Making it Through the Summer: Chapter 12
Making it Through the Summer & Making it Through Another Summer
by Kim
Making it Through the Summer
Chapter 12
Tuesday, September 3rd
11:00 a.m.
The Art Department
Vangard
Justin was sitting at his desk working on a layout for one of Nick's clients. Luckily, he hadn't seen Brian all morning. According to the office grapevine, he was spending the day at Liberty Air.
The blond was relieved that he wouldn't be facing Brian for another day. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about their "setting aside" of the boundaries the other night. Merely thinking about it had him hard as hell. Justin seriously doubted if he would ever be able to move past his ex. No matter how hard he tried to block Brian from his mind, he was always there, just as he had promised that fateful night over two years ago.
Justin couldn't help but think back to the previous afternoon. Never in a million years could he ever have imagined Brian showing up at Ted and Emmett's barbecue. It went against all of his principles. Even stranger was his ex pretending to be his "boyfriend" in front of Emmett's over zealous neighbor. Justin thought Brian's pretense had been hilarious, yet it still seemed out of character for him.
Additionally, there was their argument regarding the King of Babylon Auction. Now that Justin was aware his ex was the mastermind behind the event, he found that Brian's choice of bachelors seemed rather puzzling. Why had he chosen the former kings when he had slept with just about every available gay man in Pittsburgh? Surely, he didn't need to rely on the former kings alone for the bachelor pool when his choices were endless?
The more Justin thought about it, the more Brian's actions over the past two months did not seem to add up. First there was the "stalking" in order to convince him to work with him on Grazzini's, then there was the interference with Rage, and now he was involved with the charity auction. Something didn't quite fit this picture, but Justin couldn't seem to grasp what it was. He wished he could determine what his ex was up to, but at the moment, Brian's actions were still as elusive as ever. The artist's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as his phone rang.
"Justin Taylor," he answered.
"Justin, it's Sean," came a familiar voice.
"Oh, hi, Sean. How was your trip?"
"Wonderful. I got back in town early this morning, and wondered if you might like to join me for dinner tonight," the hotelier invited.
"Uh, sure," Justin agreed. He hadn't seen Sean in over a week, and he hoped his friend would help take his mind off Brian.
"Great. Perhaps we could have dinner at the family's hotel here in Pittsburgh. We recently hired a new chef, and I thought you might like to try out his culinary expertise."
"That sounds fine," Justin grinned, always eager to try something new.
"Why don't I pick you up at seven," Sean offered.
"I can't wait. I'll see you then," the blond agreed, looking forward to his evening with Sean.
The Diner
Noon
Ted and Emmett were having their usual Tuesday afternoon lunch at the diner. Ever since learning that Brian was behind the Center's latest charity event, they had been suspicious of their friend's motives.
"So, Teddy, what do you think Brian's really up to?" Emmett inquired as they waited for their lunches to arrive.
"I honestly haven't a clue," Ted admitted. "However, this is Brian we're talking about, so it has to be something dramatic."
"I know, and that's what I can't stop worrying about. He must have something planned. Why else would he pick the former Kings of Babylon for his bachelors?"
"It's just too much of a coincidence that Justin just happens to be a former king," Ted observed.
"Absolutely."
"Well, we both know that at some level, whatever that may be, Brian wants him back," Ted reasoned. "Just look at all the schemes he's made us assist him with in the past two months."
"And to think that poor Sunshine still doesn't have a clue," Emmett sighed. "I can't help but wonder if Brian is going to make some type of statement at the auction."
"I've been thinking along those same lines," Ted murmured, trying to ponder what Brian might attempt. "However, knowing Brian that probably isn't a good thing. His manipulations always seem to end up hurting someone, and I can't help but think that someone is going to be Justin."
"Do you think we should try to stop him?"
"I guess that would depend on his agenda. However, until we know exactly what he's up to, I seriously doubt if we'll be able to do anything," Ted stated.
"You're right, Teddy. Do you think we should approach Brian about this?"
"Like he'll give us an honest answer," Ted frowned, shaking his head.
"You have a point, but we'll never know unless we try," Emmett argued.
"I suppose it's worth a shot," Ted conceded, hoping, but seriously doubting that the man would tell them the truth.
8:00 p.m.
The Sherbourne Grille
"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said this guy was a culinary expert," Justin raved, taking another forkful of smoked Pacific salmon.
"Well, here at the Sherbourne, we always try to hire the best," Sean smiled, glad the blond was enjoying the appetizer he had ordered.
"No kidding," Justin agreed.
"So, Justin, or should I say, your highness, are you going to be participating in the King of Babylon charity auction this Saturday? I just saw a poster for it today."
"Well...," Justin hesitated.
"I think you should. You know you're one hell of a dancer, and just think of all the men that would bid on you, along with the funds you could help raise for charity," Sean encouraged.
"Yeah, but what if some creepy guy wins me for the evening?" the blond couldn't help but pose.
"That's how I come in," the hotelier grinned.
"I see, and exactly how would you "come in"?" Justin questioned.
"Being that I have a continual source of income, I don't see why I couldn't make my own charitable contribution," Sean looked knowingly at Justin.
"Well, if that's the case, perhaps I should reconsider," Justin smiled at his date. He had already decided to take Brian up on his challenge, however he was relieved to hear that Sean had every intention of winning him for the evening. The last thing he wanted was to end up with some pruning old queer in need of a prostate massage.
"I'm glad to hear that. You can rest assured that you'll be spending the evening with me, so I expect you to make the most of your performance," Sean grinned.
"Don't worry, I will," Justin assured as he started to think of ideas for his striptease.
Meanwhile
Tremont Ave.
Outside of Brian's Building
"Now, Teddy, we are going to do exactly what we agreed upon," Emmett stressed as they sat in his partner's Volvo across the street from Brian's loft.
"That's right, Em. We're going to stand firm with him, no matter what he says," Ted agreed.
"And if he asks, we are not going to agree to assist him on Saturday night with whatever it is he has planned. The last thing we want is to see our poor Sunshine hurt again."
"That's right."
"Good," Emmett gave a satisfied smile. "Well, lover, are you ready to go and confront the big, bad wolf?"
"I'm ready if you're ready, lover."
"Then let's do it." Emmett stated before stepping out of the car. He only hoped their mission to discover the ad executive's agenda was a success.
***
Brian was sitting on his sofa nursing a Jim Beam when he heard a ruckus outside the loft door. Since he had nothing better to do, he decided to get up and investigate. Standing in front of the door, he began to roll his eyes when he heard two familiar voices.
"Teddy, what do you think we should do? Should we knock first or walk right in?" Emmett began to fret, nervous of the task at hand.
"Well, I'm certainly not about to walk right in, God only knows who he could be entertaining," Ted muttered. "As for knocking, we can't count on him answering, even if he is home."
"I thought the whole point to having that nice neighbor of his let us into the building instead of buzzing up, was to catch him off guard," Emmett groaned.
"Yeah, it was but, now I..." Ted started to say as the loft door suddenly opened.
"Bri-Brian!" Emmett sputtered in surprise.
"Uh, hey Brian," Ted gave a sheepish grin.
"Why don't you two pathetic losers just come the fuck inside before you disturb the neighbors below," Brian ordered, as he secretly wondered what they were up to...
8:15 p.m.
Sherbourne Grille
Justin and Sean's dinners had been served, when the blond suddenly noticed a familiar face walking into the restaurant.
"Fuck!" he muttered.
"What is it?" Sean asked in a concerned voice.
"It's my mother," Justin groaned. He couldn't believe that his mom had just walked in with a rather distinguished looking gentleman.
"Your mother?"
"Unfortunately," the blond confirmed.
"Does she know you're gay?"
"Of course she does, but that still doesn't mean..."
"Sweetheart!" Jennifer Taylor exclaimed, as she noticed her son sitting in the restaurant with a handsome, older man.
"Mom," Justin couldn't help but turn red as his mother rushed over to his table with her date.
"This is quite a surprise, Justin," his mother remarked as she reached the table. "Had I known you were going to be dining here tonight we could have made it a foursome."
"Uh, right," Justin eyed his mother and her "date" rather suspiciously. He had not been aware that his mother had begun dating again.
"Well honey, since this is such a pleasant surprise, I might as well take the opportunity to introduce you to my date, Royce Martin. He's a partner with Forbes Schwartz," Jennifer said as she named one of the Pittsburgh's most prestigious law firms.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Justin." Royce immediately offered Justin his hand. "Jennifer has told me so much about you."
"Thanks," Justin politely took the man's hand. "It's, uh, nice to meet you," he murmured, not knowing what to make of the situation.
"Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend, sweetheart?" Jennifer inquired, curious to meet the man her son was with.
"Uh, sorry, Mom," Justin hesitated. "This is my, uh, friend, Sean."
"It's nice to meet you Sean," Jennifer smiled, as she gave her son's date a once over.
"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Taylor," Sean smiled politely. "Perhaps you and Mr. Martin would care to join us," he invited.
"That would be wonderful," Jennifer agreed. "Do you mind, darling?" she turned to her date. She was anxious to get to know Justin's charming companion.
"Not at all Jennifer. This will finally give me a chance to get to know your son," Royce smiled.
"Pierre," Sean motioned for the maitre d'.
"Yes, Mr. Connolly?" the man hurried over to the table, as Royce raised his eyes in surprise.
"Mr. Martin and Mrs. Taylor will be joining my table," Sean indicated.
"Certainly, Sir." Pierre agreed before arranging for two additional chairs and place settings to be brought to the table.
"You're not Sean Connolly are you?" Royce questioned in surprise, as he pulled out Jennifer's chair for her.
"Unfortunately," Sean laughed.
"Well, Mr. Connolly, it's an honor to meet you."
"Please, call me Sean," the hotelier insisted.
"Honey," Royce turned to Jennifer, "Justin's friend, here, is actually the owner of this hotel," he explained.
"Oh, my," Jennifer said in surprise. It appeared her son had quite the catch with him.
"Actually, it's my father who owns the hotel," Sean clarified. "I'm currently the head of marketing."
"He just returned from a two year trip abroad a few months ago and is currently in the process of preparing to take over the business when his father retires," Justin added. While he was less than pleased to be dining with his mother and Royce, who clearly appeared to be a little more than a "date," the blond realized he would have to make the best of the situation.
Meanwhile
The Loft
"To what do I owe the honor?" Brian drawled once "Temmett" had entered his domain.
"Well, uh, we uh, we were in the neighborhood, and we uh, thought we might drop by," Emmett rushed out. "Isn't that right, Teddy?" he turned to his lover.
"Sure." Ted agreed, going along with his partner's cover story.
"Uh-huh," Brian eyed the pair suspiciously. "For two people who don't "drop by" on a normal basis, I must say I'm surprised," the ad executive remarked.
"We should do it more often," Emmett gave a nervous smile.
"Perhaps not," Brian did not smile in return.
"Really, Brian..." Ted tried to interject before he was cut off by the man.
"Why don't the two of you cut your bullshit and tell me why you're really here," Brian demanded, knowing full well this wasn't a social visit.
8:45 p.m.
The Sherbourne Grille
"Sean, the food here is absolutely delicious," Jennifer complimented after her entrée had arrived.
"Thank you, Jennifer," Sean smiled. Justin's mother had insisted he call her by her first name.
"So, how did you and Justin meet?" Royce inquired, in an attempt to keep the conversation flowing and to allow Jennifer to gain more information regarding her son's current relationship with Connolly.
"Actually, my ad executive..." Sean began just as Justin suddenly started to choke on a piece of Porterhouse steak.
"Honey, are you alright?" Jennifer gave her son a concerned look.
"Uh, yeah, sorry," Justin apologized once the coughing had subsided.
"As I was saying," Sean attempted again. "My ad executive, Brian Kinney, introduced us."
