It Takes All Kinds

Pole Position

Author's Note:  Sites the boys visit in this chapter:

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway-www.brickyard(dot)com

The Four Seasons Hotel-www.fourseasons(dot)com/chicagofs/

The Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago-www.msichicago(dot)org

Please note that the grammar and/or spelling errors in Gus' diary entries are deliberate-there's no need to let me know about them.

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"Gus. Gus. Come on, buddy, it's time to get up." His Pops' soft voice buzzed in his ear as Gus rolled over and tried to fall asleep again. "Rise and shine, little boy. Today's the day."

"Timezit?"

"Five thirty. Your dad wants to get on the road by six, so we need to get you moving." Justin laid Gus' clothes on the bed and turned around, "GUS, WAKE UP. We won't get to Disneyland if you don't get out of bed."

"I'm up, I'm up already." Gus blearily looked out the window as he sat on the edge of the bed. "Umm, Pops-the sun's not even up. Why does Dad want to leave before the sun's up?" he asked in a plaintive voice.

Justin smiled fondly at the sleepy boy, thinking that Gus really wasn't a morning person. He was dreading the teenage years-getting Gus up and ready for school now was already a chore. "Your dad wants to be in Indianapolis around lunchtime so we can spend a couple of hours at the racetrack. We're staying in Chicago tonight and he doesn't want to get into town too late."

Gus shrugged, he didn't really care-well, actually he did, he just felt it was way too early to be doing anything. He stood, almost comatose, while Justin all but dressed him and helped him brush his teeth. The small boy stumbled into the family room, collapsed on the couch, and quickly fell back asleep.

Brian looked amused. "You know, as soon as we get into the car, he's going to wake up and start asking if we're there yet. So, do you want to carry the luggage or our sleeping beauty down to the car?"

Justin snorted, "Judging by the pile of luggage there, I think we both need to carry it down. Christ, Brian, did you add half your wardrobe when I wasn't looking? We're only gonna be gone two weeks, you know, and there are such things as Laundromats and dry cleaners."

"Ah Sunshine, gotta be prepared for any situation. Can't be without my favorite outfits, now can I?" Brian picked up several suitcases and headed out the door. Justin gathered the rest and followed him into the elevator. They quickly loaded the SUV, then Justin went back inside to fetch Gus and lock up while Brian warmed the car up.

Justin walked back into the loft and approached the couch. "Come on, buddy. You need to get on your feet for a minute while I close up, then I'll carry you down." He snickered at the face his son made as he struggled to his feet. Justin guided the still-groggy boy toward the door, set the alarm and locked up. He leaned down and picked up Gus, who snuggled his face into the junction of Justin's neck and shoulder and was instantly asleep again.

Arriving at the car, Justin gently settled Gus into the backseat and buckled him in. He reached over and grabbed a pillow, propping the boy's head up with it, then covered him with a blanket. 'There, hopefully he'll stay asleep for awhile.'

The three members of the Kinney-Taylor family were soon on their way out of Pittsburgh. After several hours, Brian heard a rustling in the backseat. He glanced in the rearview mirror and noticed that Gus was beginning to stir. He began looking for an exit-it was probably time for a break.

Gus jumped out of the SUV as soon as it rolled to a stop at the convenience store, running for the restroom. When he came back out, he bounced over to his dad and exclaimed, "I'm hungry. You didn't feed me breakfast this morning!"

Brian snorted, "The only way we could have fed you breakfast was through an IV. You wouldn't wake up, you brat."

Shrugging, Gus said, "Okay, whatever. Feed me now!"

"Geeze, don't be a whiney little monster, alright? Otherwise, I'll find a band of traveling gypsies and sell you to them." Brian held the door open for his son as they entered the store and joined Justin in front of the snack section.

Gus ignored the familiar threat and asked his Pops, "Where are we? Will we be at the racetrack soon?"

His dads exchanged an amused look then Justin replied, "We just went around Columbus, Ohio, so we're a little over half way there. I told you earlier that we would be getting to Indianapolis around lunchtime. Now, what to you want to eat?"

Brian waited patiently as his two boys discussed the relative merits of each snack they were considering. He shook his head wryly, 'Damn, they can both put away the food.' He finally put an end to their deliberations by announcing the car was leaving in two minutes, with or without them. The two younger guys made their final selections and took them to the counter, where Brian was waiting to pay.

They climbed back into the SUV and Gus began going through the DVD's his Pops had put in the backseat. He chose one of his favorites, 'Inspector Gadget' and started the movie. The boy opened his chips and juice and was soon engrossed in the antics of the inept Inspector and his talking car.

