yet?" he asked gracing her with an even more dazzling smile. He wasn't giving up his line of questioning and she kept blushing. Maybe I was watching a master, then again, this is Brett and he is the master of hair gel some days.

"I couldn't tell you that even if I wanted to."

"Any place you can recommend that might have a vacancy?" I asked. I was tired and just wanted a pillow and a soft bed.

"Let me make a phone call," she said. She pulled out her cell phone and pushed a couple of buttons. "Hey, gorgeous. It's me." Pause. "Yeah, I know it's late, but you love me anyway." Pause. "I've got a problem. A couple of guests lost their room reservation and need a place for," she looked at us and said, "how many nights?" I held up four fingers. "Four nights. Can you swing that?" Pause. "It'll have to do. I'll send them over. Thanks lovie."

She started writing fast and furiously. "Do either of you know Boston?"

We both shook our heads. This was working out perfectly. Strange city at night and snow; without a GPS at night we'd be completely sunk.

"I'll print out a map and everything you'll need. This time of night, there'll be no traffic. You should be able to get there in about twenty minutes."

We were given a map with instructions and a phone number.

"It's a little B&B, normally they're completely booked. I'd say you got lucky," Liz said.

~x~x~

"This is going to be so much fun," Brett said as we climbed back into the SUV.

I was too tired to answer him, so he kept talking.

"I want to do all the touristy things while we're here. I want to go to Jefferson's house, Mount Vernon."

"Mount Vernon belonged to Washington and it's in Virginia. You're thinking about Monticello."

"Sure, we can do that then."

"I wasn't clear, that's in Virginia, too."

"How about Benjamin Franklin? I've heard he was here a lot," he said starting to sound kind of down in the mouth.

"Tell you what, how about Paul Revere?"

"Who?"

"He made tea pots? The midnight ride?"

"Can we do it together?"

"Sure. But you do know we're here to work, right?"

"Yeah, but we can have fun too, right?"

"I guess. Help me find this place on the GPS will you?"

~x~x~

We pulled up in front of a quaint little Victorian house that matched the address. We pulled our bags out of the SUV and headed for the front door.

The door flew open and a tall, lithe man greeted us.

"You two must be the ones Liz sent over."

We nodded.

"Come in, come in. Let's get you all settled."

I schlepped my bags and Brett's bags while he went to the front desk.

"I'm Larry, proprietor, and you are?" he asked us.

"I'm Brett Davis and this is my partner, Hal Day."

"Partners?" he asked.

"Sure," Brett said.

"Since you are partners, there won't be a problem. We only have one room available. If you weren't partners, we'd have a bit of a sticky wicket on our hands."

I hope the room's big and has two beds.

"Are you staying with us long?" Larry asked while he completed some paperwork.

"As long as it takes," Brett said surrendering my company credit card. "Legal issues to deal with and all that."

There was one specific contract with Rangeman which required a defined level of coverage. Due to so many employees being out with the flu, the company was in breech until Brett and I showed up.

"I understand. Say no more," Larry said putting his finger to the side of his nose. "You'll be in room 13."

Brett took the offered key and asked, "What time does breakfast start?"

"Seven and is over around ten."

~x~x~

Brett bounded up the stairs, opened the door, turned on the light and whistled.

"Dude," he said over his shoulder. "You're never going to believe this."

"What?"

"It's amazing but I hope we can change rooms soon."

I hope we can get separate rooms some place closer to the office tomorrow.

I continued up the stairs struggling with all the bags and dropped them when the room came before my eyes. It was done in early Austin Powers. I mean the room had shag carpeting, lava lamps, a big wet bar, mirrors on the ceiling, and a round bed. ONE round bed.

"I've got dibs on the bed," Brett said.

"No. I drove all day and worked. You napped for three hours on the ride up."

"But."

"No buts. I have the bed tonight and if we have to stay an extra night, I'll take the floor. Go see if Larry has some extra pillows or blankets."

Instead of traipsing down the stairs, Brett opened the closet and found two additional pillows and a small thermal blanket. Looks like Brett will get to sleep in sweats tonight.

~x~x~

The alarm was set for 5:30 but that isn't what woke me. I woke to a distinctively damp sensation on my shoulder and the sound of someone snoring. According to the digital display on the night stand, it was 2:30 AM. I did a little evaluation and remembered I wasn't home, I knew I wasn't alone, and I haven't had a date in a while so who could this be? That's when I realized there was only one person who could be drooling on me. Brett.