"Is that true?" Jennifer looked at her son in shock.
Justin merely nodded in response as he prayed his mother would not reveal his past and present association with Brian.
"I see," she continued to give her son a puzzled look as Sean noticed her discomfort.
"Anyway, Brian's been our ad executive for years, and when I saw Justin at the office one morning, I insisted he introduce us," Sean continued, hoping to ease's Jennifer's apprehension.
"At the office?" Jennifer asked in confusion.
"Yes, Justin interns at Vangard, where Brian is a partner," the hotelier clarified as Justin tried not to cringe. He hadn't been very forthcoming with his mother regarding his internship.
"Oh," Justin's mother said in comprehension. "However, I thought you told me you were interning at a small graphics firm?" she turned to her son.
"You must be confused, Mom. I told you I was interning in an art department for a small agency," Justin stated, hoping his mother would catch on.
"Vangard's hardly a small agency," Royce laughed. "We were actually thinking about using them at our firm," he added.
"Well, I must give you Brian's card. He's one of the best ad men on the east coast," Sean indicated.
"Thanks for the offer. I'll have to give this Kinney fellow a call," Royce said as Jennifer continued to eye her son.
Meanwhile
The Loft
"You, uh, see, Brian," Emmett began to answer his friend's question. "Teddy and I were concerned about your plans for the uh, auction this weekend."
"Really, Emile, and why is that?" Brian casually inquired.
"Well, usually, when you uh, host some type of large event, you uh, normally have some type of ulterior motive," Ted answered for his lover.
"Gentlemen, really, this auction is no different than when I hosted the carnival for the GLC. I'm hosting it solely for financial purposes."
"We understand that, Brian, it's just that, we thought that since the theme of the auction is favorite former Kings of Babylon, Teddy and I thought there might be more to it than just money at stake," Emmett indicated.
"And why would you think that?" Brian questioned, curious about his friends' responses.
"One only has to look at past events like Michael's 30th birthday or the Rage party to know that your motives aren't always pure," Ted stated.
"Now, Fred, that's a terrible thing to say," Brian gave a mock sigh.
"Bri-Brian, Teddy does have a point."
"I see. So if my intentions aren't always honorable as you seem to think," Brian began, "why is it that you think they aren't honorable this time? I've given you a perfectly logical explanation for my assistance with this fundraiser."
"Well, I guess we, uh, thought that since Justin was invited to participate that you uh, might have an ulterior motive for hosting the event," Emmett answered.
"Huh, now that's an interesting thought," Brian observed. "However, if I did have some type of ulterior motive as you like to call it, what would it be?"
"Obviously it would somehow involve Justin," Ted offered.
"Obviously," Brian sarcastically repeated. "But, that still doesn't answer the question."
"I think what Teddy was trying to say is that we think you might use the auction to do something to hurt Justin," Emmett hurriedly declared.
"Hurt Justin?" Brian looked at his two friends in disbelief. After everything he had done over the past two months he couldn't believe they thought he would actually hurt the blond, especially after all they had done to assist him. He wasn't surprised, though. It was always typical of the family to assume the worst of him.
"That's what you're planning to do, isn't it?" Ted nervously questioned as he noticed the shock on Brian's face.
"Sure," Brian shook his head, amazed by how idiotic his "supposed" friends were acting.
9:15 p.m.
The Sherbourne Grille
"So, Justin, your mother tells me you attend PIFA. You must be a very talented artist," Royce remarked over coffee and dessert.
"Trust me, he is," Sean smiled at his date.
"That's what Jennifer tells me. I think it's quite admirable that you're supporting yourself while pursuing your talent," Royce continued.
"Uh, thanks," Justin said, trying to determine if his mother's date was genuine or merely trying to impress him.
"Not many young men your age would have continued their educations after what your father did," the attorney commented as Justin looked at his mother in surprise. Obviously it must be rather serious between them if Royce was aware of their unpleasant family business.
"What did your father do?" Sean looked at the blond curiously. Justin had never mentioned his father and always seemed reluctant to discuss his family.
"He wanted Justin to follow in his footsteps and attend Dartmouth as a business major," Jennifer answered for her son. "He stopped paying Justin's tuition after his first quarter at PIFA."
"That's terrible. I'm sorry to hear that," Sean took Justin's hand and squeezed it.
"I survived," Justin shrugged, not wanting to discuss the subject. His father's actions still upset him to this day.
"Well, it's still not easy for a young man like yourself to come up with financing on his own for art school. Hell, an institution like PIFA is expensive," Royce pointed out. "If it hadn't been for your friend..."
"Royce, dear, could you hand me my purse," Jennifer interrupted just in time. "I need to visit the ladies room."
"Certainly, Jennifer," he handed her the bag.
"Did one of your friends end up helping out?" Sean asked Justin as Jennifer left the table.
"Uh, yeah, he uh, loaned me the money for the last two quarters," Justin wasn't about to lie to Sean. "Luckily, I have enough money saved from the internship to cover the next quarter. I also looked into it, and since I'm no longer my father's dependent, I should be able to get student loans now to cover the remainder of my tuition," he explained.
"Have I met this friend before?" Sean inquired. " I would really like to thank him personally for helping you out like this."
"Uh, actually you haven't." Justin nervously lied.
"Well, you'll have to introduce me to him some time," Sean instructed.
"Yeah, uh, sure." That was the last thing Justin intended to do.
Meanwhile
The Loft
"Uh, Brian," Emmett noticed the look of disgust on Brian's face. He could tell their friend was pissed.
"Are Teddy and I perhaps mistaken?"
"Mistaken," Brian scowled at them, "You're more than fucking mistaken."
"We are?" Ted looked at the man in shock. "Well, if you're not going to hurt him, then just what are you planning to do?"
"Something I should have done a long time ago," Brian stated.
"Oh my God!" Emmett suddenly realized Brian's agenda.
"What?" Ted turned to his partner.
"He's going to show his hand," Emmett excitedly revealed.
"It's about time one of you got a brain," Brian muttered.
"Shit!" Ted looked at their friend in disbelief. "Here we were thinking the entire time it had to be something bad when the whole time you were actually planning to stake your claim."
"It's funny how things work that way," Brian aloofly remarked, while he secretly relished the fact he had Fred and Emile exactly where he wanted them. He would be sure to take full advantage of their guilt for misjudging him so poorly.
9:30 p.m.
The Sherbourne Grille
Sean had just gotten up from the table to speak with the restaurant's manager. Fortunately, Brian had not been mentioned or alluded to during the remainder of the meal, which was a big relief for Justin. However, the artist knew his mother would have questions for him later.
"Sean seems wonderful, Justin," Jennifer smiled.
"Uh, thanks."
"If you'll excuse me, Jen, I'm going to make a quick call," Royce said, thinking it best to give mother and son a moment alone. He could tell that neither had been completely forthcoming with each other over the past few months.
"Sure, Royce," Jennifer smiled, sensing what her date was up to.
"So, who's Royce?" Justin questioned as soon as the man had left the table.
"He's just a friend, dear."
"A close friend?" Justin mocked, not believing his mother for a second.
"Alright, fine, he's a little more than a close friend. I was going to tell you, I was simply waiting for the right moment," Jennifer explained.
"How did you meet him?"
"Actually I sold him a house in Fox Chapel," Jennifer said, referring to a prestigious Pittsburgh suburb.
"Oh," Justin nodded. He could tell his mother was waiting for his opinion, but he planned on withholding judgment until he knew the attorney better. He didn't want to see his mother hurt again.
"So, Justin," Jennifer began, after having realized that her son wasn't going to say anything more regarding Royce. "Are you and Sean serious?"
"He's just a friend," Justin replied.
"Like Royce is?"
"Something like that," Justin shrugged. He wasn't in the mood to discuss his love life or lack thereof with his mother of all people.
"I take it he doesn't know about your past relationship with Brian?" Jennifer questioned.
"No."
"Don't you think you should tell him? It seems to me you're playing a rather dangerous game."
"Perhaps." Justin knew he would have to tell Sean the truth, but he also knew that before he made any rash decisions he would have to discuss the situation with Brian. The last thing he wanted was for Brian to lose one of his long-standing clients.
"Speaking of Brian, is there a reason you didn't tell me you were interning at Vangard?" Jennifer continued her interrogation.
"I don't know, Mom, I guess I didn't think it was important," Justin sighed.
"Not important? And just what does Brian think of your interning at his firm? Or was he the one who got you the job?"
"Brian didn't have anything to do with my obtaining the internship," Justin replied. It was technically the truth after all. There was no need for her to know why Vance had hired him in the first place. "As for my working there, I can assure you that Brian is fine with it."
"Fine with it?" Jennifer repeated. She seriously doubted the Brian Kinney she knew would have been fine with discovering her son was an intern at his firm.
"Yes, he is," Justin stated.
"If he's supposedly "fine with it," that can only mean that the two of you are...," she began to realize that perhaps something might be going on between the pair, much to her chagrin.
"Did I miss anything while I was away?" Sean suddenly interrupted, as he came back to the table.
"No, not at all," Jennifer gave a forced smile as she tried to figure out just what her son was doing with his infernal ex. "We were merely catching up on a few things, weren't we honey?"
"Yeah, that's right, Mom," Justin agreed, playing along with his mother's lead as he fully began to see the enormity of the quagmire he had gotten himself into. He knew there was only one way out, and unfortunately that meant asking Brian for his help. Justin only hoped that his ex would be receptive to fixing this mess. If he wasn't, Justin didn't know what he was going to do.
9:45 p.m.
The Loft
"So, Brian, just how do you plan to reveal your true intentions to Sunshine at the auction?" Emmett inquired. The three men were now sitting in the ad executive's living room having a drink.
"What makes you think I'm going share my plan with you?" Brian drawled.
"You're going to need our help, aren't you?" Ted asked.
"Now, tell me, Fred, why would I want the help of two "supposed" friends who automatically assume the worst of me?"
"Well, uh, Brian, I think Teddy and I both, uh, gravely misjudged the situation, and we uh, are truly sorry," Emmett attempted to apologize.
"Yeah, well, sorry's bullshit."
"You have to let us help you, though," Emmett insisted.
"Em's right. At least give us the chance to make it up to you," Ted pleaded.
"Well I suppose I could use your services for the evening," Brian conceded, containing a satisfied smile. Temmett had fallen right into his trap. If his plan had any chance of succeeding he was going to need their assistance, however he wasn't about to share this with them. Instead, he chose to fill the pair in on the relevant information they needed for their participation in addition to outlining when and where their services would be required. Hopefully with their assistance, the handsome hotelier would be eliminated once and for all.
Wednesday, September 4th
Noon
Vangard
Brian was just returning to his office after having spent the morning at Liberty Air wrapping up a series of meetings. He had to admit, he couldn't help but chuckle when he thought back to the previous evening. Temmett had been pathetically entertaining as always in addition to being extraordinarily easy to manipulate. Brian only hoped the remainder of his plan was as simple to execute.
"Hey Boss," Cynthia greeted as Brian approached her desk.
"Cynthia," Brian drawled. "Have you been holding down the fort in my absence?"
"Of course," she grinned in response. "You'll be pleased to know that your favorite intern dropped by this morning."
"Really?" Brian raised an eyebrow.
"That's right. He said to tell you to count him in for Saturday. It looks like your little auction is going to go according to plan after all," Cynthia observed.
"I thought I told you never to doubt the master?"
"Well, sometimes the master is faced with an unexpected challenge or two," his assistant pointed out.
"In order to avoid those unexpected challenges it takes meticulous planning. That's why we need to move on to the next phase of my scheme as soon as possible," Brian announced.
"And that is?" Cynthia curiously eyed her boss.
"I think that it's time we explored sabotaging a certain twink's performance."
"Sabotage?" the blonde woman repeated.