The miles flew by and the SUV was soon driving through the outskirts of Indianapolis. Brian had Justin pull out the directions to the racetrack from the glove box and the younger man guided them to their destination.

When they arrived at the racetrack, Gus carefully collected the empty wrappers and bottles. His Pops might laugh off a little mess, but Gus was very aware that his dad hated trash in the car. He vividly remembered one Saturday when he had spent the entire day cleaning both his dads' cars, inside and out. All because his dad found some half-eaten cookies under the seat of his Corvette.

Brian looped his arms about his two boys and guided them to the ticket booth. "I have a surprise for you, Gus," he announced, smiling down into his son's excited face, "I know how much you love Peter MacDonald. Well, I heard a while back that his team was going to be here today, running some trials. I contacted his manager and arranged for you to meet him.

Both men laughed as Gus began whooping and jumping up and down in place. He finally slowed down enough to rush over to his dad and throw his arms around the man's waist, "Oh. My. Gosh. Dad. I can't believe this. PETER MacDONALD! Did you hear that, Pops?" He tugged on his Pops' shirtsleeve, making sure he had his attention, "Isn't this the coolest thing EVER?"

Justin grabbed him by the shoulder, laughing, "Okay buddy-you need to calm down, otherwise they won't let you near the cars." The boy instantly sobered-there was no way he was going to miss this chance to see his favorite racecar driver up close.

Justin purchased their tickets for the speedway tour as well as the museum. The trio made their way into the small theater, where they watched a movie showing the history of the famous race then they meandered through the museum itself.

Gus and his father were fascinated with the cars on display. Gus was particularly taken with the vehicle known as the Marmon "Wasp"-it had won the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911. Brian, of course, spent most of his time drooling over the 1957 SSI Corvette displayed there.

Justin watched in amazement as Brian and Gus competed with each other, each trying to impress the other with their knowledge about racing. He shook his head-he had no interest in cars other than their ability to get him from point A to point B. The blond spent his time snapping shots of his guys as they posed near the various cars.

Justin checked his watch-it was time for their tour of the track. He called out, "Brian, Gus-we better get moving. The tour starts in about ten minutes." The two race aficionados met him at the doorway and they exited the museum, joining the others who were gathered for the tour.

Brian and Gus were in heaven for the next ninety minutes. They saw the victory platform as well as got to stand on the start/finish line. Gus was interested in the strip of bricks there-he learned they were the original bricks used when the track was first built.

When the tour was over, the two men and their son walked over to the sidelines where they watched Peter MacDonald's racing team preparing his car for the upcoming trials. Brian wandered over to the crew leader and confirmed their plan of Gus meeting the famous driver. He came back over to where Justin and his son were standing, telling them, "That guy told me Peter would be here in a few minutes. We'll get to meet him before he starts practicing."

"Thanks, Dad. You're the greatest."

A young man, who was wearing a one-piece jumpsuit and dark wraparound sunglasses, soon approached them. He removed the glasses and introduced himself, "Hi, I'm Peter." He smiled down at the young boy, "I understand that you're Gus and you've recently had a birthday. How would you like to take a ride with me?"

Gus looked up at his dads, his eyes wide, "Can I, Dad? Pleeaase?"

"Sonny Boy, that's why we're here, so get moving."

Peter looked at Brian and Justin and winked, "I promise to obey the speed limit, okay?" The three men laughed then Peter reached down and took Gus' hand. He began chatting to the small boy as they moved away, "So, Gus-do you have your driver's license yet?"

Brian and Justin walked closer to the fence as Gus and his new friend were helped into the racecar. Brian videotaped both laps while Justin took some pictures of Gus waving at his dads as they passed. Justin chuckled and said, "Brian, I think you just won 'Father of the Year' with this little expedition. I'm guessing we won't hear the end of it until we reach California." He leaned up and softly kissed his partner's mouth. "Congratulations, Dad."

Brian had a pleased look on his face, "Yeah, this is going well, isn't it? Can you believe how excited he was?" He slipped an arm around the smaller man's waist and pulled him closer. "Thanks for putting up with all the car shit today. Gus and I really have had a good time."

Justin flashed him a wicked smile, "That's okay-I'll expect the same patience when I'm dragging your happy ass through the art museum in Chicago tomorrow." He laughed when his partner let out an exaggerated sigh.

Gus was in seventh heaven. Peter's crew had fitted him with a helmet and helped him climb through the side window into the car. Peter crawled into the driver's seat and patiently answered Gus' questions as he strapped himself in.

