Bad Ideas (First & Forever 4)

Lark exclaimed, “Me, too!”

Before those two could go any farther down the goat hole, Yolanda cut in by asking, “What’s upsetting you about that sweater, Casey?”

“It’s just that my brother and his boyfriend must have spent a lot of money on it. This wasn’t even the only thing they got me for my birthday. We usually don’t give each other extravagant things, so this is either a pity present or a guilt gift. Either way, it’s a bummer.”

Lark’s expression turned sympathetic. He pulled something from his clutch, unscrewed the lid, and handed me a silver flask as he said, “Don’t be sad, Casey. We’re supposed to be having fun tonight.”

“Why did Casey get a pity present?” Kel asked that in a stage whisper, as if I couldn’t hear him on my lap.

Lark whispered back, “I’ll tell you later.” Then he nodded his head toward me a few times, as if Kel might not realize I was there.

I took a long swig from the flask and coughed before blurting, “This is fruit punch.”

Lark nodded solemnly and took the flask when I handed it back to him. “Fruit punch always makes me feel better.”

When I glanced at Yolanda, she looked like she was trying hard to keep a straight face. In front of her, JoJo coughed to cover a laugh. It really felt like the three of us were co-parenting a pair of twinks in their mid-twenties.

Eventually, our clown car pulled up in front of the Renard, which was fancy as hell, just like everyone had said it was. Yolanda and I fought over who’d pay the fare, and she ended up winning by staring me down and snapping, “Don’t even think about it, Lassiter! I said I got this, and that means I got this.” She might only be about five-foot-four, but that woman was fierce. I raised both hands and backed away slowly.

After she paid the driver, we stepped into the gold and white lobby, and everyone but me oohed and aahed at the opulence. There was a tasteful little sign beside the door, directing Cal West staff to the Aurora ballroom. Lark whispered, “Aurora, like the Disney princess! And we’re going to a ballroom! It’s all so magical.” I had no idea what he was talking about, but what else was new?

We proceeded to the east wing of the hotel, then waited in line behind Yolanda and JoJo to check in at a table set up at the start of a long hallway. When it was our turn, I gave the hotel employee my name and said, “I know we’re supposed to be limited to one guest each, but I live with both of these guys, so please don’t make me choose between them.”

The woman, who was probably in her early sixties and had vivid, dyed-red hair, smiled at me and said, “Don’t worry, I won’t make you choose among your husbands. Someone ahead of you canceled their plus-one when they checked in, so it’ll all balance out.” She handed me a pair of raffle tickets, gave us two drink tickets apiece, and checked my name off the list. Then she added, “You really make a lovely throuple.” I must have looked surprised, because she leaned in and confided, “I read spicy gay romance novels, so I know all about this stuff.” She winked at me, and I mumbled a thank you.

As we walked down the hall toward the ballroom, Lark grinned and said, “She thought we were husbands.”

Kel grinned too and linked his arm with mine on my right. “That would make us Mr. and Mr. and Mr. Cho-Lassiter—what’s your last name, Lark?”

“Genardi.”

“Mr. and Mr. and Mr. Cho-Lassiter-Genardi.” Kel’s grin got wider. “She’s right, we do look awesome together.”

Lark tucked his bag under one arm, then linked his other arm with mine on my left. After a beat, he asked, “Hey, how come you knew Casey’s last name and not mine?”

“Because Yolanda just growled it at him when he was trying to pay for the cab,” Kel explained, and Lark’s mouth formed a silent, “Oh.”

Lark gestured at Yolanda and JoJo, who were walking arm-in-arm ahead of us, and said, “Their last names are Gutierrez and Deveraux.”

“I know,” Kel said. “They’re my landladies.”

“Oh, right. I forgot you’ve actually been living at the Victorian for a while, because we never used to see you.” Lark brought us to halt before a holiday display of fake white deer and fake white pine trees, sparkling with fairy lights. He gushed over how pretty it was, and by the time we started walking again, JoJo and Yolanda were already in the ballroom.

I didn’t think about it until I noticed a very obvious lull in the countless conversations around us, but walking into a work function with a gorgeous guy on each arm was one hell of a way to draw attention to myself. It probably made me seem like a total player. But hey, at least no one was looking disapprovingly at my jeans.