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We got there and sat at a table for six. A pretty waitress came over to take our order. She gave my collar a good, long look, like she was saying I know exactly what that means. But I wasn't embarrassed — quite the opposite, I was proud. So I gave her a little smile. She didn't seem to have any judgment in her eyes — maybe she was even part of the community — but she didn't say anything. She had brown hair and brown eyes. Her face was beautiful and reminded me of a fox.

"What can I get for you gentlemen?" she asked.

"Can I order something already?" I asked Daddy.

In public, we avoided using our honorifics, just because people who hadn't consented to witness our dynamic didn't need to be pulled into it if they didn't like it or if it made them uncomfortable. And consent was everything.

"Order a drink. We'll wait for our friends before ordering anything else," he said.

I smiled, excited. That was already good enough for me.

"I'll have a green apple Italian soda, please," I told the waitress.

She nodded.

"And for you, sir?" she asked.

She seemed to have chosen to call him "sir" for a reason — that girl wasn't fooling me.

"I'll wait, thank you," Daddy said.

I was starving even though I'd eaten not that long ago — I think my metabolism still thought I was seventeen. It had never really changed since I was a teenager.

We didn't have to wait long. Esteban showed up right after, followed by Rex and Max — it looked like the three of them had come together. Rex wasn't in his pup gear, and it was the first time I'd ever seen him like that. He had black hair and blue eyes and was handsome, wearing a simple black collar even without the rest of his gear. I was so happy to see them and had to work hard not to look too happy about it.

"You came!" I exclaimed, trying to hold myself together.

"Of course we did," Rex said.

"Rick was dying to see you again," Esteban said.

"Rick?" I asked, tilting my head to the side, probably looking like a puppy. I noticed I'd been doing that a lot lately — was I developing a taste for pup play?

"That's my name when I'm not in my gear. But you can call me either one," he said.

I hated making decisions, so I looked at Daddy, unsure.

"Let's call him Rick outside of scene spaces. That work for you, baby?" Daddy asked. I nodded.

Max looked gorgeous as always — like a little doll, because his features were so delicate, and his blond hair made him extremely attractive. He looked just as good tonight as he had at the club. He was wearing a navy button-down and white linen pants, totally different from what he'd worn before, but he still turned heads.

They sat down at our table and I handed my menu over to Max, and Daddy handed his to Esteban, who passed it on to Rick. The waitress showed up soon after with my Italian soda and set it in front of me. I suddenly felt a little embarrassed for not waiting for everyone before ordering.

"Sorry," I said, but everyone shook their heads, saying it was fine. Max ordered a latte. Esteban ordered just black coffee. Daddy ordered a double espresso. Rick ordered a blended coffee drink. We'd move on to food after.

"So, JJ," Daddy said, "you mentioned wanting to see Max again."

"Yeah," I said. "Why haven't you guys come back to The Hearth? We've been waiting."

It was true — Henry and I really wanted to introduce Max to Lucy, since her Mommy hadn't let her play with us that first time.

"Sorry," Max said. "I ended up getting really nervous about it."

"You didn't have fun?" I asked, trying for a neutral tone that fooled absolutely nobody.

"I had a great time," Max said, and he sounded sincere. Actually, he seemed like the kind of person who could never lie — everything just showed up on his face. "It's just hard for me to go to new places."

"That's on us too," Esteban said. "Rick and I had to travel for a music festival, and we just didn't find the time. Max didn't want to go alone, which is understandable."