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Jake Seresin may have done one of the stupidest things in his entire life, and he doesn’t say that lightly. There have been plenty of other stupid decisions made along the way, like when he was seven and ran through the barn back home while the horses were out. That got him his first kick, which luckily just grazed him and gave him a nasty bruise for a couple of weeks. Or when he climbed the old tree in the yard when he was ten and fell out. That resulted in a broken arm. Or when he was sixteen and he and some of his friends egged a bully’s house on Halloween. That resulted in running from the cops, tripping in the woods, and getting his first concussion. 

So, Jake has done some stupid things in his life, there’s no doubt. But today, he might have done the stupidest one of all. He lied to his mama. Any good Southern boy knows that lying to their mama is the easiest way to guarantee an early, untimely death. Jake, being a thirty-one-year-old man, is not exempt from this law of nature.

In his defense, it wasn’t a lie told with malice or with any intention to hurt someone he loves—quite the opposite, actually—but it was a lie nonetheless. 

Around thirty minutes ago, his mama called to provide him with some updated information about one of his older sister’s upcoming weddings in a couple of weeks. Jake is the youngest of three siblings, with his eldest sister, Jess, already married with two children, and his other sister, Johanna, soon to be married. The conversation with his mama shifted to Jake’s personal life and what he had been doing since he had been permanently stationed at North Island. That’s when she asked about his dating life.

“Surely my sweet Jakey has somebody in his life he’d like to bring to Johanna’s wedding, right?” She had asked in her kind, southern voice. 

Jake doesn’t know if it was because he feels like a loser for never bringing anybody as a date to family events, if it was just to placate his family, or if it was his own fear of never finding someone to settle down with, but he lied and said yes. As a matter of fact, he did have a boyfriend and he’d be delighted to bring him along to meet the rest of the family. 

His mama had squealed with joy and excitement on the other end of the phone as she ended the call, saying how thrilled she was and that she couldn’t wait to meet him.

Unfortunately, Jake couldn’t be more single than he is at present, with not one dating prospect in the lineup, much less an actual boyfriend. He resists the urge to bang his head against the wall of his apartment. God, how in the hell is he ever going to explain this situation?

He could wait a week and then call his mama and tell her that he and his “boyfriend” had broken up, so he’d be going alone. He could call her back right now and fess up before this lie gets even further away from him and he digs himself a bigger hole. Or—and he’ll admit that this is easily the worst option his mind could ever come up with—he could bring a fake boyfriend to Johanna’s wedding. What would be the harm in that? That way, his family thinks he actually has someone and he doesn’t have to break his mama’s heart by not only admitting he lied but by also not having anybody special in his life. 

That wouldn’t be such a bad idea, right?

Despite knowing it is, in fact, a very bad idea, Jake is starting to lean toward that as the best possible option, though he doesn’t yet know how he’s going to make that work. With a sigh of exasperation, Jake pulls out his phone to temporarily distract himself from the stress and anxiety that is currently plaguing his thoughts. He hates that a part of him is now dreading going to one of his older sister’s weddings. 

Before he gets too much time to ponder that thought, he sees that Javy has sent him a text, asking if he’s planning on meeting the squad at the Hard Deck in a couple of hours. Talking to Javy might be one of the best things he can do right now. The man is his best friend and like the brother he never had. If anybody is going to be able to help him through this situation, it’ll be Javy.

Jake shoots him a quick text, asking if he wants to go early and hang out for a bit. Javy responds within seconds, saying that he’ll see Jake there in twenty minutes. He takes just enough time to check himself out in the mirror to adjust his wavy blonde hair, then sprays on some cologne before heading out the door to his truck. He turns on one of his playlists for the drive, hoping the music will keep him from spiraling over how badly he’s just fucked up. 

As much as he knows it's wrong to lie, especially to his mama, part of him almost feels worse at the idea of calling her back and telling her he doesn’t actually have a boyfriend. He feels like that will hurt her more than the fact that he lied. She’s always talked about how she wants him to find the right man and settle down, and now he feels like he’s going to have to crush the hope that he gave her. It’ll make his dad worried, too. 

Shit. 

It takes him about fifteen minutes to get to the Hard Deck from his apartment. Despite his best efforts with the music, it doesn’t do much to help him turn his mind off. Jake pulls his truck into a parking space outside of the bar and shuts the engine off, leaning forward to rest his head against the steering wheel with a sigh. These next few weeks leading up to the wedding are going to be rough. 

A tap on his window has him jumping out of his skin, but he relaxes when he sees that it’s just Javy, giving him a little smile and wave. He feels a smile forming on his own face as he sees his best friend and hops out of his truck.

“Good to see you, man,” Javy says, bringing Jake in for a hug.

“You, too.”

Javy gives him a knowing look. “What did you do?”

God, Javy can read him like a book, he’s always been able to. “Something really stupid,” Jake confesses.

His friend laughs. “I don’t doubt that. Come on, let’s go get a drink and you can tell me about it.”

Jake follows Javy into the bar, claiming a couple of empty bar stools for the two of them and ordering their first round from Penny. She’s as lovely as ever and happy to see them, so Jake lays on the usual Southern charm to appear less stressed out. He has Penny put Javy’s first round on his tab as well. With all of the crap Jake needs Javy’s help working through, the least he can do is buy his best friend a drink.

That’s exactly what he tells Javy when he insists that Jake didn’t need to buy him a beer.

“Trust me,” Jake says, “I’m gonna owe you one after this anyway.”

His friend picks up the drink and takes a quick swig. “You must have fucked up pretty badly, care to give me the details now?”

Jake takes a deep breath, contemplating if it’s even worth rehashing all the details. Maybe he should just lay in this bed he’s made for himself. But no, that’s probably a bad idea, even worse than lying. With Javy here in front of him and willing to listen, he needs to lay it all out. Hopefully, his best friend will be able to ease his worries.

He takes a long pull from his beer bottle, then starts in. He explains the phone call from his mama about the wedding. The conversation went from wedding talk to Jake’s personal life, then dating life, and how that came back full circle to talk of him bringing a date to the wedding. Javy smirks a bit and seems to try and stifle a laugh as Jake explains the lie. 

“So, there you have it,” Jake finishes, downing the last of his beer.

There’s a look on Javy’s face that’s hard to decipher, though Jake would bet it’s amusement. After a few seconds, his best friend laughs and claps him on the shoulder. “You, my friend, are screwed. Lying to Mama Seresin? You just signed your own death certificate.”

Javy is laughing, but Jake has yet to find the situation amusing. He gets it, he’s fucked. Why is that so hilarious?

”Javy, it’s not funny,” Jake insists, “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

His friend has the good grace to stop laughing, though he can tell that Javy is having to force it back. “I’m sorry, Jake. I am. But it is kind of amusing that you managed to back yourself into a corner so quickly.”

Jake smacks his hand against his forehead. “I need you to help me get out of it. Help me think of some options. Please.”

Javy sits up and his demeanor shifts into something more serious. “Okay, okay, maybe you’re not entirely screwed. You could…” he trails off, brainstorming, “…call your mama back in a week or so and say that you and this guy broke up?”

The blonde shakes his head. “No good, I already thought of that, and I don’t wanna break Mama’s heart. You should have heard how excited she was on the phone, Javy, she was over the moon. I don’t wanna ruin that for her.”

Taking a deep breath in contemplation, Javy leans forward a bit, his face sympathetic. “Look, Jakey…I know you don’t want to upset her, but aside from saying you and this guy broke up, calling her back and telling her the truth is the only logical idea I have left.”

As much as he hates to admit it, Jake knows that Javy is right. He’s backed himself into a corner that he can’t get out of—he’ll have to face the music. 

Unless…

The terrible idea that Jake had earlier suddenly resurfaces. Maybe Javy will actually give him some positive reinforcement here and won’t call him a complete dumbass. 

”What’s with that look?” Javy asks.

”I had one other idea earlier, though it was really stupid,” the blonde confesses.

“At this point, you don’t seem to have many other options. Let’s hear it.”

”What if I bring a fake boyfriend?”

Jake honestly can’t even blame Javy for bursting out laughing. Or when that laughter carries on for a full minute and his best friend is clutching his side from cackling so hard. Javy takes a sip of his beer to settle himself, though he’s fighting back more giggles when he speaks again.

”Jake, this is real life, not a rom-com. The world is not some made-for-Netflix movie where two people pretend to date and fall in love.”

”Who said anything about falling in love?” Jake asks, defensively. 

Javy brushes that off. “What I’m getting at is that a scenario like that is not bound to play out well in real life. It would be different if you were going to have someone pretend to be your boyfriend for a night out or something. But several days with your family at your sister’s wedding? Probably not bound for success.”

Well, fuck, there goes Jake’s hopes for some positive reinforcement from his best friend. 

Jake sighs in defeat and resignation. “I knew it was a stupid idea, I just hate that I’ve set myself up to emotionally hurt my mama.”

Javy places a comforting hand on Jake’s back. “I know, man, I’m sorry. It’s just unless you get really lucky, I don’t think you’re showing up to Johanna’s wedding with a boyfriend. Real or otherwise.”

He takes another sip of his beer, contemplating what he could possibly do next. “I was kind of hoping the fake boyfriend idea would be just stupid enough to work.”

”I mean, I guess we could try and figure something out, but it wouldn’t be easy.”

”What if you come as my new boyfriend?” Jake suggests, knowing it wouldn’t work for a multitude of reasons. 

Javy chuckles, knowing that the blonde is only half-serious. “Jake, for one, I’m straight and your family knows that. For another, we’re too good of friends and practically brothers, they wouldn’t believe it for a second if I suddenly showed up as your boyfriend.”

Just as he suspected, Javy has made very solid points on every front. 

“Maybe we can think of someone else…” Javy trails off and appears to be deep in thought. 

Jake mimics his actions. Javy is out of the question, so he mentally strikes him from the list. All of Jake’s close friends are either part of his old squad, Vigilante Squadron, which is on a carrier deployment in the Pacific, or the new Dagger Squadron, which is stateside here in North Island. He begins to think of who could be an option on the squad. 

For some reason, his brain supplies Natasha as an option, but there are just as many if not more reasons why he can’t take her. For starters, she’s a woman, and Jake has made it abundantly clear to his family that he is very, very gay. Plus, she’s dating Bob, and it would be weird to have someone in a relationship pretending to be his boyfriend. 

Because Natasha and Bob are dating, he strikes both her and the sweet-faced WSO from his list. Shit, his options are dwindling quickly already. 

Mickey and Reuben are the next two people he considers, but much like Natasha and Bob, the two men are in a committed relationship with each other. He can’t ask one of them to run off and be his fake boyfriend for a few days. That would be just as weird and uncomfortable as it would be for him to ask Bob. He scratches their names off the list as well and moves on to another option.

With Reuben and Mickey out of the running as well, that only leaves—and it seems to dawn on Javy at the same time who the only remaining candidate is—the one person Jake has the most tumultuous relationship within the entire United States Navy, and possibly in the entire United States in general if not the whole world. Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw.

Jake hesitates to look at Javy, knowing he’ll find the most shit-eating grin imaginable on his best friend’s face. Sure, enough, when his eyes flutter over, Javy is giving him the most insufferable knowing look of all time. 

“Shut the fuck up,” the blonde snaps before his friend can even say a word. 

Javy scoffs, lightheartedly. “Man, I didn’t even say anything.”

“That look was so loud I’m surprised the entire bar didn’t hear it,” Jake retorts, venom in his voice, even if it’s not entirely warranted. Javy is just giving him shit. It’s not like Jake wouldn't do the same thing, or be even more insufferable if their roles were reversed. 

“All I’m saying is that it seems awfully coincidental that the man you’re pining after just happens to be the only one who you could bring as a fake boyfriend,” Javy observes, his tone that of an adolescent child teasing their friend for having a crush. 

“You’re the one who was just telling me this sort of thing only worked in rom-coms and Netflix movies,” Jake snarks, using Javy’s words against him. 

The look on Javy’s face falls just slightly, giving Jake a fleeting feeling of victory. “That may be true, but with Bradley? I don’t know man, he gives you a lot of those same longing looks.”

Jake’s face burns red at the comment. It’s not that he’s embarrassed about the way he feels for Bradley or anything, it’s how crazy it is that he feels this way for the other man at all. 

For a decade or more, Jake and Bradley were bitter and petty rivals, always butting heads when they worked together, but especially when they were in the same class at Top Gun. Some of their arguments were so heated and intense that on more than one occasion their instructors threatened to remove points, ground them from hops, or even kick them out of the program altogether and send them back to their squadrons. 

Even on the occasions when they were deployed together after Top Gun, their rivalry didn’t cease. If anything, it grew more intense and personal as time went on, and they learned which buttons they could push to set each other off the most. This is when things went from bad to worse. All of their conversations consisted of insults aimed to hit where it would hurt the most and ended with wounded egos and pride. 

Not exactly the kind of relationship that would lead to Jake growing fond of and even becoming attracted to Bradley. 

But then, about eight months ago, they were two of the pilots called back to Top Gun for what should have been a suicide mission. By all accounts, Bradley and Maverick should both be dead. It’s only because of Jake’s fast thinking and pushing his jet to its limits that they’re still alive today. 

Jake didn’t even realize how much he cared for Bradley until he aired out the history between Maverick and his rival to the entire detachment in the briefing room (and almost got a well-deserved right hook to the face for his efforts). He remembered telling Maverick that Bradley wasn’t ready, and sauntering off to the locker room as the Captain dismissed them all. The look of devastation on Maverick’s face in the briefing room, the glare of death Natasha shot at him in the hall, and Bradley peeling out of the parking lot in his Bronco with tears in his eyes was enough for Jake to realize he’d majorly fucked up. 

The next day, he apologized to the entire detachment for his behavior and said that he didn’t expect forgiveness, just that he wanted them all to know how much he regretted his actions. That same night, he got Bradley's address from Natasha and drove over to apologize to him personally. He hadn’t expected the man to forgive him, but with an impending suicide mission on the horizon, it seemed Bradley was willing to let things go, even if Jake could tell his feelings were still hurt. 

All of this to say, Jake is fairly certain the only reason he and Bradley have even become friends is because Jake saved his life. He never wanted anything bad to happen to Bradley, of course, but the mission made him realize that the brunet man had grown to mean a lot to him, even if they weren’t on the best of terms. 

It still amazes him how in less than a year, Bradley has become one of his best friends, and that he now may have a bit of a crush on him. Nobody could really blame him. Bradley is handsome, smart, confident, and a total dork in a way that everybody finds endearing. 

“Jake, are you still with me?” Javy asks, gently nudging his shoulder and bringing him back to the present. 

The blonde blushes at being caught daydreaming. “Yeah, I’m here. Was just trying to figure out how Bradley being my fake boyfriend could ever work.”

Javy chuckles and finishes off his beer, fiddling with the label that’s peeling off the bottle. “I have no idea. But for your sake, I’d like to see all of the odds and logic be defied and the two of you make something real work one day. You guys would make a cute couple.”

”Stop making me blush,” Jake faux-whines, giving his best friend’s shoulder a playful shove. “And I’m not gonna ask Bradley, that would be so fucking awkward .” 

“Maybe so,” Javy agrees. “But who else is there, really?”

Shit. Jake knows Javy is right, but he can’t help but throw another name out there. “What about Maverick?”

Javy scoffs in disbelief, too disoriented by the outlandish idea to cackle in the way Jake had been expecting. “Dude, you’re gonna ask a man thirty years older than you—who’s married to the COMPACFLT of all people, I might add—to be your fake boyfriend? That is by far the stupidest idea you’ve ever had.”

”Alright, alright, I get it,” Jake pouts. “Maybe I’ll put an ad online and see if I get any takers.”

Javy is sure to find a major flaw with this idea as well, but it’s the last one Jake has. Otherwise, he’s got to admit that he lied to his mama, or ask Bradley to be his fake boyfriend for a few days. Maybe down the line he’ll think back on the conversation and be able to laugh at the ridiculous situation he’s found himself in, but today is not that day.

“Really, Jake?” Javy says, already calling Jake’s bluff. “You’re gonna invite some random man you’ve never met and can’t trust to your sister’s wedding with all of your family for a few days. And you’re going to stay in a hotel room with him? Have you ever seen a crime show on TV? This is how most of them start.”

Jake huffs an annoyed sigh and finishes his beer with a long pull. “Okay, you’re right. That would be creepy and dangerous in a lot of ways.”

His best friend gives his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Jake, I love you like my brother, so I’m going to be blunt about your options with you. Invite Bradley to be your fake boyfriend, or tell your mama the truth.”

Just as Jake had expected, those are in fact his only two options. He already knows he can’t bear to break his mama’s heart by telling her he doesn’t have somebody, which means he’s going to have to project a truly delusional level of confidence to casually ask Bradley along. Maybe he’ll say no anyway and then Jake will just have to live with telling the truth, even if it’ll hurt himself and his mama. That might be the better option anyway.

Regardless, he’s got one hell of an awkward conversation to have with Bradley when he sees him later tonight. But, somewhere deep in the back of his mind, he can’t suppress the feeling that taking Bradley along as his fake boyfriend might actually be kind of fun. He and Bradley get along really well now, and he’ll admit that he trusts the other man and finds him quite charming. Even if they’re just friends in reality and it stays that way, maybe they’ll still end up having a good time.

The blonde lets out another long sigh, coming to terms with his odd situation. “Well then, I guess I’m about to ask Bradley to be my fake boyfriend.”

Javy laughs but gives Jake a pat on the back. “I can’t wait to see how that goes.”

Jake rolls his eyes fondly and orders another beer when Penny comes by. He has a feeling he’s going to need a few of these in his system if he’s going to make such a ridiculous request when he sees Bradley in a bit. When Penny delivers their next round, they thank her and head over to the dart board to kill some time until the rest of the squad shows up. 

As per usual, Jake beats Javy at darts and makes twenty bucks when his friend bets that he can’t hit three triple twenties in a row. He happily collects the money after successfully making all three shots. He slides the bill into his wallet and looks out across the bar to see Bradley sauntering in, clad in his usual Hawaiian shirt and jeans. Tonight, the shirt is burnt orange with white floral patterns, and Jake has to admit it looks good on him. 

Bradley catches his eye and smiles, giving him a little wave as he walks up to the bar to get a drink. Jake waves back, eager for the man to come over to the dart board with him and Javy. 

“Dude,” Javy says, “you’re down bad.”

”Shut up,” Jake says, though there isn’t any heat in his tone.

His friend nudges his arm. “Are you gonna finish this game with me, or gawk at Bradley for the rest of the night?”

Jake ignores the slight burn in his cheeks as he turns his attention back to the game. He’d been so distracted looking at Bradley that he hadn’t realized Javy had taken his turn. The blonde throws his last three darts, ending the game right as Bradley makes his way over with a beer. 

Jake smiles and turns on the charm. “Bradshaw, as I live and breathe.”

Bradley shakes his head fondly at their little greeting. “Hangman, you look,” his eyes move up and down Jake’s body slowly, “good.”

”Do I even need to say that I’m very good?” Jake jokes. 

The older pilot chuckles. “Nope, I know how this goes by now.”

Javy looks between the two of them for a moment, then over Bradley’s shoulder to the door. “Oh, there’s Natasha and Bob, I’m gonna go get another round and settle my score at pool with Bob.”

With that, Javy leaves Jake and Bradley alone, though he does give the blonde a knowing look as he heads off to greet his other squad mates. Jake watches Javy walk away for a moment, then turns his attention back to his friend. 

Bradley smiles at him and gestures to the dart board. “Wanna give me a chance to redeem myself after last time?”

Jake chuckles slightly at the memory of him wiping the floor with Bradley. If he didn’t have a pit in his stomach from the anxiety of having to ask this man to be his fake boyfriend, maybe he’d be rubbing it in a little more. ”Sure, why not?”

The brunet gives him a questioning look for just a moment before grabbing a set of darts and taking aim at the board. Jake always lets Bradley go first, usually insisting that the man needs all the help he can get to beat him. He throws his three darts at the board, having an average round, then gives Jake a playful wink as he steps aside to allow the younger man to take his turn. 

Given the amount of anxiety Jake has coursing through his veins, the score winds up being much closer than normal, and he’s barely able to pull off a victory. Bradley teases and trash-talks him the entire time, insisting that he must be getting better, or that his words must be getting in Jake’s head tonight. Bradley isn’t entirely wrong, the younger pilot supposes. He is getting in his head, just not the way he thinks. 

The older man insists on another rematch, which Jake obliges saying “If you’re that desperate to lose, Roo, then I don’t see why not.”

Bradley chuckles and gives Jake’s chest a playful swat as he lines up for the next game. Jake tries to ignore the way his cheeks heat up at the swat and the bright smile on Bradley’s face. 

Their second round is even closer than the first, and Jake has almost completely run out of smart-ass comments to make as he focuses on winning the game. It comes down to his very last dart for him to narrowly beat Bradley for the second time that night. He breathes out a sigh of relief, not ready to let his losing streak end simply because of a stupid situation he backed himself into. 

He had thought about casually mentioning Johanna’s upcoming wedding and using that as a segue to asking Bradley to be his date, but every time he tried to open his mouth, the words died on his tongue. It’s going to take a lot more confidence than Jake thought to get the ball rolling on this one. 

Just when it seems like Bradley is going to ask Jake to play a third round, Natasha’s voice rings out from the pool table.

“Bradshaw! Are you gonna give me a rematch or what?”

He turns to Jake and gives him a sheepish smile. “I value my life, so I better not keep her waiting.”

Jake chuckles and follows Bradley over, pulling out a ten-dollar bill and placing it as a bet on Bradley winning. “Don’t let me down, Roo,” Jake winks and smirks, trying to project that delusional level of confidence he’s going to need later.

Bradley’s cheeks and even the tips of his ears turn a lovely shade of pink as he smiles at Jake, then turns to focus on the game. Jake takes a seat next to Javy, who leans over as soon as he’s settled. 

“So…did you ask him yet?”

Jake sighs and shakes his head no. “I’m still working up the nerve.”

Javy doesn’t say anything as a response, seemingly okay with dropping the subject for now. Jake is grateful. He’s already going to be a nervous wreck, he doesn’t need anybody else adding pressure onto him. 

