When Calen couldfinally speak, he gasped out, “Some people,” before laughing again. Grantreached over to take the plate away before the pizza went everywhere. That justset the nut off even more.
“How much have youhad to drink?” Garrett was leaning toward Calen, a stern expression fallingover his face.
Calen snorted.“Completely sober. You guys are just hilarious.”
Garrett lookedover to Grant, and they both shrugged. Sometimes it was just easier to ignoreCalen than to try to understand him. “I worry about your sanity sometimes.”
That didn’t help.
By the time Calenstopped laughing, the pizza was cold and Grant’s beer was hot. Taking his trashto the kitchen, Grant went back into living room only to see Garrett and Calenwhispering, heads close together. Straightening quickly as Grant walked in,they tried to make it seem like they’d been debating what movie to watch.
That didn’t lookguilty at all.
Ignoring theelephant in the room, because he was starting to get a good guess of what allthe crazy was about, Grant flopped back in his chair. “If I’m coming over fordinner, at least let Wyatt make dessert.”
Calen nodded.“That wouldn’t have been much work.”
Garrett ignoredboth of them. “I don’t want to see the Bond movie again. We watched thatalready.”
Snorting, Calenthrew a crust at Garrett. “You shit. He volunteered, didn’t he?”
“That’s just mean.I bet he was going to make that cake he was talking about last week. The fudgeone.” Grant had to agree with Calen; turning down dessert was just wrong.
Garrett gave thema shifty look that was too familiar. Grant didn’t even get the words out beforeanother crust had Garrett ducking and growling out a threat. “Hey, you make amess and he’ll never make another dessert for you.”
“Where is it?”Calen wasn’t going to fall for the guilt trip. “I know you guys. You’re worsethan kids hiding cookies in their rooms. Where is the cake?”
Garrett let anevil grin escape. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
It was a challengeGrant and Calen couldn’t resist. Movie forgotten, they headed to the kitchen.They’d find it somewhere. Family was fun sometimes, but Grant was glad he hadCarter. His sub would never hide a cake from him. He was too perfect for that.
Chapter 9
Carter
“So, I take itthings are going well between you and Grant?” They hadn’t been seated for morethan thirty seconds before Bryce started in on the questions. It was clearly away of preemptively diverting the conversation from his own love life.
Carter wasn’tgoing to hide his relationship with Grant, but the rest of the guys weren’tgoing to let Bryce get away with it. Brent grinned, and even Wyatt shook hishead before speaking up. “That’s not going to work.”
Brent laughed. “We’vebeen waiting for days to see what else you’ve been up to with your new guys.Spill it.”
Slouching back inhis chair, Bryce looked around before speaking in a low tone. “We went out on adate the other night. They were okay with me wanting to keep it low-key in public,but it was good.”
Wyatt looked likehe was trying not to laugh, but Brent wasn’t holding back. He grinned and shookhis head, chuckling. “Only good? Next you’re going to be telling us they’renice and you had a lovely time.”
Bryce blushed andshifted in his seat. Rearranging the silverware on the table, Bryce tried torelax as he responded to their teasing. “Okay, so it was more than good.”
“How much morethan good?” Wyatt smiled gleefully, looking around to make sure they couldn’tbe overheard. “You have to give us more details than that.”
Carter was gladWyatt was feeling comfortable with the other guys, but Carter wasn’t sure if hewanted to know more about what Bryce had been up to. If Bryce shared too much,he had a nagging feeling it would make keeping his own growing relationship low-keyalmost impossible.
“Nothing crazy.Mostly getting to know them kind of stuff.” Rolling the knife over and over onthe table, Bryce seemed to be lost in his head. “It’s weird. I’ve always eitherbeen in charge or been the…” He paused and looked around again beforecontinuing. “Not in charge. It’s hard trying to balance both at the same time.I have to think about reactions more. Even little things at dinner or whenwe’re talking.”
They all nodded,understanding what he was trying to say, but Brent was the one who spoke up.“Have you told them that? I would hope they’d want you to be yourself and not overthinkit.”
Bryce nodded.“Yeah, they knew already, though. It’s easier when we’re talking one-on-one.”
“Does being withboth of them feel wrong?” Brent leaned forward, elbows on the table. “If itdoesn’t feel right, you can’t force it.”