The racecar driver glanced over at the excited little boy and asked, "Ready? Here we go!" He shifted the car into gear and slowly drove out of the pit area, gradually picking up speed when they reached the actual track. Peter drove them around the two and a half mile track twice, wanting to give Gus a good feel for how the car handled. The car slowed as they approached the pit area and Peter stopped the vehicle next to his crew. He looked at the boy's glowing face-there was no need to ask if he had enjoyed the ride.

"Oh wow, that was so cooool! Thank you so much, Mr. MacDonald."

Gus climbed out of the car and removed his helmet. He handed it to one of the pit crew then ran over to his dads, who were talking with the crew leader. "Dad, Pops! Did you see me? That was like… wow… the coolest thing ever!"

Brian and Justin shook hands with Peter when he walked up, thanking him for the unexpected ride for Gus.

"No problem. He's a good kid." Peter ruffled Gus' hair, then picked him up and sat him on the warm hood of the car. "Why don't we let your dad take a picture of us, so you have something to show your friends when you get back home." He casually slung an arm around Gus' shoulders and they both smiled into the camera as Justin took several shots. "Well guys, it's been fun, but I gotta get back to work." Peter flashed a smile at them then said, "Happy birthday, Gus. See you around." He waved as he walked back to his car and climbed in.

"Okay, Gus, it's time to return to earth." His dad lightly punched him on his arm then gestured toward the exit. "We need to go eat then hit the road."

"Sure Dad." Gus floated back to the SUV. This had been one of the greatest days of his life. The three of them ate quickly at a nearby diner then they got back onto the interstate, heading toward Chicago. Gus sat quietly as the car ate up the miles, reliving the ride of his life.

Gus was getting drowsy when they finally pulled up in front of the hotel. Pops jumped out and opened the back, pulling out their luggage as Gus collected his things from the backseat, stuffing them into his backpack. He climbed out and stood patiently as his dad handed the keys to the valet.

Gus stared as they entered the lobby of the Four Seasons Hotel. They normally stayed in much less extravagant hotels-it was something Pops and Dad disagreed on regularly. Dad always wanted to stay in the fancier places, while Pops felt it was a waste of money just to spend the night. Obviously, his dad had made the reservations for this place.

Brian took one look at Justin's face and rushed, "Since we're going to be in town for three nights, I thought we would treat ourselves. I really didn't want to stay in some cramped little hotel room for that long." He quirked an eyebrow at the blond, hoping his preemptive strike would do the trick.

Justin gave Brian a dirty look and said, "Since we're here already, I won't argue but…"

"I know, I know-we'll be staying in fleabag little places for the rest of the trip. Don't queen out on me, Sunshine." Brian approached the reservations desk and checked them in. When he returned, a bellhop was following him. He picked up their luggage and put it onto a trolley. "If you'll follow me, sirs."

The trio meekly followed the hotel worker to the elevator. When the door opened, Gus darted in-he loved to push the button to hold the doors open. After everyone was on, he asked his dad, "What floor?"

Brian glanced at the keycard in his hand and replied, "Thirty-six. We should have a good view of the city from there."

"Cool." Gus pressed the correct one, then to be silly, pushed about five other floors before his Pops could reach and stop him.

"GUS BRIAN PETERSON-MARCUS!"

Gus grinned unrepentantly at his dads and bounced up and down, ignoring their disgusted looks at the elevator made the unnecessary stops. His dad just rolled his eyes and Pops was the first to break-he started laughing and snorted, "You are such a brat!"

"Yeah, but you love me anyway!" Gus stuck his tongue out as the door opened on their floor. He followed his dads down the hall to their room and when they entered, went straight to the TV.

"Cool, we have a PlayStation™."

"Shit-we won't be able to get him out of the room now," grumbled his Pops, as he sat down next to Gus and rifled through the available games, trying to find one they both would want to play. "Hey Brian-how about calling for room service. I'm hungry."

"Uh huh, obviously Gus is going to be the problem," Brian sarcastically pointed out as he pulled out the menu and ordered their dinner. "What's the plan for tomorrow?"

"I thought we would go the Art Institute."

Gus and his dad exchanged looks, then Gus wheedled, "Umm Pops? Could we not go to the art museum? A friend of mine told me about the Museum of Science and Industry-that place sounds really neat. It's educational, too," he tacked on. They both snickered at the mock pout on the blond's face.

