Page 38 of Back to You

Ethan leaned over to smack a kiss on Brandon’s lips. “Ass.”

“You love it.”

“Your ass? Yes, I do love it.”

Brandon snorted mid-drink, then fell into a coughing fit. “Oh, that burns. Scotch was not meant to be inhaled.”

From his left, Nia reached over to pat his hand. “Good job, baby. Now it’s time for you to learn the phrase ‘work-life balance’.”

“Amen,” Brandon said.

“How do you do it, Nia?” Ethan said. Nia was famous at the firm for her success while still maintaining an active social life and guarding her private time fiercely.

“First thing, you have to learn the word ‘no.’ And I think that’s going to be the hardest part for you, Ethan. You’re a people-pleaser. You need to understand that these workaholic partners like Cartwright don’t care about your personal life. They just see the job. He’s been divorced twice, did you know that? Both his wives couldn’t cope with his hours. He has kids that he never sees. What kind of life is that?”

Ethan shook his head. “I don’t want to be that. I want to be like you, I just … I don’t think I’m as good at the job as you are.”

“Aw, don’t say that! Look, I’m not just saying this — you’re one of the most talented lawyers I’ve seen come up the ranks in years. You have the drive and the ambition, I fully believe that you’ll go far at this or any firm. But there’s no sense in burning yourself, or your loved ones, out because you’re married to your work.”

Ethan nodded, slightly overwhelmed.

Brandon reached across the table to take Nia’s hand. “Thank you, Nia.”

“You’re welcome, grumpy baby.”

***

The night spun on, and Brandon realized pretty early on that he’d need to stick to one drink so he could pour Michelle into her house. Ethan wasn’t that far behind her, having lost his tolerance for alcohol over the past months of nothing but work. Plus people kept buying him celebratory drinks, and he couldn’t say no.

“Gotta learn to say no,” he slurred later as he sloshed his way up the stairs to their home. “I’m too nice, Brandon. That’s the problem. I gotta be a badass like Nia.”

Brandon barely understood him — his words were coming out sounding like “nish” and “badash.”

“Yep, you do that, baby. You’re a born badass.”

Brandon herded Ethan toward the bedroom, pausing to force some water and Tylenol down his throat. He stripped Ethan efficiently and pushed him into bed. “Time for night-night.”

“We should have sexsh,” Ethan exclaimed.

“Ethan, you couldn’t find your own dick with both hands right now.”

“Sure I can, it’s right here.” Ethan patted around on his body before shooting Brandon a wounded look. “It’s gone.”

“That’s okay, we’ll find it in the morning.”

“Okay. Night, Brandon. Thanks for being you.”

Brandon wasn’t quite sleepy yet, so he wandered back into the living room to give an irate Barnabus some love. The cat quickly settled in at his side as Brandon snagged his Kindle from the side table and queued up the next book in a fantasy series he’d been reading.

He found his attention wandering back to Nia’s advice. He really hoped Ethan’s people-pleasing ways didn’t come back to bite them in the ass. He knew Ethan was loathe to say no to anyone. A therapist would probably have a field day with that, considering the lack of affection in his life growing up.

There was just no point in thinking about this anymore. Ethan had promised him, and Brandon had to believe he was sincere. Ethan said he’d cut back, so he’d cut back.

Brandon lost himself in the novel for a couple of hours before forcing himself to go to bed.

The next morning, he woke to Ethan laying face down in the bed and groaning.

“Hah! Morning, drunky,” Brandon crowed.

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