True Mates: The Beginning (mxm)

Chapter 6: "You're Different Than I Expected"

When Connor went to have his lunch, he realized he'd lost Jamie somewhere along the way. He also realized that he missed Jamie's company, but he couldn't risk suffocating the boy, so he didn't go looking for him. Jamie was supposed to shadow him, not the other way around.

Connor went to the cafeteria, where Rachel had his order ready.

"Thanks, babe," he said and kissed her cheek, making her giggle. She already had a mate, so he didn't feel weird doing it. Most other females in the place were unmated and looking at him with hearts in their eyes, since he was the owner. Well, except for Sara who valued her job more than her social life.

He sat on his usual table and not five minutes into his lunch, the twins appeared early for their shift. He cocked an eyebrow at them.

"Hi honey," Miguel said, batting his eyelashes. "We heard you have a new apprentice."

"Or is he imaginary as well?" Daniel said, stealing a fry.

Connor growled and took his plate out of reach of those heathens. "Ha ha. He might have gotten a little overwhelmed, but I'm sure he's somewhere around here."

"So he's Nancy's brother?"

"Mhm."

"How old is he anyway?"

Connor looked at his plate. "I don't know."

"Well, is he a teenager, twenties, is he an old man with a cane, what?"

Connor rolled his eyes. "He's probably twenty or something."

"So maybe we could take him drinking, or no?"

Connor growled. "We're not taking him anywhere. Especially not to Heat." Heat was the most popular club in the vicinity.

The twins exchanged looks. "Umm, are you feeling okay, honey?" Miguel asked, making a kissy face while his brother snickered.

"Job pressure getting to ya?" That was Daniel.

"You two should take your fake concern and shove it up your–" Connor stopped. There stood Jamie, next to his table, and he hadn't even noticed when it had happened. Great, now he had to introduce him to his best friends, who would surely notice if he acted strange. Shit.

"Uhh," he said. "This is Jamie."

Miguel looked Jamie up and down, then looked back at Connor, who avoided his eyes. Daniel squinted his eyes as though he was trying to determine if Connor had lost his marbles. "Okay..." Daniel said.

"Hi Jamie, I'm Miguel, this loser's best friend."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "I'm his best friend, we've talked about this."

"I let you get Carrie in exchange for Connor, remember?"

"I didn't want Carrie, you're making shit up."

And so it went, the twins arguing about nothing and Jamie watching them like it was a freaking tennis match. He slowly sat at the table, looking equal measures confused and amused at their antics.

"Okay, you can have Connor, but I'm taking Jamie."

"No one's taking Jamie," Connor grunted. "You two stop making trouble."

"Never," both said at once.

Jamie spoke, making everyone shut up. "How do you even get any work done with those two around?"

Connor shrugged. "You can take them if you want."

"Hey, I'm not an expired coupon!" Miguel said, while his brother looked at Connor carefully. Shit, he was always the more observant one.