"Geeze, Justin, don't be such a drama princess. You can go on Monday while I'm in my meeting." It was Justin and Brian's turn to laugh at the genuine pout on Gus' face.

"Gee thanks, Dad."

The three quickly consumed their food when it arrived. Justin noticed Gus' attempts not to fall asleep in his food and suggested a quick bath and then bed. Gus nodded sleepily-he was more than ready.

Once he was ready for bed, Gus pulled an empty journal from his backpack and laid down on his stomach across his bed. He carefully opened the book to the first page and printed along the top:

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Vacation Diary of Gus the Great

Saturday, November 14, 2009-Day 1

I have a school project to do and my friend Jim Porter told me to keep a dairy diary of my trip so I remember the detales.

Yesterday I turned nine-I got all kinds of neat things at my party. My dads are taking me to Disney Land for my birthday.

We got up real early this morning because Dad made us. I sleeped for a while in the car then I watched a movie. We got to the Indien Indiani the racetrack this afternoon and I got to meat Peter MacDonald. He was cool. He took me for a ride in his car around the track. It was fun.

We then drove some more until we got to the hotel in Shicago Chicago. We ate dinner and now I have to go to bed.

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They slept in the next morning and had a leisurely breakfast in their small dining area. Since his dads were already dressed, Gus rushed around, throwing on his clothes and looking for his missing shoes. He finally found one under his bed and the other one in the bathroom-how did that happen, he wondered. When he was completely ready, he picked up his new camera and headed back out to the living area of their suite.

"All set?" His dad stood up and ushered his boys out of the room. They made their way downstairs and out onto the street, where Pops hailed a taxi for the short drive to MOSI, getting there just as the doors opened.

When they got into the museum, they bought their tickets then sat down with a map to plan out their visit. Gus quickly persuaded his dads to go see 'The Great Train Story' exhibit first then he wanted to see the Fairy Castle as well as the Apollo 8 Command Module.

Gus was floored when they walked into the train exhibit. He had never seen anything like it before. There was a miniature port with tiny ships-he enjoyed blowing the whistle until his dad told him that that was enough. He followed the track around the room, going past a small lumber mill and into the Rocky Mountains, where he got to blow up a section where they were building a bridge. The train continued past a delicate looking apple orchard through a depiction of the Great Plains and on into a miniaturized version of downtown Chicago.

He wandered over to where his Pops was standing and whispered loudly, "Do you think we could build one of these at the loft?"

Justin considered the question for a minute then said, "I think it would be fun, but… I don't know, Gus. I think your dad will probably say no-it would be too messy for him."

"What would be too messy?"

Both Gus and Justin jumped guiltily as Brian walked up behind them, hearing part of their conversation. Gus stammered, "Umm, we were… umm… we were just thinking…"

Justin took over, "Brian, what are the chances you would let us build a train set at home-say, in the family room?

Brian looked at his two boys with a serious expression, then around the room at the exhibit. A smile suddenly lit up his face and he exclaimed, "You know, I always wanted one when I was a kid, but my parents… Hell yeah, let's do it!"

Gus and his Pops gave each other high fives and then Gus got his camera out of his bag and began taking pictures of the interesting areas. His dads began discussing the different possibilities for layouts in the loft, finally deciding a narrow table built around the edge of the family room would be the best. There would be several larger areas for towns and there would definitely be some mountains so they could have waterfalls, bridges and at least one tunnel.

They spent several hours in the train exhibit, while Pops sketched out their different ideas. Gus' stomach began rumbling and he announced that he was starving, so they found the food court, where Gus and Justin ordered a pizza while Brian had a salad.

After their late lunch, they slowly made their way to the room that contained Colleen Moore's 'Fairy Castle.' Gus quickly began plotting how he could convince his dads that they really needed one of these, as well. Brian took one look at his face and said, "Gus, don't even think about it. There is no way we're having a dollhouse in the loft. Period-end of story."

Gus sulked for a few minutes but perked up when his Pops pointed out that the miniature houses they would be building for the train set would be just as good as a fairy castle.

They had been enjoying themselves so much with the two exhibits that they were surprised when Justin looked at his watch and realized the museum would be closing in less than a half hour. After quickly consulting each other, they decided to hurry to the Apollo exhibit, so Gus could see an actual spaceship.

Gus was amazed at how little room was inside the Command Module. He had (as all little boys do at least once in their lives) dreamed of one day being an astronaut. After he saw the inside of the capsule, he changed his mind (he didn't like tight spaces) and decided to become a racecar driver instead.