The next couple of hours are spent drinking beers, playing pool and darts, and chatting about everything and nothing with the squad. For a few moments here and there throughout the night, Jake manages to forget about his situation, until reality comes crashing back in. He tries to be his usual extroverted and cocky self, but even he can tell it comes off as forced tonight. 

It gets to a point where he can’t keep up the facade any longer. When the squad is engrossed in a story Mickey is telling, Jake quietly slips away and heads out onto the back deck for some fresh air. The blonde walks over to the railing that overlooks the beach and ocean, willing the cool salt breeze and sound of the rushing waves to calm his nerves. It doesn’t work. 

Asking Bradley is going to be a stupid idea, Jake is sure of it. There’s no way he’s going to be able to ask for such a favor from him without Bradley thinking he’s fucking insane. He and Bradley have just managed to get a solid friendship going, he doesn’t want to fuck that up already. 

He sighs heavily in frustration as he looks out to the horizon, wishing he had just told his mama the truth. Technically he still can, it’ll just hurt her feelings.

Right when Jake has all but decided to call his mama and fess up, the back door of the bar opens and Bradley walks out with a beer in each hand. 

“Hey, there you are, Jake,” Bradley sidles up next to him, standing less than a foot away. “I wondered where you wandered off to.”

Jake shrugs, feeling a bit self-conscious. “Just needed some fresh air.”

”Thought you could use another one of these as well,” Bradley replies, holding out a bottle of Jake’s favorite beer. 

The blonde blushes as he thanks Bradley and takes a sip. It’s quiet for a moment as they watch the waves until the brunet breaks the silence. “Is everything okay tonight? I don’t mean to pry, but you’ve just seemed…off, I guess.”

And there it is, the perfect opportunity for him to bring up the topic he’s been dancing around all night when he’s interacted with Bradley. He’s got his chance now, he might as well take the shot. 

Jake rubs the back of his neck, feeling a bit awkward. “Well, It’s kind of a long story.”

Bradley doesn’t appear to be deterred in the slightest. “I’ve got all night. If you want to talk about it, that is.”

If Jake wants to ask Bradley to be his fake boyfriend, then he doesn’t have a choice. He takes a long sip of his beer and then turns his head to Bradley, seeing the man looking at him expectantly, though not impatiently. He takes a deep breath, then explains every detail of the situation that he feels the older man should know. 

As it turns out, Bradley is a fantastic listener, nodding and offering small comments when appropriate, and assuring Jake just with his body language that he’s offering him his full attention. 

“So, the way Javy and I are looking at it is that I either need to call my mama and tell her the truth, or find a fake boyfriend, and quickly,” Jae finishes, taking a deep breath and feeling a bit embarrassed for dumping so much information on Bradley at once.

”You’re in a hell of a situation here,” Bradley chuckles. ”But it sounds to me like you’re leaning toward the fake boyfriend option, which I understand. No need to break your mama’s heart if you can avoid it. Do you know anybody you can ask?”

Jake feels his face burn hotter than the sun as Bradley asks that question. His heart leaps in his chest, and he can feel anxiety pooling in his stomach. He’s hoping none of the nerves he’s feeling are too obviously written on his face. 

“Well, the thing is,” Jake begins, avoiding eye contact with Bradley and chuckling nervously to himself, “you’re kind of the only person I know who is available and that I trust enough to bring along.”

It takes every ounce of strength in his body to flick his eyes up from the wooden deck to meet Bradley’s honey-brown eyes. Where he expects to find disgust and rejection, he instead finds understanding and amusement. He feels his heart do somersaults in his chest. Maybe he hasn’t totally fucked up and overstepped. 

“It’s a good thing you know one very handsome and eligible naval aviator who can fill the role for you.”

Jake almost can’t believe what he’s hearing. Bradley actually is willing to help him out with this? Does the brunet have any idea of what he’s getting himself into? The two of them are going to have to hold hands, wrap their arms around each other, call each other pet names, kiss each other, and be casually affectionate in every way in front of his entire family. Either Bradley is absolutely insane, or he’s just a great man who’s willing to help his friend out. 

“Are you actually saying you’d be down to act as my fake boyfriend for five days?”

Bradley shrugs, a cheeky grin on his face. “That depends….”

“On what?”

”Are you asking me?”

Jake feels the corners of his mouth lifting up into a grin. “Yeah…Yeah, I guess I am.”

”Then I’d be happy to,” Bradley extends his hand to shake. Jake happily takes it, enjoying the brief but strong grip of Bradley’s hand holding his own. 

“You’re serious?” Jake can’t stop the question from passing his lips. 

The older man looks at him as if saying yes is the most obvious answer in the world. “Jake, you literally saved my life less than a year ago, I think this is the least I can do for you.”

That may be true, but Jake doesn’t like to dwell too much on the mission if he can avoid it. Too many unpleasant memories are associated with that day, even if things did work out in the end. “You know that’s not something you owe me for. I did what anybody would have…and I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”

Bradley takes a couple steps closer, leaving only about a foot of space between them. “I know, Jake, but this is more than that. We’re friends now, and friends go out of their way to help each other out when they need a favor. It’s the right thing to do. So, just think of this as me doing you a solid.”

”I’m not sure you fully understand what you’re getting yourself into,” Jake warns, partly as a joke, and partly to offer Bradley one more out if he decides he wants to bail.

“I’m not worried about it at all. I love weddings, so I think it might actually be kind of fun. Plus, I’ve gotta meet the people who raised this,” Bradley gestures up and down Jake’s body, eliciting a loud, genuine laugh from the younger man. 

“Smartass.”

”Hey, is that any way to talk to your fake boyfriend?” Bradley asks, feigning offense in his voice. 

The blonde rolls his eyes. “Oh, please.” He can’t help but smile at Bradley’s antics, though. “There’s gonna be a lot I have to fill you in on over the next few weeks, but I’ll handle all of the details, all you need to do is attend and put on a good show.”

”Sounds good to me. But if I can help out in any other ways before we go, just let me know, yeah?”

Jake nods. “Yeah, I will. Oh, and you’re gonna have to request time off. If it even gets approved.”

Bradley doesn’t seem to be concerned in the slightest. “A man who is as good as my dad is the COMPACFLT, I think it’ll be okay.”

”Nepo baby,” Jake teases, always somehow forgetting how personal of a relationship Bradley has with the Admiral because of their mutual association with Maverick. 

The brunet makes a tsk-tsk sound with his mouth. “There you go again, insulting your fake boyfriend. Not a very good look on you.”

”You’re really gonna milk that for all it’s worth, aren’t you?” Jake asks, rhetorically. 

“You know it, Jakey,” Bradley giggles, and Jake feels his cheeks burn at the nickname, and even more so as the older man’s face softens and his eyes fall on Jake. “There’s one more condition on my end if I’m gonna do this.”

”You name it.”

Bradley leans just a bit closer. “You’re not allowed to fall in love with me.”

Jake isn’t sure how to respond until his friend laughs. “Don’t worry, it won’t be a problem,” the blonde teases, but he’ll be honest with himself, he isn’t completely sure if his words are true.

Chapter Text

The next few weeks pass by in a blur. Between work, making travel arrangements, fielding phone calls from his closest relatives, and trying to get Bradley up to speed on his family members, he hasn’t had a lot of time to relax. If there’s one good thing that’s come out of it, though, it’s that Jake has gotten to spend a lot more time with Bradley. 

Right after Bradley agrees to be his fake boyfriend, word spreads around the squad, and everybody—especially Javy and Natasha—have been giving him and Bradley a relentless amount of shit. They laugh and tease, but Jake doesn’t think any of them realize just how badly he doesn’t want to break his mama’s heart. Thankfully, Bradley does seem to get it, which Jake is immensely grateful for. 

Word of Jake’s new “boyfriend” doesn’t only spread around the squad, but also around Jake’s close family. He’s received phone calls and texts from both of his sisters, he’s talked to his dad and mama again, and even heard from some of his first cousins as well. It seems like everybody is thrilled to meet Bradley. 

If there is anybody who has managed to handle all of the stress of the last few weeks, it has thankfully been the older pilot. Bradley has never seemed to mind learning about Jake’s family, or coming over for dinner and drinks when Jake invited him so they could make travel arrangements. The whole time, Bradley seems to just be along for the ride and having a good time. Like it’s some sort of game.

Jake offers Bradley an out at least a dozen times along the way, telling him that things with his family will only get crazier as they get closer. The brunet always just smiles and brushes it off, saying he’s more than happy to do this for Jake. The blonde just can’t seem to figure out why his wingman is so willing to go out of the way for him. He has to believe it has something to do with saving his life many months ago, but he just feels like there’s something else. Like the answer is lying behind a thin sheet of fogged up glass that he can’t manage to see through no matter how hard he squints. 

Regardless of the reason, Jake is grateful that Bradley is willing to go above and beyond for him like this, especially when it would have been unthinkable less than a year ago. And, in some ways, it has kind of been fun getting to spend more time with Bradley and knowing him better. Of course, the drawback to spending so much time with the older pilot is that Jake’s crush has only seemed to intensify. That’s something Javy always has to mention privately whenever he gets the chance. 

But at present, Jake has bigger things to worry about aside from his crush on Bradley. Mainly packing up his suitcase and getting a few hours of shut-eye before he has to be up at the crack of dawn tomorrow. If there’s anything Jake hates about traveling, it’s the ungodly hours of the morning that some flights depart at. Originally, his flight wasn’t until eleven AM, but once Bradley agreed to be his fake boyfriend, he had to cancel the flight and book a new one so they could go together. A seven AM flight out of San Diego International was the only available option he had with less than three weeks notice. 

It’s nearing midnight by the time Jake is finished packing, and he mentally kicks himself for waiting until the last minute as usual. Well, technically he was distracted because he invited Bradley over for dinner to iron out the final details of their travel arrangement, and the elaborate backstory that they have been meticulously crafting over the past few weeks. 

Jake figured if they were going to make this fake relationship convincing, then they would need to do more than hold hands and give each other kisses on the cheek. He knows his family is going to want the details on what brought them together. Especially since they’ve heard Jake talk about Bradley for years when they were still rivals. As usual, Bradley was more than willing to help him come up with a backstory, and a convincing one at that. It truly has amazed Jake that the older pilot has been able to look at this whole fake boyfriend situation as some sort of game. Bradley has even compared it to a game several times. 

While Jake may not quite compare the situation to a game, he has to admit that Bradley’s relaxed attitude has helped him manage the stress much better. 

Jake wraps up his nightly routine once his bag is packed, then collapses into bed. He sets his alarm for five AM with a long, drawn-out groan. It’s going to suck being up so early, but it’s the only way to guarantee he and Bradley get to the airport and through security with some time to spare before the flight. 

Sleep begins to pull Jake under immediately, not giving him any time to overthink about the next several days that lie ahead.

***

The sound of his alarm at five the next morning is like a sledgehammer to his skull. He groans as he rolls out of bed, wanting nothing more than to fall back under the warm and inviting blankets. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a second to spare right now. 

He gets himself up, showered, and dressed all before five-thirty, when Javy will be outside of the apartment to pick him and Bradley up. Shit, that reminds him, Bradley will be here any second. Just as he’s walking back to his bedroom to grab his suitcase, there’s a light knock against his door, which no doubt belongs to Bradley. If it were Javy, he would have used his spare key and walked right in. Not that Jake is ever bothered by that. 

Jake drags his suitcase through the living room and to the front door, which he opens to reveal a disheveled and exhausted looking Bradley, a travel cup of hot coffee in his hand. 

“Good morning,” the older man says, clearly not feeling any of the peppiness that his greeting should ordinarily convey.

Jake can’t help but chuckle. “Good morning to you, as well. Come on in.”

He steps out of the way and motions for Bradley to walk inside. The older man takes a seat at the small table in Jake’s kitchen, groaning as he sits.

“Well, I guess nobody ever called you Rooster because you’re a morning person,” the blonde jokes. 

Bradley huffs out a small laugh. “Definitely not. It would be an ironic call sign if they did, I fucking hate early mornings.”

Jake chuckles. “That makes two of us. Sorry you had to be up so early for this.”

The older pilot brushes that off. “I didn’t mean it like that, I’m more than happy to help you out on this trip. I just hate being up so early.”

He sits next to Bradley at the table, patting his shoulder as he plops into a chair. “I really can’t thank you enough for doing this for me. I’d be in a really shitty situation if you weren’t so willing to do something so ridiculous like this for me. I’m gonna owe you for the rest of our lives.”

“Jake,” Bradley says softly, “you don’t owe me anything for this. I agreed to help you because I wanted to, and you’re a good friend who’s done a lot for me. Like saving my life less than a year ago. The least I can do is pretend to be your boyfriend for a few days to give your family some peace of mind.”

When he hears Bradley say the situation out loud again, Jake has to stifle a laugh at the absurdity of the situation. To think it all started because he panicked on a phone call with his mama. How in the hell did he end up here?

“I really appreciate you,” Jake says, then cringes slightly at how sincere and fond his voice sounds.

Thankfully, Bradley doesn’t seem fazed. “I appreciate you, too. I quite literally wouldn’t be here without you, and you’re a good friend. One of my best ones now. This is what friends do for each other.”

Their heartfelt moment is interrupted by Jake’s phone ringing with an incoming call from Javy. Jake answers it and tells Javy that he and Bradley will be down in a moment. Bradley stands and takes his coffee while Jake crosses the room to grab his bag and head out the door. He walks down the flight of stairs behind Bradley and into the warm, summer morning air. 

Javy is waiting in the parking lot, giving Jake and Bradley a small wave as they walk outside. The blonde helps Bradley load up his suitcase from his Bronco and into Javy’s trunk, then hops into the passenger seat next to his best friend. 

“Thanks again for driving us, Javy,” Bradley says from the backseat. 

“Anything for my favorite couple,” Javy teases, and gives Jake a pointed look. 

The blonde shoots him a glare and then laughs for Bradley’s sake, trying to keep up the facade. The older pilot in the backseat simply laughs and takes a sip of his coffee. “I’ll bet that’s what Jake’s family starts calling us by the end of the trip.”

“Knowing my mama, there’s a very good possibility of that happening,” Jake forces a chuckle, hoping it sounds more convincing than it feels. It is not going to be easy to keep himself from becoming attached to Bradley. 

On the brightside, it should at least be pretty convincing that Jake has feelings for Bradley, considering he actually does. Hopefully Bradley will be able to sell it as well, though Jake has to admit he’s pretty confident in the older man’s abilities. Especially considering how relaxed he’s been about it for the last few weeks.

The rest of the drive to the airport is filled with some small talk about everything and nothing, though it’s mainly Jake and Bradley giving Javy the rundown of their schedule for the trip. When they pull into the drop off lanes at the airport, Javy helps them get their luggage, and gives them each a hug goodbye. Javy drags out his hug with Jake a little longer so he can whisper “good luck, man, you’re gonna need it” to the blonde. He laughs it off, knowing his best friend is just teasing him, but willing to admit that having luck on his side would be useful.

Bradley still seems exhausted when they walk into the airport and check in, though Jake feels as if he’s gotten his second wind. Now that he’s out of bed and moving, he’s starting to realize how excited he is for the trip, even if there’s the added pressure of having a fake boyfriend. 

Getting through security is an absolute pain in the ass, as it always is. Despite the ungodly hour, the airport is ridiculously busy with other travelers heading out for other early flights. When they’re finally through, they make their way to their gate, arriving about thirty minutes before departure. Bradley announces that he’s going to get another coffee from the cafe they passed on the way to the gate, leaving Jake alone with his thoughts. 

The blonde can’t help but feel guilty about having Bradley with him. He panics on one phone call and next thing he knows he’s dragging Bradley off to Nashville, Tennessee for five days for his sister’s wedding. And it seems pretty clear to him that Bradley would rather be almost anywhere else, despite all the times he’s reassured him, even earlier this morning at his apartment. The older man has been unusually quiet and reserved since they were about halfway to the airport, and he’s only gotten quieter since. He hasn’t uttered enough words to fill a page since they’ve arrived at the airport, and he seemed awfully eager to rush off for a coffee. 

Jake hates that he’s gotten Bradley into this mess and this situation. He really should have just told his mama the truth. 

Bradley returns a few minutes later with a large take-out coffee cup and offers Jake a soft grin as he sits down. Okay, maybe Bradley isn’t quite as annoyed as Jake was suspecting, but he still doesn’t seem like himself. As the minutes tick by to boarding, Jake can’t help but notice Bradley tapping his foot against the floor and the way his hands shake just slightly. His eyes are darting back and forth as well, as if he’s on high alert for danger. 

It’s not until the gate attendant announces the call for military members to board with the first group that Jake puts all of the pieces together. Part of him is incredibly relieved, the other part of him feels a pang of sympathy for Bradley. It’s not the wedding itself or pretending to be Jake’s fake boyfriend that had Bradley acting strange for the last hour and a half, it’s the flight. 

To an extent, Jake understands the feeling. He’s used to being the one in the cockpit, in complete control of the plane and all of its many intricate parts and functions. It can be hard to relinquish that control over to a complete stranger and trust them to get you from point A to point B safely. 

Bradley’s hands shake noticeably as he hands the gate attendant his boarding pass and walks to the jet bridge. Jake follows behind him, feeling bold enough to reach out and take Bradley’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. They were going to get to this point anyway, might as well practice now. 

“You with me, Roo?” He asks, softly. 

Bradley’s grip on his hand is strong, and almost painful as he looks into the younger man’s eyes. “I…I think I will be. Just want to get settled in. I’ll feel better then.”

Jake doesn’t have time to argue as they’re coming up to the plane and stepping on board. It’s cramped and crowded, even for a large commercial jet, and he knows that likely isn’t helping Bradley’s situation. Once they get settled into their seats, Jake is surprised when his hand is being taken into Bradley’s grip again. 

The brunet looks at him sheepishly. “Sorry…I’m really not a big fan of commercial flights. I don’t like the lack of control.”

Jake just smiles, giving his hand another reassuring squeeze, and trying not to focus too much on the way his heart flutters at holding Bradley’s hand. “It’s no problem, darlin’. We might as well get comfortable holding hands for the next few days.”

Bradley blushes just the faintest bit, the tips of his ears turning bright pink. Jake wishes he didn’t find it so damn endearing. 

“Yeah,” the older man chuckles. “I guess you’re right, honey. ”

Jake can feel himself blushing, but he swats at Bradley’s shoulder playfully with his free hand. The two share a laugh that is interrupted by the loud thump signaling that the flight attendants have closed and sealed the door, which makes Bradley’s pulse increase dramatically. Jake can feel the intense speed as he holds the man’s hand.

“Hey, you’re okay, Bradley. I’m right here, and we’re gonna be fine.”

Bradley’s honey brown eyes are blown wide with fear. Jake’s heart breaks for him. He can only imagine how hard it must be to put his faith in a random stranger to fly a plane like this when he was almost killed in a fighter jet with someone he trusted less than a year ago. Though the two have never talked about it together, Jake suspects that Bradley must have some sort of PTSD after the mission. God knows he dealt with his own trauma and nightmares in the weeks that followed, and he didn’t even fly in the actual mission. 

Jake doesn’t get a verbal response from Bradley, just a nervous look as the other man leans his head back in his seat, closes his eyes, and seems to try out some sort of breathing exercise as the plane begins to exit the gate and taxi to the runway. 

“Talk to me about something,” Bradley says, his voice shaky and nervous in a way Jake has never heard. His tone is almost pleading. “I need something to distract myself.”

“Okay…” Jake trails off, unsure of himself. He doesn’t know what would be best to say right now to help Bradley relax. Soothing or comforting words don’t seem to cut it, so maybe talking about the trip will work. Surely talking more about their plans in Nashville will help the older man relax. 

As the plane begins to increase speed for takeoff, Jake figures out something that should help. “Oh, okay, I’ve got something.”

Bradley looks at him expectantly, his honey-brown eyes still wide with anxiety. 

“So, I was gonna surprise you with this when we got to the hotel, but now seems like a better time. I looked into it, and it turns out the hotel accepts a military discount for all of their rooms. I upgraded us to a deluxe suite because it was only like twenty dollars more per night.”

Jake looks at Bradley with an excited smile, hoping it’ll help the brunet feel more relaxed. The man is clearly still anxious, but Jake manages to elicit a small chuckle out of him. “You just have to live in luxury, don’t you?”

The blonde pretends to be offended. “Hey, I just like to have fun. And don’t forget that it’s us who will be living in luxury. We’re gonna have a hell of a time being fake boyfriends.”

At this point, the plane is airborne and ascending, and Bradley appears to be marginally calmer than he was before. That is, until they hit some turbulence a few thousand feet up, causing him to squeeze Jake’s hand even harder. The older man’s face turns red when he sees Jake wince at the strong grip. Bradley’s fingers release Jake’s, and the younger man instantly longs to have the connection back. 

“I’m sorry…” Bradley apologizes with another shy look on his face. Jake couldn’t care less than it made his hand hurt a bit so long as he was able to help keep Bradley calm. Jake reaches back out, gently laying his hand on Bradley’s and intertwining their fingers. 

“No reason to apologize, Roo. It’s not your fault.”

Bradley glances over and gives him a sheepish, but grateful smile. “Thanks for being so understanding.”

“Of course, darlin’,” Jake replies sincerely, immediately wishing he could bury his head in a hole after using yet another pet name while referring to Bradley. Thankfully the older man doesn’t seem to mind, and they’re going to be calling each other pet names around his family anyway, though that doesn't mean he needs to be doing so already. Earlier it seemed more like a joke, this time it sounded genuine. As if Bradley really did mean more to Jake than just a friend. Which, of course, he does, but the objective has been to keep that under wraps and just play out the fake boyfriend scenario. 

A nervous sigh from Bradley pulls Jake out of his mental spiral. “Got anything else we could talk about?”

Oh, shit, right…the distraction. Jake wracks his brain for something, then he remembers a phone call he had with his oldest sister, Jess, last night. 

The blonde chuckles softly, knowing Bradley will find this endearing. “After you left last night, I got a phone call from Jess.”

“She’s your oldest sister, right?” The older man asks. 

Jake gives him a soft smile. Bradley really has been paying attention. “Look at you, Roo. Good job.” He can’t help but find the pink blush on Bradley’s cheeks endearing. “But anyway she called me and said that the kiddos have been referring to you as ‘Uncle Bradley’ since they found out about you, and no amount of her correcting them has stopped it. So, you may wanna prepare for that.”

