Hormonal Shift

Chapter 5

JR arrived at Emmett's Bistro early. She wanted to establish some things before Jacqueline arrived. With butterflies in her stomach she pushed open the door and entered. A quick look around told her that she had arrived ahead of her "date". That was what she had wanted to do. She had tried on almost everything in her closet before deciding on what she was wearing. It was her favorite black sweater with tight black jeans. She had debated wearing one of the dresses that Richie had made, but finally decided against it. She hoped she looked okay. She really wanted to make a good impression.

She saw Emmett seated at his special table with some papers in front of him. She wanted to have a minute or two to talk to him before Jacqueline arrived. On the surface it looked like Emmett was working, but JR realized right away that he was staring off into space. He had a forlorn look on his face.

"Auntie Emm," she said gently, not wanting to startle him.

Emmett blinked and turned towards the voice. "JR, sweetie, what are you doing here?"

"Um, I'm meeting someone for coffee."

"Oh, a date?"

JR wrinkled her nose. "Kind of."

"Well, you can use my table. Just let me clear up this mess," Emmett said shoving all his papers into a folder.

"You don't have to move," JR said quickly. "We can just sit over there." She pointed to a table in a quiet corner.

"Oh, I see," Emmett said, "privacy. Who's the lucky young man."

"Um, it's not a man, and she's not so young," JR said uncertainly.

"Oh, right, um, I shouldn't have said that ... so, it's true?" JR nodded. "You take that table, sweetie. I'll tell chef to make a fresh batch of muffins. You like the carrot ones, don't you?"

"Yeah, I love those, but could we have a variety of muffins. I'm not sure what kind she likes."

"You can have anything you want, honey."

"Um, could I ask you a favor?"

"Of course you can. Anything you need..."

"This is kind of a first ... date, and I'm not..."

"...sure of how it's going to go," Emmett supplied.

JR nodded. "I ... I'm a little worried."

"You know I'm here for you. If you need anything or something happens that you don't like, just give me the high sign and I'll be right over."

"I love you, Auntie Emm," JR said leaning over to hug him.

"I love you right back. I'll go have a chat with chef and then I'll get back to work here at my table. It has a perfect view for keeping an eye on you."

"But not too close an eye," JR cautioned.

"I am the epitome of discretion," Emmett said.

"Riiight," JR said stifling a giggle. Discretion wasn't exactly a word she would associate with her Auntie Emm.

"Go, sit, wait, and I hope this girl is good enough for you."

JR shook her head. She wondered what Emmett would think of Jacqueline. Everybody she knew seemed to disapprove. What would Emmett think? She walked over to the table she had indicated to Emmett and sat down. Now all she had to do was calm down and not have a heart attack before her "date" got there.

She didn't have much time to ready herself, before a voice said, "You're early."

JR didn't look up. She looked at her watch instead. "So are you," she pointed out.

"I wondered if you'd actually show up," Jacqueline said as she sloughed off her coat and sat in the chair opposite JR. Their eyes met for the first time.

"I wasn't sure you'd show either," JR stated trying to sound just like Jacqueline.

"You look nice," Jacqueline said.

"Thanks, so do you."

They sized each other up for a moment, before Emmett arrived with a basket of muffins.

"I ordered muffins," JR declared. "I hear they're very good here."

Emmett smiled at her comment. "We serve only the best," he told them.

"I'd like a latte," Jacqueline told Emmett.

"Sounds good," JR said. "Make it two."

After Emmett got the flavors and toppings they wanted for their lattes, he headed off to fill their order.

There was an awkward silence. Neither seemed willing to speak.

"Are we just going to sit here and not say anything?" Jacqueline finally demanded.

"Why did you ask me here?" JR said.

"For some unfathomable reason it seemed like a good idea when I asked you."

JR chuckled. "Yeah, seemed like a good idea to come."

"So why did you come?"

JR shrugged. "Curiosity. You interest me."

"I do?" Jacqueline said with a smile.

"I don't know hardly anything about you. What do you work at?"

"Being young and beautiful and intriguing."

JR let out a laugh, effectively breaking the tension between them. "I meant what do you do for a living?"

"Nothing too exciting."

"But ... it's the middle of the afternoon. Don't you have a job?" JR asked.

"Don't you?"

"Yeah, but I work in my father's shop."

"I know."

"How come you know so much about me?" JR asked.

"I made it my business to find out."

JR smiled. That was interesting news. "So speaking of business, what did you say you do for a living?"

"I didn't say."

"Does that mean you're not going to tell me?"

"What I do isn't very interesting," Jacqueline hedged.

"You don't really work, do you?" JR guessed.

"Yeah, I'm homeless and jobless and I eat at bistros," Jacqueline said sarcastically.

"Will you just answer the question!" JR demanded.

"Okay, okay," Jacqueline replied slowly. "I don't usually talk about my life. Most girls aren't interested in that side of me."