"I do believe that's what I said," Brian smirked. "In order to ensure that the evening goes as smoothly as possible, I'm afraid we'll have to make a few modifications to Justin's performance."
"I see, and just how do you intend to discover what he has planned for the evening?"
"Don't worry, Cyn, I have my sources," Brian assured, knowing full well he could count on Emile to provide him with the necessary information.
3:00 p.m.
The Art Department
Justin was sitting at his desk debating whether or not he should approach Brian about telling Sean the truth. He knew if he wanted a future with him, it was time to come clean about Brian. However, he also didn't want to jeopardize Brian's relationship with Sean. The last thing he wanted was for Brian to lose a long-standing client.
The artist had been vacillating all day as to his options. He knew that he could tell Sean himself and risk infuriating the man to the extent that he pulled his account. Justin also knew that he could ask Brian for his help in telling Sean the truth. He thought if they both did the deed together it would be easier to explain why they hadn't been as forthcoming as they should have been when it came to their past relationship. Justin certainly wasn't going to tell Sean about their current situation. He felt that since he technically wasn't in a relationship with Sean, he didn't need to disclose the fact that there had been a few "isolated incidences" between him and Brian over the past two months.
The only problem with asking for Brian's help was that Justin had a feeling he wouldn't be too receptive with assisting. Knowing the ad executive as he did, the blond assumed that Brian would feel their past association was none of Sean's business. In a way, he may have a point, but at the same time, Sean needed to know. Justin was sick of constantly worrying that someone would slip and he would inadvertently discover the truth. The previous evening had been a perfect example. He had spent the entire dinner with his mother worrying that she might blurt out the truth. Justin knew that there was no way, if Sean did discover the truth, that he would be able to justify his actions.
Justin thought he might as well ask Brian for his assistance, even though he knew the ad executive would refuse to help. At least he could say he tried, which would ease his conscience some until he finally told Sean the truth himself. Deciding it was now or never, the blond got up from his desk and went in search of his ex.
3:15 p.m.
Brian's Office
Brian was sitting at his desk looking over a contract the legal department had sent over a few minutes earlier, when Cynthia knocked on his door.
"What?" Brian looked up to see his assistant standing in the doorway.
"You have a visitor."
"Who?" Brian scowled, not in the mood for an uninvited guest.
"Justin," Cynthia smiled.
"Oh," Brian gave Cynthia a surprised look. "Well, by all means, send him in."
***
"Hey," Justin greeted as he entered Brian's office.
"Hey." Brian eyed the blond. He thought Justin looked very hot in the tight black button down shirt and beige chinos he was wearing.
"Mind if I sit?" Justin cautiously asked.
"You might as well unless you plan on standing," Brian smirked.
"So, uh, how's it going?" the blond inquired after taking a seat.
"It's going," Brian gave Justin a puzzled look. "Care to tell me what's up?"
"Uh, yeah, uh, sure," the artist hesitated, not exactly sure where to begin. "Did you uh, get my message from Cynthia about participating in the auction?"
"Yep," Brian confirmed, curious as to where this conversation was headed. "I see that you've finally decided you're man enough for it."
"Uh, yeah, well, uh, I decided that Debbie was right," Justin sheepishly admitted.
"I see."
"Well, since it's for charity and all, I thought that perhaps I should show a little compassion and help raise some much needed funds for the Center."
"How generous of you, Sunshine," Brian sarcastically remarked.
"I'm not the one taking the twenty percent cut off the top," Justin shot back.
"Touché," Brian smirked. He always enjoyed their verbal sparring. Justin was one of the few people who could give just as well as he took. "So, Sunshine, what led you to this dramatic realization," Brian drawled, curious to hear the kid's response.
"I talked it over with Sean, and we agreed that I should do it," Justin replied, not about to reveal it was Brian's goading that had caused him to change his mind. His discussion with Sean had merely solidified his decision.
"Ah, the handsome hotelier," Brian couldn't help but mock while Justin chose to ignore the comment.
"We decided that since he has the funds to bid on me and ultimately win me for the evening, that I really didn't have anything to worry about by participating," Justin shared.
"So, does that mean things are heating up between you Sean?" Brian casually inquired. He was secretly thrilled that he had the rich prick exactly where he wanted him.
"I don't think that's any of your business," the blond tersely replied.
"It is when you've been sharing my bed," Brian declared in a husky voice.
"Look, I thought we agreed that we were merely setting aside the boundaries the other night," Justin protested.
"Oh, right, the boundaries," Brian laughed. "How careless of me to have forgotten."
"Ugh," Justin groaned, before getting up from his chair.
"Whoa, Sunshine, wasn't there more that you wanted to tell me?"
"Never mind why I came in here, I knew it would never work in the first place," he muttered before heading toward the door, fully knowing he would never get anywhere with his ex.
"Why don't you sit back down and tell me why you came in here," Brian came up behind Justin.
"I told you, forget about it."
"You've already wasted enough of my time, so sit back down and tell me what the fuck is going on," Brian ordered, before leading Justin back to the chair he had been sitting in.
"Alright," Justin took a deep breath, realizing he was trapped, as Brian sat back down at his desk.
"I'm waiting," the ad executive impatiently frowned.
"I uh, I've been thinking about it, and I think we need to tell Sean the truth," Justin rushed out, as he attempted to avoid his ex's gaze.
"The truth?"
"Yeah. You see, Brian, I really uh, like Sean, and I realized the other night that if I'm going to have any type of future with him, he needs to know about our past, err.. relate - uh, no, uh association." The blond still wasn't sure how to refer to their past in front of his ex.
"I see, and do you plan to tell him that you let me fuck you the other night?" Brian inquired.
"Well, there's really no need to tell him about our uh, current situation," Justin replied uncomfortably.
"So, you want to tell Sean that I'm your big bad ex, is that it?"
"Uh, sort of."
"Why are you telling me this?" Brian questioned.
"I thought that we could tell him together," Justin declared.
"Right," Brian laughed. "I don't think so, Sunshine. This is your mess, not mine."
"The hell it isn't," Justin angrily protested. "You're the fucker who pretended not to know me in the first place. The only reason I played along is because I didn't want to do anything to jeopardize your professional relationship with him."
"You could have told him at any time," Brian pointed out.
"You could have also. What about when he asked you if he could date me; you could have told him then about us, but you chose not to," Justin argued.
"That's right," Brian confirmed. "However, I didn't tell him because it's none of his goddamn business," he added in a steely voice.
"Well it is now. I'm sick of constantly worrying that someone might slip and say something around him. How do you think he will react when he learns that we've been withholding the truth from him? Hell, Brian, this could cost you a client."
"Then it's his loss," Brian casually shrugged.
"So you're not going to help?" Justin questioned.
"Did I say I would?"
"I knew it. You can be a real asshole sometimes," Justin remarked angrily.
"I do try," the ad executive smirked.
"You know what, Brian, go fuck yourself. One of these days I'm going to tell Sean and when you lose him as a client it will be your own damn fault," Justin heatedly declared before storming out of his ex's office.
8:00 p.m.
Justin & Daphne's Apartment
Justin, Daphne, and Emmett were sitting in the living room eating Chinese food. They had decided to meet to discuss Justin's performance for the auction. Justin had been delighted when Emmett had offered his assistance in planning the striptease. He knew that his friend would be one of the best people to consult with in order to make his striptease as fun as possible.
"Baby, I'm so glad you agreed to participate," Emmett remarked in between forkfuls of rice.
"Me too," Daphne agreed.
"Well, Sean and I discussed it, and we thought I might as well," Justin explained.
"So your handsome prince is going to be there on Saturday?" Emmett curiously inquired.
"Sure. He's even going to be the one to win me."
"Well then we had best plan one hell of a performance," Emmett stated, although he knew that the performance wasn't for Sean. It was for Brian.
"Have you thought of a song you would like to dance to?" Daphne inquired once they had finished eating.
"Actually I have," Justin replied.
"Oh goody!" Emmett exclaimed. "Having a song already picked out will allow us more time to work on your outfit."
"Tell us what song you picked," Daphne enthusiastically requested.
"I thought I would dance to "Girls and Boys" by Blur," Justin revealed.
""Girls and Boys"?" Daphne repeated in surprise.
"But baby, that's not a song for a striptease," Emmett protested.
"I want to do something fun, and it's the perfect song," Justin argued.
"Sweetie, I thought you would want to do something sexy. You're such a hot dancer and it would be a shame to see you waste your talent on that song," Emmett countered.
"Em, I honestly don't want to do anything that's extremely sexual. Dancing in front of people is uncomfortable enough, that's why I just want to do something fun."
"He does have a point," Daphne conceded. She had a feeling her best friend didn't want to be reminded of his previous King of Babylon performance or his days as a go-go boy.
"Well, I suppose if it's fun you're looking for, then you picked the right song," Emmett sighed, disappointed by Justin's choice. "However, I'm sure we can come up with a fabulous outfit."
***
An hour later, the group was going over wardrobe choices for Justin's performance. It seemed they all had differing opinions, which was making the task at hand difficult.
"Em, I don't see why I can't just wear cargo pants and a T-shirt," Justin groaned. They had been arguing for the past hour about his attire for the evening.
"But, baby, we want to show that amazing little body of yours and that cute little bubble butt," Emmett protested.
"I can see where you're coming from Emmett, but aren't they going to see him in the flesh during the performance?" Daphne pointed out.
"That's my whole point. Why should I bother worrying about how tight my clothes are when they're just going to see my naked ass anyway," Justin murmured.
"Honey, you must know it's all about the packaging. Don't you want to tease and tantalize the crowd before you show them just how hot you are in the flesh?" Emmett countered.
"I suppose you're right," Justin shrugged. "However, that doesn't mean I'm going to wear some elaborate outfit."
"There's no need for that, baby," Emmett agreed.
"Couldn't you find him something to wear at Torso?" Daphne inquired.
"That's it, Daphne, you are an absolute genius!" Emmett exclaimed. "I'll take something we've got at Torso and custom make it for you. I bet you didn't know your Auntie Em could sew, now did you?"
"Actually I didn't," Justin admitted. "But do you think there will be enough time?"
"Of course there will be. All I need to do is get your exact measurements and I can custom fit your outfit for you. That way you could wear a pair of cargo pants, but they would be an exact fit, and much sexier," Emmett indicated.
"I guess that would work," the blond decided.
"Why don't you stop by the store tomorrow morning and we'll pick out a pair of pants and a shirt," Emmett suggested.
"Alright," Justin agreed, hoping he didn't just get steamrolled into something he would later regret.
Thursday, September 5th
10:00 a.m.
Brian's Office
Vangard
Brian had just returned to his office after an early morning meeting with Vance regarding the firm's quarterly budget. After checking his voice mail, he decided it was time to call Emmett to see how his end of the plan was working thus far.
"Hello?" Emmett answered.
"Emile, glad to see you're actually answering this morning."
"Brian, do you have to keep calling me by that silly name."
"Where's your sense of humor, Emile," the ad executive smirked.
"You're not funny," Emmett said sarcastically.
"Oh, but I do try. Now why don't you tell me how your little powwow with Justin went last night."
"Well, to be honest," Emmett paused, "it didn't exactly go all that well."
"And why is that?" Brian inquired.
"Let's just say he's less than enthusiastic to be participating in the auction."
"I'm not surprised," Brian admitted, thinking back to Justin's initial reluctance. "Did he reveal any of his plans for his performance?"
"Let's see," Emmett began. "He insists on stripping to "Girls and Boys" by Blur."
"That tired old anthem," Brian grumbled. He would be definitely be making a slight modification to Justin's choice in music.
"I know what you mean. I tried to tell him he needed a sexier song, but he insisted that he wants his performance to be fun instead of hot."
"I see." Brian did not like the sound of this one bit.