Bradley lets out a genuine laugh upon hearing that. Jake is thankful to see he’s amused and not weirded out by it, given that he and Jake aren’t even really dating, much less married. He’d try to talk the kids out of calling Bradley that himself, but with Sammy being a five year old boy, and Lizzie a seven year old girl, it seems unlikely it will have any impact. 

“I have to admit it, I’m excited to meet those kids. You talk about them like they’re your own,” Bradley says, looking at Jake with a softness that he’s not used to seeing from the older man. He ignores the way it makes his heart continue to flutter in his chest. God, Bradley is really good at having that effect on him. It’s unlikely that it’ll be difficult to convince anybody that Bradley is interested in him. And God knows Jake won’t have an issue showing that he likes Bradley.

“I love them like they’re my own,” the younger man admits. “There’s not a thing in the world I wouldn’t do for them.”

Bradley gives his hand a gentle squeeze. “That’s really sweet. Who knew you were secretly such a softie all this time?”

Jake scoffs playfully, noticing the teasing glint in Bradley’s eyes. “I know I might have had a strange way of showing it, but I have always cared about people,” he knocks his shoulder against the brunet’s in a teasing manner, “even you.”

The older man chuckles, giving him another soft look and smile. “Well, I’m glad I could get that confession out of you. I’ve always cared about you, too.”

Despite his best efforts, Jake can feel his face heating up as he turns as red as a tomato. “I think you going through all of this trouble for me is proof of that.”

“Maybe so, but sometimes it’s better to say things with words and actions. Not just one or the other.”

“In that case,” Jake reaches over to tap on the screen built into the back of the plane seat, “I’ll pay for whatever movie you want to watch. And even watch it with you if you’d like?”

Bradley gives his hand a gentle squeeze. “Thank you.”

“Quite literally the least I can do for you after all you have and are going to do for me for the next few days,” Jake says, helping the brunet scroll through the movie options. They find a few that catch their eyes, but stop on a murder mystery movie that neither of them have seen. Bradley selects it eagerly and they settle in to watch it, still holding hands, even if it’s not necessary. Jake has to admit that even though flying commercial doesn’t make him nervous, he still feels a sense of safety and security when holding Bradley’s hand. It just feels so right and natural. Like their hands were created to fit together perfectly. 

He catches himself getting ahead of himself in this mindset about halfway through the movie and has to mentally remind himself that Bradley isn’t actually his boyfriend. Fuck…he really may be in danger of falling in love with Bradley by the end of this trip. 

They manage to get through the rest of the movie without Jake having any other internal crises over his feelings for Bradley, and can even say he was paying attention, too. He didn’t see any of the twists coming, and it wasn’t just because he was distracted. 

As the plane begins the descent, they hit more turbulence, so Jake begins to tell Bradley some stories to help relax him. He talks about some of the misadventures he’s endured while babysitting his niece and nephew, some childhood shenanigans he got up to, and more about his family members. Jake can tell by Bradley’s pulse from their intertwined fingers that the man is still nervous, but it’s not nearly as bad as it was when they first took off. 

When they’re finally on the ground in Nashville, the brunet lets out a deep breath that Jake suspects he’s been holding since they took off. He’s glad to see that Bradley is appearing more relaxed. Still, his fingers remain firmly, though comfortably intertwined with the blonde’s until they stand to get off of the plane. 

Thankfully, it doesn’t take long for them to get through the airport to get their luggage, and they’re off in an Uber for their hotel in no time. The hotel is in downtown Nashville and near some of the most popular landmarks and attractions in the city. Jake doubts they’ll have time to see much of them, but it’s a good location nonetheless. Plus the hotel is supposed to be amazing, especially given the deluxe suite he upgraded them to.

Though Jake feels a bit selfish for the thought, a big part of him wishes that the wedding was being held back home in Texas. He hasn’t been able to get home for quite some time now, and even though it's sure to be scorching hot down in Austin, he misses that place. There truly is no place like home, even if that home has sweltering heat all summer long. 

Jake understands why the wedding would be in Nashville, though. Johanna and Ben live there, a lot of his family lives there, and there are Seresins all over the South and Midwest. It’s what is easiest and most convenient for the bride and groom, so he can’t fault them for that. 

The Uber drops them off in front of the hotel, they grab their bags from the trunk, then walk into the lobby. Bradley whistles, impressed by the gorgeous interior in the lobby. “Damn, Jake, you set us up nicely.”

“Like I said earlier, only the best for you, darlin’,” Jake flashes him a cheeky grin. 

“I’d say you made good on that promise,” the brunet says, walking up toward the check-in counter. 

A few people are in line ahead of them, but the next thing Jake knows the receptionist is handing him the key-card to the deluxe suite. He’s seen the pictures online, and he has to admit he’s excited to experience this for the next several days. Not to mention it was a nice thing he could do for Bradley to thank the man for all he’s done for the last few weeks. 

They make their way over to the elevators, dragging their luggage behind them. Jake has to resist the urge to reach out and take Bradley’s hand. There’s no reason for it now, nobody to keep up the facade for, no need to use it as a way to comfort the other, so he internally pouts and keeps his hand to himself. 

When they arrive at the 17th floor, Jake checks the room key for the number and heads down the hall to their deluxe suite. 

He looks back at Bradley and raises his eyebrows playfully. “Our room of luxury awaits us, honey ,” he says, making it clear that the pet name is in good fun, even if he means it seriously. 

The brunet laughs and shakes his head fondly at Jake’s antics as the door is opened and they step into the large room. 

“Holy shit,” Bradley whispers under his breath as he takes in the room. 

His words perfectly sum up Jake’s thoughts. It’s a huge room with ten-foot tall ceilings, a small sitting area with a couch and coffee table, its own kitchenette, a king-sized bed, and a flat screen TV that has to be at least 75 inches. The photos Jake saw on the hotel website definitely didn’t do the place justice. The modern look and color scheme only enhances the entire suite. 

“Whoa, look at this bathroom!” Bradley calls out from the other side of the room. Jake hadn’t even noticed that the older man had walked past him, he was so busy gawking at the space. He walks over to Bradley, taking in the polished tile floors of the bathroom complete with a large open shower, a tub that could probably fit five people, and a chandelier hanging above it. 

“Damn, I knew this place was going to be fancy but…wow.”

“You fixed us up pretty nicely, didn’t you?” Bradley smiles, a glint of childlike joy and wonder in his eyes. 

Jake makes a joke out of it before he can get caught genuinely blushing. “I did say only the best for you, didn’t I?”

The two men head back into the room, grabbing their bags from in front of the door and beginning to get settled in. It’s not until Jake sits down on the bed that he realizes something he overlooked while admiring the room. 

There’s only one bed. 

Fuck. How had he not noticed that online when he booked it?

Surely Bradley must have realized that by now, too, even if he hasn’t said anything yet. Jake clears his throat awkwardly. “Um, Roo…it seems like I might have been so eager to book this room for us that I overlooked the fact that this is the only bed…”

Bradley glances around the room, seeing that Jake is right. He looks at Jake with a shit eating grin. “Yeah, that’s the exact excuse I would come up with too,” he teases. “If you wanted to cuddle with me, all you had to do was ask.”

The blonde’s face burns bright red at Bradley’s words and his playful tone. “Hey, I resent that, I genuinely didn’t think about there only being one bed.” He hopes the tone of his voice isn’t as pleading as it sounds. He doesn’t want Bradley to think that he booked it like this on purpose. The goal is for the older man to not know how he really feels about him, and so far this does not bode well for him keeping that secret.

Bradley laughs in that way that Jake is beginning to find more and more adorable. “I’m just teasing you, Jakey. I really don’t mind us having to share, and it’s a king-sized bed, so there will be plenty of room.”

“Are you sure?” Jake asks. “Because I can sleep on the couch and let you take the bed if it’s less awkward.”

“Why would it be awkward?” The older man wonders. “And regardless, there’s no way I’m letting you sleep on that couch when there’s a perfectly good bed right here. It’ll be fine. Maybe even kind of cozy.”

Jake can’t help the small blush he feels returning at Bradley’s words. “If you say so.”

Bradley smiles and sits down next to him on the bed. “Yeah, I don’t mind one bit, but I do think I should warn you: I’m a sleep cuddler.”

The younger man laughs, not sure if Bradley is joking or not.

“I’m being serious,” Bradley says, seemingly reading Jake’s mind. “If I’m sharing a bed with someone, I tend to attach myself to them in my sleep. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Won’t be a problem,” Jake says, meaning it wholeheartedly. This thing with Bradley may not be a real relationship, but that doesn’t mean Jake can’t enjoy the close proximity and displays of affection they’ll share. It’s the closest thing he’ll ever get to a relationship with the older man, so he might as well make the most of it.

Bradley chuckles as he lays back on the bed, sighing in contentment. “How long until the rest of your family gets in?”

Jake glances over his shoulder to the digital clock on the nightstand. “A couple of hours. Might as well take the time to rest and recuperate for the night ahead.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, they booked an Airbnb because Mama wanted to be able to cook—yes, seriously. So they’ll have to get settled in there first. Jess, her husband, Garrett, and their kids Lizzie and Sammy are all staying there, too. Johanna and Ben are gonna come over for dinner later, and that’s when we’ll have to put on the performance,” Jake ends on a light note, shooting Bradley a friendly grin.

“Then it sounds like we have some time to kill,” Bradley says. “We should probably go over our backstory one more time, just to make sure we’re completely on the same page for tonight if anyone asks us something.”

“Good idea,” Jake agrees. 

Their backstory is really quite simple. In fact, it’s essentially everything Jake went through after the mission eight months ago, though he didn’t tell Bradley that. And, of course, reality isn’t going to end with Jake actually dating Bradley, no matter how much he wishes that were the case. 

Anyway, their story is that after the mission (the details of which are classified, so they’ll only tell Jake’s family that there was a mission) Jake asked Bradley to go out on a date. Bradley agreed, and Jake took him out and showed him how a southern gentleman treats someone they’re interested in. He and Bradley kissed that night. The next day Bradley called him and asked him out again, Jake agreed and the cycle continued for about a month, which is when the younger man’s mama called and he found himself in his current position. 

His excuse for why he didn’t tell anybody sooner is simply because everything between him and Bradley was so new and exciting, that he didn’t want to get too far ahead of himself and assume that it was going to work out long term. And that they were too wrapped up in each other to go around telling a lot of people. 

Jake prays that’ll be good enough to keep anyone from asking too many more questions, and it seems like a convincing enough story. He’s sure there’s probably some holes here and there, but hopefully it’ll be enough to get them by for the next few days. 

Once they’ve officially agreed upon the most important details of their backstory, Bradley insists that Jake “quiz” him on the members of the Seresin family that he’s most likely to run into over the next few days. Despite the blonde insisting that he will simply be able to introduce Bradley as he meets them, the older man is adamant that he learn the names of Jake’s relatives. He’s very committed to this fake relationship, Jake must admit. 

By the time they’re finished with that, Jake’s mama has texted to let he and Bradley know that their flight has gotten in, and that they’ll all be at the Airbnb soon. Jake tells her they’ll be there in an hour. 

They take some time to freshen up a bit, and Bradley insists on changing out of his Hawaiian shirt to make a good first impression. Jake changes clothes as well, going for something equal parts nice and casual. He spends some time in the bathroom fussing over the small details of his hair and clothes, making sure he looks good for his family. When he deems himself presentable enough, Jake smiles at his reflection, hoping it’ll help settle the nerves he’s feeling as he and Bradley prepare to officially begin their fake relationship. 

Speaking of Bradley, the older man is dressed beautifully for the occasion. He’s wearing a pair of khaki shorts, a navy blue short-sleeved button-down shirt, with the top two buttons undone, a nice watch on his wrist, and his brunet curls are styled to perfection. He looks truly beautiful.

“My, my, Roo. I never would have guessed you cleaned up so nicely,” Jake compliments teasingly. He means the compliment genuinely, but he can’t be too obvious about that.

The brunet blushes and shrugs the compliment off. “There’s more to me than a Hawaiian shirt and mustache, you know,” he responds, mimicking Jake’s playful tone.

“Apparently so,” Jake grins. 

“You look good, too,” Bradley says, gesturing toward Jake’s outfit. The younger man can’t help but blush yet again. 

“Thanks, Roo.”

There’s a small, expectant pause between them, which Jake interrupts before it can become too awkward. “Are you ready to head out?”

Bradley gestures toward the door. “Lead the way.”

As they head down to the lobby, Jake checks his phone to make sure the Uber they ordered is on time and waiting for them. Once he confirms that’s the case, he shuts his phone off and hears Bradley speak up. 

“Should we practice being a couple in the Uber so we’re warmed up for being around your family?”

Jake tilts his head in consideration. The brunet probably makes a good point about them needing to be warmed up. So far all they’ve done is hold hands—which was mainly to calm Bradley down on the flight—and use a few pet names in a joking manner. If they’re going to pull this off, some practice might be a good idea. 

“Probably a smart move,” Jake agrees. “We’ll need to make sure we’re convincing at dinner.”

“Perfect,” Bradley beams, immediately reaching out to take Jake’s hand and intertwine their fingers. 

Jake feels his face burning yet again, and his heart skips a beat with excitement at Bradley initiating the contact so casually. Holding the older man’s hand really is a nice and comforting feeling. So much so that the blonde can practically feel the stress of taking a fake boyfriend around his family slowly melting away. 

“This isn’t so bad,” the brunet says. 

Before Jake can fully decipher his friend’s tone of voice or the look on his face, the elevator dings and the doors slide open, revealing the extravagant lobby. They walk through the expensive foyer and out to the front of the hotel where the Ubers and taxis await passengers. Jake double checks the car model for their Uber and leads Bradley over to it, opening the back door for his fake boyfriend, then sliding in behind him. 

“Such a gentleman, aren’t you, honey?” 

Immediately, Jake realizes how much danger he’s in for the next few days. How on God’s green Earth is he expected not to fall for Bradley when the terms of endearment fall so casually from his lips? When his hand fits so perfectly in Jake’s and makes him feel so safe and loved? Fuck, this is not going to be easy. 

Thankfully, Jake is able to recover quickly. “Only for you, sweetheart,” he replies, giving Bradley’s hand a loving squeeze. 

Their Uber driver appears to be a man of few words, considering all he does is flash them a genuine smile as he begins the fifteen minute drive across town to the Airbnb. The drive passes by quickly, with the two boys holding hands for the entire drive.

Though Bradley doesn’t say it, Jake has to assume he was hoping for a more talkative Uber driver so they’d have someone to be a sort of trial run for their fake relationship. Unfortunately, the man doesn’t speak a single word for the entire drive, and simply smiles and gives them a small wave as they get out of the car in front of the Airbnb townhouse that Jake’s immediate family is staying at. At least the man seemed nice enough. 

All of the anxiety that Jake was feeling earlier comes rushing back in as he and Bradley exit the car and stand on the sidewalk in front of the townhouse. He can feel his heart hammering in his chest, only slightly slowed when Bradley reaches out to take his hand. 

“Just take a deep breath okay, Jakey? This is gonna be such a good performance we’ll both probably win Oscars for it,” Bradley ends on a teasing note in an attempt to lighten the mood. 

The blond feels a bit more at ease, trusting that he and Bradley can make this work. All Bradley has to do is be himself, and Jake will have no trouble pretending that he’s the man’s boyfriend. 

Jake takes a few shaky steps toward the house, slowly feeling more confidence creep into his stride as they get closer. The two reach the front door, and Jake turns the handle, stepping inside the beautiful townhouse. 

From the moment he steps inside, he recognizes the aroma of his mama’s wonderful homemade meals. The smell causes a wave of peaceful nostalgia to wash over him as he and Bradley take a few steps into the house, hand-in-hand. 

The relative peace brought on by the smell of his mama’s cooking is interrupted by the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching as Jake’s niece and nephew descend the stairs. 

“Uncle Jake! Uncle Jake! Uncle Jake!” The kids cry out in unison, making a beeline for him. He doesn’t hesitate to bend down and scoop Sammy up into his arms, giving his nephew a kiss on the cheek, and feeling Lizzie attaching herself to his legs, hugging him as tightly as her little seven-year-old arms will allow. He wraps his free arm around her.

“Hey, buddy!” He says to Sammy. “Hey, sweetheart!” He says to Lizzie. 

“I missed you!” Sammy says, happily burying his face in the crook of Jake’s neck.

Lizzie’s little arms squeeze his legs even tighter. “I missed you more!”

Jake chuckles and sets Sammy back down next to his sister, bridging them both in for a group hug. “I missed you kiddos, too. God, you’ve both gotten so big!”

“You must be Uncle Bradley!” Lizzie says happily, looking over Jake’s shoulder as she’s hugging him. She detaches herself from Jake and runs a few steps over to Bradley, throwing her arms around his legs in a hug, the same way she had just done for Jake. He can’t help but chuckle at Bradley’s surprised ‘oof’ that he lets out, and the bewildered look on his face. Sammy runs after his sister and throws his arms around Jake’s fake boyfriend as well.

“Um…” poor Bradley obviously has no idea what to do. Jake makes a hugging motion with his arms, signaling for Bradley to reciprocate. The older man takes the hint and wraps one arm around Lizzie. “Yeah…yeah, that’s me.”

“Are you and Uncle Jake going to get married, too?” Sammy asks.

Jake turns bright red, as does Bradley, who still seems terribly unsure of what to do. “Well, uh…yeah…maybe someday.”

Lizzie and Sammy both beam at him before detaching themselves and running back through the house. “We’ll go tell grandma and grandpa that you’re here!” Lizzie says excitedly. 

The blonde watches the kids run off, then walks over to his friend, feeling incredibly awkward about the whole situation. “So, uh…those are the kids.”

Bradley blushes fiercely and smiles. “They’re sweet.”

Jake chuckles, not at all surprised that the kids greeted Bradley as if they’d known him their whole lives. Those little rascals have never been shy, and meeting Bradley for the first time was never going to be the exception to that. 

Before either of them gets a chance to say something else, Jake hears a loud gasp at the doorway, which he knows could only belong to his mama. He turns to see her standing there with his dad, both of them walking forward to hug their son. Jake doesn’t hesitate to fall into his dad’s arms, feeling safe and comfortable like he did when he was a little boy, even if he’s four inches taller than the man now. 

“We missed you, son,” his dad says warmly. 

“I missed you, too, Dad.”

“Oh, my baby,” his mama says, bringing him in for a tight hug that he once again melts into. “It’s been far too long, love bug.”

Jake blushes a bright red at the return of the childhood nickname. “I know, Mama, I’m sorry. I missed you all like crazy.”

Bradley clears his throat awkwardly from behind Jake, prompting him to remember that he has a fake boyfriend here who needs to be introduced. 

“Oh, where are my manners?” Jake chastises himself. “Dad, Mama, this is my boyfriend, Bradley.”

Bradley gives his parents a shy smile as they walk forward to greet him. Jake’s dad offers his hand, which Bradley takes to shake. “I’m Jake’s dad, Daniel. Feel free to call me Dan, please.”

The brunet smiles, a look of sheepishness on his face still that Jake finds adorable. Bradley really does look like a boyfriend meeting his partner’s parents for the first time. He’s pulling off the act very well. “Thank you, Dan. It’s wonderful to meet you, I’ve heard so much about you all from Jake.”

“Hopefully just the good things,” Jake’s mama says, walking forward and pausing in front of Bradley. “I’m a hugger, I hope that’s okay with you.”

The older man smiles, opening his arms to give Jake’s mama a quick hug. 

“I’m Meredith,” Jake’s mama says, “so please, call me by that name, or even ‘mama’ if you feel so inclined, darlin’.”

Bradley smiles. “Thank you.” His eyes flit back over to Jake. “She says ‘darlin’’ the exact same way you do, babe.”

Damn, Bradley is already playing this really well right out of the gate. Jake has to give him credit for that. 

Meredith rests her hand on her chest, clearly overjoyed that Jake has someone in his life to call his own. Jake’s happy to see that his mama is so thrilled, but a part of him aches to actually be able to call Bradley his boyfriend. 

“You boys come into the kitchen, dinner is almost ready. And you can meet the rest of the family, Bradley.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Bradley says, walking over to Jake to take his hand and walk into the kitchen with him. 

“Cute and polite,” Meredith says, referring to Bradley. “Seems like you’ve found yourself a good boy, Jakey.”

Meredith’s comment has both boys blushing red, and Daniel gives his wife’s shoulder a playful nudge. “Now, don’t embarrass the boys too much, Meredith. We don’t want to scare Bradley away already.”

The brunet simply laughs at the little exchange. “Trust me, I’m not going anywhere. I’m far too attached to this man here.”

Jake almost falls apart and melts into a puddle on the floor when Bradley leans over and gives him a quick kiss on the cheek. Bradley gives him a sheepish smile, like even he can’t believe he just did that, then quickly recovers and regains his composure as they enter the kitchen, where the rest of the family is gathered. 

Jess and Johanna are both out of their seats in a flash, rushing over to greet their baby brother. Jake gives each of them long and lingering hugs, not quite realizing how much he missed them until this very moment. He’s always had a strong bond with his older sisters, and that hasn't changed as he’s gotten older. With all of the support they’ve given him growing up—whether that be his career ambitions for the Navy, or his sexuality—they have a special place in his heart. He’s so grateful for them. 

“Now, you must be Bradley,” Jess says, turning her attention from her brother to his “boyfriend.”

Bradley gives her a nod and smile, shaking her hand when he extends it. “That’s me, I take it you’re Jess,” he looks at Johanna, “which means you’re Johanna. Congratulations on the wedding.”

Johanna smiles. “Thank you, Bradley, it’s nice to finally meet you,” she says, shaking his hand as well. “God knows Jake has gone on and on about you for years.”

Jake shoots daggers at her with the look on his face, though it doesn’t seem to do any good. 

“Oh, has he now?” Bradley asks, far too amused for Jake’s liking. 

“Johanna, I swear…,” Jake warns, even though he knows he’s powerless to stop her. 

She gives him a cheeky grin. “Well, to make a long story short, we’ve all heard a lot about the man named Bradley Bradshaw who has a ‘stupidly attractive mustache’ and ‘wears hideous Hawaiian shirts that he somehow makes look good’ and ‘is always crashing the party at the bars by playing the piano.’” 