Brian suggested they stop in the bookstore and look for books about the different exhibits they had seen. They found several books about model trains and Gus found an interesting book that showed a day in the life of an astronaut. Pops located a book that told the history of Colleen Moore and her castle and his dad couldn't resist buying Gus a conductor's hat and whistle.

It was a decision he would regret by the time they got home to Pittsburgh-Gus got a kick out of sneaking up behind his Dad and blowing the whistle to make him jump. Pops just quirked an eyebrow and reminded him that it had been his own idea, which pissed Dad off.

The trio stopped at an Italian restaurant near the hotel for dinner. When they finished eating, they decided to go back to the hotel and spend the evening hanging out at the pool.

Gus was the first one changed so he sat on the couch and impatiently tapped his foot. After waiting a few minutes, he decided to go knock on his dads' door. He knew they sometimes got distracted while changing clothes and wanted to hurry them up.

He rapped on the closed door then waited, hearing muffled sounds coming from the room. The small boy tried the doorknob, only to find that it was locked. "Hey guys, cut it out. I want to go swimming."

The door opened abruptly and his Pops was standing there, face flushed and dressed in his swimsuit. Gus peeked past his shoulder and saw his dad lying on the bed without his clothes on. Yep, they got distracted, all right!

"Sorry Gus. Brian, hurry up!" Pops stepped out of their room and closed the door behind him. He went into Gus' bathroom and grabbed some towels, then headed back toward the sitting area. As he passed the bedroom door, it swung open and his dad stepped out, colliding with his Pops.

"Whoa there, Sunshine. I know you're horny, but you don't have to throw yourself at me." Dad smirked at the blond, who was suddenly an even brighter red than earlier.

"Asshole! Your son is standing right here."

Geeze, his dads could be so weird sometimes.

The three of them went down to the hotel's indoor pool. Gus thought the glass-domed ceiling was neat, but he would have preferred to be in an outdoor pool, until his dad pointed out that it was forty-three degrees outside-way too cold to swim, unless you were a seal.

Gus might not be a seal, but he could swim like a dolphin. He and his Pops spent a lot of time at the local pools during the summer.

Pops had taught him to swim at an early age, and they enjoyed racing each other from one side of the pool to the other. Gus suspected that the blond let him win but that was okay, because whenever Pops would reach the end, he would grab the small boy and toss him across the pool. Gus loved the sensation-it felt like he was flying.

His dad, on the other hand, diligently swam his laps then floated about on a lounge chair. He would occasionally yell at Gus or his Pops for splashing him-the two then ganged up on him and try to tip the lounger. The man's longer reach protected him, but they got lucky sometimes and managed to dump him into the water.

His revenge was swift-he became a tickling machine and wouldn't stop until Gus and his Pops were completely out of breath.

Gus loved swimming with his dads.

After they had roughhoused for a while, Brian reminded the other two that he had to work tomorrow. They climbed out of the water and toweled off.

When they got back to their suite, Gus went into the bathroom to change, then walked back into the living area. He noticed his dads' door was shut again, so with a sigh, he picked up the remote and began looking for something to watch on TV, finally settling on the cartoon channel. His dads wouldn't be out for a while.

When the second cartoon was almost over, his dad sauntered out, walked over to the mini-fridge and grabbed a couple of waters. He casually tossed, "I'll be right back out," over his shoulder then re-entered his bedroom, staying in there for a few minutes. The man returned to the living area and flopped down on the couch beside his son. "What's on?"

"Not much. I've already seen this one."

"That's okay, it's your bedtime anyway. Go get your pajamas on and don't forget to brush your teeth!" His dad reached for the remote and began skimming through the different stations.

After getting ready for bed, Gus remembered he hadn't written in his diary yet, so he retrieved it and settled down on top of the comforter.

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Vacation Diary of Gus the Great

Sunday, November 15, 2009-Day 2

Today was fun. We went to the museim of Science and Industery today. They have a really neat train set up there. Dad says we can build one when we get home. I can't wait.

They also have a spaceship-I wanted to be a astronot, but the ship is to little. I'm going to drive cars on a racetrack insted.

We ate pizza and spagatti today. Dad ate lettuce. We went swimming after we ate. Pops and me raced then we splashed Dad. He tickled us.

I love my dads.

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When they woke up the next morning, it was pouring and cold outside. Gus and his Pops decided they would stay at the hotel and play games instead of going out in the miserable weather. Gus' dad, however, had planned on shopping on the Magnificent Mile and he had no intention of letting a little rain hold him up.

