“Bradley?” Lou came out from the kitchen looking very refined in his tuxedo, a tablet in his hand. He smiled brightly at everyone. “Wow, look at you all. You look fantastic.” He turned to Bradley. “Could you help me with something in the kitchen?”
“Sure. You think we could get the team something to nibble on?”
Bradley kissed Lou’s cheek, making him blush.
“It’s a little cruel to make them sit while the aroma from all that amazing food of yours floats out of the kitchen.”
Lou put a hand to his chest. “You’re right!” He turned to them and smiled apologetically. “I’m so sorry. I’ll have the boys bring out some platters.”
Ash sat up, and Ethan kicked him under the table. I’m not losing out on tasty food because of you, so zip it. Ash glared at him but remained silent.
Lou swiftly spun on his heels and hurried off to the kitchen. As soon as he was gone, Dex held his hand up to Bradley for a high five.
“And that’s how it’s done.”
Bradley chuckled and high-fived Dex. They put in their drink orders, and soon their table was filled with cocktails, beers, champagne, spirits, and enough tasty food to make Ethan cry tears of joy. A good deal of it he had no idea what it was, but it tasted amazing. Ethan followed Dex’s lead. He was familiar with Lou’s catering and the different puff pastries. As they ate, the lights dimmed, and Ethan checked his watch. Guests would probably start arriving soon. The music switched to a romantic ballad, and Sloane stood. He turned and bowed to Dex, his hand held out.
“Would you care to dance, Mr. Daley?”
Dex took his hand with a bright smile. “I would love to, Mr. Brodie.” He stood and walked his fingers up Sloane’s chest. “I am so going to sex you up later.”
Ash groaned. “I did not need to hear that.”
Ethan chuckled. He turned his attention to Sloane and Dex on the dance floor, the way they stood so close together, the smile on their faces as they murmured to each other, Sloane’s head lowered so he was closer to Dex. Ethan remembered what Calvin had said in Sloane’s apartment, how wistful he’d sounded. Ethan stood and took a deep breath. He turned and held his hand out to Calvin, who blinked up at him. With a smile, Ethan nodded to the dance floor. Calvin’s smile stole his breath away, and he stood to take Ethan’s hand.
“Sure, make the rest of us look bad,” Ash grumbled before sweetly asking Cael to dance.
Ethan ignored his grumpy friend and led Calvin to the dance floor, the rest of his teammates following his lead. He pulled Calvin close and wrapped his arm around his waist, his free hand holding Calvin’s. The song was a ballad from an era long gone, and Ethan enjoyed its sweeping melody and heartfelt lyrics. He closed his eyes and let his cheek rest against Calvin’s head. Calvin squeezed his waist gently, and Ethan smiled, glad he’d done something to make him happy. He deserved it. Soon the place would get too crowded, and Ethan wouldn’t be able to step foot near the dance floor, much less on it, which was why he cherished these moments. He was grateful to Bradley for sharing Dekatria with them. To Ethan, it was more than a bar or place to hang out. It was quickly becoming somewhere he felt comfortable, where he could be himself and not feel so anxious.
“Thank you.”
Ethan opened his eyes at Calvin’s soft words. He looked down, and Calvin stopped dancing to stand on his toes and kiss Ethan. Their friends cheered, and Ethan returned Calvin’s kiss, pulling him up against him. Calvin laughed against his lips and threw his arms around him. He’d never been happier. They pulled apart and danced in each other’s arms until someone knocked on the front door. It looked like the guests were finally arriving. Bradley emerged from behind the bar and went to open the door, greeting the group as they came in. A few Ethan recognized from work; some he’d never seen before. They came dressed up in suits and flapper dresses, feathers in their hair and gifts in their hands. As if sensing his unease, Calvin took hold of Ethan’s hand.
“Come on. Let’s get something to drink,” Calvin said, leading him toward the bar. The end of the bar was always more comfortable for Ethan. It meant he was less likely to get boxed in. They ordered drinks from one of the waiters, and Calvin started chatting to him about ideas for Dex’s tattoo. Ethan loved when Calvin talked about his art. He was always so passionate and excited when he talked about it. Like when they were kids and his mom would buy him a new sketchbook. One year, Calvin’s mom had managed to save up enough money to get him some fancy colored pencils that professionals used. Calvin still had them. He’d been so careful with them, cherishing them, using them only for extra-special projects. Even though he could now afford to buy himself whatever colored pencils he wanted, he kept those safe.
Less than a couple hours later, Ethan couldn’t believe how packed the place was. The whole thing made him feel a little nervous, but he was okay. The music was good, with some fun eighties tunes thrown in the mix, courtesy of a certain loveable gummy-bear-eating nutjob who was bouncing around on the dance floor while his partner attempted to keep up. Dex was obviously already tipsy, but then again it didn’t take much. Nina had finally shown up before the majority of the guests arrived. She looked dazzling in her white flapper dress and glittering silver headpiece with feathers. Ethan hadn’t seen her come in, and she was alone. He had a sneaking suspicion Rafe was keeping a low profile. He had to admit, he was worried. Would Rafe be here as Nina’s boyfriend or “work colleague”? Things were getting far too complicated for Ethan’s liking. He didn’t want to see anyone hurt, not even his brother. Rafe would never admit it to Ethan or Seb, but his brother cared about Nina.
Now that he thought about it, he hadn’t seen Seb either. Hudson had arrived, looking snazzy in a blue three-piece suit and striped tie, and he’d disappeared sometime after. Occasionally he’d appear at the bar or chatting at one of the tables with coworkers and friends. Cael and Nina were dancing in the center of the crowded floor, blowing on their party favor horns. Everyone was having a great time. After a few more snacks and another beer, the music started getting a little loud for Ethan, and the bar was getting crowded. Calvin put his hand to the small of Ethan’s back and nodded toward the stairs.
“Hey, how about we go up to the roof garden? It’s a little quieter and less busy. I could use some fresh air.”
Ethan’s heart swelled at Calvin’s thoughtfulness. Calvin didn’t need a break; he knew Ethan did. Ethan took Calvin’s hand and laced their fingers together. A blush crept into Calvin’s cheeks, and Ethan leaned in to kiss him. It was the first time they were out in public as a couple. He led Calvin to the stairs and headed up. The second floor was packed, though not as much as the ground floor. They took the second set of stairs up to the roof. Ethan liked it up here. There was outdoor heating and a roof that helped keep the cold out. It was pretty amazing, decorated with strings of lights and colorful lanterns. There were tables and a small bar, along with plenty of seating where folks could get cozy. Calvin had excused himself to say hi to someone when Seb and Taylor showed up. Seb grinned broadly when he saw Ethan.
“Hey, little brother. Rocking that cardigan.”
He threw an arm around Ethan’s shoulders and gave the side of his head a kiss. Ethan chuckled and playfully shoved him away. He made a drinking motion, and Seb poked Ethan’s side with a chuckle.
“No, I’m not drunk, wise guy.”
He ordered a drink for himself and one for Taylor, who was trying to chat up one of Nina’s cousins. Here we go. Ethan motioned to Seb’s brown three-piece suit before putting his thumbs up.
“Thanks. You know me. Not exactly the suit type, but it feels nice.”
While Taylor was busy, Ethan leaned into Seb to whisper in his ear. “How come you’re up here? Party’s downstairs.”
There were a number of people up here but nowhere near the crowds downstairs. Everyone seemed to be having a great time, except his big brother.
Seb shrugged. “Just needed a break from the noise.”