Johanna looks back at Jake, who’s blushing profusely. “Shall I go on, Jakey?”

“No! No, I think you've made your point quite eloquently,” he says, desperately hoping she’ll stop before she embarrasses him even more in front of his fake boyfriend. 

Jess laughs along with Johanna’s anecdotes, which prompts Jake to call her a traitor. 

“Jake, embarrassing you in front of your boyfriend is a rite of passage,” she says, earning her a laugh from Bradley, who leans over to kiss his cheek again. Fuck, he’s gotta stop doing that, it feels so nice and has Jake more flustered than he’s ever been in his life. He never would have guessed how pleasantly Bradley’s mustache tickles his cheek when it brushes against it.

“I think it’s sweet,” Bradley coos, wrapping an arm around Jake after he kisses his cheek. 

The girls coo as well, happy to see their little brother in a relationship with a man who seems to care so much about him. 

“You two really are adorable. A handsome couple, too,” Jess says. 

“Well, that’s very kind of you,” Bradley replies, trying to brush off the compliment. 

“Also, I’m sorry about the kids calling you ‘Uncle Bradley,’” Jess apologizes. “Garret and I tried to tell them that you weren’t going to be their uncle unless you and Jake got married, but that just seemed to make them think you two were going to be the next couple in the family to tie the knot.”

The older man nods in understanding. “I wondered why Sammy asked if Jake and I were going to get married.”

Jess blushes on behalf of her son. “Sorry about that. Nothing we said or did seemed to stop him or Lizzie from referring to you as Uncle Bradley.”

Jake takes Bradley’s hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. “Not to worry, I made sure to fill him in about that before we got here.”

“And no reason to apologize,” Bradley adds. “I think it’s sweet that they already think of me like that, and I’ve only just met them.”

Jess smiles at Bradley as he and Jake walk further into the kitchen, hand-in-hand. Jake introduces Bradley to Garret, Jess’ husband, and Ben, Johanna’s fiance. The blonde will admit that he’s very blessed to soon have two brother-in-laws that he gets along with so well, even if they don’t have a ton of common interests. And, just as he expected, Bradley hits it off with the two of them just fine, falling into easy, friendly conversations from what he can tell. 

Dinner provides everybody with the perfect opportunity to get to know Bradley better, and tell some embarrassing stories about Jake. He can’t say he’s surprised, playful teasing is the foundation of his relationship with damn near everybody at the table. And, as Jess mentioned earlier, it’s a rite of passage for his sisters to embarrass him a little bit in front of his boyfriend. Even if it’s a fake boyfriend. 

The good news is, Bradley wasn’t kidding when he said that he and Jake were about to give Oscar-worthy performances. Nobody seems to doubt for a second and he and the brunet are dating, which is a huge relief and weight off of his shoulders. 

As expected, Jake’s family is just dying to know what finally brought the two of them together, and the rehearsal of their backstory proves its worth. They manage to recite the story perfectly, throwing in small anecdotes here and there to add more details, and creating quite the convincing tale. A part of Jake does feel bad for the deception, but when he sees the joy on his dad and mama’s face, along with how well Bradley gets along with his family, he thinks he made the right decision. 

After a small lull in the conversation, Meredith speaks up and addresses Bradley. “So, darlin’, I know there’s a lot of great things about my sweet little love bug, Jakey, but what made you decide he was the one you wanted to chase after?”

“ Mama… ” Jake pleads wishing that his mama would not only stop embarrassing him, but also not ask Bradley too many questions. They came up with a lot of details to sell their story, but there’s no way they could have come up with everything. 

There’s a brief look on Bradley’s face that Jake can’t quite decipher. He’d maybe call it nostalgic or bittersweet, but it fades before he has enough time to analyze it. The handsome man’s honey-brown gaze falls on the blonde and he looks at him with such convincing adoration, Jake almost forgets all of this is fake. 

“Well, Meredith, that’s a loaded question isn’t it?” Bradley chuckles softly. “The truth is, when I look back at all the interactions Jake and I have had over the years—good and bad—I have to say I feel like we were always destined to end up here,” he gives Jake’s hand a gentle squeeze and continues to look at him with metaphorical hearts in his eyes. 

“About eight months ago, there was a mission. The details are classified, but I can honestly say that, if it wasn’t for your son, I would not be here enjoying a meal with you lovely people. A close call like that puts a lot of things into perspective, so when it seemed Jake felt the same way, and he asked me out, how could I ever say no? That sweet southern charm and his gentlemanly behavior only sealed the deal for me. He might be a huge pain in my as—,” Bradley catches himself, seeming to remember there are children present, “— rear at times…but I also can’t help but fall for him.”

Holy shit, if that isn’t the best fucking answer Jake could have ever hoped to hear from him. He can feel his heart swelling in his chest with—oh, God, is that love he’s feeling? 

Jake files that potential revelation away for later, instead choosing to focus on how everybody at the table seems to have been hanging on to every word Bradley said. He’ll include himself, too, because damn, he wishes more than anything that the words Bradley just said were sincere. That he really was falling in love with him. 

Meredith looks as if she’s about to cry. “Bradley…that’s beautiful. I’m so glad a man like you has fallen for our sweet Jakey.”

The brunet smiles and plants a quick kiss on Jake’s forehead, causing him to blush spectacularly in front of his family. “I can’t imagine falling for anyone else.” Bradley turns his gaze to Jake’s parents. “Your son is a real hero, you should be very proud.”

Jake is in genuine disbelief at how well Bradley is playing this role. Never for a moment would anybody think he’s not being genuine, and he’s so convincing that Jake would think he means all of those words too, if he didn’t know better. 

Feeling bold, Jake leans over to give Bradley a soft kiss on the cheek, enjoying the way he gets to watch him blush this time. Too bad it’s just because he's embarrassed, not because he’s actually interested in Jake. He mimics the look of adoration he just received from Bradley. “I wouldn’t want to fall for anyone else either, love bug.”

That same look from earlier appears on Bradley’s face, but again, it’s gone before Jake gets the chance to interpret it. It seems using the term “love bug” means something to the older man, though the blonde has no idea what it could be. Maybe it’s something an old boyfriend or girlfriend used to call him. Jake makes a mental note to refrain from using that until he’s asked Bradley. He doesn’t want to unintentionally make the man upset about something. 

The large family finishes up dinner while striking up many of their own side conversations, before cleaning things up. The kids run off to play, and insist that at least one of their uncles comes along with them. That’s how Bradley gets hauled off to go play Mario Kart while Jake helps his family clean up the dishes. It gives him a good opportunity to catch up with his family, with slightly less pressure of keeping up the fake relationship facade. It’s been easy so far, and Bradley has acted his ass off, but still, Jake can feel the anxiety lingering just below the surface. 

He blows Bradley a kiss as his friend gets dragged off by his excited niece and nephew, promising he’ll come join them as soon as he’s done helping with the dishes. 

Jake takes a spot in front of the sink, beginning to work on cleaning things up. Dan walks over to him, giving his son a loving pat on the back. “Bradley seems like a really great man, Jake. I’m happy for you, son.”

He smiles softly. “Thanks, Dad. I’m really happy with him.”

Dan pulls Jake in for a tight hug, the gesture surprising the blonde. His dad isn’t usually overly affectionate. “I know. And it makes me and your mother happy to see you so happy. I’m proud of you.”

Jake hugs his father back. “Thank you, Dad. Just—thanks, for everything.”

His dad smiles at him and picks up a plate to help wash the dishes. “You’re welcome, son.”

The next several minutes are filled with the sound of his family excitedly talking about how much they love Bradley, how happy they are to see him and Jake together, and how glad they are that Jake found a good man. The blonde gives another convincing performance, acting as if that really is his situation, not that he’s hopelessly pining after a man who is only pretending to be his boyfriend. God, he’s really got to stop thinking so negatively about it, but it’s hard when he wants this relationship with Bradley to be real. He yearns for it to be real. 

When the dishes are finished, Jake excuses himself to go catch up with Bradley, Lizzie, and Sammy. He grabs a beer for himself and Bradley, then walks through the house and upstairs into what he’s assuming is the kid’s room at the Airbnb. Inside and sitting on some colorful bean bag chairs are his niece, nephew, and friend, all holding controllers and focusing on the TV.

“Uncle Jake!” Sammy says excitedly when he sees him standing in the doorway. 

“Hey, buddy,” he walks in and sets a beer down on the floor for the brunet, then settles into a free bean bag. “Who’s winning?”

“Not Uncle Bradley,” Lizzie snickers. 

Bradley chuckles at her and then groans at the screen. “Oh, come on! Why is this so confusing?”

Jake can’t help but laugh at the frustration in Bradley’s tone. “Not too good at video games are you, honey?”

The older man lets his eyes flit away from the screen just long enough to glare at him playfully before returning his attention to the game. “Hush up, it’s not my fault I’ve never played,” he gives a faux pouty face that Jake finds adorable. 

“Yes, I win!” Lizzie cheers and Sammy groans, coming in second place by only a couple seconds. Poor Bradley has the number 12 in the lower corner of his screen, as he appears to be driving backwards.

The kids laugh at him. “Uncle Bradley, you’ve gotta press this button to go forward,” Sammy says, pointing at the button on the controller. 

Bradley taps his thumb against it rapidly. “I am, but my character isn’t moving fast enough.”

Jake finally realizes what Bradley is doing wrong. “Sweetheart, you’ve gotta hold down on the button. Like a gas pedal on a car.”

When Bradley’s character on the screen starts driving at a normal speed, he looks embarrassed. “That’s stupid.”

Jake laughs along with his niece and nephew. Bradley is still driving the wrong way, so that may not be his entire problem, but at least Jake can say he helped a little bit. 

“I find it kind of strange that you can expertly pilot a seventy million dollar fighter jet, but can’t figure out a video game controller,” the blonde says, laughing at his own joke. 

The older man glares at him and swats playfully at his arm. “You’re mean.”

Jake just laughs and finds himself reaching out to take Bradley’s hand on instinct. “Just giving you a hard time, Roo.”

Bradley lifts the back of Jake’s hand to his lips and gives it a quick kiss. “I know, babe.”

The younger man’s heart nearly explodes at the affectionate gesture. God, how is he supposed to keep from falling in love with this man?

Sammy taps Jake’s shoulder, interrupting the moment between him and Bradley. “Do you want to play, Uncle Jake?”

Jake shakes his head. “No, that’s alright, you and Lizzie keep playing. Bradley and I will watch you guys.”

His nephew waits for Lizzie to start up the next game, then settles into Jake’s lap, wanting to be close to his uncle. Bradley looks over at him and smiles softly at the simple gesture of affection his nephew is showing by wanting to sit so close to him. Jake really does love these kids like they’re his own. 

The kids play a few more games while Jake and Bradley watch and cheer them on, enjoying the beers the blonde brought for them. Jake has a feeling the kids would play all night, but Jess walks in after a little while and says it’s time to get the two of them settled down for the night. He decides that he and Bradley ought to get going as well. 

The blonde walks downstairs with Bradley, still holding his hand as they say their good-byes in the foyer. 

“Good night, love bug,” Meredith says, pulling Jake in closely for a hug. “I’ll call you in the morning and give you the plan for the day.”

“Thanks, Mama,” Jake hugs her back and tries not to feel too embarrassed when she gives him a forehead kiss. 

Meredith hugs Bradley good night as well, thanking him for taking care of her love bug. Jake catches that same look on his friend’s face again. He’s really got to figure out what it is with Bradley and that term of endearment. If it upsets him, he’ll make sure to tell his mama not to use it for the next few days. 

Dan hugs his son good night, and even exchanges a slightly awkward one with Bradley, telling him what a pleasure it’s been to meet him, and thanking him for making Jake so happy. 

As they’re about to leave, they hear the sound of footsteps rapidly descending the stairs. Jake turns to look along with everybody else to see Lizzie and Sammy, now clad in their pajamas, rushing over to him again. 

“Good night, Uncle Jake!” Lizzie says, throwing her arms around his legs again. Sammy repeats her words and actions. 

“Good night, kiddos,” He replies, kissing them each on the tops of their heads and hugging them back.

The kids rush off, but Sammy pauses halfway up the stairs and rushes back down, making a beeline for Bradley. He barrels into him and throws his arms around him like he just did to Jake. The blonde can’t help but smile at the display, and the slightly awkward look on Bradley’s face. 

“Good night, Uncle Bradley. I love you,” Sammy says, as if this isn’t a man he’s just met, but someone he’s known to actually be his Uncle his whole life. 

Bradley blushes as Jake and his parents quietly gush at the display. “Good night Sammy, I, uh…” Bradley searches for the right words. “...acknowledge your statement.”

Jake doubles over laughing, along with his parents. Even Sammy doesn’t seem to be bothered, as he rushes back up the stairs to get in bed. 

“Sorry about that,” Meredith apologizes when her grandson is out of earshot, a bit of laughter still in her voice. 

Bradley is still beet red as he responds. “No problem, I hope I handled that okay. I didn’t know what I was supposed to say.”

Jake, Meredith, and Dan all laugh again. 

“It’s alright,” Dan assures, “kids say the darndest things. And technically you’re not even his uncle, so don’t worry about it.”

Bradley chuckles nervously, and Jake realizes he should probably rescue his friend from the awkward situation. “Sweetheart, we better get going, our Uber is waiting.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re right.” Jake stifles a laugh at how eager the brunet seems to escape this situation. 

“Bye, Dad! Bye, Mama! We’ll see you tomorrow!” Jake calls over his shoulder as they’re walking out the door. 

“Bye!”

“Bye, boys, have a good night!”

The two men head down the walkway to their Uber for the fifteen minute drive back to the hotel. Though there’s no reason for them to keep up the act now, they don’t say anything much about dinner, but make polite small talk with their driver. Jake doesn’t really want to get into all of the details with a stranger anyway. 

Once they’re back in their room, Jake flops down on the bed and looks at Bradley, who’s kicking off his shoes next to his suitcase. “So…that’s my crazy family.”

Bradley chuckles. “I think they’re really great, Jake. Makes me wonder what’s wrong with you,” he quips. 

Jake pretends to be offended, matching the older man’s playful tone. “Oh, ha-ha, am I just so repulsive to you?”

“That’s not exactly the word I would use,” he replies, acting as if he’s searching for the right word. 

Jake rolls his eyes. “Whatever, I don’t wanna know.”

Bradley flops down on the bed next to Jake, sighing in relief after the long day of traveling they’ve had. The blonde hadn’t even realized how tired he was until he’d sat on the bed just now. 

“In all seriousness, Jakey, they seem like amazing people. I’m really glad I finally got to meet them, even under these circumstances.” It would be hard for Jake to miss the sincerity in Bradley’s voice. 

“Yeah, I’m blessed to have every single one of them, but especially my mama. She’s my rock. I don’t know what I’d do without her. 

Bradley hums in acknowledgement. “You know, she reminds me a lot of my mom.”

He says it casually, but Jake can tell there’s a lot behind that sentence. He knew that Bradley lost his mom when he was a teenager, but he never knew many details, just that she had been sick. Even that was something he’d only learned since becoming friends with him in the last several months. 

Jake really isn’t sure what to say, but he wants Bradley to feel like he can be open and talk to him if there’s something on his mind, like there seems to be right now. 

“Yeah?” Jake manages to respond to show that if his friend has more to say, he’s happy to listen. 

Bradley nods, a bittersweet look on his face, the exact one from earlier in the night. “Yeah, they’re a lot alike. She even used to call me ‘love bug’ along with my dad. It was sort of their pet name for each other that they started to call me, too, when I was little. I remember before my winter formal freshman year, she called me ‘love bug’ in front of my date—who was not interested in me romantically—and all my friends. It embarrassed the hell out me then, but I’d give damn near anything to hear her say it one more time.”

Jake can only imagine what it must be like to lose both parents before becoming a legal adult. His dad and mama have been there for him through everything, good or bad. He can’t and honestly doesn't want to think about how hard it would have been for him without them. 

Feeling bold, Jake reaches out and rests his hand on top of Bradley's, his heart pounding in his chest. “I’m so sorry, Roo. I can’t imagine what you’ve been through.”

Bradley simply shrugs, intertwining his fingers with Jake’s without hesitation. “It gets easier over time, but you still have good and bad days. After getting to meet your mom and see how similar she is to mine, I’d say today was a good day.”

“It didn’t bother you that you found her so similar to your mom?” Jake asks. 

His friend shakes his head. “No, it was nice, actually. Reminded me of all the good times I had with her, and how much I still love her, even seventeen years later.”

The two fall quiet again, though it isn’t awkward or uncomfortable, even if they’re still holding hands. A few minutes pass like this as they just lie on the bed and stare up at the ceiling. Jake spends those few minutes feeling grateful that even if he and Bradley may never be more than friends, at least they’ve come a long way. He can’t imagine Bradley ever would have willingly offered up such personal information about his childhood in years past. They’ve formed a much stronger bond, and Jake wouldn’t trade that for anything. 

The silence is interrupted by an exaggeratedly loud yawn from Bradley, eliciting a chuckle from Jake. “Yeah, I’m tired, too.”

Bradley hops up from the bed, letting go of Jake’s hand as he stretches. The blonde can’t help but long for the older man’s hand back in his. “I need to get ready for bed.”

Jake tries to keep the pout off of his face as he follows Bradley into the bathroom and grabs his toothbrush. As Jake applies the toothpaste and begins to brush, Bradley hip-checks him so he’ll scoot over. He chuckles at the smile on his friend’s face. 

Once he’s done brushing his teeth, Jake digs his skincare routine products out of his toiletry bag, ignoring the lighthearted scoff he hears from Bradley behind him. 

“Really, you had to bring those along, too?” He jokes. 

“Hey, consistency is the best way to see long-term results,” Jake replies. 

“Which of those bottles has that written on the back?”

“I resent that,” Jake says, pouring one of the products onto his hand and beginning to rub it into his cheeks. “We’ll see who gets the last laugh when I’m sixty but can pass for thirty-five.”

He just gets a playful head-shake from Bradley, who heads back into the bedroom. “Whatever you need to tell yourself.”

Just to be childish, Jake pops his head out into the bedroom long enough to flip Bradley off before returning to washing his face. He ignores the way his heart blooms with warmth at the sound of Bradley’s laughter from the other room. 

God, how easy and fun it would be for this to be a typical night for the two of them before bed? Teasing and flirting a bit before snuggling up together—how could it get better than that?

The blonde pushes those thoughts aside as he finishes up his skincare routine and returns to the bedroom. He stops in his tracks for a moment at the sight of Bradley on the bed in a T-shirt and some very loose boxer shorts. With his knees bent, Jake can nearly see up his underwear with how much of his upper thigh is exposed. 

He tears his eyes away, not wanting to seem creepy and walks over to his bag to step out of his pants so he can sleep in his underwear. He’s always found that to be the most comfortable for him. With that, he heads over to the bed and throws back the covers on his side. Bradley mirrors his actions and slides under the covers on the opposite side. Jake feels his heart skip a beat in anticipation as he slides into bed, realizing he’s sharing one with Bradley for the first time. Even if that isn’t inherently romantic in its own right, there’s still a feeling of intimacy to the action. 

Bradley sighs loudly as he lays down and settles into bed. With it being so large, there’s no danger of them touching unless they try to. It simultaneously gives Jake a bit of peace, and annoys the hell out of him at the same time. He cannot verbally express how badly he’d like to cuddle up with his friend right now. 

Jake feels Bradley roll over to face him in bed, he turns his head to see those honey-brown eyes looking at him softly. “Would you mind turning the light off?”

He laughs, feeling stupid for thinking there was something else behind that look. The blonde flicks the lamp off and settles into bed as well. 

“Good night, Jakey,” Bradley yawns.

“Good night, Roo,” Jake replies, rolling over, his back to the older man.

If they hadn’t had such a long day of traveling and the stress of Bradley meeting his family, Jake would probably have more trouble falling asleep. However, his exhaustion is enough for his mind to shut out how desperately he wants to cuddle with Bradley, and the intimacy of sharing a bed with him. It’s a matter of minutes before he’s falling into a dreamless sleep.

Chapter Text

Sunlight streams through the windows of the hotel room when Jake wakes up the next morning. His instinct is to block it out, but he finds a strange weight holding his arm down. It takes approximately one second for him to realize what’s happening. 

Bradley must not have been joking after all when he said he was a sleep cuddler yesterday. The brunet is curled up behind Jake, an arm wrapped protectively around him as he softly snores into his shoulder. 

A softness unlike any Jake has ever known fills his chest at the feeling of being cuddled by this man on whom he has the most desperate crush. God, he really loves the feeling of Bradley holding him so protectively, even if it’s unconscious and in his sleep. It’s the closest he’ll ever get to cuddling with Bradley romantically, so he’ll take it.

Jake allows himself to enjoy the feeling for the next several minutes until he hears Bradley’s breath hitch, and he knows the other man has woken up. His friend groans as he releases his hold on Jake and stretches his arms above his head with a yawn as comically loud as the one from last night.

He rolls over to face Bradley, who gives him a sheepish look. “Sorry if I had you trapped. If that happens again, just wiggle free, I know it can be annoying, so I don’t care if you wake me up.”

The blonde smiles as he shakes his head. “It’s fine, really, don’t worry about it. I wasn’t awake for that long anyway.” He hopes his voice doesn’t reveal how much he genuinely loved being held by Bradley. He wishes he had the freedom to ask for cuddles from him, or to be the one to cuddle up with the brunet whenever he wanted. 

Jake has to force those ideas out of his mind, again. He has got to stop focusing on the hypotheticals or he’s going to ruin this whole thing. 

“You heard anything about what the plans are for today?” Bradley asks. 

It occurs to Jake that he hasn’t checked his phone yet this morning. When he does, he sees that the family group chat has been fairly active and taps on the new messages. 

Once he’s caught up, he rolls over and gives Bradley the planned rundown for the day. “Okay, according to Mama, they’re going to meet us at a restaurant here downtown for lunch, then we’re all going to take the kids to play mini golf and laser tag. After that, we’re gonna regroup, and all of us who are in the wedding party and our dates are going out to the bars tonight.”

Bradley whistles, impressed. “Sounds like a hell of a day…and like I’m gonna need some coffee this morning. I saw a cafe a couple blocks away last night, you wanna go?”

