1. Theo

CHAPTER 1

Theo

"Why are you still in the office? Didn't you get off ten minutes ago?"

"The better question is, why are you in my office?" Theo counters, clicking save on the report he's nearly finished with before spinning in his chair to face his best friend—and the biggest pain in his ass.

Where Jason King's bulk might be considered intimidating, his smile is anything but. The dimple in his chin is on full display when he flashes a smile at Theo.

"You say that as if everyone in your office doesn't adore me." Jason's grin widens, leaning against the door frame. He's just as massive as he was in high school, and even more handsome if you're into big burly men who look like they could carry you without breaking a sweat. There was a time Theo wished Jason was his type because he'd loved him more than he'd loved anyone. Jason being straight aside, Theo never held more than brotherly affection for him, which in hindsight is for the best because it kept things easy, and more importantly, safe. "Steven was delighted to see me in the office. More than you."

Steven, Theo's administrative assistant, was on strict orders not to let anyone into his office today until he finished this report. Apparently there's no one Jason can't sweet talk.

"You brought donuts for him again, didn't you?" Theo asks. It's how he got into Theo's office the first time and it's become a habit. Sometimes Theo thinks his coworkers like Jason more than they like him, but that might also be because Theo rarely talks to them despite having worked here for four years.

"Might have," Jason answers, drawing Theo's attention back to the present. He pushes off the door frame and pulls his other hand out from behind his back. There, wrapped in a napkin, is a single buttermilk knot. "Saved your favorite old man donut for you before the rest of your coworkers get to the box in the break room."

"It's not an old man donut," Theo snorts, snatching the donut. "It's just not covered in sprinkles or frosting."

He can tell just by looking at it that it's from the little donut shop he loves on main street. It's got old school red booths and kind of shitty coffee, but their donuts more than make up for it. Unfortunately, main street becomes overrun with tourists in the summer. People flock to their coastal town of Santa Leon to escape the inland heat, which means Theo hasn't been there in what feels like months. Unlike Theo, who is an introvert with a capital "I", Jason, whose picture is probably in the dictionary under the word ‘gregarious', is the opposite. Even still, with summer in full swing it must've taken him a good hour to get across town to get these donuts, which means he probably wants something. He just has to wait for Jason to tell him what it is. Luckily, he can never keep a secret for long.

"I mean, it kind of is, but that's okay. It matches your old man sweater."

Theo's mouth is too full of donut to reply, but he looks down at himself and frowns. He got this sweater last week after getting a quarterly cost of living adjustment. It's brown with little zigzags of cream on the sleeves, which reminded him of the mountain ranges that border the edge of the city where he likes to hike. It's also thick and warm, which is nice since his office is always freezing, especially in the summers. He swallows his bite, not seeing the problem. "What's wrong with my sweater?"

"Nothing, man." Jason laughs, grabbing the chair that's next to the door and spinning it around to sit on it backwards. "It's very you. It's great."

"Sometimes I can't tell if you're insulting me or trying to lift up my confidence," Theo says, chasing the donut with the remainder of his iced coffee from his break an hour ago. It's kind of gross, but the afternoon slump is hitting him hard, so the sugar and caffeine combination is exactly what he needs right now.

"I have to keep you on your toes," Jason says, leaning over the back of the chair. He makes it look like a chair for toddlers, not the full-size office chair it is. "Speaking of which, Alec is back."

If there's anyone who can keep someone on their toes it's Alexander King, Jason's baby brother. Well, baby might not be the most accurate description anymore. He'll be twenty-one tomorrow, but sometimes it's hard to reconcile the mental image he still holds of the gawky, freckle-faced kid with braces who chased him and Jason everywhere, desperate to be included, with the confident, athletic guy he is now.

"Why is he back early? I thought he was in Mexico for another week with his best friend." Theo frowns, positive he'd put the date down in his calendar correctly. The Kings were supposed to have a family dinner to celebrate Alec finally coming home after two months gone, doubling as a belated birthday celebration. As with all King family events Theo had been invited, and unless he got the date wrong, which is highly unlikely given his color-coded calendar app, then Alec is early.

