Page 10 of Hitting the Jackpot (Las Vegas Littles #4)

When Brandon rose and began to creep closer to the edge of the side fence, Lake did the same. Luckily Dane and Maverick were on the other side of the yard where Dane had boxes with different scents set up.

With the back fence taken down, a new one had been put around the pool located in their yard. No one wanted an accident with little Annabelle running around. Lake skirted around the pool fence before finally reaching the side fence. He and Brandon continued until they met in the middle.

“Hey, buddy,” Brandon said softly.

Lake hugged his friend quickly before pulling Brandon down onto the lush grass. “Hey.”

“What are you up to today?” Brandon asked.

“Nothing much. I slept in and just had lunch. I see you’re keeping an eye on your men.”

Brandon laughed. “They both make me so proud. Dane has been working hard on a case and last night he finally got the bust he was after. Maverick did so well. I spoiled Maverick all night, but Dane said they can’t get lazy.”

Lake nudged Brandon’s shoulder. “I bet Maverick isn’t the only one who got spoiled.”

Brandon’s grin was wicked. “Maverick’s was the only PG spoiling. I might have taken care of my man later. He was a good boy too after all making sure that our streets stay safe.”

Lake had to shake his head. “I noticed you didn’t say that loudly.”

Brandon snorted. “I’m no fool. Now enough about me. I want to know all about your date.”

“It was so good,” Lake said, leaning against Brandon’s shoulder so he wouldn’t get too loud. It was hard when he was so excited. “I really like him.”

“I know you do.” Brandon twined their fingers together. “But that also means that he better be on his best behavior with you.”

“He was such a gentleman,” Lake assured his friend. “He opened doors for me, buckled me in his SUV, let Zeb sit at our table at lunch, and we had so much fun making Al.”

“I can’t believe you picked an alien,” Brandon said. “That is too perfect. Dom is going crazy with alien conspiracies right now.”

“It’s driving him crazy,” Lake shared. “He is sending me all kinds of links to YouTube videos.”

“Me too,” Brandon told him. “It’s fun!”

“I just never expected it from Dom. We just have to keep him away from Jimmy. They two of them together…” Lake gave a fake shudder.

“True!” Brandon agreed. “Now tell me something good. Did Jesse kiss you?”

Lake’s face heated and he knew that Brandon saw when his friend’s smile widened.

“He did, didn’t he?” Brandon said elbowing Lake in the ribs.

“Yes,” Lake admitted.

“And…” Brandon pushed.

“It was everything a kiss should be,” Lake said. It really had been.

“Yes!” Brandon shouted and pumped a fist.

Dane and Maverick both turned to them.

“Shh!” Lake grabbed Brandon’s arm. “You’re gonna get us in trouble!”

Brandon waved the hand that Lake wasn’t clinging to. “They’re almost done anyway.”

“Don’t make me send you both inside,” Dane called.

“But there are toys inside!” Brandon yelled back. “Is that really a threat?”

“There are also corners inside,” Dane warned.

Lake slapped his hand over Brandon’s mouth. “We’ll be good.” Not that Lake was worried about being sent to the corner by Dane. There were rules set up for them since their dynamic was different than what most people would consider a friend group.

Not weird different but a comforting difference that Lake needed.

It was no secret that Lake didn’t have a Daddy and until recently, like a few days, never expected to ever have a Daddy.

Eric, Dane, and Remi all stood in as surrogates for him.

Lake still had limits even with his friends.

He wasn’t a brat and rarely needed correction but when he did, Lake preferred a more gentle approach.

“I know you will be,” Dane said. He narrowed his eyes at his boy. “Brandon better remember that I have the next few days off with him.”

Brandon’s eyes widened and he nodded.

Lake removed his hand.

“We’ll be good.” Brandon repeated what Lake had said.

“Let me finish up with Maverick and I might have a treat inside for the two of you. You can stay, Lake? You have the night off?” Dane asked.

“I can stay,” Lake replied. He hadn’t had any grand plans so this was great. Dom and Remi were at work. Dom would be home first and he knew to check over at the other house if Lake wasn’t home.

“We’re gonna go play!” Brandon announced as he climbed to his feet.

Lake scrambled up with him.

“Good idea. That should keep you out of trouble,” Dane said.

“So, we can still have our treat?” Brandon questioned with a fake innocent smile. He was really laying in on thick in Lake’s opinion.

“No makeup or Play-Doh,” Dane ordered.

Brandon sighed. “But, Daddy!”

“And absolutely no glitter. If I see any glitter, you will sleep in the corner.”

“Fine.” Brandon grabbed Lake’s hand and began dragging him into the house.

Lake followed along, knowing that Brandon would already have a plan forming. When they were little, Lake preferred to let the other boys decide on what they were going to do. Maybe it was because Lake was just so glad to be included in little time.

The house was nice and cool. Lake hadn’t even realized how hot it had been sitting in the sun.

Brandon led him into the kitchen where he grabbed two juice boxes from the fridge. Lake gratefully took his organic apple juice then followed Brandon down the hall to the basement door.

“No running down the steps,” Brandon whispered. “Daddy will know.”

His friend was already regressing. “Okay, I won’t,” Lake promised.

“I fell last week and Daddy got mad,” Brandon shared.

“You didn’t tell me that.” Lake stepped carefully from one stair to another. He didn’t want to get his friend in trouble.

“It’s embarrassing but Daddy carried me around for the rest of the day, so it wasn’t that bad.”

Lake had never and would never be carried around.

Not like the other boys. He was as tall as the Daddies and outweighed most of them.

Most of the time he struggled with the difference between him and his friends.