Jake smirks and raises an eyebrow. “Careful, Roo…if I didn’t know better I’d think you were asking me on a fake coffee date.”

His friend chuckles in response. “I’m your fake boyfriend, after all, it seems fitting that I would.”

“Hmm…,” the blonde pretends to think it over. “...sounds fun, why not?”

Bradley just laughs and playfully swats at Jake’s arm. “You’re such a smartass.”

“Maybe so, but you have to admit it’s part of my charm,” Jake preens. “What would I be without it?”

“Less annoying?” Bradley ventures, a teasing tone to his voice and a glint in his eye. 

Jake can’t even be mad, he accidentally set Bradley up perfectly for that one. “Hush up,” the younger man replies weakly as he gets out of bed and stretches. “Give me twenty minutes and I’ll be ready to go.”

True to his word, they’re outside and walking the few blocks through downtown Nashville in less than twenty minutes. It’s a beautiful summer day, with a warm breeze blowing through the street and sunlight glinting off the pristine windows of the buildings that tower over them. All around, other people walk on foot to work, to their homes, to the store, all caught up in the hustle of a big city. 

Bradley and Jake walk hand-in-hand, agreeing it’s a good habit for them to get into. Jake isn’t complaining at all, for obvious reasons, as his fingers are intertwined with his friend's as they walk into the coffee shop. It’s a quaint cafe with a rustic vibe that sort of reminds Jake of home. They technically are still in the south, even if they’re several hundred miles north of his home in Austin, Texas. There’s even country music playing softly through the speakers, and the distinct voice of Reba McEntire floats through the air.

When they get to the front of the line, they each order a latte, which Bradley insists on paying for. 

“Roo, you don’t have to do that,” Jake objects. 

“You’ve paid for so much, at least let me get this,” Bradley insists. 

Just by looking into those honey-brown eyes, the blonde knows that there’s no point in arguing with him. “Alright.”

“Well, aren’t you two sweet?” The barista gushes with a thick southern accent as she takes down their orders and Bradley pays. 

Jake feels himself blushing at her comment and turns his head to give Bradley a quick kiss on the cheek. “He definitely spoils me.”

The brunet looks at him with metaphorical hearts in his eyes after the quick cheek kiss. “I think we spoil each other, sweetheart.”

The barista hands Bradley his card back and smiles at them. “You two are adorable, y’all have a good day and come back now, ya hear?”

They both smile at her as they step aside for the next customers and wait for their drinks. Bradley is snickering under his breath once they’re out of earshot of the barista. 

“What’s so funny?” Jake wonders, smiling as he sees Bradley struggling to hold it together. 

“‘Y’all come back now, ya hear?’” Bradley echoes. “Could there be a bigger southern stereotype?”

The younger man laughs. “Sheesh, it’s not that funny. I grew up hearing that.”

“Then you must not realize what a stereotype it is to those of us who weren’t raised in the South.”

Jake shakes his head fondly and laughs. “No, I do, I think I’m just used to it. Spend a week in Texas and see how many stereotypes are true. Hell, spend a day there and you’ll see. Y’all city slickers call it stereotypes, but we call it tradition,” Jake winks, tipping an imaginary cowboy at Bradley. 

“If you say so, honey,” the older man laughs and mutters a fond “city slickers” under his breath

“I do, darlin’. ”

Jake can’t help but revel in the way that pet name makes Bradley flush down to his neck. Could that possibly mean something, or is this another classic case of him reading too much into things? According to Javy, Bradley has been giving him a lot of those same longing looks when he hasn’t been paying attention. Could Javy actually be onto something?

He gets distracted from his inner monologue when Bradley’s name is called to grab their coffees. Jake takes his gratefully when Bradley hands it to him, and they head out of the cute little cafe. They take a longer route back to their hotel, walking hand-in-hand as they sip their coffees and enjoy the gorgeous summer morning. 

Jake spends most of the walk longing for this connection between himself and Bradley to be genuine, not an act. If only he was holding hands with his actual boyfriend like that sweet barista had thought. It’s so easy and fun being with Bradley, a relationship with him would be every Jake had ever wanted. 

When they arrive back at the hotel and their room, it’s bittersweet for Jake to have to let go of Bradley’s hand. The blonde tips back his coffee cup, sipping the dregs at the bottom and tossing it in the trash, before flopping down on his side of their unmade bed.

“I’m gonna take a shower and get ready to go out,” Bradley announces, heading to the bathroom and closing the door behind him. Jake pulls out his phone to distract himself from the fact that his crush is naked behind that door.

Technically he and Bradley have seen each other naked many times in locker rooms on carriers and on bases, but it’s not the same situation. Nobody is paying attention then, as it’s not the time or place, but right now, Jake can’t help but wonder what Bradley’s body must look like gorgeously bare and dripping wet. If he were truly dating Bradley, he’s sure he’d be in the shower with him right now. 

Jake takes a couple minutes to change into something a little nicer for lunch while Bradley is in the shower. It’s mostly successful in distracting him from his feelings for the other man. However, all of that is thrown out the window when the bathroom door opens, and Bradley walks out with nothing but a white towel, hanging loosely on his hips. His brunet curls are damp and hanging down over his forehead, but Jake’s eyes are much more focused on his toned abs and chest, and how much of his friend is exposed to him right now. 

He snaps himself out of his trance before he gets caught staring. 

“I left my underwear in my bag, sorry,” Bradley apologizes for his current state as he quickly walks across the room to grab his underwear, and then returns to the bathroom to change. 

Jake lies on the bed, scrolling through his phone and acting as if nothing has happened, until Bradley walks out of the bathroom wearing only boxer briefs that are incredibly revealing, leaving very little to the imagination. The blonde blushes intensely as he sees the outline of Bradley’s length through his underwear. He keeps his eyes on his phone after that, not wanting to get caught staring or do anything else that may make the situation more awkward. 

The younger man feels as if he is holding his breath until Bradley is finally fully dressed again. He must admit he’s surprised to see that his friend isn’t sporting a Hawaiian shirt like usual. When he comments on it, Bradley simply shrugs and says, “I wanna make a better impression than that.”

While Jake appreciates that, he knows that nobody in his family is going to say anything or care about his sense of style. 

They head out a few minutes after that, finding the location of the restaurant on their phones and walking several blocks until they reach their destination. It’s gotten warmer and busier in the hour or so since they were out for coffee, but it’s still a beautiful summer day, and Jake gets to hold Bradley’s hand again, so there are no complaints from him. 

Lunch takes place at a local restaurant downtown, well known for their burgers and sandwiches. Everybody who was at dinner last night attends, and Lizzie and Sammy seem thrilled to see Jake and Bradley again, as they rush to hug their uncles immediately. Meredith and Dan hug both men as well, and the blonde feels his heart bloom with warmth at seeing Bradley being so quickly accepted as a member of the family, even if it’s not real. Real relationship or not, Bradley will be a part of the Seresin family forever, Jake knows that for a fact. 

Jake sits next to Bradley at lunch and across from his parents. Bradley seems very at ease around them, and the casual displays of affection seem just as natural as they did the night before. If anything, it may actually be easier now that they’ve already done this once, and managed to convince a barista earlier when they weren’t really trying.

A meal with the family also gives Jake the chance to catch up a bit more with his current and soon-to-be brothers-in-law. In all of the chaos of the family meeting Bradley last night, he feels like he didn’t get the chance to talk to them very much. Ben and Garret both give him a bit of shit about Bradley, telling him how it’s about damn time he finally brought a guy home, and how he did well getting such a kind man who’s also very handsome. He brushes off their teasing, knowing it’s good-natured, and knowing it’s deserved, given how much he used to tease them about their feelings for his respective sisters. 

Meredith and Dan insist on buying the meal for everybody, which Jake can tell makes Bradley feel awkward. He gives his hand a reassuring squeeze under the table and leans in to whisper in his ear. “There’s no arguing with them, Roo, their minds are made up. Consider yourself officially part of the family.”

Bradley’s face blushes the most brilliant scarlet Jake has ever seen, causing his heart to flutter in his chest. Because he can’t help himself, Jake finds himself giving the brunet a soft, loving kiss on the forehead. He blushes and flips off his sisters when they coo, then remembers his mama, niece, and nephew are all present.

“Jacob!” Meredith scolds, quietly but sternly. 

“Sorry, Mama, won’t happen again,” Jake says, feeling like a kid chastised for talking in math class. His sisters have the gall to laugh at him, the traitors. At least Jess isn’t mad that he probably just taught her two kids an obscene gesture. 

After lunch, Jake and Bradley ride in Meredith and Dan’s car to the suburb of Nashville where the little park that has mini golf and laser tag is located. Naturally, the kids are ecstatic, but Jake is surprised to see a bit of childlike joy in Bradley’s eyes as well. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t find it both endearing and adorable. 

As they get their clubs and golf balls, Bradley leans over to Jake and whispers in his ear. “Loser buys dinner when we go out tonight.”

The younger man smiles and laughs. “You’re gonna regret that, sweetheart.”

Bradley’s responding smile is bright enough to rival the sun. “We’ll see about that, Jakey, I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve.”

“Whatever you have to tell yourself, darlin’,” Jake replies coolly. Like hell is he gonna let Bradley beat him at mini golf of all things. 

Over the next hour, Jake plays the most intense game of mini-golf in his entire life. He and the brunet trash talk each other with playground insults since they’re around Jake’s parents, niece, nephew, and other children who are at the park. Each insult becomes more ridiculous than the other as they compete at each of the eighteen holes, but the blonde can’t deny he’s having fun. But that could also be because he’s been beating Bradley by two shots since the seventh hole, which had a lot of gimmicks that got in Bradley’s way.

By the time their game of mini golf is all said and done, Jake manages to win by just one shot, which he is all too happy to gloat about. He continues to playfully boast about his skills as they make their way across the small park to the laser tag arena. Jake walks, one hand holding Bradley’s, the other holding onto Sammy who has been sitting on Jake’s shoulders since he beat his fake boyfriend in mini golf. 

Despite his loss, Bradley is a good sport about it. 

“Dad and Mama are sitting out laser tag,” Johanna reports once they walk inside the building. “How are we gonna split up teams?”

“Boys versus girls?” Ben suggests. 

“That’s not fair!” Lizzie complains. “There are more boys than girls.”

“We could do every man for himself, or split off into pairs?” Garret chimes in.

As Jake watches his family debate what to do, he looks over at Bradley, and an idea occurs to him. “Wait, let's do a sort of boys versus girls. Me, Ben, Garret, and Sammy on one team, Jess, Johanna, Lizzie, and Bradley on the other.”

“Are you calling me a girl?” Bradley asks teasingly. “You know that would make you straight, right?”

“Hush up,” Jake retorts. “If we do it that way, I’ll give you a chance to redeem yourself. If you win this one I’ll consider the previous bet void. I’ll buy our dinner tonight if you win.”

“That’s interesting, I’ll take that action,” the older man agrees, shaking Jake’s hand. 

“I thought you might,” the blonde replies.

Lizzie practically squeals with excitement when she realizes what’s going on. “Yay, I get to have Uncle Bradley on my team!”

Ben scoffs lightheartedly. “Sheesh, I thought I was the favorite non-uncle until you showed up, Bradley.”

“What can I say? Lizzie clearly wants to be on the winning team.” Bradley winks at Ben and sticks his tongue out at Jake as he goes with the girls to get their vests and laser guns.

“I like him,” Ben tells Jake as they walk back to get their own guns and vests. “He seems like a good guy, and he’s clearly head over heels in love with you.”

Jake feels his face burn red. “I don’t know if I’d go that far. We’ve only been together for a couple of months.”

“Dude,” Ben says, placing a hand on Jake’s shoulder. “The way he talked about you at dinner last night, the longing and adoring looks he gives you when you’re not paying attention, him constantly teasing you? All signs that he loves you. Congratulations, man, I’m happy for you.”

As much as Jake would love to believe Ben’s words, he has to remind himself that he and Bradley are just friends in reality. Their romantic relationship is a farce. If Bradley is giving him those looks, it must be to keep up the act, not because of how he feels. 

At the same time, Jake also recalls Javy saying something similar to Ben on the night Jake asked Bradley to be his fake boyfriend. Is there really a chance that Bradley feels something more for him, just like he does?

The blonde is still blushing, so when he responds, he tells Ben what he’s actually thinking. “I hope you’re right.”

Ben claps him on the back. “Trust me, I am.”

The blonde can only hope his future brother-in-law is right as they head into the ready room to grab their laser guns and vests. The lights dim once they’re all set, and the employees usher them toward the door into the darkened arena. The only light comes from UV black lights on the ceiling and the neon duct tape that lines the walls that will provide them cover. To add to the chaos, small smoke machines are raining down, reducing visibility even further. 

“Let’s win you dinner on Bradley tonight,” Garret says, slapping Jake playfully on the back.

Sammy follows after his dad, leaving Jake and Ben together.

“What’s our plan?” Jake asks.

“Like Garret said: let's win you dinner,” Ben smiles as the bell rings, signaling the beginning of the game. 

What follows is fifteen minutes of Jake and Bradley being two competitive little shits, just like they were during mini-golf earlier. The two men almost exclusively target each other, while the rest of Jake’s family enjoys the game with a normal amount of competition, not whatever the hell it is that Jake and Bradley are doing. They run around the arena like they’re closer in age to Lizzie and Sammy, not grown men in their early thirties, giggling and throwing out playground insults once again. 

By the time the game is over, the blonde is out of breath and has worked up a bit of a sweat. Jake and his team return their vests and guns as they wait for their results. He lost track while playing, but he is fairly certain that he got Bradley ten different times. They continue to tease each other as they await their scores and catch their breath from their ridiculously intense game. 

Sammy wanders over after a few moments and tugs on the younger man’s pant leg. “I think we won, Uncle Jake!”

Jake fondly ruffles up his nephew’s blonde hair. “I think so too, buddy.”

A couple of minutes later, it turns out Jake’s team did not, in fact, win. They lost by two hundred points, and Bradley scored two more hits on Jake than Jake did on him, giving the brunet a total of twelve. 

As much as Jake thinks it's crap, it’s what the score says, so he concedes. “Fine, Roo, I guess I have to hand it to you—you beat us.”

“Yes!” Lizzie exclaims excitedly, high-fiving Bradley. “Dinner’s on you tonight, Uncle Jake!”

Bradley throws his head back laughing as Lizzie runs off to find Meredith and Dan and tell her grandparents about her victory. He flashes a bright smile at Jake. “I might have told her to say that if we won.”

The younger man rolls his eyes fondly. “Of course you did.”

“You expect me to believe that you and Sammy wouldn’t be gloating right now if you had won?” Bradley raises a knowing eyebrow at him. 

“Hey, that’s not important,” Jake defends, knowing it’s a weak comeback and argument. 

“Whatever you say, honey,” Bradley pats him on the shoulder, then intertwines their fingers. 

They walk over to the rest of the group, who are all chatting about what sounds like the plans for going out tonight. 

“Lucas just texted,” Jess reports, “he and Bailey’s flight just landed, so they’ll meet us for dinner later.”

“Nice, I haven’t seen him in forever,” Jake says, happily. 

Bradley taps his shoulder. “Lucas is your cousin, right? The one you said is like the brother you never had?”

The blonde smiles. “Very good, Bradley, you’ve got a nice memory. Lucas is also the one who insists on calling me his ‘little brother’ even though he’s only two months older than me—it barely counts!”

Jess rolls her eyes. “Oh, God, I cannot hear this from you again. Y’all have been arguing about that since you were five.”

“Hey, it’s just a playful argument,” Jake laughs, seeing how annoyed Jess is with hearing it for so many years. 

“Is this what it’s like having siblings?” Bradley wonders aloud. “Constantly annoying each other?”

Jake chuckles. “Sweetheart, you have no idea. Driving your siblings insane is the foundation of the relationship. And, since I’m the youngest, the responsibility is even greater for me.”

The brunet just shakes his head fondly. “You’re something else, Jakey.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Jake holds his head up high.

The whole family begins to make their way outside and to the parking lot, discussing their plans for the evening. Sammy and Lizzie chat about what movie they want to watch with Grandma and Grandpa, while the adults work out dinner plans. 

“Bradley, you do have some boots you can wear tonight, right?” Garret asks as they walk across the blacktop. 

“Uh…no actually, I don’t.”

Garret gives Jake a disappointed look, though he can tell it’s all in good fun. “What kind of Texan are you? You don’t even make sure your own boyfriend has boots?”

Jake holds his hands up, defensively. “Hey, sometimes things slip through the cracks.”

Bradley gives the two men a confused look. “Why do I need boots so badly?”

Both Garret and Jake look at Bradley as if he has just personally insulted them to their cores. “Roo, you’re in the south and you’re gonna go to a honky tonk bar tonight. You have to have boots. It’s probably a state law.”

The older man scoffs. “Something tells me that’s an exaggeration.”

“Regardless, you need boots,” Jake insists, and Garret nods in agreement. “I only brought one pair though.”

“That’s okay,” Garret says, “I have an extra pair I can bring, you’re about my size anyway, Bradley, they should fit.”

“I’ve got you covered on the plaid shirt,” Jake says, “I brought a few, and I know they’ll fit you as well.”

Bradley smiles. “Sounds like I’m gonna be a cowboy for the night, then.”

The blonde nods and smiles. “You’re gonna be my sexy cowboy tonight, darlin’.”

The brunet bushes bright red, the tips of his ears turning pink. “Seems like it’s my lucky night, especially since you’re paying for dinner,” he teases, nudging Jake’s arm playfully. 

“Hey, too soon.”

“Oh, please.”

Meredith and Dan drive Jake and Bradley back to their hotel so they can get ready for the night. Jake feels excitement building up inside of him at the idea of getting to see some close relatives for the first time in a while and going to a honky tonk bar. 

Jake thanks his parents as they drop them off, then heads up to the room with Bradley. Once they’re back, Bradley heads straight for his bag next to the bathroom door, pulling out a black T-shirt after a few moments of digging around for it. There’s a sheepish look on his face as he holds it up over his chest for Jake to see. 

In simple white font, the T-shirt reads:

I ❤️ Hot Cowboys

The blonde can’t help but throw his head back laughing at the shirt. “Roo, that is the greatest shirt I’ve seen in my entire life.”

“It’s not too ridiculous?” Bradley asks sheepishly.

Jake continues laughing. “Oh, no, it’s absolutely ridiculous, but that’s part of the charm. Please wear it, I love it.”

The older man lets out a relieved chuckle. “Good, I saw it online for fifteen bucks about a week after you invited me, and figured there might be a good opportunity to wear it.”

Jake giggles. “I may need to borrow it from you sometime when we get back home.”

“Of course,” Bradley winks. “You just say the word.”

From there, Jake heads into the bathroom to shower and freshen up for their night out. He tries not to think too much about his complicated feelings for Bradley and instead focuses on the excitement that the night is sure to bring, but that’s easier said than done. He can’t stop thinking about what Ben said earlier, about Bradley appearing to be in love with him. The only explanation that’s truly logical is that his friend is just doing a fantastic job at being his fake boyfriend. He saw firsthand how good he was at playing the role last night, so it doesn’t really surprise him if he’s convinced his family. That was the whole point after all. 

The blonde shuts the water off and grabs his towel, refusing to stay in the shower any longer and letting his thoughts spiral out of control. That never ends well for him. He dries himself off, sprays on some deodorant, and then wraps the towel around his waist before heading into the bedroom. 

Almost immediately after opening the door, Jake finds himself tripping and losing his balance, falling onto the ground on top of Bradley. Two things become abundantly clear to Jake. The first being that his towel fell off when he tripped, leaving him completely naked. The other is that Bradley is just as naked as he is.

“What the hell?” Bradley appears confused for a moment before he realizes what’s happened. His face burns bright red. “Jake?! Why the fuck are you naked?”

“Why the fuck are you naked?!” Jake echoes in disbelief. “I was the one who was in the shower!”

“I was changing!”

“And you had to wait until the last second to do that?”

“I was texting Mav and got distracted!”

Realizing that his face is inches from Bradley's and that they are both still very naked on the floor, Jake scrambles off of his friend and lifts his towel, to protect what little bit of his modesty he has left after Bradley surely just saw every inch of his body like Jake saw of his. 

Bradley quickly slides on a pair of underwear and blushes intensely at Jake. 

Yeah, Jake will admit it, he wanted to see Bradley naked, but this…well, it’s not exactly what he had in mind. 

“So…how about we pretend that never happened?” Bradley suggests, his face still bright red with embarrassment. 

“Agreed,” Jake says, equally embarrassed and a little flustered from just being naked and on top of the man he’s been crushing on for a while now. He may have agreed to pretend it never happened, but he can’t unsee Bradley’s gorgeous, naked body beneath him. 

The blonde moves quickly to put on some underwear and his jeans, picks out a plaid shirt, and hands another one to Bradley that he thinks will look handsome on him. Jake opts for a burnt orange and white plaid shirt, reminiscent of his team, the Texas Longhorns. The one he gives to Bradley is dark blue and white, which he knows will look good on him. He’s been around the other man to know that blue is a good color on him, though he’s sure his friend could make almost any of them work. 

Once he’s dressed, Jake turns to see Bradley is already clad in his shirt, which he’s left unbuttoned to show off his goofy graphic T-shirt underneath. Well, he may not end up having the total cowboy look tonight, but he’ll do. Especially once Jake and Garret get him into a pair of boots. And, looking at him, the blonde must admit that Bradley looks very handsome, and a small wave of possessiveness washes over him at seeing his crush wearing his shirt. The T-shirt beneath will also insinuate that Jake is the hot cowboy Bradley loves because they’ll be pretending to be a couple. 

“My goodness, Roo, you sure do clean up nice,” Jake drawls.

Bradley smiles bashfully and blushes the slightest bit. “Thanks, so do you. I think I’m starting to like the stereotypical Texan side of you.”

Jake mimes tipping his hat. “Well, that’s mighty kind of you.”

His hat-tipping motion reminds him that he still needs to get his Stetson on. When he pulls the box out of his suitcase and sets it on the bed, he hears Bradley snickering behind him. 

“God, you really go all out, don’t you?” The brunet giggles half in disbelief. 

“Part of my culture, darlin’,” Jake replies, taking the hat out of the box and setting it atop his wavy blonde hair. “Ideally you’d have a hat as well, but not everybody can pull them off,” the blonde teases. 