"Then," Emmett continued. "He insisted on wearing a pair of his baggy cargo pants and a t-shirt. I immediately vetoed that fashion nightmare, but he wouldn't budge. Finally I got him to agree to stop by Torso this morning so we could pick out a pair of pants and a t-shirt that I could alter."
"Has he stopped by yet?" Brian questioned.
"Yeah, he left about half an hour ago. We were able to find a more stylish pair of cargo pants and he's going to combine them one of his own French Connection (FCUK) t-shirts. Luckily I was able to get his measurements so I will be able to alter the pants in time for the auction. If he insists on wearing the infernal things, then at least I can make them accentuate that tight little bubble butt of his," Emmett stated.
"Would you mind faxing me a copy of his measurements?" the ad executive requested.
"But why?" Emmett protested.
"I think you should hold off on altering anything for now and let me handle Justin's wardrobe," Brian announced.
"You want to handle it?" Emmett questioned in surprise.
"Didn't I just tell you that?"
"It's just that I didn't expect for you to get so involved with his attire," Emmett remarked.
"Well, it looks like someone needs to take control of the situation. He can refuse all he wants to do a steamy striptease, but by the time I'm through with him it will be a striptease that no one at Babylon will ever forget," Brian boldly declared.
"Oh, my," Emmett said in surprise. "I take it then you want Justin to be outfitted in a more sophisticated fashion?"
"Exactly. I think this may require a visit to my dear old friend Giorgio," Brian decided.
"Armani, I must say I'm impressed. With your outfitting our baby in such a classic label he'll be the hottest king to ever grace Babylon's stage," Emmett gushed in excitement.
"Now in order to pull this off, I'm going to need your cooperation," Brian indicated.
"Of course, Brian," Emmett agreed.
"Good. I need you to continue to pretend that you're still working on the clothes Justin has chosen. You're then going to meet him at Babylon on Saturday night before the auction and give him a garment bag containing the clothes he believes he has selected. However, the bag will contain the clothes that I have personally chosen for him," Brian instructed. "Unfortunately, once he discovers this, you'll be too busy keeping Connolly occupied to do anything about the situation. I'll have Lindsay with him to ensure he puts the proper clothing on."
"Goodness, Brian, poor Sunshine is absolutely going to want to kill you by the time you're finished with him," Emmett observed.
"I'll be sure to channel his anger in other directions," Brian assured with a perverse grin.
"I'm sure you will. Please keep me posted on the latest developments," Emmett instructed.
"Don't worry, I will," Brian promised before hanging up.
***
Cynthia was sitting at her desk sorting the mail, when suddenly her boss strolled out of his office with a large grin on his face.
"Brian, are you alright?" Cynthia asked. It wasn't often she actually saw her boss looking this pleased.
"How do you feel about taking the afternoon off, Cyn?" Brian drawled.
"The afternoon off?" Brian's assistant eyed him skeptically.
"That's what I said. You see Cynthia, I'm afraid you and I have much more pressing matters to take care of. Matters that require our immediate attention outside of the office this afternoon," the ad executive indicated.
"And just what are you planning for us to do outside of the office?"
"Why, shopping of course," Brian grinned. "It appears that our little intern needs some help in selecting the perfect outfit for Saturday evening."
"Justin's coming with us?"
"No, I'm afraid the little twat insists that his impoverished student wardrobe is perfectly appropriate for his performance. Because of this, I've decided to take matters into my own hands," Brian declared.
"Now this should be interesting," Cynthia noted intrigued by her boss' plan.
"I can guarantee it will be more than interesting. You've never seen the master shop, have you?" Brian inquired.
"No, I've never had the pleasure."
"Well, you're about to," Brian promised. "Now grab your purse and come with me. It's time we paid my dear old friend Giorgio a visit..."
Friday, September 6th
Noon
The Loft
Brian had taken the morning off to pick up the purchases he had left to be altered at Saks Fifth Avenue the previous afternoon. While he and Cynthia had spent the afternoon shopping, Brian had also picked up a few items for himself. He had to make sure he looked his best for Justin, even if that meant spending a little extra on the new arrivals from Dolce and Gabbana. He had asked Lindsay to drop by the loft for lunch so that he could brief her on her part of the plan, in addition to showing her his latest purchases.
"My God Brian, how much did you spend yesterday?" Lindsay demanded as she eyed the clothes he had laid out on the bed.
"A few grand," Brian shrugged. Money was immaterial to him at this point.
"A few grand?" Lindsay repeated. "Christ Brian, isn't that a lot?"
"Not on my salary," he answered honestly.
"I suppose you have a point, however, what are all these clothes for?"
"Let's see, the Gucci leather coat, the Armani button down white cotton shirt and tank top, along with the Gucci stove pipe leather pants are for Justin tomorrow night. The Dolce and Gabbana black pants and the red button down shirt and black leather coat are for me," Brian easily replied.
"Does Justin know that you're buying his clothes for tomorrow night?" Lindsay eyed her friend suspiciously. She couldn't quite see the kid agreeing to Brian's extravagance.
"That's where you come in," Brian gave an evil grin.
"I see, and just how do I fit in to your latest scheme?" the blonde inquired.
"I thought you might like to baby-sit our twink before his big number. I'm afraid that Fred and Emile will be too busy keeping the hotelier occupied. Once Justin realizes there's been a slight mix-up with his attire, he'll need his dear and trusted friend, Lindsay to convince him to wear the clothes that he's been given," Brian explained.
"Wait a minute," Lindsay protested in a confused voice. "First of all, why in the world are you switching Justin's clothes for tomorrow night? Second, why are Ted and Emmett going to be busy with Sean?"
"You'll just have to trust me," Brian casually replied.
"Brian Kinney, you tell me right now what you have planned for Justin," Lindsay demanded, knowing full well her friend clearly had an agenda for the evening. Before she agreed to anything, she needed to discover just what his intentions were.
"Let's just say I'm reclaiming what's rightfully mine," Brian drawled.
"Oh my God, you're actually going to try ..."
"There's no need to get so excited," Brian cut his friend off. "I'm merely going to take care of a few things that should have been dealt with a long time ago. Now can I count on your help or not?"
"Of course you count on my help if you're actually going do to something good for once," Lindsay replied, excited to see her friend finally staking his claim.
"Now here's exactly what I'm going to...." Brian began to give Lindsay her instructions for the auction.
2:30 p.m.
Flavio's Coffee House
"So, Justin, do you have any exciting plans for the weekend?" his friend, Brendan, asked as the two shared a coffee break.
"Uh...," Justin began to blush.
"Ah, it looks like you do," Brendan noticed his friend turning red.
"I guess you could say that," the blond admitted.
"So what are these hot plans of yours or can't you tell me?" Brendan curiously questioned.
"Do you promise not to tell anyone?" Justin asked the fellow artist.
"Wow, these must be some plans," Brendan remarked, somewhat taken aback by his friend's request.
"Can I trust you?"
"Sure, why not," Brendan agreed, dying to hear what his friend was up to.
"Well, there's an organization called the Gay and Lesbian Center here in Pittsburgh," Justin began.
"Yeah, I've heard of it."
"You have? I'm impressed," Justin commented in surprise. "Anyway, they are hosting a fundraiser this weekend."
"What's so hot about that?" Brendan asked in confusion.
"The fundraiser is a bachelor auction," Justin explained.
"A bachelor auction, now that sounds interesting," Brendan remarked. "Is there a particular bachelor you're hoping to bid on?"
"Not exactly," Justin laughed. "Actually, I'm one of the bachelors."
"No shit," Brendan grinned in amusement. "So, uh, do you think you'll draw a lot of bids?"
"I don't know," the blond admitted. "I'm not too worried about it, though. One of my friends has promised to bid on me and make certain that he wins me."
"That's cool. Is your infamous ex going to be there?"
"Brian?" Justin suddenly slipped.
"Is that his name?" Brendan caught his friend's slip.
"Uh, yeah," the blond winced.
"Huh, it seems like all gay men are named Brian these days. There's Kinney and then your Brian, and God knows who else," Justin's friend observed.
"I guess it's a common name," Justin shrugged, trying to cover his tracks.
"God, wouldn't it be a hoot if Kinney was your ex. Fortunately, that's impossible. There's no way you would be interning here if that were the case. He would have your ass on the street in..." Brendan suddenly stopped as he noticed his friend turning even redder and attempting to avoid his gaze.
"What?"
"Kinney isn't your ex is he?" Brendan demanded in a stunned voice.
"Uh..."
"Now that I think about it, it makes perfect sense. It would explain why he blew his top regarding the Voltolini account when you first started here. It would also explain all of those sarcastic remarks he sends your way in addition to the fit he threw about the work you did for Eyeconic Optics. Didn't you say he was stalking you a few months ago also? Was he trying to convince you to quit?"
"Listen, Brendan, it's really not what you think," Justin protested.
"It's not?"
"No."
"You know Justin, if it's true, you can tell me. It's not like I'm going to say anything. If Kinney was aware that I knew the two of you shared a past history, he would find a reason to have my ass thrown out of here in no time," Brendan stated.
"Look, I can't really discuss this with you," Justin stood firm. The last thing he wanted to do was endanger Brian's reputation in the firm. "However, I will say that your assumption was correct."
"Well, it all makes sense now, but I promise you that I won't say anything."
"Thanks, Brendan," Justin breathed a sigh of relief.
"Can I ask you something, though?"
"Sure," the blond shrugged.
"What did you ever see in an asshole like him?" Brendan asked.
"Sometimes I wonder the same thing, but deep down he's not always an asshole," Justin answered.
"Really?"
"Really," Justin gave a half smile.
"So, uh, if he's actually going to be there tomorrow night do you think he might bid on you?" Brendan inquired.
"Fuck no," Justin laughed. "You have to understand that if he wanted to spend an evening with one of the bachelors he wouldn't resort to bidding on him. A man like Brian Kinney can have anyone he wants. Besides, he would never lower himself like that; he would consider it unseemly."
"You're probably right," Brendan agreed, although he had to wonder. Brian always seemed to act strangely around the blond. He supposed he would just have to wait to hear what happened at the auction from Justin on Monday.
4:00 p.m.
Brian's Office
Vangard
Brian and Cynthia sat together in his office going over the final details for the auction. It appeared that everything was in order, and continuing smoothly along Brian's intended course. Now all they had to do was discuss their final plans for a certain blond twink.
"Here's the description Justin submitted," Cynthia said, handing Brian the submission. Each bachelor had been required to write a brief description about himself to be read by Sheba, the hostess for the evening, before his individual performance.
"Let's see," Brian began as he examined Justin's description. "Loves all things art, margaritas, and bringing older men to their knees," he recited from the piece of paper.
"I'm not exactly sure I'm liking that," Cynthia remarked, knowing full well her boss wouldn't.
"Well I can assure you I don't," Brian stated. "I think I'll be making a few changes to this."
"Good idea," Cynthia agreed. "Do you need any help coming up with ideas?"
"No, I've got plenty of ideas. Trust me," Brian gave an evil smirk.
"Well I can't wait to hear what you come up with tomorrow night."
"I'll try to make it as witty as possible," Brian sarcastically promised.
"Have you thought of a song to use for his performance?" Cynthia inquired.
"Actually, I have," the ad executive confirmed.
"Really? And just what is this song called?"
"I believe it's called "#1 Crush"," Brian drawled.
"Oh my, isn't that the song by Garbage?"
"Yep," Brian confirmed.
"Well, if it's the one I'm thinking of, he's in for a major surprise," Cynthia observed.
"I believe that is the whole point of the evening," Brian gave a perverse grin.
"This is going to be one hell of a performance," Cynthia commented, not just referring to Justin's part of the auction.