"I don't know what happened, actually," Jason muses. "Mom called me and said he was coming home early, and wanted me to pick him up from the airport since they're out of town. Alec told her he'd catch an Uber home, but mom had a heart attack about her baby being in a stranger's car, and naturally called me to ensure nothing happened to him because I'm the most trustworthy brother."

Theo arches an eyebrow at that and Jason doesn't hesitate to flip him off. "Fine, she called Andrew first, but he said with his job being so new he can't take off early, and Charlie wasn't answering the phone. Between you and me, I think he's got the right idea about not having a phone or wifi in his studio. He tells mom and dad it helps his creative process, but I think it's so he can't be bothered with bullshit like this."

Even as Jason says it, Theo knows there's nothing bullshit about it. Jason's a family man through and through. Theo is sometimes surprised he hasn't settled down and started his own with how important family is to him and how good he is with other people's kids. Then again, the not settling down thing might be because Jason has the worst luck with relationships and always ends up with people who don't appreciate him.

"Anyways," Jason continues, undeterred by Theo's silence. "Since I was off today, I took the opportunity to swing by their house to get Alec's room ready."

"What did you do?" Theo asks around a too-big bite of donut.

"I'm kind of offended you're even asking me this. I went out of my way to make Alec's bed and—" Theo levels him with one serious look and Jason cracks. "Fine, I covered his bedroom in blown up condoms instead of balloons and hung a birthday banner with dicks on it."

Theo rolls his eyes. Jason might be nearly thirty but pranking his brother turns him into his mischievous, pain in the ass, teenage self. He tries to imagine Alec's face when he finds it. Alec is always up for a laugh so he probably won't be phased, but it still gives Theo secondhand embarrassment to imagine it.

"So what are you thinking for the party? Sunday afternoon or?—"

"Tonight," Jason interjects.

"No way, that's not enough time to plan."

"Come on, Theo. It's not every day your baby turns twenty-one," Jason points out. At twenty years old—twenty-one at eleven fifty-nine tonight, technically—Alec is hardly a baby. What he is though, is eight years younger than Jason and Theo and more than a decade younger than his twin brothers, making him the eternal baby of the family. "I need you, man. Help me out? Please." Jason widens his eyes and bats his long eyelashes, as if he needs to convince Theo.

"What did you need me to do?" Theo sighs, not really all that put out. He likes Alec, even if it feels like it's been forever since he saw him.

Jason whoops. "I knew you'd help me out. You're the best."

"I didn't agree yet," Theo points out, even though they both know Theo can never tell Jason no.

"I just need your help to plan a little party."

"Little like something with the twins?" Theo tries, knowing he's going to be wrong.

"Sure, they can come too. And all of Alec's teammates and his friends in the fraternity and the football team and?—"

"Is there anyone Alec isn't friends with?"

"Probably not," Jason answers honestly. "He could make friends with a rock."

As a child Alec had multiple pet rocks, so this really isn't that far off base. Alec has always had a way of making friends and amusing himself wherever he goes. It'd been adorable when he was a child, a little envy-inducing when he was a teen, and now, well, maybe it's still a little envy-inducing. From the stories Jason tells about Alec in college, he's exceedingly popular, as much for his starting spot as a forward on the soccer team to his status as the big man on campus.

"You're doing that pinched face thing again. What could you possibly be overthinking right now?"

"Did you want a list?" Theo retorts, not at all planning on giving him one if he says yes.

He's not jealous of Alec's ability to make friends with people. He's not. He's probably just hungry. That's the only explanation for the weird swirl of emotions in his gut. Theo gets cranky when he's hungry and the donut is definitely not hitting the way he needs after skipping lunch.

"Look, you've been working on your big boring report for weeks on trash or whatever."

Theo rolls his eyes. "The report isn't about trash. At least not directly. It's about tracking the indicators used to measure environmental and human health over time while taking into account environmental factors."

"You are so smart. I still can't believe you didn't go into grad school with that big brain of yours."