Bradley laughs that off but retaliates. “And to think you insult my sense of style.”

Jake playfully swats at Bradley’s arm as they head out of the room. The bars they’re planning on attending are only a few blocks away, so they’re going to walk. Before that, though, they’re meeting up with Garret and Jess in the lobby so Bradley can change into the extra pair of boots Garret is bringing. 

When they step off the elevator in the lobby, Jake spots his sister and brother-in-law from across the room almost immediately and sees Garret laughing at Bradley’s shirt. 

“I love hot cowboys?” He teases Bradley. 

The older man looks at Jake fondly. “It’s an accurate statement.”

Jess coos at the cute exchange and Jake blushes. With nobody around to stop him, he playfully flips his sister off. She pretends to be offended.

“Here’s your boots,” Garret says, holding out the extra pair to the brunet and effectively ignoring the childish exchange between the Seresin siblings.  

“Thanks, I appreciate the loan. Though I think it’s going to be pretty clear that I’m out of my element tonight,” Bradley jokes, self-deprecatingly. “I don’t even fully look the part.”

Garret shakes his head. “I wouldn’t worry about it, you’ve got all of us around you, and I know Jakey here will be by your side.”

“I’d say you’ve got the look down except for the hat,” Jess chimes in. “You won’t be the only one without one, not everybody wears them.”

Jake, Jess, and Garret all offer Bradley reassurances as they walk through the crowded downtown streets. It’s been many years since he’s been to Nashville, and Jake had forgotten how busy the bars and area around Broadway got every night. 

He’s always thought that the street of Broadway must have been designed with bar crawls in mind, given the sheer number of them lining the streets. Many of them are multi-level bars named after famous country music singers, like Jason Aldean or Luke Bryan, others seem to have random names, like the one Jake remembers from his last time here, called The Lucky Bastard. A weird name, but he has to admit their cocktails were fantastic. 

All around them are thousands of other people walking to the bars, playing music on the street, eating at food trucks, and enjoying the vibrant summer night.

Bradley seems to be going through culture shock and looks a bit on the uncomfortable side. Jake feels his friend's strong hand grab ahold of his and intertwine their fingers. He turns to look at Bradley, trying to make it clear that if the brunet is really uncomfortable by all this, they can go do something else. The look of unease on Bradley’s features begins to settle though once he and the blonde are holding hands and he sees the reassuring smile. 

They walk through the crowd hand-in-hand until they reach the restaurant, where they’re bombarded by the rest of the people from the wedding party, along with Johanna and Ben. Jake happily greets his sister and future brother-in-law’s friends, introducing Bradley as his boyfriend. Thankfully, nobody in the wedding party has any issue with Jake being gay. They really couldn’t, since Johanna said years ago she would refuse to be friends with anybody who couldn’t accept her little brother for who he was. Jake will never forget how much she and Jess made him feel loved and accepted when he was in the most terrifying season of his life. 

Lucas walks over to Jake and wraps him up in a bear hug, clearly thrilled to see him again. The younger man hugs his cousin back, ecstatic to see him after a little over a year.

“Jakey, so good to see you!” Lucas laughs. “How’s my little brother doing?”

Jake rolls his eyes lightheartedly and looks at Bradley. “See the shit I have to put up with in this family?”

The brunet chuckles and shakes hands with Lucas. “Ah, so you’re the famous Bradley I’ve heard so much about. I’ve been anxious to meet you. I’m Lucas.”

“Bradley. Nice to meet you, I’ve heard a lot of stories from Jake,” Bradley replies.

“Oh? Well, I have no shortage of stories about Jake, I can say that for sure.”

Jake cringes to himself, if there’s anybody who’s going to tell an embarrassing story about him, it’s Lucas. Damn him for having to act like an older brother when he’s only got three months on Jake. 

“Lucas, shut up…” Jake says, though it sounds more like a plea.

“Let me tell you about the time Jake and I got dared to go skinny dipping in the pond out in the woods— that’s a story I’ll never forget,” Lucas says, sticking his tongue out at Jake and beginning the story as they walk into the restaurant. 

Jake tries to tune out his cousin’s voice, not wanting to relive that experience. He hears the occasional laughter from Bradley, so he knows the man is getting every embarrassing detail. 

By the time their large group is seated, Lucas is wrapping up the story. “And that’s how Jake ended up flashing his junk to his eighth-grade crush, and got patches of poison ivy all over his body.”

Bradley, the traitor, throws his head back laughing at the story. Jake shakes his head at both his cousin and his fake boyfriend. “You will never let me hear the end of that, will you?”

“You’re the one who flashed their crush.”

“Hey, you were naked, too!” Jake objects.

“Yeah, but my crush wasn’t among the crowd,” Lucas counters. 

“That’s stupid, everyone still saw your dick.”

“I’d say they were pretty lucky then.”

“And they weren’t lucky to see mine?”

“Haley laughed at you, Jakey, I’m not sure that’s a good sign.”

“Please, that was the best night of her life, and you know it.”

“That was almost twenty years ago, I’m sure she’s had better since then.”

Bradley taps on Jake’s shoulder to interject. “Not to interrupt, but I’m still just surprised to find out you had a crush on a girl.”

Jake can tell his friend is teasing him, but he can’t completely resist the bait. “I was only in eighth grade, I didn’t have everything figured out yet. Besides, Haley and I never became a thing, so you don’t need to be jealous.”

“Jealous of your eighth-grade crush?” Bradley asks incredulously. “No, definitely not. Though I will say I’m not thrilled someone else got to see you naked. I thought that was reserved just for me.”

An intense blush overtakes the blonde’s face at those words. When Bradley winks at him, he knows he’s referring to their little slip-up in the hotel room earlier, though he thought they had agreed to drop it. Even though it’s only been a couple of hours, Jake has to admit that situation was pretty funny in hindsight.

Lucas chuckles at the exchange. “You know what, I like you, Bradley. You know how to take a joke and give Jake shit. Those are important criteria for being part of the Seresin family.”

“Thanks, Lucas, I appreciate you saying that,” Bradley smiles, and turns to give Jake a quick kiss on the cheek.”

“Anytime. I always told myself when Jakey finally brought a boyfriend home I’d have to give him the shovel talk, but after meeting you I don’t think it’s necessary. I can tell Jake means a lot to you and that you’ll look after him. I’m happy to see that,” Lucas smiles at them.

Bradley pats Jake’s shoulder fondly. “Nope, nothing to worry about at all. He’s stuck with me whether he wants to be or not.”

The blonde can’t help but smile and feel a pang of longing for how badly he wishes Bradley’s words were true. If only he knew how desperately Jake wanted him. If only Jake knew how to tell him how desperately he wanted him without making things weird and ruining their newfound friendship. 

At this point, Jake has lost count of how many times he’s had to push those thoughts aside and focus on living in the moment and making the most of Bradley being his fake boyfriend.

Throughout the rest of the night, Jake is happy to say he’s mostly successful. He spends dinner catching up with some relatives and old friends who are in the wedding as well, and Lucas only tells a few more embarrassing stories about some of the shenanigans Jake was involved in as a kid. Looking back, the blonde has to admit it, he was a hell-raiser. 

Jake pays for his and Bradley’s meal when the check comes, which earns him a grateful kiss on the cheek from the older man, and some soft smiles from Lucas, Jess, and Johanna. Because he can’t make things too easy for him, Jake jokes that he won’t be letting Bradley win next time they play laser tag. 

From the restaurant, they head to the honky tonk bar along the street that has a larger dancefloor for line dancing. Jake will admit that he’s no spectacular dancer, but it’s apparent from the start that Bradley has two left feet. He finds that surprising given the man’s talent with instruments and singing, but it seems none of that has translated over into dancing. 

He really doesn’t mind having to teach Bradley the moves and help him keep up—it actually turns out to be kind of fun. On more than one occasion they nearly tumble to the ground in a fit of laughter when Bradley butchers a move here and there. The brunet laughs even harder when he hears how nonsensical some of the lyrics to the songs are. Even Jake has to admit that some of the songs don’t make any sense, and that’s just the way it is. It doesn’t mean he’s not going to dance to them and have a good time. 

To his credit, Bradley does begin to catch on to some of the dances, though it’s usually toward the end of the song when a new one with a new dance is about to begin, causing the cycle to repeat itself. Plus, sometimes he and Bradley are laughing so hard that Jake can’t concentrate enough to teach him the moves. 

After nearly an hour of line dancing, the group decides to move on to some of the other bars along the street. Jake and Bradley walk hand-in-hand as they go from bar to bar. In some bars they stay and get drinks and dance for a bit, at others, they don’t stay quite as long. Not every bar has the same vibes, and it seems the group is in the mood for a bar with a more club-like atmosphere. 

That’s how, after many different bars, they end up at The Lucky Bastard, which Jake is happy to discover still has the best cocktails out of all the bars on Broadway. He sips an amaretto sour, opting for something a little lighter, since he’s not planning on drinking too much tonight. He wants to focus more on having a good time, not getting wasted. 

Jake finishes his drink and then finds himself being swept back out onto the dance floor by Bradley to rejoin the rest of the group. He has to admit that Bradley isn’t too bad of a dancer when he isn’t restricted by all of the coordinated moves by the line dances. His friend seems more carefree and relaxed than he did when the squad was celebrating the success of their mission eight months ago. Seeing the brunet laughing and carrying on and having such a good time makes his heart swell with adoration. God, Bradley Bradshaw really does mean the world to him. 

It’s another hour later before anybody else in their large group ends up taking a break. Jake taps Bradley on the shoulder to let him know he’s going to use the restroom, while the brunet says he’ll go get their next round. He hasn’t explicitly stated it, but Jake thinks Bradley might feel a little bad about him having to pay for their dinner, considering he’s bought all of their drinks ever since they left the restaurant. He knew what he was getting himself into when he made the bet, but he still appreciated the gesture from Bradley. 

Once he’s finished relieving himself, Jake heads back into the bar and sees that the brunet is sitting with his back turned to him at the bar. It seems like he might be talking to somebody, but from his vantage point, Jake can’t see who it is. He figures it’s probably Lucas, but as he walks up behind Bradley, he can see that the person he’s talking to doesn’t look familiar at all. 

Bradley notices Jake standing there and gives him a wide smile. “Here’s my hot cowboy right now, actually,” he tells the stranger. 

The blonde takes a minute to analyze this man. He’s handsome, with sandy blonde hair, sharp facial features, and a short-cut beard. The man looks embarrassed as he responds to Bradley and Jake. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry, y’all, I didn’t know you were a couple,” the disappointment is obvious in the poor man’s voice. His blue-eyed gaze falls on Jake. “You’re a very lucky man.”

“Thank you,” Jake says softly, looking at Bradley and smiling bright enough to rival the sun. “I think so, too.”

The stranger gives them a soft smile. “Y’all have a nice night,” is the last thing he says before he saunters off and out of the bar. 

Jake takes the now vacated barstool next to Bradley. “Roo…I’m so sorry if I just ruined your chances with that guy.”

Bradley looks genuinely confused. “What? Oh, no, no, no, don’t worry about it, Jakey. I wasn’t really interested.”

Now it’s Jake’s turn to be confused. If he wasn’t backed into the fake relationship, and so desperately pining after Bradley, he’d be chasing that handsome man down right now to get his number. “Why not? He was handsome, and clearly into you.”

“I just,” Bradley sighs, clearly searching for the right words. “Can we just talk about it later when we’re back at the hotel, please?”

The blonde nods. “Yeah, yeah of course we can.”

Nearly two hours of dancing and going to a few more bars pass by before they finally start to make their way back to the hotel. Jake says his goodbyes to his friends and family as he and Bradley set off for their hotel, walking hand-in-hand, through the streets, the sound of music, chatter, and laughter drifting through the air as they head back.

The walk is short and quiet, and even when they’re well out of range of anybody they know seeing them, they don’t let go of each other’s hands. A part of Jake dreads arriving back at the hotel and having to let go of Bradley’s hand. 

When the door shuts behind them, Jake finally asks the question that has been bothering him for the last couple of hours. “So…is now a better time for me to ask why you weren’t interested in that cute guy?”

Bradley huffs out a small chuckle. “Yeah, I guess so.” A long sigh quickly follows his words, and he seems to be searching for the right words again. “I don’t know how exactly to explain it, I just…wasn’t feeling it. I think he was very handsome but…I don’t know, I just wasn’t really feeling up to it.”

“Is it because you knew you were supposed to be fake-dating me?” Jake wonders. 

“No, no, it’s not that at all,” the brunet assures him. “I mean I knew that I couldn’t accept any advances from him because of that, but I also didn’t want to. He just…wasn’t what I was looking for, I guess.”

Jake nods. To an extent, he knows what Bradley means. There have been times before that he’s met men he found attractive, but he just couldn’t see anything working out between them, regardless of whether he wanted it to or not. Sometimes dating is complicated. 

“I think I know what you mean,” the blonde says, sitting down on the bed next to Bradley.

“Really, you don’t think that sounded crazy?” Bradley asks in disbelief. 

Jake shakes his head. “No, I think if that’s the way you feel then that’s completely valid. I didn’t mean to pry for details, I just sort of felt like I ruined your shot with him because you’re acting as my fake boyfriend and all.”

The older man chuckles. “Nah, don’t worry about that. Being your fake boyfriend probably saved me from a one-night stand that I’d regret. I just got a weird vibe from the whole situation.”

“I hope you’re not just saying that,” Jake says softly. 

“I’m not,” Bradley insists. “You’ve got nothing to worry about, Jake. I don’t think I was going to find love with some random guy in Nashville I’d never see again,” he chuckles a little bit as he says it. 

Well, when Bradley puts it that way, he can kind of see his point of view. “Yeah, I guess not.”

Bradley lets go of Jake’s hand to gently rest it on his thigh. The blonde’s breath catches in his throat as he feels Bradley’s hand in such an intimate place on his body. “You have nothing to worry about or apologize for.”

The contact doesn’t last long before they’re both getting up and getting ready for bed. Bradley teases him again about his skincare routine, though it’s just as good-natured as it was last night. Still, he flips the brunet off for being a smartass. 

When they both finally settle into bed, Jake can feel the exhaustion from the day immediately setting in. Though he had a fun day, it’s also been long, and the few drinks he had throughout the night are beginning to weigh him down as well. 

Jake reaches over to turn off the lamp, then nestles under the covers. “Good night, Roo.”

He hears his friend's soft chuckle from the other side of the bed. “Good night, Jakey. Get some rest.”

It takes no convincing for Jake to take Bradley’s advice, close his eyes, and fall asleep almost immediately.

***

Thursday isn’t very eventful in terms of activities with Jake’s family or with Bradley. Before Jake had gotten himself involved with a fake boyfriend, he had committed to helping in getting the wedding decorations set up at the country club where the wedding is set to take place. The country club is where Jake finds himself spending the majority of his day, along with Bradley, who insisted on tagging along to help out earlier that morning. The blonde had assured him he had everything under control and that it wasn’t necessary, but he was adamant that he was going to help in any way he could. 

Bradley wasn’t kidding when he said that, given that a lot of the set-up process went much faster than it would have otherwise. Especially when it came to moving the tables and chairs into place. While the wedding planner’s idea for the table layout was perfect, it’s thanks to Bradley that it didn’t take up too much time getting them into place. Jake has to admit he’s very grateful for the help. 

By the time they’re finished helping set things up, it’s late afternoon, and they have just enough time to get back to the hotel, each take a quick shower, get dressed, then head out to the rehearsal dinner. When they sit down at dinner, Jake feels like he could pass out right where he’s sitting, the long chaotic day having taken a toll on him. A glance over at Bradley tells him that his fake date is feeling the exact same way. 

Despite his exhaustion, the rehearsal dinner is still a good time, especially when he’s with Bradley and his relatives and friends who are in the wedding party. Jake also takes a few minutes to catch up with some aunts and uncles who have made an appearance for dinner tonight and the wedding tomorrow. Many of which he hasn’t seen in years and he isn’t very close with, but still, they’re family. 

A few relatives seem disapproving of Jake being gay and having a boyfriend, but he really couldn’t care less. He doesn’t see these people very often, so while he may feel obligated to make some small talk with them, he doesn’t get too caught up in their opinion of him. Besides, those relatives are few and far between, and at least they don’t verbalize their distaste for his sexuality to his face. 

As much as Jake loves his family, he can’t deny that it’s a relief when dinner wraps up and he heads back to the hotel with Bradley. It’s late when they get back, and they’re both dragging their feet down the hallway to their room. Jake strips out of his dress clothes and down to his underwear the second the door closes behind them. Bradley follows suit before they head into the bathroom to brush their teeth for the night and settle back into bed. 

Jake forgoes his skincare routine for the night, figuring it won’t hurt for him to skip it once. Bradley playfully gives him some shit for it, joking that one night without it might age him thirty years by morning. He gives the brunet a lighthearted—but still well deserved—slug against his arm. 

They crawl into bed to get some sleep after that. Jake snuggles under the covers, thrilled that he can sleep in tomorrow after such a long last few days. The wedding is tomorrow night and it starts at five, but he doesn’t have to be at the country club until one, giving him plenty of time to rest up for an even bigger night tomorrow night. He can’t deny that he’s elated for Johanna and Ben. Johanna has always been such an amazing big sister, and Ben has fit so perfectly into her life and the lives of the rest of the Seresin’s that Jake genuinely couldn’t imagine her ending up with anybody else. 

Jake sighs as his mind wanders, beginning to think about how badly he wants to have the same love that now both of his sisters are experiencing. It doesn’t help that the only person Jake could currently see himself with long term is next to him in bed, and very clearly not interested in him romantically. 

He wouldn't say he’s in love with Bradley by any means, but he can’t say there’s anybody else in his life that he’d like to take a chance on a lasting relationship with. It’s just so difficult, because he and Bradley only just barely managed to become friends less than a year ago—what if his confession of his feelings ruins this friendship they’ve spent over ten years working on? It would ruin everything. 

Not to mention after what Bradley told him about the handsome stranger hitting on him, he’s obviously not interested in dating right now. In fact, he almost seemed cynical about it. If he isn’t interested in dating anyone, then Jake can forget about Bradley even considering him as a potential boyfriend.

Sighing again in frustration, Jake rolls over, his back to Bradley, and he closes his eyes and wills himself to sleep after the long day. Thankfully, it doesn't take too long for his exhaustion to win out, and he feels himself drifting off to sleep for the night, thoughts of Bradley and what they could be in the back of his mind.

Chapter Text

As the day of the wedding dawns, Jake wakes up slowly, savoring the opportunity to sleep in after several consecutive busy days. He sits up in bed, groaning slightly as he stretches his arms over his head. A small chuckle from the other side of the luxurious hotel room gains his attention. In the sitting area on one of the plush couches is Bradley, with boxes of takeout food on the coffee table in front of him. 

“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” Bradley greets cheerfully.

Jake sighs and rubs his eyes. “What time is it?” 

“Almost ten o’clock,” the brunet replies, taking a bite of a pancake. 

“Shit, I haven’t slept that late in a long time.”

“You clearly needed it,” Bradley observes. “We’ve been really busy the last few days.”

The blonde scoffs as he gets out of bed and makes his way over to the other couch, not caring that he’s still only in a T-shirt and underwear. “That’s putting it lightly, don’t you think, Roo?”

This earns him a soft laugh. “I have to agree.” Bradley gestures to the takeout boxes on the table. “I saw this place online and it looked amazing so I had it delivered. I wasn’t sure if you were a waffle or pancake guy, though, so I got both. Oh, and this is your coffee, too.” Bradley hands him a large takeout cup.

He takes the cup and smiles gratefully. “Thank you, Bradley, you didn’t have to do all this.”

The older man gives him a soft look. “Jakey, after everything you’ve paid for on this trip and all your family has done for me, this is the least I can do. I may be your fake boyfriend, but your family has been so kind and welcoming, and that means a lot to me, so, thank you.”

Jake can see the sincerity written all over Bradley’s face. He’s glad he’s been able to invite the other man into his family, even if it isn’t truly in a romantic context. Sure, it’ll be hard to tell his family in a month or so that he and Bradley have “broken up” but he knows that they’ll always view him as part of the family. It’s that thought that makes his heart ache just a little bit more, as he longs for his friend. 

He distracts himself from that feeling by digging into a waffle, which he must admit is very delicious, just as Bradley said. “Holy shit.”

Bradley giggles. “Right? Try the latte, it’s one of the best I’ve ever had.”

Jake obeys, taking a sip of the warm, creamy beverage. “Is that vanilla and caramel?”

“Yep, your favorites.”

The blonde blushes just the slightest bit. “Yeah, yeah those are my favorites. How…how did you know that?”

Bradley shrugs nonchalantly. “I guess I just picked up on it over the last few days.”

“Well, thank you, I appreciate it,” The younger man says before taking another bite of his waffle. Once he’s finished his late breakfast with Bradley, the two of them each begin to get ready for the day. Jake showers first, then works on getting his tuxedo into the long travel bag so it’s protected for the trip to the venue. He doesn’t plan on getting changed into it until he’s at the country club as a precaution. The last thing he needs is for some sort of stain to get on it just hours before the wedding begins. 

Bradley showers after him while he’s packing. Unfortunately, Bradley isn’t coming with him to the country club earlier in the afternoon since Jake is the only one who’s part of the wedding party. Instead, Meredith and Dan invited Bradley over to the Airbnb to get ready for the wedding and spend the afternoon hanging out with the family. The blonde apologizes that he can’t be with Bradley, but he understands, and even says he’s looking forward to spending the afternoon with everybody. That makes Jake feel a little bit better. 

A short time later, he and Bradley are saying their goodbyes, and Jake finds himself in an Uber on the way to the country club. He winds up arriving about an hour earlier than necessary, but Ben, Lucas, and all of the other groomsmen are already there, hanging out and drinking beers. The country club has a suite for the bride and groom, which consists of dressing rooms and a rec room, with video games, a pool table, darts, and ping pong. It's not a bad place to spend a few hours hanging out, really. 

Jake spends the next couple of hours shooting the shit with Ben, Lucas, and the other groomsmen by playing some of the various games that are laid out for them. Lunch is even provided, with a small buffet being wheeled in around one o’clock. By two thirty, everybody is beginning to change into their tuxedos and Ben is whisked away by the videographer to record his vows for the wedding video. 