Brett?

F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T

"Brett," I hissed shoving him off my shoulder.

"Whaaa?"

"You are supposed to be on the floor."

"I got cold and this is a big bed."

It isn't that big a bed. I like the middle and the whole bed is the middle, sort of.

"Tough it out."

"Don't wanna. You're ruining a good dream. I was about to get a blonde's number."

When isn't he going to get some blonde's number? At least he rolled off of my shoulder and over onto his other side.

"Fine. But if you roll back onto my side, I'm shoving your ass onto the floor."

I don't know if he heard me because the next thing I heard was him giggling. Perfect, just perfect.

~x~x~

Mornings aren't my prime time and they sure aren't Brett's either. We both staggered down the stairs to find out what was available for breakfast. I was hoping for coffee and something chocolate. I was probably going to have to settle for less, and then I smelled them. Homemade muffins. It was glorious, it was almost better than coffee.

Brett snatched the one and only chocolate muffin and a cup for coffee and sat at the table. I opted for oatmeal, plain – no sugar added. It tasted like library paste.

"Did you boys sleep well last night?" Larry asked.

"It's always tough in a strange bed," I said.

"I can sleep anywhere," Brett said.

Yes, and he has slept anywhere with almost anyone who would let him.

Brett got up to get himself some fruit and a croissant with jam and fresh butter. I glared at Brett before going back to my oatmeal. It was stickier and blander than I remembered.

I overheard Larry say to him, "What's his problem this morning. Did you two have a tiff?"

"Nah. He's been cranky since he's started to develop a muffin top of his own. I don't think he'll be happy until he's no longer squishy around the middle."

"He looks good to me," Larry said.

Great.

"Hey Hal, show this guy your paunch."

Die and die quickly, scum.

"No."

"I don't think you've got a paunch," Larry said a little too quickly.

"Please?" Brett asked in a whine.

I was tired and cranky. If showing off my paunch was going to make this end now, I was going to do it. I would do almost anything until the caffeine kicked in.

"Fine. I'll lift my shirt if that'll make you happy," I said to Brett. Last night I'd made sure to keep a shirt on so he couldn't see how flabby I've gotten.

I stood from my seat and put my napkin down. Since I'd been more interested in the coffee than conversation or anything else in the room, I hadn't noticed the dining room had four other people, all male, in attendance. I unceremoniously pulled my shirt out of my waistband and quickly lifted it to the middle of my chest. As fast as I raised it, I lowered and re-tucked it.

"I don't see what you're complaining about," Larry breathed. "He looks perfect."

"Nah. He looked better last year. Last year he had one of these," Brett said lifting his shirt and exposing his eight pack.

Show off.

Larry dropped his coffee cup and there was the sound of a dish and cutlery hitting the floor.

"See? He looks all squishy."

Thanks ever so much, Brett. I've made myself a fool and you've gotten to show off yet again.

"Just how long have you been partners?" Larry asked.

"We've been together a little more than a year," Brett said.

"You know, people sometimes work out really hard until they meet the right partner," Larry told him. "Maybe he's let himself go because he's comfortable with you."

Uh, no. I've 'let myself go' because a chocolate milkshake has prevented me from throttling Brett on more than one stakeout. Because an extra large order of fries keeps my mouth moving longer so I didn't say something and insult the man. Because ice cream doesn't annoy me or talk back when I've had a bad day. I have let myself 'go' because it beats the H out of wearing an orange jump suit that I know the county or state would provide after I inflict bodily harm on Brett.

I went back to the serving dishes and looked at the muffins. They had pumpkin muffins; I needed comfort food and right now that was as comfortable as I was going to get without leaving the building.

"You can't eat that," Brett said taking the muffin from my plate. "You should have one of these."

He placed a dry looking bran muffin on my plate. Bran? Thanks so much for your thoughtfulness, Brett.

"I have a chocolate muffin, if you want it," said a short, round man at the next table. "It's the least I can do. You've made my day."

"Thanks," I said as I accepted his muffin.

"I'm Mike, and I think you're amazing."

Oh God. Where exactly are we in Boston and how long are we supposed to be here?

To be continued…

a/n: Brett really isn't intentionally dim, I swear. And as to Hal and the 'muffin top' the rest of us would still consider him to be in pretty decent shape.

thanks for reading and reviewing....