"I promise you it will be," Brian declared, his eyes gleaming in anticipation. In just a few short hours Justin would be his again.
by Kim
Making it Through the Summer
Chapter 12
Tuesday, September 3rd
11:00 a.m.
The Art Department
Vangard
Justin was sitting at his desk working on a layout for one of Nick's clients. Luckily, he hadn't seen Brian all morning. According to the office grapevine, he was spending the day at Liberty Air.
The blond was relieved that he wouldn't be facing Brian for another day. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about their "setting aside" of the boundaries the other night. Merely thinking about it had him hard as hell. Justin seriously doubted if he would ever be able to move past his ex. No matter how hard he tried to block Brian from his mind, he was always there, just as he had promised that fateful night over two years ago.
Justin couldn't help but think back to the previous afternoon. Never in a million years could he ever have imagined Brian showing up at Ted and Emmett's barbecue. It went against all of his principles. Even stranger was his ex pretending to be his "boyfriend" in front of Emmett's over zealous neighbor. Justin thought Brian's pretense had been hilarious, yet it still seemed out of character for him.
Additionally, there was their argument regarding the King of Babylon Auction. Now that Justin was aware his ex was the mastermind behind the event, he found that Brian's choice of bachelors seemed rather puzzling. Why had he chosen the former kings when he had slept with just about every available gay man in Pittsburgh? Surely, he didn't need to rely on the former kings alone for the bachelor pool when his choices were endless?
The more Justin thought about it, the more Brian's actions over the past two months did not seem to add up. First there was the "stalking" in order to convince him to work with him on Grazzini's, then there was the interference with Rage, and now he was involved with the charity auction. Something didn't quite fit this picture, but Justin couldn't seem to grasp what it was. He wished he could determine what his ex was up to, but at the moment, Brian's actions were still as elusive as ever. The artist's thoughts were suddenly interrupted as his phone rang.
"Justin Taylor," he answered.
"Justin, it's Sean," came a familiar voice.
"Oh, hi, Sean. How was your trip?"
"Wonderful. I got back in town early this morning, and wondered if you might like to join me for dinner tonight," the hotelier invited.
"Uh, sure," Justin agreed. He hadn't seen Sean in over a week, and he hoped his friend would help take his mind off Brian.
"Great. Perhaps we could have dinner at the family's hotel here in Pittsburgh. We recently hired a new chef, and I thought you might like to try out his culinary expertise."
"That sounds fine," Justin grinned, always eager to try something new.
"Why don't I pick you up at seven," Sean offered.
"I can't wait. I'll see you then," the blond agreed, looking forward to his evening with Sean.
The Diner
Noon
Ted and Emmett were having their usual Tuesday afternoon lunch at the diner. Ever since learning that Brian was behind the Center's latest charity event, they had been suspicious of their friend's motives.
"So, Teddy, what do you think Brian's really up to?" Emmett inquired as they waited for their lunches to arrive.
"I honestly haven't a clue," Ted admitted. "However, this is Brian we're talking about, so it has to be something dramatic."
"I know, and that's what I can't stop worrying about. He must have something planned. Why else would he pick the former Kings of Babylon for his bachelors?"
"It's just too much of a coincidence that Justin just happens to be a former king," Ted observed.
"Absolutely."
"Well, we both know that at some level, whatever that may be, Brian wants him back," Ted reasoned. "Just look at all the schemes he's made us assist him with in the past two months."
"And to think that poor Sunshine still doesn't have a clue," Emmett sighed. "I can't help but wonder if Brian is going to make some type of statement at the auction."
"I've been thinking along those same lines," Ted murmured, trying to ponder what Brian might attempt. "However, knowing Brian that probably isn't a good thing. His manipulations always seem to end up hurting someone, and I can't help but think that someone is going to be Justin."
"Do you think we should try to stop him?"
"I guess that would depend on his agenda. However, until we know exactly what he's up to, I seriously doubt if we'll be able to do anything," Ted stated.
"You're right, Teddy. Do you think we should approach Brian about this?"
"Like he'll give us an honest answer," Ted frowned, shaking his head.
"You have a point, but we'll never know unless we try," Emmett argued.
"I suppose it's worth a shot," Ted conceded, hoping, but seriously doubting that the man would tell them the truth.
8:00 p.m.
The Sherbourne Grille
"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said this guy was a culinary expert," Justin raved, taking another forkful of smoked Pacific salmon.
"Well, here at the Sherbourne, we always try to hire the best," Sean smiled, glad the blond was enjoying the appetizer he had ordered.
"No kidding," Justin agreed.
"So, Justin, or should I say, your highness, are you going to be participating in the King of Babylon charity auction this Saturday? I just saw a poster for it today."
"Well...," Justin hesitated.
"I think you should. You know you're one hell of a dancer, and just think of all the men that would bid on you, along with the funds you could help raise for charity," Sean encouraged.
"Yeah, but what if some creepy guy wins me for the evening?" the blond couldn't help but pose.
"That's how I come in," the hotelier grinned.
"I see, and exactly how would you "come in"?" Justin questioned.
"Being that I have a continual source of income, I don't see why I couldn't make my own charitable contribution," Sean looked knowingly at Justin.
"Well, if that's the case, perhaps I should reconsider," Justin smiled at his date. He had already decided to take Brian up on his challenge, however he was relieved to hear that Sean had every intention of winning him for the evening. The last thing he wanted was to end up with some pruning old queer in need of a prostate massage.
"I'm glad to hear that. You can rest assured that you'll be spending the evening with me, so I expect you to make the most of your performance," Sean grinned.
"Don't worry, I will," Justin assured as he started to think of ideas for his striptease.
Meanwhile
Tremont Ave.
Outside of Brian's Building
"Now, Teddy, we are going to do exactly what we agreed upon," Emmett stressed as they sat in his partner's Volvo across the street from Brian's loft.
"That's right, Em. We're going to stand firm with him, no matter what he says," Ted agreed.
"And if he asks, we are not going to agree to assist him on Saturday night with whatever it is he has planned. The last thing we want is to see our poor Sunshine hurt again."
"That's right."
"Good," Emmett gave a satisfied smile. "Well, lover, are you ready to go and confront the big, bad wolf?"
"I'm ready if you're ready, lover."
"Then let's do it." Emmett stated before stepping out of the car. He only hoped their mission to discover the ad executive's agenda was a success.
***
Brian was sitting on his sofa nursing a Jim Beam when he heard a ruckus outside the loft door. Since he had nothing better to do, he decided to get up and investigate. Standing in front of the door, he began to roll his eyes when he heard two familiar voices.
"Teddy, what do you think we should do? Should we knock first or walk right in?" Emmett began to fret, nervous of the task at hand.
"Well, I'm certainly not about to walk right in, God only knows who he could be entertaining," Ted muttered. "As for knocking, we can't count on him answering, even if he is home."
"I thought the whole point to having that nice neighbor of his let us into the building instead of buzzing up, was to catch him off guard," Emmett groaned.
"Yeah, it was but, now I..." Ted started to say as the loft door suddenly opened.
"Bri-Brian!" Emmett sputtered in surprise.
"Uh, hey Brian," Ted gave a sheepish grin.
"Why don't you two pathetic losers just come the fuck inside before you disturb the neighbors below," Brian ordered, as he secretly wondered what they were up to...
8:15 p.m.
Sherbourne Grille
Justin and Sean's dinners had been served, when the blond suddenly noticed a familiar face walking into the restaurant.
"Fuck!" he muttered.
"What is it?" Sean asked in a concerned voice.
"It's my mother," Justin groaned. He couldn't believe that his mom had just walked in with a rather distinguished looking gentleman.
"Your mother?"
"Unfortunately," the blond confirmed.
"Does she know you're gay?"
"Of course she does, but that still doesn't mean..."
"Sweetheart!" Jennifer Taylor exclaimed, as she noticed her son sitting in the restaurant with a handsome, older man.
"Mom," Justin couldn't help but turn red as his mother rushed over to his table with her date.
"This is quite a surprise, Justin," his mother remarked as she reached the table. "Had I known you were going to be dining here tonight we could have made it a foursome."
"Uh, right," Justin eyed his mother and her "date" rather suspiciously. He had not been aware that his mother had begun dating again.
"Well honey, since this is such a pleasant surprise, I might as well take the opportunity to introduce you to my date, Royce Martin. He's a partner with Forbes Schwartz," Jennifer said as she named one of the Pittsburgh's most prestigious law firms.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Justin." Royce immediately offered Justin his hand. "Jennifer has told me so much about you."
"Thanks," Justin politely took the man's hand. "It's, uh, nice to meet you," he murmured, not knowing what to make of the situation.
"Aren't you going to introduce us to your friend, sweetheart?" Jennifer inquired, curious to meet the man her son was with.
"Uh, sorry, Mom," Justin hesitated. "This is my, uh, friend, Sean."
"It's nice to meet you Sean," Jennifer smiled, as she gave her son's date a once over.
"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Taylor," Sean smiled politely. "Perhaps you and Mr. Martin would care to join us," he invited.
"That would be wonderful," Jennifer agreed. "Do you mind, darling?" she turned to her date. She was anxious to get to know Justin's charming companion.
"Not at all Jennifer. This will finally give me a chance to get to know your son," Royce smiled.
"Pierre," Sean motioned for the maitre d'.
"Yes, Mr. Connolly?" the man hurried over to the table, as Royce raised his eyes in surprise.
"Mr. Martin and Mrs. Taylor will be joining my table," Sean indicated.
"Certainly, Sir." Pierre agreed before arranging for two additional chairs and place settings to be brought to the table.
"You're not Sean Connolly are you?" Royce questioned in surprise, as he pulled out Jennifer's chair for her.
"Unfortunately," Sean laughed.
"Well, Mr. Connolly, it's an honor to meet you."
"Please, call me Sean," the hotelier insisted.
"Honey," Royce turned to Jennifer, "Justin's friend, here, is actually the owner of this hotel," he explained.
"Oh, my," Jennifer said in surprise. It appeared her son had quite the catch with him.
"Actually, it's my father who owns the hotel," Sean clarified. "I'm currently the head of marketing."
"He just returned from a two year trip abroad a few months ago and is currently in the process of preparing to take over the business when his father retires," Justin added. While he was less than pleased to be dining with his mother and Royce, who clearly appeared to be a little more than a "date," the blond realized he would have to make the best of the situation.
Meanwhile
The Loft
"To what do I owe the honor?" Brian drawled once "Temmett" had entered his domain.
"Well, uh, we uh, we were in the neighborhood, and we uh, thought we might drop by," Emmett rushed out. "Isn't that right, Teddy?" he turned to his lover.
"Sure." Ted agreed, going along with his partner's cover story.
"Uh-huh," Brian eyed the pair suspiciously. "For two people who don't "drop by" on a normal basis, I must say I'm surprised," the ad executive remarked.
"We should do it more often," Emmett gave a nervous smile.
"Perhaps not," Brian did not smile in return.
"Really, Brian..." Ted tried to interject before he was cut off by the man.
"Why don't the two of you cut your bullshit and tell me why you're really here," Brian demanded, knowing full well this wasn't a social visit.
8:45 p.m.
The Sherbourne Grille
"Sean, the food here is absolutely delicious," Jennifer complimented after her entrée had arrived.
"Thank you, Jennifer," Sean smiled. Justin's mother had insisted he call her by her first name.
"So, how did you and Justin meet?" Royce inquired, in an attempt to keep the conversation flowing and to allow Jennifer to gain more information regarding her son's current relationship with Connolly.
"Actually, my ad executive..." Sean began just as Justin suddenly started to choke on a piece of Porterhouse steak.
"Honey, are you alright?" Jennifer gave her son a concerned look.
"Uh, yeah, sorry," Justin apologized once the coughing had subsided.
"As I was saying," Sean attempted again. "My ad executive, Brian Kinney, introduced us."