The next hour passes by in a blur as the final preparations are being made for the start of the wedding. Before long, the members of the wedding party are being called to their positions that they rehearsed the night before. When the bridesmaids and groomsmen are allowed to mingle again, Jake immediately seeks out Johanna. When he sees her in her gorgeous white wedding dress, he can already feel tears stinging his eyes. 

He can’t stop himself from throwing his arms around her. “I’m so happy for you, Jo. You look so beautiful.”

Johanna chuckles as she hugs him back. “Thank you, Jakey. I’m so grateful for you. I love you.”

He gives her a smile, still fighting back his tears. “I love you, too.”

Meredith and Dan are just as emotional as Jake is when they take their places at the back of the group, preparing to walk down the aisle. 

Jake is paired up with Bailey, Lucas’ girlfriend and life-long friend of Johanna. If it weren’t for his sister, he doubts that Lucas would have ever had the courage to ask Bailey out. Johanna can be quite the matchmaker when it comes to setting up her friends and relatives. The two link arms as they stand behind the doors that will lead out to the country club grounds where the ceremony is set up. 

The doors swing open and soft music plays as Jess and Ben’s brother—the maid of honor and best man, respectively—walk out to the altar and stand on either side of it. Another pair goes ahead of them, and then Jake confidently strides out and down the aisle with Bailey linked to his arm. He smiles at his relatives as he sees them, and catches sight of Bradley sitting with Garret. 

Bradley looks handsome as ever in his tuxedo, his curls are tamed, and his aviator sunglasses are perched atop his nose. Jake shoots him a quick wink as he and Bailey pass by. They split apart at the altar, and Jake takes his place off to the side with the other groomsmen. 

Once they’re all in their places, soft music plays and Ben walks down the aisle to his spot at the altar. Next, come Lizzie and Sammy as the flower girl and ring bearer. They both look absolutely adorable with all of the guests in the audience cooing at the sight of them all dolled up. Lizzie is wearing that light pink dress she insisted on, and Johanna made sure that her niece would have a little flower crown as well. Sammy is wearing a little tuxedo, carrying a small pillow with the rings. They each wave bashfully to the guests as they walk down the aisle. When Sammy heads over to the side with the groomsmen, Ben pauses to give him a fist bump, which has everybody laughing yet again. 

Finally, the classic song plays, and the doors swing wide open one last time to reveal Johanna being walked down the aisle by Dan, who’s clearly fighting back tears just as hard as Jake is. 

Though nobody would ever believe it coming from the likes of “Hangman,” Jake is an incredibly emotional person, especially when it comes to love. Seeing his sister being walked down the aisle by their dad, and knowing that she’s about to start the rest of her life with the man she loves more than anything has him losing the battle with tears quickly. He wipes at his eyes, but he knows it’s futile. He was the exact same way at Jess and Garret’s wedding years ago, this one won’t be any different. 

Jake can’t see Ben’s face since he’s standing behind him, but given the amount of times he sees a hand coming up to touch his face, he knows he’s probably crying, too. By the time they’ve said their vows and the officiant has said his piece, both the bride and the groom are struggling to keep it together. 

What follows is a beautiful and loving kiss, cheering from the families and the sound of small, hand-held confetti cannons blasting off and sending little white papers flying through the air as Johanna and Ben walk back down the aisle to an upbeat song. Jake files back out with Bailey and the rest of the wedding party as cocktail hour begins. 

While the guests enjoy their drinks, Jake is whisked off with the rest of the wedding party for photos with the bride and groom, which take about an hour. Once those are done, they go inside the event center where the reception will take place. The wedding party is announced and Jake sits with the rest of the group at the long table set aside for them. Not too far away, Jake can see Bradley sitting with Garret, Meredith, Dan, Lizzie, and Sammy. He waves to the kids and blows Bradley an over-the-top kiss. It earns him a fond eye-roll and an equally dramatic blown kiss back. The blonde reaches out as if it were a real, tangible thing, and presses his hand to his lips. 

Dinner follows shortly after, then cake, and then come the speeches by the maid of honor and best man. Jake gives a speech for a few minutes as well, telling some funny old stories of shenanigans that Johanna got into as a kid. He finishes the speech on a more genuine and heartfelt note, saying how he doesn’t know what he’d do without his older sisters, and how grateful he is to Johanna for always being someone he can turn to, no matter the situation. 

As the speeches wrap up, the dances begin. Jake greets some relatives here and there as they gather around for Ben’s dance with his mom. He accepts compliments on his speech as well. 

As the slow song begins to play and Ben dances with his mom, Jake finally finds a moment to spend with Bradley. They stand off to the side with his immediate family, watching the sweet dance between mother and son. Bradley whispers in his ear about halfway through. 

“That was a really great speech. Had me tearing up a bit,” the brunet admits. 

Jake appreciates the compliment, but he can’t pass up the opportunity to be cheeky. “I do have quite a way with words, don’t I?”

Bradley laughs quietly. “That you do, sweetheart, that you do.”

The blonde blushes at the unnecessary use of a pet name. Nobody can really hear them, it’s not like Bradley had to say that to keep up appearances. More than likely he was just goofing off, like usual. However, Jake has to say it’s hard to fully convince himself of that when Bradley wraps an arm around him and pulls him close as they watch the end of the dance. 

Thoughts of Bradley fade from his mind as Dan steps forward with Johanna for their father-daughter dance. From the second they step out onto the dance floor, Jake can feel the waterworks coming back with a vengeance. Love makes him emotional, sue him.

He wipes his eyes and grabs the handkerchief from his tuxedo pocket to dry his tears. Bradley looks over at him and, upon seeing him crying, wraps his arm around him even tighter and kisses his temple. It’s a long, and dare Jake say loving kiss. God, how he longs for it to be real. 

Watching one of his sisters and dad dancing, he can’t help but feel the smallest sense of hopelessness at ever being in Johanna’s shoes. Just married, dancing with her dad, and knowing she’s going to spend forever with the man she loves. Jake would do almost anything to find someone to settle down and build a life with—it’s what he’s always wanted. Along with hopelessness, he feels a tiny twinge of envy at seeing someone else have what he so desperately wants, even if it’s his own sister. 

He banishes the thoughts from his mind. It’s not that his happiness for Johanna and Ben is insincere, it’s that he’s wanted to have a love that would last his entire life since he was a little kid. Jake has always had a heart full of love, even if his call sign may suggest otherwise. He’s always wanted to have a special person to share that love with. It’s hard for him when he has no reason to expect to find that kind of love. 

Bradley holds onto him tightly as the dances end, gentle kisses pressed to his cheek all the while. The older man even wipes Jake’s tears away with his thumb. He leans into the touch the slightest bit, finding so much comfort in the simple gesture of Bradley wiping his tears, and finding that he’s not at all embarrassed at showing this kind of vulnerability to him. 

All of the first dances pass, and Jake can finally get his emotions under control. He wipes at his eyes one final time, and gratefully takes the cup of water Bradley ran off to grab for him. 

“Thanks, darlin’,” he drawls. 

“Anything for you, love bug,” Bradley replies, kissing his forehead softly. 

A few moments later, the sound of an early 2000s club song starts blaring from the speakers, encouraging everybody to hit the dance floor. Jake takes Bradley’s hand and leads him out there, grouping up with Ben, Johanna, Lucas, Bailey, Garret, Jess, and the kids. 

The party begins in full force from there, with hit after hit after hit blasting through the speakers and creating a vibrant, energetic atmosphere at the reception. Jake dances with Bradley the most, but of course, Lizzie and Sammy are wanting to dance with him, too, and how could he ever deny them that?

When nearly an hour has passed by, the DJ says that he’s going to slow things down for the next song and an old classic love song plays through the speakers. 

Bradley is by his side, instantly. “May I have this dance, Mr. Seresin?” He offers a hand to Jake.

“Of course, Mr. Bradshaw,” Jake says, taking his hand as the brunet drapes an arm around his neck. The younger man’s free hand finds Bradley’s hip. 

Of all the things Jake thought he’d experience in his life, slow dancing at his sister’s wedding with Bradley Bradshaw is not one of them. He and Bradley sway gently to the music, holding each other and quietly singing the lyrics. He can quite clearly make out the sound of Bradley’s voice over the sound of the music. 

By the time their dance ends, Jake can’t believe he has the willpower to keep himself from kissing Bradley on the lips. Technically, nobody around them would find it strange, given that they believe their boyfriends, but something about it seems like taking the fake relationship too far. Sure, they knew they’d probably have to kiss in front of Jake’s family, and they have, but never on the lips. It’s only been cheek and forehead kisses, along with the occasional one to the back of the hand.

Bradley looks so gorgeous tonight, too. The way his curls are getting ruffled from dancing around and sweating a bit. His soft smile. The way his honey-brown eyes shimmer so fondly when they’re focused on Jake. It’s damn near impossible for Jake to let the song end without kissing this man within an inch of his life. 

The slow song fades out, and another fast one begins. Jake quickly excuses himself to get a drink of water and get off his feet for a few moments. He really just wants a couple of minutes to himself to think. He sits at one of the tables about twenty feet from the dance floor as he sips water from a clear, plastic cup. He’s about to let his mind wander aimlessly to thoughts of Bradley when he catches Johanna walking over to him in his peripheral vision.

“Hey, Jakey,” she says, playfully nudging his arm as she sits next to him in her gorgeous dress. 

“Hey,” he responds, smiling at her and hoping his face doesn’t betray how forced the gesture is at the current moment. 

She nudges his arm again. “Something on your mind, bud?”

Jake sighs. The answer to her question is yes, there are many, many different things on his mind right now, but he can’t say that. He can’t come clean about the fake relationship now. 

“Yeah, I guess you could say that…,” he trails off, not having a better answer than that. 

Before Johanna can respond, Jess sits down at the small table, too. “What’s going on over here? Don’t tell me you two are scheming again like when we were kids.”

The three siblings all chuckle. 

“No, we’re not scheming,” Johanna says. “Or at least I’m not. I was just about to ask Jake when he’s going to tell Bradley that he wants to be his real boyfriend.”

Jake’s heart skips a beat in his chest and he can feel himself growing hot as he tries to find a way out of this situation. How? How the hell could she possibly know? He and Bradley were so careful and so convincing, that there was no way Johanna was onto them. There’s no way anybody in the family could be onto them.

“I…what are you…how did you…?” Jake stammers hopelessly. He never has been a very good liar when he’s being confronted like this. “Damn it…”

Jess and Johanna laugh, which he supposes is a good thing. At least they aren’t mad at him for this elaborate lie he’s been telling them for several weeks now.

“Jakey, you’ve gotta remember we’re your older sisters—we know you too well,” Johanna says, gently laying her hand on his shoulder. 

“It’s pretty much our job to know you too well,” Jess agrees. “That’s how it should be with all siblings.”

Jake doesn’t know what to do, so he buries his head in his hands for a moment, before pinching the bridge of his nose and finally looking his two older sisters in the eye again. “How long have you guys known it was fake?”

Johanna and Jess share a look, nonverbally communicating. “Pretty much from the moment Mama told us you were bringing a boyfriend home,” Jess says. 

The youngest sibling can’t help but scoff. “What? Do you guys really think I’m that pathetic?”

“No, not at all,” Johanna reassures him. “But it seemed very odd that you would have suddenly had a boyfriend for a long enough time that you’d be willing to bring him along to a sibling’s wedding and we somehow hadn’t heard anything from you.”

“I know you don’t always tell us everything ,” Jess says, “but we figured we’d have been the first to know when it came to big news like that given that we’re your sisters and all.”

“So you just let me lie and make an ass out of myself for the last few weeks?” 

Jess shrugs. “Well, that’s not how I’d put it. We knew your heart was in the right place. That you probably made this up so Mama and Dad wouldn’t worry so much about you.”

Jake’s heart sinks in his chest. “Does Mama know it’s fake?”

Johanna and Jess both shake their heads. “No, she doesn’t know,” Johanna says. “If she hadn’t been dying for you to bring a boy home for years now, she probably would’ve picked up on the hints more easily than we did. I think she and Dad were just so excited to hear that you had a boyfriend that the idea that it could have been fake would have never occurred to them.”

“Does anyone else know?” He can’t help but wonder. 

“Garret and Ben had their suspicions, too, but that’s mostly our fault,” Jess admits. “Though the kids heard about your boyfriend and ran with it immediately. They were calling him ‘Uncle Bradley’ the second I told them about it.”

He chuckles a bit at the thought before reality comes crashing down again. “I’m sorry I’ve been lying to everybody, I just…I panicked when Mama asked me, and I couldn’t bear to call her back and tell her it was a lie. I didn’t wanna break her heart.”

“So a fake boyfriend was the next logical step?” Johanna teases. 

“Javy encouraged that idea, you know,” Jake says. 

Both of his sisters roll their eyes and Jess says, “That doesn’t surprise me.”

“I really am sorry, though,” Jake apologizes again. He doesn’t want his sisters to feel like he’s broken their trust.

“I’d be a lot more pissed off at you if you hadn’t brought someone so damn lovable, like Bradley,” Johanna says, looking out at the dance floor where Bradley is holding hands with Sammy and Lizzie, the three of them dancing in a circle. Jake smiles softly at the sight. “And if it wasn’t so obvious that you two actually have real feelings for each other.”

Jake laughs humorlessly. “God, if only that were true. You guys know it’s all been fake. The hand-holding, the cheek kisses, the casual touches—it’s all been a lie. Bradley doesn’t feel anything for me in a romantic sense.”

Jess and Johanna exchange another look. Jess leans forward and places a hand on his shoulder. “Jakey, I love you like crazy, but you’re a complete and utter dumbass sometimes.”

“Yeah, I’m really feeling the love,” Jake snarks. 

Johanna swats his arm. “Don’t be a smartass. What Jess is trying to say is that it’s painfully obvious that Bradley likes you, too. A blind person could see the affection he has for you. Ben was telling me a couple of days ago that he was convinced Bradley was in love with you, despite his suspicions that the whole thing was fake.”

Jake has to admit that he’s had a hard time getting those words out of his mind after Ben said that. He told himself he wasn’t going to overthink and give himself false hope. Nothing could hurt more than that. But now, after hearing it from his sisters as well, and remembering what Javy even said several weeks ago, he’s starting to think that maybe he does have a real shot at something with Bradley. 

He remembers the way Bradley so willingly dropped everything to come on this trip and be his fake boyfriend. He remembers how Bradley had blushed so intensely the first time he had kissed Jake on the cheek. How heartfelt and sincerely grateful he sounded at dinner that first night when he talked about how he felt for Jake. All of the soft and vulnerable moments they’ve shared about their lives over the last few days. Maybe he really does have a chance. 

Somehow, the thought simultaneously terrifies and excites him. He and Bradley could actually make it work. After all the longing and pining for the last eight months, on top of over a decade of misplaced emotions and bitter, petty rivalries, they might actually be able to make something work. There is nobody else in the world that Jake would rather try and have a relationship with than Bradley. 

A hand waving in front of his face brings him back to the moment. Jake’s eyes flit up and he smiles sheepishly as he looks at his older sisters. 

“You still with us?” Jess asks. 

He nods, a bit embarrassed for zoning out, but excited at the opportunity he might have with Bradley. “Yeah, I’m good.”

The song switches to something slower, a familiar guitar riff coming from the speakers. The perfect song for this moment. 

Jess and Johanna both seem to pick up on that, smirking at Jake. The latter gives him a playful shove toward the dance floor. “Go get him, Jakey.”

He flashes them a bright smile as he heads for the dance floor, the sound of “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer surrounding him as he finds Bradley on the dance floor. 

“Well, there you are, honey,” the brunet extends a hand to Jake. “Would you like to dance?”

Jake takes his hand and gently drapes his arms around Bradley’s shoulder’s while the older man’s hands settle on his hips. The brunet gives him the softest, most adoring smile Jake has ever seen. It’s enough for him to ignore the way his heart is hammering in his chest and lean in to place a feather-light kiss against Bradley’s lips right as the chorus to the song begins. 

The kiss doesn’t last very long—about three seconds—but it’s easily one of the best of Jake’s life. He feels a wave of longing coursing through him, and fireworks explode behind his eyelids at the soft touch of his lips on Bradley’s. When he breaks away, he’s not quite sure what to expect or what to do. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. 

Bradley appears bewildered for a few seconds like he can’t quite believe what just happened. Jake simply keeps his eyes on his friend, hoping the affection he feels for him is evident in his eyes and on his face. When he recovers, Bradley laughs softly and moves his hands from Jake’s hips up to cup his face as he gently brings him in for another kiss, right at the final “kiss me” from the chorus of the song. 

The first kiss was amazing for Jake, but this one, knowing that Bradley initiated it and willingly kissed him back makes it so much better. His heart soars in his chest, blooming with love and adoration for this man who means the world to him. It’s such an all-encompassing kiss that Jake feels as if he and Bradley are the only two people in the world. It feels like the beginning of something new and beautiful. It feels like coming home.

When they break apart, Jake loses himself in the soft, loving look in Bradley’s honey-brown eyes. He leans in to rest his forehead against the brunet’s, bringing them even closer together to dance to the rest of the song. Their eyes are closed as they rest their foreheads together and sway softly to the romantic song. Jake hums in contentment, still not knowing for sure if Bradley is doing this as part of an act or not, but savoring the moment nonetheless. He highly doubts the older man would have kissed him back if he didn’t also feel something for him. 

There’s an expectant look in the brunet’s eyes as the slow song ends and a new, fast-paced song begins. It’s clear to Jake that he wants to talk about what just happened, but with everybody’s energy returning on the dance floor with the upbeat song, he knows that conversation will have to wait. Even if he wants to talk about it with Bradley more than anything else. 

Jake winks at Bradley and nods, trying to communicate that they’ll talk, and hopefully that the brunet feels the same way about him. Bradley nods back and gives the younger man a soft smile as Sammy and Lizzie swoop in to keep dancing with them. 

The remainder of the reception passes by in a blur of dancing, singing, and enjoying the marriage celebration with the people Jake loves the most in his life. The party doesn’t truly begin to slow down until eleven PM and it’s just past midnight when the crowd has thinned to the blonde’s immediate family. They all begin saying their goodbyes for the night, but they’ll all see each other tomorrow for brunch at Meredith and Dan’s Airbnb for one last meal together before Johanna and Ben go off on their honeymoon, and the rest of the family goes their separate ways. 

The Uber ride back to the hotel is mostly quiet, only occasionally interrupted by small talk. Jake spends the majority of the drive thinking about his kiss with Bradley. How those soft lips felt pressed against his. The way the older man’s mustache tickled his upper lip. The way their lips fit so perfectly together. The way he yearns for more of those kisses. For more of Bradley. 

Jake’s chest blooms with warmth each time he replays the memories of those kisses in his mind, and he hopes more than anything that they mean as much to Bradley as they do to him. Considering the passion with which the brunet kissed him back he must feel the same way about Jake. He has to feel at least something more than just friendship for him. If not, then Bradley really is an incredible actor, and probably should win an Oscar for pulling this whole thing off so well. 

As they arrive back at the hotel and head up to their room, Jake tries desperately to think positively about the kisses, not negatively. He just can’t imagine Bradley would have so eagerly kissed him back the second time if his feelings for him were truly platonic. God knows he would have struggled to kiss someone so passionately if he didn’t feel some sort of attraction to them. His kisses with his ex-girlfriend from high school are proof of that.

When they arrive at their room, Jake opens the door with Bradley behind him, his heart hammering in his chest again. He’s terrified to tell Bradley how desperately he’s longed for him, and how he’d do anything for this relationship to be real, but he knows the jig is up—he’s got to say something now, regardless of his fears.

Once they’re inside the room and the door is shut, Jake feels a strong hand taking hold of his own. He turns to see Bradley looking at him nervously, a slight tremor in his hands. The blonde looks at his friend, expectantly.

“Jake,” Bradley’s voice is shaky, just like his hands. He takes a deep breath. “Can we talk?”

Well, this is it. Bradley is either going to let him down gently or tell him he feels the same way. Jake nods in response, taking a deep and shaky breath as well, hoping for the best but preparing for the worst. The older man leads him by the hand as they both sit on the edge of the bed. Bradley’s thumb runs over the back of Jake’s hand as they sit next to each other. 

There’s vulnerability written all over Bradley’s face and in his honey-brown eyes. He’s still noticeably trembling as he looks at Jake. 

“Look, Jakey,” Bradley begins and Jake already feels his heart sink. That doesn’t sound like a good start. “Do you remember what I said at dinner the other night when your mom asked me what made me fall for you?”

The blonde nods his head, certain now that Bradley must not feel the same way about him. He braces himself to be let down easily, knowing that his friend will do his best to make this as painless as possible. “I remember, yeah.”

This is where Bradley will tell him that it was just part of the act and that he didn’t mean it. He was just so complimentary of Jake because he needed to sell the fake boyfriend idea, that’s all. That’s probably the only reason he kissed him back. There were too many witnesses out on the dance floor for Bradley to act truly weirded out by the kiss. 

Damn it. Jake has almost convinced himself that Javy and his sisters were right. Too bad it’s all about to come crashing down. 

Bradley clears his throat before he continues. “Well…I hadn’t realized how true those words were until I found myself saying them.”

Jake tilts his head slightly in confusion, trying to process what the older man is telling him. “What do you mean?” he wonders. 

“I mean…” Bradley averts his gaze and awkwardly rubs at the back of his neck. “...everything I said that night is true. When I look back at our history—the good and the bad—it just feels right that we ended up here. That we worked things out and put the past behind us after that mission that should have killed me, and that we’ve become friends. I wouldn’t trade that for anything, Jake.”

At this point, the younger man genuinely has no idea if Bradley is trying to confess his feelings for him or let him down gently. He could see it going either way.

Bradley lets go of his hand so he can bring them both up to gently rest on the blonde’s face. “I meant it when I said I couldn’t help but fall for you. I can’t imagine myself falling for anyone else. You’re—you mean the world to me, and I don’t know what I’d do without your goofy jokes, your southern charm, your constant teasing. I don’t know what I’d do without you , Jake.”

Before he can come up with any words to respond with, Jake is surging forward and pressing his lips against Bradley’s for a passionate kiss, even more so than the two they shared on the dance floor. The brunet’s hands rest on his chest as they kiss, their soft lips moving in synchronization, unable to get enough of each other. Just as with the kisses at the wedding, this one is easily one of the best of Jake’s life. The fireworks don’t stop exploding behind his eyelids until he and Bradley have to part for air. 