Theo has no reply to this. While Jason's monetary and familial situation had allowed him the freedom to continue his education post-bachelor's degree, Theo hadn't had the same privilege. Not that he really wanted a Masters, but the option would've been nice. It's not something he likes to talk about, though, not even with Jason. It's not his fault Theo had a half-absentee single parent, and needed a job ASAP to pay off the school loans he was drowning in. He knows Jason, and the King family, would've helped him if he asked, which is exactly why he's never said anything, and doesn't plan to.

"So this party," Theo prompts, eager to get the conversation back to more comfortable territory. "What exactly do you need me to do? If you're asking me to get snacks and beer at Costco on a Friday night, I'm just letting you know that it's going to require a substantial bribe."

"I don't need you to go to Costco."

"Decorations?" Theo guesses. He's not sure what Jason might have in mind to go with a dick banner and condom balloons, but he could probably swing something. Decorating isn't his strong suit, but he's not a complete disaster. At least he doesn't think so. He looks down at his sweater, suddenly unsure.

"Decorations were not exactly what I had in mind," Jason says, pulling out his wallet. He passes Theo forty bucks.

Theo's confusion rises. "What the hell is that for?"

"Alec's gonna be starving when you pick him up from the airport. For someone so small he can eat a lot."

"You want me to pick up Alec from the airport?" Theo blinks at the money in his hand.

"If I do it, he's gonna ask me too many questions," Jason grumbles. "You know how…persuasive he is."

Persuasive is certainly one way to describe Alec. Theo can't help but be amused by the way he manages to wrap all his siblings around his finger.

"You literally coach 250-pound football players, are you telling me you can't go toe-to-toe with your baby brother?"

"Fuck, yes that is what I'm saying. Have you seen him? He's fucking scary when he's stubborn. Besides, you know I can't lie for shit. I'm gonna spill the beans the second he starts pestering me and then the entire surprise will be ruined."

That's not untrue. Jason's good at smooth talking through bullshit in parent conferences but when it comes to flat-out lying, he's comically terrible, but when it comes to denying Alec he's even worse. He used to get in so much trouble with his parents for constantly letting Alec have ice cream for dinner, just because Alec would come to him instead of their parents.

"Listen, we both know you're the only one who has ever been able to resist Alec. On behalf of all of the King brothers, we need you." Jason makes an exaggerated show of pleading, hands clasped together in front of him as he attempts what is probably supposed to be a puppy face, but just makes him look constipated.

"Fine, I'll pick up Alec from the airport," Theo concedes. He doesn't actually mind. He might not be as close to Alec or the twins as he is Jason, but he likes them all. "Then what, just bring him to your parents' place?"

"You'll need to give us a few hours to get it all together. Take him out to eat."

"Won't Alec think it's weird if I'm the one to pick him up?" Theo asks. He's hung out with Alec before at almost every King family event and holiday since he was younger, but he's never done anything with Alec or the twins alone.

"No way, Alec loves you, man. Besides, just tell him I'm busy and offer him food. He won't care and if he does, just make something up. You're good at that."

Theo frowns. "I have no idea if I should be offended or say thank you."

"You're just good at not talking about things you don't want to," Jason hedges, leaving Theo with the succinct impression he's leaving something unsaid. "So will you do it?"

"You know I will."

"I knew I could count on you." Jason claps his hands together and then stands. "I already emailed you Alec's itinerary and flight info."

"When?"

"Uh, before I got here. I just assumed you'd say yes, which to be fair, you did." Before Theo can interject, Jason takes two long strides backwards so he's standing in the open doorway, ready to bolt. "Just remember, nothing about the party or secret plans. You think you can handle keeping him busy for a few hours?"

"I'm sure," Theo answers, laughing when Jason practically runs away.

A quick glance at his email lets him know Alec's arriving via Aeromexico at Terminal three at six-thirty. That gives him barely an hour and a half to get through rush hour traffic and find his gate. With a resigned sigh, Theo gulps down the last of his watery coffee and the rest of his donut before logging off for the day. Looks like he's on Alexander King duty for the night.

How hard could it be?