"What the hell do you need more clothes for, Brian?" Justin shook his head. The resident label queen was on a mission and the blond didn't think there was any slowing him down.

"You can never have too many clothes, Sunshine. I'll be at the stores this morning, then I have a lunch meeting that will probably extend through the afternoon. See you tonight." Brian waved as he left the room.

Gus and his Pops looked at each other and laughed, "Geeze, can you believe him? You can hardly get in his closet now," Gus said.

The morning passed quickly for the father and son. Justin had thrown in a few board games as well as a deck of cards, so they pulled them out and put them out on the dining area table. They played several games of checkers, Gus winning most of them.

"Alright buddy, since you are obviously the checker king, why don't we try Monopoly™ instead. I've always been good at that." Justin set up the bank while Gus put away the checkers.

An hour later, Pops was losing badly. Gus had landed on both Park Place and Boardwalk and quickly bought hotels for them. Pops kept landing on them and he soon had to declare bankruptcy.

"Okay brat, I demand a rematch." Gus laughed at his Pops' expression-he couldn't believe he had lost! They merrily set up the board again and were soon immersed in their new game.

Brian dropped his purchases off at the room and quickly changed into his suit. His partner and son were concentrating on a very competitive game of Monopoly™ and barely paid any attention to him. He left the room and went downstairs to the hotel's formal restaurant, where he was meeting the owner of Brown Athletics for lunch.

Brian strolled into Seasons, casually looking around at the rich décor. He approached the maître d' and stated, "Reservation for Leo Brown. The name is Kinney," patiently waiting while the man checked his book.

The maître d' picked up a menu and said, "Right this way, Mr. Kinney." Brian followed him as he maneovered through the busy restaurant, finally reaching the table where Leo Brown and another gentleman were seated. The maître 'd smiled and announced politely, "Mr. Kinney."

The two men rose to their feet. Leo reached out and shook Brian's hand, "Brian. So glad you could make it, my boy. I'd like you to meet Thaddeus Robertson. We hired him about, what, three," he looked at Thaddeus for confirmation and continued when the man nodded, "months ago. He's brought a great deal of energy into our company and I feel the two of you will be an unbeatable team."

Brian studied the man, his gaydar pinging madly. "Nice to meet you, Thaddeus." He silently appraised the man, who was in his early thirties. Thaddeus was as tall as Brian himself, with wavy black hair and bright green eyes, framed by thick, dark lashes. His smile gleamed whitely against his dark tan and he held himself with a confident air that bespoke a healthy ego. 'Definitely a tasty morsel,' Brian thought.

"Please, call me Tad. Thaddeus is my father." Tad smiled as he swept his eyes over Brian's lanky form, blatantly enjoying the view. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you, Brian. From what Leo has told me about you, I believe we will take the market by storm. He believes we'll be quite… compatible."

Brian smirked as he pulled out his chair and sat down. "Indeed. I fear you have me at an advantage, Tad. I haven't had much of a chance to talk to Leo lately-he only told me his plans for us working together sometime last week."

"Ah, yes. I have some ideas that I want to bounce off the two of you," Leo commented as he signaled the waiter that they were ready to order. They informed the waiter of their choices, then Leo continued, "I'm considering expanding the company's market-entering into some of the more lucrative international regions. Tad here has traveled extensively in the Far East, which is one of the areas I'm thinking about. I believe that with his knowledge of the locale and your advertising expertise, Brian, we should be able to make an impact there."

Nodding in agreement, Brian stated, "I believe we can come up with something dynamic that will reach your intended clientele. Here's what I propose…" The ad man launched into his spiel, and the three businessmen debated agreeably about their different ideas as they enjoyed their lunch. Brian was impressed with the young executive's intelligence and easy demeanor. There was definitely potential there.

When they had finished eating, Tad placed his napkin on the table and pushing his chair back, stood up and said, "If you'll excuse me, gentlemen. I'll be right back." He glanced over at Brian, raising his eyebrow in a suggestive manner and made his way to the restroom.

Brian chuckled quietly to himself-he'd learned his lesson about mixing business with pleasure during the whole Kip Thomas fiasco. He settled back into his chair, "So Leo, what's on the agenda for this afternoon?"

"Well, I would like you to come to the factory and inspect the facilities there. I also have the boards you sent over last week. You and Tad should take some time to go over them together." Leo looked over at Brian and asked, "I believe you said your son was with you? Maybe you could bring him, give him a look at what you do for a living."