Lake wished he was a smaller guy. That he wasn’t naturally tall and big boned.

Many nights he cried himself to sleep just wishing he was different.

Since he’d moved in with Remi and Dom, Lake could admit that a lot of his previous feelings also had a lot to do with the fact that he didn’t fit in with his birth family.

All of them, his father and brothers, were bigger guys like Lake. They didn’t identify as little of course, and if Lake was more like them, then he wouldn’t struggle with finding a Daddy. That was what he had believed.

It made a difference when Remi, Dom, and the others went out of their way to show that they liked Lake just the way he was. And Jesse, yes Jesse, was changing Lake’s mind about a lot of things as well.

Jesse called him beautiful. Held his hand in public. Didn’t care when other people watched them and whispered. Jesse’s nonchalant attitude was what Lake had needed all along. Well that that the support of his friends.

Because Lake couldn’t change himself.

Hadn’t he suffered for years because he was the problem? Lake hadn’t accepted himself so why should he have expected anyone else to?

Lake made his way to the little table and dropped to his knees.

The furniture in the playroom was perfect for all of them. Even Lake.

As Brandon began to pick toys from the shelves nearby, Lake could feel himself slipping into his little persona. Sipping on his juice, Lake smiled.

This was the life that he had always said he wanted.

He’d had to let go of the past and the family that he never measured up to. Lake hoped that one day, sooner rather than later, he could have some sort of relationship with his parents and brothers, but he needed to focus on himself.

Lake had tried and failed at being the perfect son and brother. Because trying to fit in with his family meant denying the basic fabric of himself.

No more living for other people.

The safe place that he’d found living with Dom and Remi gave him the confidence to go after what he wanted. And what did Lake want most of all? He wanted a Daddy all his own.

It was time to be brave.

Lake could do this!

Although it wouldn’t hurt to have backup.

Lake set his juice down hard on the table in front of him. “I’m a brave boy,” he declared loudly.

Brandon turned so fast that he nearly dropped two containers. “You are a brave boy,” Brandon said immediately. “You are brave, and kind, and pretty. You are awesome.”

Lake beamed. “I’m getting my Daddy.”

Brandon didn’t drop the toy containers as much as he threw them to race over to Lake. He dropped down and hugged Lake. “Yes, you are!”

Lake hugged Brandon back. “I’m going to be brave and make Jesse my Daddy.” It felt good to say the words out loud. To announce his intent into the universe.

“How can I help?” Brandon asked.

That was a good question. What did Lake need to do. He knew that Jesse was interested in him. Their date had gone well. Jesse had sent the flowers just so Lake didn't have to wonder or worry. Jesse was always thinking about what would make Lake happy or comfortable.

The answer hit Lake like a sledgehammer.

He sucked in a breath.

“What?” Brandon drew back from the hug to shake him. “You have an idea.”

Lake nodded. So far Jesse had made all the moves. Jesse had even gone to the Daddies for advice. While Lake had been hiding and pretending that he didn’t know about Jesse’s interest, Jesse hadn’t given up. “I want to do something special for him.”

“Oh! That’s romantic. Like what?” Brandon asked.

Well Lake hadn’t gotten that far. He slumped his shoulders. “I don’t know.”

“That’s okay.” Brandon patted his back. “We’ll think of something.”

Lake nodded in appreciation.

“Do you know what he likes to do? Does he have any hobbies?” Brandon questioned.

The panic started to fill him when Lake realized that he didn’t know that much about Jesse.

Not really. He knew the boss man. The one in charge of several businesses and had more money than God.

As a boss, Jesse was kind and fair. The programs that Jesse put into place were to better the lives of his employees.

He knew Jesse as a friend to the group. While Jesse wasn’t always able to hang out with them, he always made it for the big events. Like holidays and family dinner, that Brandon insisted on. And he never came empty-handed. Jesse always brought a gift for the boys.

At the club, Jesse was a caring Dom that didn’t pay too close attention to any of the boys but was always there if there was trouble.

Jesse ran the club with an iron fist. They were safe there because Jesse put their safety above everything else.

That was why Lake enjoyed working at the club after all.

He knew that if he brought up a concern, he would be listened to.

That every member of the staff had the right and was encouraged to speak up if they saw or heard anything.

When Jesse had suspected that his own employees had been up to no good and putting others at risk, he’d gone to the cops himself. He hadn’t waited around for the police to ask him questions. Jesse had sought them out.

He had a strict moral code. Hadn’t that been what had first attracted Lake after all?

What else? What else?

Jesse had a twin brother that lived in California.

His brother was a professor, but Lake hadn’t even asked what he taught.

The two visited each other often so they must be close.

Lake knew nothing else about Jesse’s family.

Lake had no idea if Jesse’s parents were still alive or if they were estranged.

Other siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, or cousins? Lake had no clue about his family.

He felt horrible!

Lake was a bad boyfriend! And he didn’t even know if Jesse considered them boyfriends after dinner and one date!

“Bran!” Lake whined.

“It’s okay.” Brandon went back to hugging him. “We can do this.”

“I don’t know anything he likes,” Lake argued.

Brandon started to laugh.

Lake wasn’t finding any of this funny.

“Wait,” Brandon said. He wiggled away and pulled his phone out of his pocket. “We do know one thing that he likes.”

“What’s that?” Lake asked, needing to know…well anything.

“You!” Brandon exclaimed. “He likes you.”

“He does,” Lake agreed.

“That’s at least a starting point, right?”

But was it enough.

“You know what we need?” Brandon asked.

“No, what?”

Brandon wiggled his phone. “Reinforcements!”