Page 17 of Milk Drunk

CASEY

Tonight, Jason and I were going out to dinner, which wasn’t unusual. We frequently went out because it was so much easier than cooking. Except tonight was different because Mark and Branson were going with us, and it was the first time the four of us were gonna just hang out.

It shouldn’t have been a big deal because they knew I was dating Jason…and they knew me. The only thing different was that they didn’t know Jason and me as a couple.

Heck, they’d been there the first day Jason and I interacted, when I got milk drunk and Jason took me home. But I still felt pressure for them to like us as a unit. I didn’t think I could handle them pulling me aside to tell me they saw red flags I missed or telling Jason I wasn’t good enough for him when I went to the restroom. Were either of those likely? Absolutely not, but that didn’t prevent me from being on the edge to the point where I’d changed my shirt twice already. As if anyone there was going to care what I wore.

“Why are you so nervous, sweet boy?” Jason came up from behind and wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin on my shoulder.

“I don’t know. It’s like this is our first official event being a couple. God, I feel like I’m in seventh grade, liking someone for the first time.” I leaned back into him and soaked in his warmth.

“Don’t worry about it.” He kissed my cheek. “Your friends love you.”

“I know. But you’ve always been Jason from the club. And now, what if I slip and call you Daddy?”

He turned me in his arms and kissed my forehead. “Or what if you don’t slip and you still call me Daddy?”

That let out a lot of pressure I’d been holding in. It was one thing for him to be my Daddy and to call him Daddy, but we hadn’t talked about whether using those terms with each other was okay in front of others. It was good that I said something, because while calling him Daddy in a restaurant full of people wasn’t something I planned on doing, slips could easily happen.

“We need to head out, Casey.”

We weren’t going to a fancy place, but we also weren’t going to the club. I’d found a family restaurant not too far away that specialized in pasta. They didn’t call themselves Italian, and from the looks of the menu, that had been the right call. Just Mama’s, and with a name like that, it had to be good. The reviews agreed.

I changed my shirt one last time, which made us arrive a few minutes late. Mark was already inside waiting for us when we got there. The place was nicer than I expected it to be atmosphere wise, but no one would call it fancy. Which made it perfect.

Mark stared at our joined hands as he asked. He knew we were dating and had probably heard more Jason stories in the past month than anyone needed to be subjected to for an entire lifetime. Still, he seemed curious. “I see how it is. Am I the third wheel now?”

“Maybe.” Jason waggled his eyebrows. “Depends on where Branson is.”

I was glad Jason said something because I had no idea how to respond to that.

“I’m right here.” We turned and Branson was behind us. “Let me guess. Mark, you were here ten minutes early?”

“Guilty.” Out of all of us, Mark was the one most likely to be on time anywhere.

We sat down, and the server came right over. That was good because it gave me time to center myself and remember that these were my friends and they weren’t here to do anything but have a nice meal.

Branson ordered some pretentious bottle of wine that didn’t look like it belonged in this place, but it was delicious. Nothing they brought to our table was less than amazing. And it was worth the drive for the bread alone. We ate far too many bread baskets while waiting for our food to come.

Jason was exactly like he was when he was with me. He didn’t try to come off as the perfect boyfriend or Mr. Poised. He was just Jason. He joked with them. He listened to their stories. He teased when they opened themselves up for it.

The entire time, Jason’s knee was against mine or his hand was on my arm, always keeping contact and making sure he showed me he was here for me.

“So is anyone gonna say it?” Mark asked.

We all looked at him like we had no idea what he was talking about.

“You guys are relationshipping at super speed. It hasn’t been that long since your little milk-drunk incident and needed to have him take your sorry ass home. Now, here you are dating, staying over at each other’s houses. I bet you’re all, ‘I love you. I love you. I love you.’” Jerk made kissing noises.

He wasn’t wrong.

“Someone’s jealous.” Branson smacked him upside the head.

“Damn right I am.”

“We’ll just have to find you your own Daddy.” Mark winked at him.

It wasn’t the first time I suspected there were some crushes between the two, but both were also looking for a Daddy and not just someone to date. Dating wouldn’t end well. They needed something more.