Brian considered the idea for a moment and nodded. Since Justin had done a considerable amount of the work on the latest storyboards for the Brown campaign, Brian felt he would be interested in seeing Leo's reaction to them for himself. "That sounds like a good idea, Leo. Justin would enjoy it as well. Do you mind?" Brian pulled his cell phone from his jacket when Leo waved his hand in acquiescence and pushed Justin's speed dial number. "Sunshine? What do you two have planned for this afternoon?" - "Well, Leo Brown has invited you and Gus to tour the factory." - "Why don't you meet us there? Do you have a pen? The address is…" - "Okay Justin, I'll see you around three, then. Later." Brian flipped his phone closed and replaced it in his pocket. "All set."

Leo smiled and said, "Great. As soon as Tad gets back, we'll head on over."

Just then, Tad returned to the table, a disappointed look on his face. Brian smirked knowingly and stood. "Well gentlemen, shall we move this meeting to your offices?"

The three men left the restaurant and walked through the hotel's lobby to the main doors. Leo had phoned his chauffeur earlier and the company's limo was outside waiting for them. They climbed in and continued their discussion as the car drove toward Brown Athletics.

When they arrived, Leo announced, "Tad, can you take Brian around the facilities please? I have a few phone calls I need to make, then I'll join you in the conference room." When Tad agreed, Leo turned to Brian and said, "Enjoy the tour. We'll talk more later." He headed through the office's foyer and disappeared down a well-lit hallway.

"Brian, welcome to Brown Athletics. If you'll follow me through here…" The two men proceeded to inspect the offices and the manufacturing rooms, Brian asking several pointed questions about the company's standards, procedures and policies. He jotted down some pertinent information in his PDA as Tad answered him, noting the weak areas and planning to consult Leo about them.

As the two men headed back toward the conference room where they were to meet Leo, Tad casually asked, "So Brian, how long you in town for?"

"Today only. We leave in the morning."

"That's too bad. Can I interest you in dinner tonight? Maybe we can hit some of the clubs in Boystown afterwards." Tad looked over at Brian hopefully. "What do you think?"

Brian smiled and answered, "Alas, as tempting an offer as that is, I'm afraid I can't. I'm supposed to be on vacation with my family. They weren't pleased with me for agreeing to this meeting and I'm under strict orders not to make any additional plans."

"Yes, now I remember Leo mentioning a son."

Brian nodded, "Gus just turned nine. We're taking him to Disneyland for his birthday. Needless to say, he's quite excited about the whole thing."

"We…?" Tad asked curiously.

"My partner Justin and I. He's an artist and teaches at some of our local schools." Brian was quite proud of Justin's volunteer work, feeling it was actually more significant than his commercial endeavors.

Tad subtly moved closer to Brian, deciding to ignore the ad man's reference to a partner. He wanted Brian and felt he was too good a prize to give up on too quickly. "Surely if you explain to him that it's business, he'll understand."

Brian quirked an eyebrow, entertained by the man's tenacity. The two men were entering the conference room and Brian had already spotted a bright blond head bending over, carefully listening to Gus. Leo Brown was seated at one end of the conference table. Brian said sotto voce, "I have a better idea. Why don't you explain it to him." In a normal voice he called, "Justin, Gus. I would like to introduce you to Tad Robertson. He's working with Kinnetik on the Brown account. Tad, this is my son Gus Peterson-Marcus and my partner, Justin Taylor."

Brian enjoyed watching the two men's reactions as they shook hands with one another. Justin tensed slightly as he realized Tad was gay and shot a suspicious look over at his partner, who shrugged innocently. Tad quickly assessed Justin's 'FCuk U' tee shirt and faded jeans and turned back to Brian, obviously dismissing the blond as a non-threat. 'Oh yeah, let the fireworks begin,' Brian thought as he sat down between Tad and Justin, with Gus on Justin's other side.

As the afternoon progressed, Gus became increasingly uncomfortable. Mr. Brown was nice, rather like a grandfather would be, but the other man, Tad, was really upsetting him. Tad was being extremely nice to his dad, agreeing with almost everything he said and was constantly touching him. However, he was being rude to his Pops.

Tad pulled one of the boards forward and studied it for a minute. "The artwork is really outstanding, Brian. I would be interested in meeting your designer."

"Well, I only hire the best. Actually…" Just then, Brian's cell phone rang. Glancing at the caller ID, he saw that it was Cynthia. She knew he had this meeting, and wouldn't interrupt unless it was important. "Excuse me, gentlemen. I need to take this." He answered the call and stepped out of the conference room.

Tad casually looked over at the blond man sitting near Brian's son and said, "So, Brian tells me you teach-art, is it?"