"Well, I'm not most girls, and I am interested in that side of you."

"Trying to find out if I can afford to take you out for expensive dinners?"

"You know, you are an ass!" JR stated. She pushed back her chair getting ready to leave. "I can buy my own expensive dinners, not that I'm interested in spending great amounts of money on mediocre food." JR stood up. She saw Emmett at the bar with their lattes. He was watching them, ready to come to JR's assistance if she needed it. She turned to leave.

"Don't go," Jacqueline said, a note of undisguised regret in her voice. She grabbed JR's wrist hoping to stop her.

"Let go of me!" JR said emphatically. The hand fell away.

"I'll explain everything ... I promise. Just don't go," Jacqueline begged.

JR turned to look into the eyes that implored her to stay. "Then be straight with me."

"I will."

JR sat back down now that she had made her point. Emmett hustled over with their drinks.

"Everything okay, ladies?" he asked.

"Just fine," Jacqueline said too quickly.

Emmett looked at JR who nodded. "Then enjoy," he said before going over to his table where he could keep an eye on the girls.

JR took a sip of her latte. "This is good. So, tell me about yourself ... now."

Jacqueline took a sip of her coffee. "As I said, I don't usually talk about myself, but since you insist..."

"I do."

"I really like bikes. I have ever since I was a kid. I used to take my bike apart and reassemble it. I made improvements to it as well. I actually have a couple of patents for some innovations I invented. I started to fix bikes for other kids when I was in high school. I earned quite a bit of money. When I graduated, I decided to go to university, but I never graduated. It wasn't for me. I started working in a bicycle shop and fixing bikes on the side. After a year or so, I bought the owner out. The shop did well and I opened another one. I now have four shops - two in Pittsburgh, one in Philadelphia and one in New Jersey."

"You own four stores?" JR was flabbergasted. She had no idea what Jacqueline worked at, but she didn't expect anything like this.

Jacqueline nodded. "I do."

"Then you can take me out for expensive dinners," JR laughed. Jacqueline made a face. "I'm kidding!" JR said quickly.

"The few women I've told this to haven't been kidding. They expect me to treat them to everything, especially expensive everythings."

"They're not me."

"That's what I was hoping," Jacqueline replied.

"I'll pay for our coffees and muffins," JR said, hoping to make it clear to Jacqueline that money wasn't what she was after.

"I invited you. I pay," Jacqueline stated firmly.

"Sure. I love a free coffee."

Jacqueline studied her for a moment not sure what to make of that statement. She saw the corners of JR's mouth curl up into a grin. She could learn to really like this girl who gave as good as she got.

"Is everything to your satisfaction, ladies?" Emmett asked as he approached their table. He had been watching the interaction carefully. There was definitely something going on between the two of them.

"The lattes are ... great," Jacqueline said. She had been about to say they were passable as she usually did when she bothered to comment on anything, but she didn't want to tick anybody off at the moment.

"And the muffins?" Emmett asked. He noted she had barely touched the muffin she had chosen.

"I have to watch my figure."

"Don't we all," Emmett replied with a wry smile.

"Everything's great, Auntie Emm," JR said with a big smile.

"That's good, sweetie. Let me know if you want anything else." He went back to his table.

Jacqueline tried to cover the fact that her mouth had dropped open at the use of the term of endearment. "Auntie Emm?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Emmett Honeycutt. This is his place. He's a family friend. I've called him Auntie Emm for as long as I can remember."

"I see," Jacqueline said.

JR laughed at the look on Jacqueline's face. "You suggested this place."

"Yeah, I did," Jacqueline admitted. "You're a smart girl."

"Not just a pretty face?" JR teased.

"You seem to have it all."

"Thanks, I'm glad you think so." And she really was glad.

"How about a movie this weekend?"

JR smiled. This was going better than she could have hoped for.

 

*****
 

The boys got back to the loft after a nice dinner at a local restaurant. Leaving his briefcase on the floor near the door, Brian hung up his coat, then made a beeline to the bedroom to change. He then sauntered to his desk to boot up his computer. Making himself comfortable in his chair, Brian began to review Babylon’s revenue reports.

“Bri, can we go Babylon?” Justin nonchalantly asked as he made his own way to the bedroom.

“I don’t have to go to Babylon to review the books,” Brian mentioned as he pointed to his computer.

“I don’t want to review the books. I want to go dancing.”

“Excuse me?” Justin now had Brian’s full attention as he stood up from his chair. He stared at Justin for a second. “Okay, I want to know what the fuck is going on with you and I want to know it now!” Brian growled out.

“What do you mean?”

“Justin, first you want us to stay here for a yet to be determined length of time. I get that you want to stay close for Emmett. But next we have a picnic on the floor and now you want to go dancing? This is going beyond trying to relive your shady youth, Sunshine.”

“Shady? Between you and me who has the more questionable past.”