"Is that true?" Jennifer looked at her son in shock.
Justin merely nodded in response as he prayed his mother would not reveal his past and present association with Brian.
"I see," she continued to give her son a puzzled look as Sean noticed her discomfort.
"Anyway, Brian's been our ad executive for years, and when I saw Justin at the office one morning, I insisted he introduce us," Sean continued, hoping to ease's Jennifer's apprehension.
"At the office?" Jennifer asked in confusion.
"Yes, Justin interns at Vangard, where Brian is a partner," the hotelier clarified as Justin tried not to cringe. He hadn't been very forthcoming with his mother regarding his internship.
"Oh," Justin's mother said in comprehension. "However, I thought you told me you were interning at a small graphics firm?" she turned to her son.
"You must be confused, Mom. I told you I was interning in an art department for a small agency," Justin stated, hoping his mother would catch on.
"Vangard's hardly a small agency," Royce laughed. "We were actually thinking about using them at our firm," he added.
"Well, I must give you Brian's card. He's one of the best ad men on the east coast," Sean indicated.
"Thanks for the offer. I'll have to give this Kinney fellow a call," Royce said as Jennifer continued to eye her son.
Meanwhile
The Loft
"You, uh, see, Brian," Emmett began to answer his friend's question. "Teddy and I were concerned about your plans for the uh, auction this weekend."
"Really, Emile, and why is that?" Brian casually inquired.
"Well, usually, when you uh, host some type of large event, you uh, normally have some type of ulterior motive," Ted answered for his lover.
"Gentlemen, really, this auction is no different than when I hosted the carnival for the GLC. I'm hosting it solely for financial purposes."
"We understand that, Brian, it's just that, we thought that since the theme of the auction is favorite former Kings of Babylon, Teddy and I thought there might be more to it than just money at stake," Emmett indicated.
"And why would you think that?" Brian questioned, curious about his friends' responses.
"One only has to look at past events like Michael's 30th birthday or the Rage party to know that your motives aren't always pure," Ted stated.
"Now, Fred, that's a terrible thing to say," Brian gave a mock sigh.
"Bri-Brian, Teddy does have a point."
"I see. So if my intentions aren't always honorable as you seem to think," Brian began, "why is it that you think they aren't honorable this time? I've given you a perfectly logical explanation for my assistance with this fundraiser."
"Well, I guess we, uh, thought that since Justin was invited to participate that you uh, might have an ulterior motive for hosting the event," Emmett answered.
"Huh, now that's an interesting thought," Brian observed. "However, if I did have some type of ulterior motive as you like to call it, what would it be?"
"Obviously it would somehow involve Justin," Ted offered.
"Obviously," Brian sarcastically repeated. "But, that still doesn't answer the question."
"I think what Teddy was trying to say is that we think you might use the auction to do something to hurt Justin," Emmett hurriedly declared.
"Hurt Justin?" Brian looked at his two friends in disbelief. After everything he had done over the past two months he couldn't believe they thought he would actually hurt the blond, especially after all they had done to assist him. He wasn't surprised, though. It was always typical of the family to assume the worst of him.
"That's what you're planning to do, isn't it?" Ted nervously questioned as he noticed the shock on Brian's face.
"Sure," Brian shook his head, amazed by how idiotic his "supposed" friends were acting.
9:15 p.m.
The Sherbourne Grille
"So, Justin, your mother tells me you attend PIFA. You must be a very talented artist," Royce remarked over coffee and dessert.
"Trust me, he is," Sean smiled at his date.
"That's what Jennifer tells me. I think it's quite admirable that you're supporting yourself while pursuing your talent," Royce continued.
"Uh, thanks," Justin said, trying to determine if his mother's date was genuine or merely trying to impress him.
"Not many young men your age would have continued their educations after what your father did," the attorney commented as Justin looked at his mother in surprise. Obviously it must be rather serious between them if Royce was aware of their unpleasant family business.
"What did your father do?" Sean looked at the blond curiously. Justin had never mentioned his father and always seemed reluctant to discuss his family.
"He wanted Justin to follow in his footsteps and attend Dartmouth as a business major," Jennifer answered for her son. "He stopped paying Justin's tuition after his first quarter at PIFA."
"That's terrible. I'm sorry to hear that," Sean took Justin's hand and squeezed it.
"I survived," Justin shrugged, not wanting to discuss the subject. His father's actions still upset him to this day.
"Well, it's still not easy for a young man like yourself to come up with financing on his own for art school. Hell, an institution like PIFA is expensive," Royce pointed out. "If it hadn't been for your friend..."
"Royce, dear, could you hand me my purse," Jennifer interrupted just in time. "I need to visit the ladies room."
"Certainly, Jennifer," he handed her the bag.
"Did one of your friends end up helping out?" Sean asked Justin as Jennifer left the table.
"Uh, yeah, he uh, loaned me the money for the last two quarters," Justin wasn't about to lie to Sean. "Luckily, I have enough money saved from the internship to cover the next quarter. I also looked into it, and since I'm no longer my father's dependent, I should be able to get student loans now to cover the remainder of my tuition," he explained.
"Have I met this friend before?" Sean inquired. " I would really like to thank him personally for helping you out like this."
"Uh, actually you haven't." Justin nervously lied.
"Well, you'll have to introduce me to him some time," Sean instructed.
"Yeah, uh, sure." That was the last thing Justin intended to do.
Meanwhile
The Loft
"Uh, Brian," Emmett noticed the look of disgust on Brian's face. He could tell their friend was pissed.
"Are Teddy and I perhaps mistaken?"
"Mistaken," Brian scowled at them, "You're more than fucking mistaken."
"We are?" Ted looked at the man in shock. "Well, if you're not going to hurt him, then just what are you planning to do?"
"Something I should have done a long time ago," Brian stated.
"Oh my God!" Emmett suddenly realized Brian's agenda.
"What?" Ted turned to his partner.
"He's going to show his hand," Emmett excitedly revealed.
"It's about time one of you got a brain," Brian muttered.
"Shit!" Ted looked at their friend in disbelief. "Here we were thinking the entire time it had to be something bad when the whole time you were actually planning to stake your claim."
"It's funny how things work that way," Brian aloofly remarked, while he secretly relished the fact he had Fred and Emile exactly where he wanted them. He would be sure to take full advantage of their guilt for misjudging him so poorly.
9:30 p.m.
The Sherbourne Grille
Sean had just gotten up from the table to speak with the restaurant's manager. Fortunately, Brian had not been mentioned or alluded to during the remainder of the meal, which was a big relief for Justin. However, the artist knew his mother would have questions for him later.
"Sean seems wonderful, Justin," Jennifer smiled.
"Uh, thanks."
"If you'll excuse me, Jen, I'm going to make a quick call," Royce said, thinking it best to give mother and son a moment alone. He could tell that neither had been completely forthcoming with each other over the past few months.
"Sure, Royce," Jennifer smiled, sensing what her date was up to.
"So, who's Royce?" Justin questioned as soon as the man had left the table.
"He's just a friend, dear."
"A close friend?" Justin mocked, not believing his mother for a second.
"Alright, fine, he's a little more than a close friend. I was going to tell you, I was simply waiting for the right moment," Jennifer explained.
"How did you meet him?"
"Actually I sold him a house in Fox Chapel," Jennifer said, referring to a prestigious Pittsburgh suburb.
"Oh," Justin nodded. He could tell his mother was waiting for his opinion, but he planned on withholding judgment until he knew the attorney better. He didn't want to see his mother hurt again.
"So, Justin," Jennifer began, after having realized that her son wasn't going to say anything more regarding Royce. "Are you and Sean serious?"
"He's just a friend," Justin replied.
"Like Royce is?"
"Something like that," Justin shrugged. He wasn't in the mood to discuss his love life or lack thereof with his mother of all people.
"I take it he doesn't know about your past relationship with Brian?" Jennifer questioned.
"No."
"Don't you think you should tell him? It seems to me you're playing a rather dangerous game."
"Perhaps." Justin knew he would have to tell Sean the truth, but he also knew that before he made any rash decisions he would have to discuss the situation with Brian. The last thing he wanted was for Brian to lose one of his long-standing clients.
"Speaking of Brian, is there a reason you didn't tell me you were interning at Vangard?" Jennifer continued her interrogation.
"I don't know, Mom, I guess I didn't think it was important," Justin sighed.
"Not important? And just what does Brian think of your interning at his firm? Or was he the one who got you the job?"
"Brian didn't have anything to do with my obtaining the internship," Justin replied. It was technically the truth after all. There was no need for her to know why Vance had hired him in the first place. "As for my working there, I can assure you that Brian is fine with it."
"Fine with it?" Jennifer repeated. She seriously doubted the Brian Kinney she knew would have been fine with discovering her son was an intern at his firm.
"Yes, he is," Justin stated.
"If he's supposedly "fine with it," that can only mean that the two of you are...," she began to realize that perhaps something might be going on between the pair, much to her chagrin.
"Did I miss anything while I was away?" Sean suddenly interrupted, as he came back to the table.
"No, not at all," Jennifer gave a forced smile as she tried to figure out just what her son was doing with his infernal ex. "We were merely catching up on a few things, weren't we honey?"
"Yeah, that's right, Mom," Justin agreed, playing along with his mother's lead as he fully began to see the enormity of the quagmire he had gotten himself into. He knew there was only one way out, and unfortunately that meant asking Brian for his help. Justin only hoped that his ex would be receptive to fixing this mess. If he wasn't, Justin didn't know what he was going to do.
9:45 p.m.
The Loft
"So, Brian, just how do you plan to reveal your true intentions to Sunshine at the auction?" Emmett inquired. The three men were now sitting in the ad executive's living room having a drink.
"What makes you think I'm going share my plan with you?" Brian drawled.
"You're going to need our help, aren't you?" Ted asked.
"Now, tell me, Fred, why would I want the help of two "supposed" friends who automatically assume the worst of me?"
"Well, uh, Brian, I think Teddy and I both, uh, gravely misjudged the situation, and we uh, are truly sorry," Emmett attempted to apologize.
"Yeah, well, sorry's bullshit."
"You have to let us help you, though," Emmett insisted.
"Em's right. At least give us the chance to make it up to you," Ted pleaded.
"Well I suppose I could use your services for the evening," Brian conceded, containing a satisfied smile. Temmett had fallen right into his trap. If his plan had any chance of succeeding he was going to need their assistance, however he wasn't about to share this with them. Instead, he chose to fill the pair in on the relevant information they needed for their participation in addition to outlining when and where their services would be required. Hopefully with their assistance, the handsome hotelier would be eliminated once and for all.
Wednesday, September 4th
Noon
Vangard
Brian was just returning to his office after having spent the morning at Liberty Air wrapping up a series of meetings. He had to admit, he couldn't help but chuckle when he thought back to the previous evening. Temmett had been pathetically entertaining as always in addition to being extraordinarily easy to manipulate. Brian only hoped the remainder of his plan was as simple to execute.
"Hey Boss," Cynthia greeted as Brian approached her desk.
"Cynthia," Brian drawled. "Have you been holding down the fort in my absence?"
"Of course," she grinned in response. "You'll be pleased to know that your favorite intern dropped by this morning."
"Really?" Brian raised an eyebrow.
"That's right. He said to tell you to count him in for Saturday. It looks like your little auction is going to go according to plan after all," Cynthia observed.
"I thought I told you never to doubt the master?"
"Well, sometimes the master is faced with an unexpected challenge or two," his assistant pointed out.
"In order to avoid those unexpected challenges it takes meticulous planning. That's why we need to move on to the next phase of my scheme as soon as possible," Brian announced.
"And that is?" Cynthia curiously eyed her boss.
"I think that it's time we explored sabotaging a certain twink's performance."
"Sabotage?" the blonde woman repeated.