Justin nodded, "Yes, I go to two different schools, three times a week. I teach at the elementary level, kids Gus' age." He gave an affectionate smile to his son then returned his attention to the dark-haired executive, "I find watching the kids as they learn to express themselves in their art to be very rewarding."

"Oh, I'm sure it is. I'm reminded of a saying I heard once, something on the lines of 'those who can, do; those who can't, teach'." Tad smirked as he made the statement-baiting this man was amusing.

Justin narrowed his eyes, thinking, 'God, what an asshole! He thinks I don't know what he's up to.' He smiled evilly and opened his mouth to put the guy in his place, only to be interrupted by Brian's return. He sat back in his chair, deciding not to make an issue of the implied insult-yet.

"Sorry about that. There was a slight emergency back at the office." Brian pulled out his chair and sat down, noticing the tension that existed between the two younger men. He smoothly asked, "Now, where were we?"

"Everything okay, Brian?"

"Yes, Justin, everything's alright. I'll explain later." The ad-man pulled the abandoned boards forward and queried, "Leo, Tad, did you have anything you want changed with these or shall we just proceed with the way they are now?"

Leo nodded, saying, "I think they look great just the way they are. I think we should run with them.

Tad smiled at his boss and added, "As I said earlier, these boards are outstanding. Please give my complements to the artist."

It was obvious, even to Gus, that Tad didn't realize Justin was the one responsible for the Brown presentation boards. Gus finally couldn't stand it any more and burst out, "You know, my Pops is a great artist. You shouldn't be so nasty to him."

Oops, maybe he shouldn't have done that, judging by the looks he was receiving. Mr. Brown looked confused, Justin embarrassed and Tad furious. His dad, on the other hand, looked delighted. He had leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers in front of his face and was carefully watching the others.

Brian was both startled and pleased by Gus' actions. It didn't bother him one bit that the meeting had been interrupted. He had suspected there would be an outburst during the meeting, but he didn't think it would come from his normally rather shy son. However, he knew Gus was protective of his family, so it shouldn't have surprised him, considering the way Tad was treating Justin.

The blond leaned over and whispered in Gus' ear, "It's okay, buddy. I appreciate the gesture, but…"

Gus turned to his Pops and answered fiercely, "No, it's NOT okay. That guy over there has been mean to you plus he's all touchy-feely with Dad. I don't like him."

Tad turned to Brian and coolly interjected, "Maybe your partner should take the boy out so we can finish our business. It's becoming quite apparent he's bored, so…"

Brian chuckled, "Actually, I believe the point he was trying to make is that Justin is the artist for the boards you admire so."

Tad was confused, "But… I thought you said he was a teacher?" He glanced over at the blond, who was ignoring the conversation and whispering with the young boy at his side. "I mean…"

Nodding, Brian answered, "Yes, Justin is a volunteer teacher, when he's not busy with his own art shows or freelancing for Kinnetik." The brunet smirked; the young hotshot across from him didn't know what hit him. He rose from his chair and addressed the older man, "I believe we're through here, Leo. If you have any other comments, please contact the office in Pittsburgh. My family and I are on our way to California for a trip to Disney Land." He reached over and shook Leo's hand then turned to Tad, "Tad, it was nice to meet you today. I think there's a lot I can teach you." He smiled at his two guys and said, "Justin, Gus, let's go."

The three travelers left the conference room and headed toward the building's exit. When they got to the parking lot where Justin had parked the SUV, Brian couldn't contain himself anymore-he started laughing aloud, "Oh, that was priceless."

Justin gave him a angry look as he helped get Gus situated in the backseat, "I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. That guy was a real asshole!"

Brian wrapped his arms around his partner's waist, pulling him back to lean against him. He began nuzzling Justin's soft neck and whispered, "Justin, don't you see? That asshole, as you so aptly called him, really showed his ass in there. He broke one of the cardinal rules in business-never underestimate your competition. He never had a chance against you."

Justin shot a bright smile over his shoulder at his lover, "Thanks, Brian." The blond leaned backward and nuzzled his partner's chin, dropping several soft kisses along it. His eyes then shifted between his two guys as he asked, "Now, shall we head back to the hotel? I think we should grab some dinner, then I believe that lovely pool is calling our name."

Gus settled back into his seat and laughed, "Heck yeah! Let's go." He smiled out the window as his dad pulled out of the parking lot and drove toward the hotel. Pops was happy and his dad was being his usual sarcastic self plus they were back to being all kissy-face again. All was right in his little world.

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