“I freely admit that I’m the one with the shady past. The whole known universe knows about my past. But you, Sunshine... What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?” Brian asked as he drew the younger man close. “Why should I risk looking like some over the hill club boy?” Brian asked with a smirk.

“You could never be an over the hill club boy. You keep yourself too fit and that shit you put on your face must work because you don’t look any older to me than the night we met.” Brian rolled his eyes at that statement. “Brian, I have no other motive than us going dancing. We haven’t gone dancing in a very long time. I’m not asking you to bump and grind in the middle of the floor or fuck in the back room. We’re both so beyond that. I just want to dance with my husband and the best place to do that is at Babylon.”

Brian studied Justin’s face. “Okay, Sunshine, I’ll make you a deal. Tomorrow is Friday and I have several meetings including going over renovation plans with Gordon.”

“Renovations? You’re going to redo Kinnetik?”

“Not all of it, I hope. I’ve been informed by Cynthia that Smelly Melly should have an office to call her own,” Brian winced.

“Don’t call her that. But I agree, she does deserve an office. So does Ted.”

“Yeah, I have to agree. He never really had one nor did he ever complain. Who knows, he may just like it being out in the middle of the action.”

“But you think he should have someplace in the building to call his own.”

“Yes,” Brian said as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“You’re a good man, Brian Kinney,” Justin said with a beautiful smile. “So what’s my deal?” Justin asked as he hugged his partner tight.

“Let me get through these meetings and we’ll go dancing either tomorrow night or Saturday night. It depends on how I feel.”

“You feel fine to me,” Justin stated as he ground his groin into Brian.

“Are we doing the bump and grind, Sunshine?” Brian scrunched down a little so that their cocks were aligned.

“Maybe,” Justin said smugly.

“I have reports to review,” Brian murmured as he pressed himself closer and nibbled Justin’s earlobe.

“You have a very good accountant who can do that for you,” Justin stated logically.

“Oh yeah, I do, don’t I. Then what do you suggest we do with the rest of our evening?” Brian asked innocently as he maneuvered them toward the bedroom. Justin let his spouse guide him across the floor and up the steps.

“Hmm, that’s a very difficult question. It is only nine-thirty, that’s a bit early to go to sleep,” Justin said.

“Very true,” Brian agreed as he tossed Justin onto the bed and then gently collapsed himself on top.

“So who says we have to go to sleep?” Brian asked.

“Oh yeah!” Justin replied with a bat of his lashes.

Brian gently kissed his spouse then pulled back to gaze into Justin’s eyes. He saw only love reflected back. Brian kissed him again pouring his passion into the kiss, leaving them both breathless. When Justin opened his eyes he saw the familiar lust shining in Brian’s eyes.

“Yee Haw!” Justin crowed as he wrapped himself around his lover.

 

*****
 

“We go home soon,” Ray stated as he played with Gus’ fingers. They were resting between rounds and going over their plans.

“I know.”

“You ready to tell them about us?” Gus turned his head and gave Ray a look. “I know they know about us but they don’t know our plans.”

“Justin knows.”

“And is he going to tell your Pop?”

“No, I asked him not to. I want to talk to him myself. I want to talk to all of them in person.”

“Good. I’m sure they’ll back you up.”

“They will. It’s not like I’m asking to move to the south of France or something. And I will be working; at least I hope I’ll be working. I’ve been thinking about what you said.”

“What did I say?”

“About talking to Stacy.”

“You going to ask her for a job?”

“No, I’m going to apply for a job just like anyone else,” Gus said as he rolled toward the bedside table and reached for his tablet. “I updated my resume. There’s not much on it but I’m going to email it to her.”

“What do you mean there’s not much on it. You’ve been interning at Kinnetik since you were a kid! You have lots of experience.”

“But that doesn’t count. I was paid in donuts.”

“Of course it counts! There are kids out there who would fight for experience like yours. Look, I’m not saying that you should take advantage of the fact that you have an ‘in’ with your dad and Kinnetik, because we all know that it’s probably been his master plan from the moment you showed any interest in graphic art. It’s just the same with me. When my dads found out that I had a fleeting interest in law they wanted me to be involved in the business in some way. Even if I only come in as a consultant. It’s just natural that your parents want you to carry on in their footsteps.”

“Where do you get this shit?” Gus asked as he stared at Ray.

“I take a lot of psych classes; it helps in understanding your opponent.” Gus gave Ray a cross eyed look. “The point is, that you’ve gained a lot of experience from all the time you spent at Kinnetik. It belongs on your resume.”

“I get it. I bow to your vast experience as the older member of this relationship.”

“You mean the wiser member of this relationship. Give me your tablet; I’ll look over your resume.”

“Did you take classes in resume writing?”

“Yup and I got an ‘A’ in that too.”

“My boyfriend, the genius!”

“Yup!” Ray smugly declared as he took the tablet out of Gus’ hands and leaned his head closer to Gus so that the two of them could see the screen together.
 

Return to Hormonal Shift