"I do believe that's what I said," Brian smirked. "In order to ensure that the evening goes as smoothly as possible, I'm afraid we'll have to make a few modifications to Justin's performance."
"I see, and just how do you intend to discover what he has planned for the evening?"
"Don't worry, Cyn, I have my sources," Brian assured, knowing full well he could count on Emile to provide him with the necessary information.
3:00 p.m.
The Art Department
Justin was sitting at his desk debating whether or not he should approach Brian about telling Sean the truth. He knew if he wanted a future with him, it was time to come clean about Brian. However, he also didn't want to jeopardize Brian's relationship with Sean. The last thing he wanted was for Brian to lose a long-standing client.
The artist had been vacillating all day as to his options. He knew that he could tell Sean himself and risk infuriating the man to the extent that he pulled his account. Justin also knew that he could ask Brian for his help in telling Sean the truth. He thought if they both did the deed together it would be easier to explain why they hadn't been as forthcoming as they should have been when it came to their past relationship. Justin certainly wasn't going to tell Sean about their current situation. He felt that since he technically wasn't in a relationship with Sean, he didn't need to disclose the fact that there had been a few "isolated incidences" between him and Brian over the past two months.
The only problem with asking for Brian's help was that Justin had a feeling he wouldn't be too receptive with assisting. Knowing the ad executive as he did, the blond assumed that Brian would feel their past association was none of Sean's business. In a way, he may have a point, but at the same time, Sean needed to know. Justin was sick of constantly worrying that someone would slip and he would inadvertently discover the truth. The previous evening had been a perfect example. He had spent the entire dinner with his mother worrying that she might blurt out the truth. Justin knew that there was no way, if Sean did discover the truth, that he would be able to justify his actions.
Justin thought he might as well ask Brian for his assistance, even though he knew the ad executive would refuse to help. At least he could say he tried, which would ease his conscience some until he finally told Sean the truth himself. Deciding it was now or never, the blond got up from his desk and went in search of his ex.
3:15 p.m.
Brian's Office
Brian was sitting at his desk looking over a contract the legal department had sent over a few minutes earlier, when Cynthia knocked on his door.
"What?" Brian looked up to see his assistant standing in the doorway.
"You have a visitor."
"Who?" Brian scowled, not in the mood for an uninvited guest.
"Justin," Cynthia smiled.
"Oh," Brian gave Cynthia a surprised look. "Well, by all means, send him in."
***
"Hey," Justin greeted as he entered Brian's office.
"Hey." Brian eyed the blond. He thought Justin looked very hot in the tight black button down shirt and beige chinos he was wearing.
"Mind if I sit?" Justin cautiously asked.
"You might as well unless you plan on standing," Brian smirked.
"So, uh, how's it going?" the blond inquired after taking a seat.
"It's going," Brian gave Justin a puzzled look. "Care to tell me what's up?"
"Uh, yeah, uh, sure," the artist hesitated, not exactly sure where to begin. "Did you uh, get my message from Cynthia about participating in the auction?"
"Yep," Brian confirmed, curious as to where this conversation was headed. "I see that you've finally decided you're man enough for it."
"Uh, yeah, well, uh, I decided that Debbie was right," Justin sheepishly admitted.
"I see."
"Well, since it's for charity and all, I thought that perhaps I should show a little compassion and help raise some much needed funds for the Center."
"How generous of you, Sunshine," Brian sarcastically remarked.
"I'm not the one taking the twenty percent cut off the top," Justin shot back.
"Touché," Brian smirked. He always enjoyed their verbal sparring. Justin was one of the few people who could give just as well as he took. "So, Sunshine, what led you to this dramatic realization," Brian drawled, curious to hear the kid's response.
"I talked it over with Sean, and we agreed that I should do it," Justin replied, not about to reveal it was Brian's goading that had caused him to change his mind. His discussion with Sean had merely solidified his decision.
"Ah, the handsome hotelier," Brian couldn't help but mock while Justin chose to ignore the comment.
"We decided that since he has the funds to bid on me and ultimately win me for the evening, that I really didn't have anything to worry about by participating," Justin shared.
"So, does that mean things are heating up between you Sean?" Brian casually inquired. He was secretly thrilled that he had the rich prick exactly where he wanted him.
"I don't think that's any of your business," the blond tersely replied.
"It is when you've been sharing my bed," Brian declared in a husky voice.
"Look, I thought we agreed that we were merely setting aside the boundaries the other night," Justin protested.
"Oh, right, the boundaries," Brian laughed. "How careless of me to have forgotten."
"Ugh," Justin groaned, before getting up from his chair.
"Whoa, Sunshine, wasn't there more that you wanted to tell me?"
"Never mind why I came in here, I knew it would never work in the first place," he muttered before heading toward the door, fully knowing he would never get anywhere with his ex.
"Why don't you sit back down and tell me why you came in here," Brian came up behind Justin.
"I told you, forget about it."
"You've already wasted enough of my time, so sit back down and tell me what the fuck is going on," Brian ordered, before leading Justin back to the chair he had been sitting in.
"Alright," Justin took a deep breath, realizing he was trapped, as Brian sat back down at his desk.
"I'm waiting," the ad executive impatiently frowned.
"I uh, I've been thinking about it, and I think we need to tell Sean the truth," Justin rushed out, as he attempted to avoid his ex's gaze.
"The truth?"
"Yeah. You see, Brian, I really uh, like Sean, and I realized the other night that if I'm going to have any type of future with him, he needs to know about our past, err.. relate - uh, no, uh association." The blond still wasn't sure how to refer to their past in front of his ex.
"I see, and do you plan to tell him that you let me fuck you the other night?" Brian inquired.
"Well, there's really no need to tell him about our uh, current situation," Justin replied uncomfortably.
"So, you want to tell Sean that I'm your big bad ex, is that it?"
"Uh, sort of."
"Why are you telling me this?" Brian questioned.
"I thought that we could tell him together," Justin declared.
"Right," Brian laughed. "I don't think so, Sunshine. This is your mess, not mine."
"The hell it isn't," Justin angrily protested. "You're the fucker who pretended not to know me in the first place. The only reason I played along is because I didn't want to do anything to jeopardize your professional relationship with him."
"You could have told him at any time," Brian pointed out.
"You could have also. What about when he asked you if he could date me; you could have told him then about us, but you chose not to," Justin argued.
"That's right," Brian confirmed. "However, I didn't tell him because it's none of his goddamn business," he added in a steely voice.
"Well it is now. I'm sick of constantly worrying that someone might slip and say something around him. How do you think he will react when he learns that we've been withholding the truth from him? Hell, Brian, this could cost you a client."
"Then it's his loss," Brian casually shrugged.
"So you're not going to help?" Justin questioned.
"Did I say I would?"
"I knew it. You can be a real asshole sometimes," Justin remarked angrily.
"I do try," the ad executive smirked.
"You know what, Brian, go fuck yourself. One of these days I'm going to tell Sean and when you lose him as a client it will be your own damn fault," Justin heatedly declared before storming out of his ex's office.
8:00 p.m.
Justin & Daphne's Apartment
Justin, Daphne, and Emmett were sitting in the living room eating Chinese food. They had decided to meet to discuss Justin's performance for the auction. Justin had been delighted when Emmett had offered his assistance in planning the striptease. He knew that his friend would be one of the best people to consult with in order to make his striptease as fun as possible.
"Baby, I'm so glad you agreed to participate," Emmett remarked in between forkfuls of rice.
"Me too," Daphne agreed.
"Well, Sean and I discussed it, and we thought I might as well," Justin explained.
"So your handsome prince is going to be there on Saturday?" Emmett curiously inquired.
"Sure. He's even going to be the one to win me."
"Well then we had best plan one hell of a performance," Emmett stated, although he knew that the performance wasn't for Sean. It was for Brian.
"Have you thought of a song you would like to dance to?" Daphne inquired once they had finished eating.
"Actually I have," Justin replied.
"Oh goody!" Emmett exclaimed. "Having a song already picked out will allow us more time to work on your outfit."
"Tell us what song you picked," Daphne enthusiastically requested.
"I thought I would dance to "Girls and Boys" by Blur," Justin revealed.
""Girls and Boys"?" Daphne repeated in surprise.
"But baby, that's not a song for a striptease," Emmett protested.
"I want to do something fun, and it's the perfect song," Justin argued.
"Sweetie, I thought you would want to do something sexy. You're such a hot dancer and it would be a shame to see you waste your talent on that song," Emmett countered.
"Em, I honestly don't want to do anything that's extremely sexual. Dancing in front of people is uncomfortable enough, that's why I just want to do something fun."
"He does have a point," Daphne conceded. She had a feeling her best friend didn't want to be reminded of his previous King of Babylon performance or his days as a go-go boy.
"Well, I suppose if it's fun you're looking for, then you picked the right song," Emmett sighed, disappointed by Justin's choice. "However, I'm sure we can come up with a fabulous outfit."
***
An hour later, the group was going over wardrobe choices for Justin's performance. It seemed they all had differing opinions, which was making the task at hand difficult.
"Em, I don't see why I can't just wear cargo pants and a T-shirt," Justin groaned. They had been arguing for the past hour about his attire for the evening.
"But, baby, we want to show that amazing little body of yours and that cute little bubble butt," Emmett protested.
"I can see where you're coming from Emmett, but aren't they going to see him in the flesh during the performance?" Daphne pointed out.
"That's my whole point. Why should I bother worrying about how tight my clothes are when they're just going to see my naked ass anyway," Justin murmured.
"Honey, you must know it's all about the packaging. Don't you want to tease and tantalize the crowd before you show them just how hot you are in the flesh?" Emmett countered.
"I suppose you're right," Justin shrugged. "However, that doesn't mean I'm going to wear some elaborate outfit."
"There's no need for that, baby," Emmett agreed.
"Couldn't you find him something to wear at Torso?" Daphne inquired.
"That's it, Daphne, you are an absolute genius!" Emmett exclaimed. "I'll take something we've got at Torso and custom make it for you. I bet you didn't know your Auntie Em could sew, now did you?"
"Actually I didn't," Justin admitted. "But do you think there will be enough time?"
"Of course there will be. All I need to do is get your exact measurements and I can custom fit your outfit for you. That way you could wear a pair of cargo pants, but they would be an exact fit, and much sexier," Emmett indicated.
"I guess that would work," the blond decided.
"Why don't you stop by the store tomorrow morning and we'll pick out a pair of pants and a shirt," Emmett suggested.
"Alright," Justin agreed, hoping he didn't just get steamrolled into something he would later regret.
Thursday, September 5th
10:00 a.m.
Brian's Office
Vangard
Brian had just returned to his office after an early morning meeting with Vance regarding the firm's quarterly budget. After checking his voice mail, he decided it was time to call Emmett to see how his end of the plan was working thus far.
"Hello?" Emmett answered.
"Emile, glad to see you're actually answering this morning."
"Brian, do you have to keep calling me by that silly name."
"Where's your sense of humor, Emile," the ad executive smirked.
"You're not funny," Emmett said sarcastically.
"Oh, but I do try. Now why don't you tell me how your little powwow with Justin went last night."
"Well, to be honest," Emmett paused, "it didn't exactly go all that well."
"And why is that?" Brian inquired.
"Let's just say he's less than enthusiastic to be participating in the auction."
"I'm not surprised," Brian admitted, thinking back to Justin's initial reluctance. "Did he reveal any of his plans for his performance?"
"Let's see," Emmett began. "He insists on stripping to "Girls and Boys" by Blur."
"That tired old anthem," Brian grumbled. He would be definitely be making a slight modification to Justin's choice in music.
"I know what you mean. I tried to tell him he needed a sexier song, but he insisted that he wants his performance to be fun instead of hot."
"I see." Brian did not like the sound of this one bit.
"Then," Emmett continued. "He insisted on wearing a pair of his baggy cargo pants and a t-shirt. I immediately vetoed that fashion nightmare, but he wouldn't budge. Finally I got him to agree to stop by Torso this morning so we could pick out a pair of pants and a t-shirt that I could alter."
"Has he stopped by yet?" Brian questioned.
"Yeah, he left about half an hour ago. We were able to find a more stylish pair of cargo pants and he's going to combine them one of his own French Connection (FCUK) t-shirts. Luckily I was able to get his measurements so I will be able to alter the pants in time for the auction. If he insists on wearing the infernal things, then at least I can make them accentuate that tight little bubble butt of his," Emmett stated.
"Would you mind faxing me a copy of his measurements?" the ad executive requested.
"But why?" Emmett protested.
"I think you should hold off on altering anything for now and let me handle Justin's wardrobe," Brian announced.
"You want to handle it?" Emmett questioned in surprise.
"Didn't I just tell you that?"
"It's just that I didn't expect for you to get so involved with his attire," Emmett remarked.
"Well, it looks like someone needs to take control of the situation. He can refuse all he wants to do a steamy striptease, but by the time I'm through with him it will be a striptease that no one at Babylon will ever forget," Brian boldly declared.
"Oh, my," Emmett said in surprise. "I take it then you want Justin to be outfitted in a more sophisticated fashion?"
"Exactly. I think this may require a visit to my dear old friend Giorgio," Brian decided.
"Armani, I must say I'm impressed. With your outfitting our baby in such a classic label he'll be the hottest king to ever grace Babylon's stage," Emmett gushed in excitement.
"Now in order to pull this off, I'm going to need your cooperation," Brian indicated.
"Of course, Brian," Emmett agreed.
"Good. I need you to continue to pretend that you're still working on the clothes Justin has chosen. You're then going to meet him at Babylon on Saturday night before the auction and give him a garment bag containing the clothes he believes he has selected. However, the bag will contain the clothes that I have personally chosen for him," Brian instructed. "Unfortunately, once he discovers this, you'll be too busy keeping Connolly occupied to do anything about the situation. I'll have Lindsay with him to ensure he puts the proper clothing on."
"Goodness, Brian, poor Sunshine is absolutely going to want to kill you by the time you're finished with him," Emmett observed.
"I'll be sure to channel his anger in other directions," Brian assured with a perverse grin.
"I'm sure you will. Please keep me posted on the latest developments," Emmett instructed.
"Don't worry, I will," Brian promised before hanging up.
***
Cynthia was sitting at her desk sorting the mail, when suddenly her boss strolled out of his office with a large grin on his face.
"Brian, are you alright?" Cynthia asked. It wasn't often she actually saw her boss looking this pleased.
"How do you feel about taking the afternoon off, Cyn?" Brian drawled.
"The afternoon off?" Brian's assistant eyed him skeptically.
"That's what I said. You see Cynthia, I'm afraid you and I have much more pressing matters to take care of. Matters that require our immediate attention outside of the office this afternoon," the ad executive indicated.
"And just what are you planning for us to do outside of the office?"
"Why, shopping of course," Brian grinned. "It appears that our little intern needs some help in selecting the perfect outfit for Saturday evening."
"Justin's coming with us?"
"No, I'm afraid the little twat insists that his impoverished student wardrobe is perfectly appropriate for his performance. Because of this, I've decided to take matters into my own hands," Brian declared.
"Now this should be interesting," Cynthia noted intrigued by her boss' plan.
"I can guarantee it will be more than interesting. You've never seen the master shop, have you?" Brian inquired.
"No, I've never had the pleasure."
"Well, you're about to," Brian promised. "Now grab your purse and come with me. It's time we paid my dear old friend Giorgio a visit..."
Friday, September 6th
Noon
The Loft
Brian had taken the morning off to pick up the purchases he had left to be altered at Saks Fifth Avenue the previous afternoon. While he and Cynthia had spent the afternoon shopping, Brian had also picked up a few items for himself. He had to make sure he looked his best for Justin, even if that meant spending a little extra on the new arrivals from Dolce and Gabbana. He had asked Lindsay to drop by the loft for lunch so that he could brief her on her part of the plan, in addition to showing her his latest purchases.
"My God Brian, how much did you spend yesterday?" Lindsay demanded as she eyed the clothes he had laid out on the bed.
"A few grand," Brian shrugged. Money was immaterial to him at this point.
"A few grand?" Lindsay repeated. "Christ Brian, isn't that a lot?"
"Not on my salary," he answered honestly.
"I suppose you have a point, however, what are all these clothes for?"
"Let's see, the Gucci leather coat, the Armani button down white cotton shirt and tank top, along with the Gucci stove pipe leather pants are for Justin tomorrow night. The Dolce and Gabbana black pants and the red button down shirt and black leather coat are for me," Brian easily replied.
"Does Justin know that you're buying his clothes for tomorrow night?" Lindsay eyed her friend suspiciously. She couldn't quite see the kid agreeing to Brian's extravagance.
"That's where you come in," Brian gave an evil grin.
"I see, and just how do I fit in to your latest scheme?" the blonde inquired.
"I thought you might like to baby-sit our twink before his big number. I'm afraid that Fred and Emile will be too busy keeping the hotelier occupied. Once Justin realizes there's been a slight mix-up with his attire, he'll need his dear and trusted friend, Lindsay to convince him to wear the clothes that he's been given," Brian explained.
"Wait a minute," Lindsay protested in a confused voice. "First of all, why in the world are you switching Justin's clothes for tomorrow night? Second, why are Ted and Emmett going to be busy with Sean?"
"You'll just have to trust me," Brian casually replied.
"Brian Kinney, you tell me right now what you have planned for Justin," Lindsay demanded, knowing full well her friend clearly had an agenda for the evening. Before she agreed to anything, she needed to discover just what his intentions were.
"Let's just say I'm reclaiming what's rightfully mine," Brian drawled.
"Oh my God, you're actually going to try ..."
"There's no need to get so excited," Brian cut his friend off. "I'm merely going to take care of a few things that should have been dealt with a long time ago. Now can I count on your help or not?"
"Of course you count on my help if you're actually going do to something good for once," Lindsay replied, excited to see her friend finally staking his claim.
"Now here's exactly what I'm going to...." Brian began to give Lindsay her instructions for the auction.
2:30 p.m.
Flavio's Coffee House
"So, Justin, do you have any exciting plans for the weekend?" his friend, Brendan, asked as the two shared a coffee break.
"Uh...," Justin began to blush.
"Ah, it looks like you do," Brendan noticed his friend turning red.
"I guess you could say that," the blond admitted.
"So what are these hot plans of yours or can't you tell me?" Brendan curiously questioned.
"Do you promise not to tell anyone?" Justin asked the fellow artist.
"Wow, these must be some plans," Brendan remarked, somewhat taken aback by his friend's request.
"Can I trust you?"
"Sure, why not," Brendan agreed, dying to hear what his friend was up to.
"Well, there's an organization called the Gay and Lesbian Center here in Pittsburgh," Justin began.
"Yeah, I've heard of it."
"You have? I'm impressed," Justin commented in surprise. "Anyway, they are hosting a fundraiser this weekend."
"What's so hot about that?" Brendan asked in confusion.
"The fundraiser is a bachelor auction," Justin explained.
"A bachelor auction, now that sounds interesting," Brendan remarked. "Is there a particular bachelor you're hoping to bid on?"
"Not exactly," Justin laughed. "Actually, I'm one of the bachelors."
"No shit," Brendan grinned in amusement. "So, uh, do you think you'll draw a lot of bids?"
"I don't know," the blond admitted. "I'm not too worried about it, though. One of my friends has promised to bid on me and make certain that he wins me."
"That's cool. Is your infamous ex going to be there?"
"Brian?" Justin suddenly slipped.
"Is that his name?" Brendan caught his friend's slip.
"Uh, yeah," the blond winced.
"Huh, it seems like all gay men are named Brian these days. There's Kinney and then your Brian, and God knows who else," Justin's friend observed.
"I guess it's a common name," Justin shrugged, trying to cover his tracks.
"God, wouldn't it be a hoot if Kinney was your ex. Fortunately, that's impossible. There's no way you would be interning here if that were the case. He would have your ass on the street in..." Brendan suddenly stopped as he noticed his friend turning even redder and attempting to avoid his gaze.
"What?"
"Kinney isn't your ex is he?" Brendan demanded in a stunned voice.
"Uh..."
"Now that I think about it, it makes perfect sense. It would explain why he blew his top regarding the Voltolini account when you first started here. It would also explain all of those sarcastic remarks he sends your way in addition to the fit he threw about the work you did for Eyeconic Optics. Didn't you say he was stalking you a few months ago also? Was he trying to convince you to quit?"
"Listen, Brendan, it's really not what you think," Justin protested.
"It's not?"
"No."
"You know Justin, if it's true, you can tell me. It's not like I'm going to say anything. If Kinney was aware that I knew the two of you shared a past history, he would find a reason to have my ass thrown out of here in no time," Brendan stated.
"Look, I can't really discuss this with you," Justin stood firm. The last thing he wanted to do was endanger Brian's reputation in the firm. "However, I will say that your assumption was correct."
"Well, it all makes sense now, but I promise you that I won't say anything."
"Thanks, Brendan," Justin breathed a sigh of relief.
"Can I ask you something, though?"
"Sure," the blond shrugged.
"What did you ever see in an asshole like him?" Brendan asked.
"Sometimes I wonder the same thing, but deep down he's not always an asshole," Justin answered.
"Really?"
"Really," Justin gave a half smile.
"So, uh, if he's actually going to be there tomorrow night do you think he might bid on you?" Brendan inquired.
"Fuck no," Justin laughed. "You have to understand that if he wanted to spend an evening with one of the bachelors he wouldn't resort to bidding on him. A man like Brian Kinney can have anyone he wants. Besides, he would never lower himself like that; he would consider it unseemly."
"You're probably right," Brendan agreed, although he had to wonder. Brian always seemed to act strangely around the blond. He supposed he would just have to wait to hear what happened at the auction from Justin on Monday.
4:00 p.m.
Brian's Office
Vangard
Brian and Cynthia sat together in his office going over the final details for the auction. It appeared that everything was in order, and continuing smoothly along Brian's intended course. Now all they had to do was discuss their final plans for a certain blond twink.
"Here's the description Justin submitted," Cynthia said, handing Brian the submission. Each bachelor had been required to write a brief description about himself to be read by Sheba, the hostess for the evening, before his individual performance.
"Let's see," Brian began as he examined Justin's description. "Loves all things art, margaritas, and bringing older men to their knees," he recited from the piece of paper.
"I'm not exactly sure I'm liking that," Cynthia remarked, knowing full well her boss wouldn't.
"Well I can assure you I don't," Brian stated. "I think I'll be making a few changes to this."
"Good idea," Cynthia agreed. "Do you need any help coming up with ideas?"
"No, I've got plenty of ideas. Trust me," Brian gave an evil smirk.
"Well I can't wait to hear what you come up with tomorrow night."
"I'll try to make it as witty as possible," Brian sarcastically promised.
"Have you thought of a song to use for his performance?" Cynthia inquired.
"Actually, I have," the ad executive confirmed.
"Really? And just what is this song called?"
"I believe it's called "#1 Crush"," Brian drawled.
"Oh my, isn't that the song by Garbage?"
"Yep," Brian confirmed.
"Well, if it's the one I'm thinking of, he's in for a major surprise," Cynthia observed.
"I believe that is the whole point of the evening," Brian gave a perverse grin.
"This is going to be one hell of a performance," Cynthia commented, not just referring to Justin's part of the auction.
"I promise you it will be," Brian declared, his eyes gleaming in anticipation. In just a few short hours Justin would be his again.