Breathing a bit heavily, Jake looks at Bradley and smiles bright enough to rival the sun. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, either. I never realized how unthinkable the idea of a world without you was until the mission. I thank God every day that I got to you in time.”

Bradley leans in to press a quick, soft kiss to his lips, and damn if it’s not the best feeling in the world to freely be kissed by Bradley Bradshaw. “You know, I think I’ve been crushing on you since we got back from the mission,” the older man admits sheepishly. 

Jake chuckles and takes Bradley’s hand, kissing the back of it. “Yeah? You and me both, then. I’ve been pining after you for eight months straight.”

Bradley laughs as well. “Natasha kept telling me to make a move but…well, I figured given our past you probably didn’t feel that way about me, even if we had become friends.”

“Javy kept telling me about the longing looks you were giving me, but I was convinced that he was crazy,” Jake says. “I guess maybe he was right after all.”

The brunet beams at him. “He definitely was.”

A thought occurs to Jake, and he can’t help but burst out laughing at the absurdity of it. Bradley looks at him a bit confused, but there’s still a smile on his face. 

“What is it?” Bradley asks. 

Jake takes a minute to compose himself, still trying to hold the laughter back. “We…we could have saved ourselves so much stress if we had just confessed our feelings for each other three weeks ago, rather than set up this elaborate plan.” He falls back into another fit of laughter at his own idiocy.

Bradley begins to laugh too, seeming to also understand how stupidly they’ve played this. Their laughter carries on to an almost hysterical point until Jake’s side hurts from giggling so much. As they finally start to calm down, Bradley gives Jake another incredibly fond look. 

“You know, I wanted to tell you how I felt a long time ago, but then you asked me to be your fake boyfriend. At that point, I sort of assumed you didn’t have feelings for me.”

Jake can’t help but laugh again. “I would have liked to tell you how I felt months ago, but I think I was just too scared to ruin what he had started. Then, you agreed to be my fake boyfriend, and I assumed you only said yes because you didn’t have those feelings for me .”

Bradley gives him an amused look. “God, we’re kind of stupid now that I think about it. I just assumed that if you liked me, you would have asked me to be your real date for the wedding. And maybe your real boyfriend.”

Jake shakes his head, not able to believe how oblivious he and Bradley both were to each other. “That’s what I told myself about you. I thought that if you wanted to be with me for real, you’d ask me to be your real boyfriend.”

The brunet gives his hand a gentle squeeze, that adoring look never leaving those gorgeous eyes. “I think it’s pretty clear that we’re gonna need to work on our communication skills if we want to try and give this thing between us a real shot.”

He smiles at his friend. “I think you’re absolutely right. We’ll make that priority number one.”

Bradley returns the smile, leaning in for another soft and loving kiss. Jake’s breath is taken away as his heart flutters and soars in his chest yet again. He doubts that’s ever going to stop. Kissing Bradley Bradshaw just feels too perfect. Like their lips are two pieces of a puzzle that were hand-crafted to fit together perfectly. 

They break for air, and Jake rests their foreheads together as he takes in this glorious moment of being able to freely kiss Bradley and be this close to him. It’s everything he’s wanted for so long but convinced himself he could never have. God, he’s never been so happy to be wrong.

“Where do we go from here?” Bradley mumbles softly after a few moments. 

“I honestly have no idea,” Jake replies. “I imagine a first date is probably a good move. A first real date,” he corrects himself. 

Bradley snickers. “Yeah, I think a real first date is probably the right way to go. So, where would you like to go on this first date of ours?”

Jake thinks for a moment before his gaze falls back on Bradley. “Honestly, I don’t care where we go or what we do, so long as I get to be with you. That’s all I’m ever really gonna need.”

The older man leans forward to give him another quick kiss. “I feel the same way. We can always work out the details later. For right now, I’m just content to know you feel the same way.”

“I do,” Jake says. “I don’t know how I couldn’t fall for someone like you. You’re…well, this is gonna sound really sappy, but you’re everything I ever wanted to find in a man. I just never thought I actually would.”

“You’re right,” Bradley smiles. “That does sound really sappy, but I can’t fault you for it, because that’s exactly how I feel.” His face becomes a little more serious. “I always figured I’d go through life alone. I lost both of my parents before I became a legal adult, and I believed that falling in love wasn’t meant for me because I always seemed to lose the people who meant the most to me in some way or another. I didn’t think I could survive another loss like that in my life. So I kept to myself and never really committed to a relationship. I was too scared, and honestly, I really wasn’t ready for it. But Jake…with you…I want to try. I want to put in the effort to make it work. I want to be your boyfriend for real and give things between us a real chance because I’ve never felt this way for someone before.”

 Jake can’t stop himself from leaning forward and kissing Bradley softly. Can all of this really be happening? Is this just some twisted dream where Jake wakes up in this hotel bed, ready to start this day for real? It’s all so impossibly perfect. But he knows it’s not a dream. Somehow this is real. God or fate or the universe or something has blessed him with everything he’s ever wanted, and there’s no way in hell he’s not going to take it. 

The blonde’s hands are gently cupping Bradley’s face as he responds. “Bradley, I want to try with you, too. I want to be your real boyfriend and take you out on dates and come home to you after long days at work and cuddle up in bed every night. I want to have that with you. More than anything.”

“Me too,” Bradley says, quietly. “Me too. You’re it for me, Jake.”

A wave of adoration—and fine, why not admit it— love washes over Jake. He loves Bradley Bradshaw, more than anything in the world, he just might have to hold onto that for a little bit. He doesn’t want to scare this man away when he’s only been his boyfriend for about thirty seconds. 

“You’re it for me too, Bradley,” Jake says, meaning it more than anything in the world. He can’t imagine himself ever feeling this way about somebody else. 

They share another soft kiss, just as beautiful and perfect as the others. To Jake, it feels like he’s making a promise with the gentle press of his lips to Bradley. A promise to do anything and everything it takes to make this relationship work. 

“Jakey, can I ask you one more thing?” Bradley asks once they’ve broken apart from their kiss. 

“Sweetheart, you can ask me anything,” Jake says sincerely.

The brunet swallows nervously. “Can we…take things a little bit slowly to start? I wanna make sure we get this right. You’re too important to me to risk screwing this up.”

Jake leans forward and gives him a soft forehead kiss. “Roo, we can go at whatever pace you want. I just want to be with you, that’s all I need.”

“You mean it?” Bradley asks, a bit of disbelief in his voice.

The younger man nods and smiles at him softly. “I mean it with my whole heart. Please, don’t ever feel like we have to rush this. I only need you to be happy, the rest of it can wait.”

Bradley smiles and brings him in for a quick, but passionate kiss. “Thank you, Jakey.”

He smiles softly at the nickname. “Of course, darlin’.”

They share yet another tender kiss, this one long and lingering until they finally break apart. Even then, Jake can’t help but steal one more little kiss. Bradley chuckles, stealing one right back. 

“Just can’t let me have the last kiss, can you?” Jake teases. 

The brunet smiles and shakes his head. “Nope…I win.”

“We’re competing over kisses now?”

“We compete over almost everything else, so why not?” Bradley kisses him quickly again, smiling triumphantly. “You’re falling behind.”

“You suck,” Jake laughs, pushing Bradley back on the bed and attacking his lips with kiss after kiss. By the time he’s done, he and Bradley are both panting, and he can’t deny he’s feeling a bit aroused. “I think I win.”

The older man looks like he’s been kissed senseless, his lips slightly swollen and seeming unable to form a coherent word for a few moments. “Okay, I’ll give you that one.”

Jake can’t help but chuckle at the sight of him. “I’m gonna take that victory, then.”

Bradley smiles and leans in for one more kiss. “I’ll let you have this one, mostly because I think I just went into shock from so many amazing kisses at once.”

The blonde gives him a playful swat on the arm. “Look at you being such a charmer.”

“Can’t help it,” Bradley says, looking at him with metaphorical hearts in his eyes. 

Jake’s about to lean in for what must be the hundredth kiss of the night but is stopped by a massive yawn from Bradley. They both laugh at him and the way he slightly ruined the moment. Jake has to admit he’s exhausted, himself, and Bradley looks like he would benefit from some sleep as well. 

“How about we get ready for bed, then we can cuddle up together?” Jake suggests.

“I love the sound of that.”

The two men change out of their dress clothes for the wedding and each settles on T-shirts and boxer briefs for their pajamas. Bradley follows Jake into the bathroom, each of them brushing their teeth together and hip-checking each other just to be flirty.

When they’ve finished brushing their teeth, Jake pops open the cap on one of his skincare products. He’s surprised to hear Bradley's honest-to-God whine from behind him.

“Do you have to do this tonight?” Bradley mopes. “I wanna go cuddle.”

Jake laughs, not used to seeing this side of his new boyfriend. God, being able to think of Bradley as his boyfriend might just be the best feeling in the world. “Who knew you were so needy, sweetheart?”

Bradley gives him a pouty look, which is so adorable the blonde can’t help but smile. “Don’t tease me,” he says, still moping. 

“I’m your boyfriend now,” Jake reminds him. “Your real boyfriend. Which means I’m gonna tease you constantly, baby. That’s part of it.”

“You’re mean,” Bradley mutters. 

He rolls his eyes fondly at the older man. “How about you go through my skincare routine with me, huh?”

Bradley seems to debate it for a moment, eventually giving in and walking toward Jake, who smiles at him brightly. “Yay, this’ll be fun!”

By the time they’re done a few minutes later, the younger man is almost certain Bradley had no fun whatsoever, but he can’t deny that both of them have glowing skin now. Jake’s exhaustion is starting to win out as he drags his feet back into the bedroom, the brunet a few paces ahead of him. Bradley flops down on the bed comically, crawling under the covers and sighing in relief at finally resting. Jake lays down on his side and finds Bradley shifting over to snuggle up with him. The older man rests his head against Jake’s chest.

“I’m glad to see you’re a big cuddler as well, Roo,” Jake snickers. 

Bradley mumbles into his chest. “I love cuddles, and I told you I’m a sleep cuddler a few nights ago.”

“That wasn’t just an excuse to cuddle me?” Jake teases, the idea only just now occurring to him. 

His boyfriend chuckles softly. “No, I was serious. Though I have to admit I did enjoy waking up with my arms around you.”

“It wasn’t half bad for me either,” Jake boops Bradley on the nose with his finger, earning him a sleepy smile. 

“I guess you like being the little spoon then?” Bradley asks. 

“Doesn’t everybody? It makes you feel so safe and cozy.”

“Good point. Dibs on being the little spoon tonight.” Bradley rolls over so his back is to Jake. Though he can’t see his face, the blonde knows he’s anxiously awaiting his touch.

“Fine,” he agrees. “But I wanna be the little spoon tomorrow night.”

“Deal, now cuddle me,” Bradley demands, and who is Jake to deny him such a request? He rolls over as well, snuggling into Bradley and pulling him close, wrapping an arm around him and breathing him in. He sighs in contentment. This is something he’s not going to have any trouble getting used to. 

“Goodnight, Jakey,” Bradley mumbles into the blankets. 

Jake smiles to himself and kisses Bradley softly on the back of the neck. “Goodnight, Roo. Get some rest sweetheart.”

***

When the next morning dawns, Jake awakes in the arms of the man he’ll fully admit he’s fallen in love with. He might be a bit hesitant to drop that bomb on Bradley when they’ve only been real boyfriends for about nine hours, but he knows it in his heart. For now, that’s enough. His boyfriend awakes a few minutes later, sleepy and disheveled, but absolutely adorable nonetheless.

They get up and get moving relatively quickly so they’re not late to brunch at the Airbnb with Jake’s family. As much as Jake wants to see his family one more time before he heads back to San Diego, part of him really wants to stay in bed all tangled up and cuddled with Bradley. Being with him just feels so perfect. So right. Part of him still can’t believe that what happened last night was real, not some crazy dream where everything he’s ever wanted falls right into his lap. Somehow, it’s reality. Jake doesn’t know what he’s done to deserve it, but he knows he’ll never take it for granted.

Later that morning when they’re packing their bags before they head out, something occurs to Jake. Jess and Johanna may have confronted him about the fake relationship, but he doubts Bradley has any knowledge of that. He knows he hasn’t told him yet. 

He gives his suitcase a final zip to close it, then turns to look at Bradley. “Hey, so there’s something I should probably tell you before we head out.”

The man gives him a curious look. “Sure, what is it, Jakey.”

Jake chuckles awkwardly. “Well, the thing is…Jess and Johanna told me last night that they knew we were in a fake relationship.”

Bradley looks startled. “How could they have known? We planned everything out so perfectly and were pretty damn convincing, I think.”

“I don’t disagree, but they’re my sisters, so I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised.”

“They aren’t mad at us, are they?” Bradley asks. “I mean, they don’t have reason to be mad at us now since this is real, but are they mad about us lying to them before?”

Jake shakes his head. “No, actually they said they wanted to give me the benefit of the doubt. Then they met you and said they thought it was obvious that we had real feelings for each other, even if the relationship was fake.”

Bradley breathes a sigh of relief. “Good. I didn’t want them to not like me now.”

He chuckles at his boyfriend. “Nah, they all love you, I wouldn’t worry about that. Plus, Dad and Mama never suspected a thing, so I have a feeling this is gonna be an inside joke between us and my sisters for years to come.”

Bradley gives him a genuine, adoring smile. “I like the sound of that. ‘For years to come.’ It has a nice ring to it.”

Jake mirrors his expression. “It does, doesn’t it? You and me, for years to come.”

The brunet crosses the room to rest his hands on Jake’s hips. “For years to come,” he echoes, kissing his lips softly.

He smiles into the kiss with his new boyfriend and giggles when he rubs his mustache over his top lip. “That tickles.”

Bradley smiles and does it again and again as Jake laughs, halfheartedly trying to fight him off. They laugh together until the brunet captures his mouth in a delicate and adoring kiss, the two of them smiling against each other’s lips. 

“You’re adorable,” Bradley smiles.

Jake feels his cheeks heating up in a scarlet flush. “So are you. I could kiss you all day,” he leans in to lay another one on Bradley. 

“I could, too,” his boyfriend replies when they break apart. 

“We do have brunch to get to, though. And I’d like for my family to see you as my real boyfriend. Well, those that know it was fake anyway,” Jake chuckles. 

Bradley smirks. “I guess we’ll just have to save most of our kisses for when we’re back in San Diego tonight.”

Jake’s heart skips a beat at the suggestive tone in Bradley’s voice. “Is that a promise, Bradshaw?”

“It’s a guarantee, sweetheart,” he replies, the suggestive tone just as strong as before.

“I’m gonna hold you to that, Roo,” Jake smirks back. 

“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”

They share one last sweet kiss before Jake reluctantly splits them up so they can finish packing their bags and not be late for brunch. It takes them a few more minutes to pack and do one last sweep of the hotel room and bathroom to make sure they haven’t forgotten any of their belongings. With that out of the way, they head down to the lobby to check out of their room and head off to brunch. 

Even though they arrive a few minutes early, they’re still the last ones to show. Jess, Johanna, Garret, and Ben all shoot the two men some knowing looks when they walk through the door as if the two of them were the ones who got married last night. Jake looks over his shoulder to make sure his mama and the kids aren’t looking and flips the four of them off as they head into the kitchen. 

To nobody’s surprise, Meredith is cooking up a storm, working on eggs, bacon, sausage, and pancakes with the help of Dan, Lizzie, and Sammy. However, the kids become much less helpful when they see that Jake and Bradley have arrived. While the family chats as they’re cooking, Jess and Johanna sneak Jake and Bradley away for a few moments. 

“I feel like I’m in trouble,” Bradley jokes. 

“Only for not making a move on our little brother sooner,” Jess replies. 

Bradley and Jake both turn bright red, the former rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Yeah…well…let's just say I’m kicking myself for that, too. But I’m glad to have him now. If this is going to be the shovel talk, I promise it’s not necessary. I’m never gonna hurt this man.” To prove his point, he leans over and gives Jake a kiss on the forehead. 

The sisters laugh. “No, not the shovel talk at all. We just wanted to make sure Jake didn’t chicken out and actually went through with confessing his feelings.”

The brunet laughs. “Well, technically I’m the one who got the conversation started.”

Jake swats at his arm. “Hey, I’m the one who kissed you first at the wedding!”

“Maybe so, but I’m the one who initiated the conversation last night.”

“I had every intention of confessing my feelings to you, too! You just beat me to it.”

“Sure, honey,” Bradley says, his tone patronizing. 

“Ugh, you know what? All three of you suck,” Jake says, though there isn’t any real heat behind his words. “Can’t we all just be happy that Bradley and I are together for real?”

“We are happy for you,” Jess says, “we just wanted to make sure you guys actually talked about your feelings. A few kisses on the dance floor wasn’t going to be enough with you two it seems.”

Jake chuckles softly. “Yeah, we’re a little oblivious, I’ll give you that. But you two could give me some more credit, you know. We did talk everything out.”

“But Bradley said he got the ball rolling by starting the conversation,” Johanna observes.

The blonde sighs in exasperation. “I give up.”

Bradley, Johanna, and Jess all laugh, and the brunet leans over to give Jake a kiss on the temple to show that he’s just messing with him. He’s loath to admit how quickly it makes him lose the little bit of annoyance he was feeling toward him.

They return to the kitchen where the food is still being cooked and Ben and Garret have been put to work on setting the table. Lizzie and Sammy are assisting in cooking the pancakes. Sammy smiles brightly when he sees Jake and Bradley re-enter the kitchen. 

“Uncle Bradley, come look at my pancake! It’s shaped like a fighter jet!” Sammy says excitedly, that adorable childlike amusement in his eyes. 

Jake grabs Bradley's wrist and pulls him in to whisper into his ear. “I’m not sure how I feel about my niece and nephew liking you better than me, now,” he teases, patting Bradley lightly on the butt as he walks over to see what Sammy has made. 

Judging by the look on his boyfriend’s face, and the forced excitement that the adults can see but the kids are oblivious to, Sammy’s pancake surely looks nothing like a fighter jet. Jake walks over to admire his nephew’s work nonetheless. 

“Look, Uncle Jake!”

He and Bradley share an amused grin at the oddly shaped pancake, resembling a crumpled-up piece of paper more than any sort of aircraft the two men have ever seen. “Well, that’s quite something there, buddy.”

“I’d like to fly in a plane like that one day. Maybe we’ll pitch it as the world’s first sixth-generation fighter jet,” Bradley encourages, causing Sammy to beam with joy.

Meredith steps in, sharing the same look of amusement as she shoos all three boys away from the kitchen and over to the table as she finishes up the food. 

“At least we can say we encouraged him,” Bradley whispers to Jake, chuckling softly. 

“That we can,” he agrees. 

They all return to the table, with Sammy and Lizzie insisting on sitting next to Bradley and Jake since nobody is really sure when they’ll see the two of them again. Now that Bradley really is his boyfriend and he’s seen how quickly his family has grown to love him, the blonde hopes it won’t be too long before they’re all reunited.

To absolutely nobody’s surprise, the food is amazing, and Jake quietly mourns the fact that he won’t have his mama’s cooking for quite some time after this meal. She’s given him essentially all of her recipes, but he never feels like his versions taste quite the same, despite following the directions exactly. Maybe that’s something that he and Bradley will be able to work on together. He smiles softly at the thought and turns his head to give Bradley a quick kiss on the cheek. 

Meredith coos from across the table. “I sure am gonna miss seeing the two of you being so sweet on each other. It makes me so happy to see you boys together.”

“Wow, Mama,” Johanna says, feigning offense. “You do remember that I’m your child who got married last night.” She turns her head to kiss Ben’s cheek. “Where’s our little ‘aww’ moment?”

“Johanna, I’ve been telling you for years that I’m Mama’s favorite,” Jake jokes, snickering at his own wit. 

Meredith rolls her eyes. “Oh, please, everybody who’s had kids knows that you don’t have a favorite. You love them all so much you can’t stand it. But, it doesn’t mean that I can’t be exceptionally happy for the new relationship Jakey has found with a man as lovely as Bradley.”

The brunet blushes an incredible shade of red as Meredith compliments him. “Well, thank you. That’s very kind of you to say.”

Jake looks at Johanna and winks. “Like I said: I’m the favorite.”

“Hush up,” Johanna says, shooting him a playful glare. 

“Just sayin’.”

“Alright, kids, behave. Your own niece and nephew are behaving better than you two are right now,” Dan chimes in, though it’s clear he’s amused by the situation. 

Jake looks over to Sammy and Lizzie who both stick their tongues out at him. He mimics the gesture, earning him a giggle from his niece and nephew. 

As brunch winds down, Johanna and Ben prepare to leave the earliest, having to catch a flight for their honeymoon. Goodbyes are said and hugs are exchanged as they prepare to head out. A few tears even fall from Sammy and Lizzie, sad to see their aunt and new uncle go. Johanna and Ben hug the kids tightly, then say their goodbyes to Jake and Bradley last. 

“Bradley, I’m so glad I got to meet you,” Ben says, shaking his hand. “Take good care of Jakey.”

Jake rolls his eyes at his brother-in-law as Bradley replies. “Don’t worry, I will.”

Johanna hugs both the blonde and brunet at the same time. “Oh, I’m gonna miss the two of you so much. I’m so glad we all got to meet you, Bradley.” She leans a little closer to whisper to them. “I’m so happy the two of you got together for real, you’re perfect for each other.”

With that, the newlywed couple says their final goodbyes as they head out of the house to catch their cab to the airport. Jake is going to miss the two of them like crazy, he already knows it. Seeming to sense this, Bradley takes his hand and gives it a gentle, comforting squeeze. He can’t help but smile in response. 

Jake and Bradley only have about an hour and a half left until they have to leave for their own flight, which is spent assisting with the dishes and sitting around the table, talking, laughing, and telling stories with the rest of the family. Jake finds himself looking at Bradley for the majority of that time. Watching the way his eyes crinkle and his bright smile as he laughs. Admiring his nose and sharp jaw, and the way they move as he talks. It’s almost impossible to believe how quickly, easily, and perfectly he’s fit into the family, and how right it feels to be by his side for real now. It’s even better than he could have hoped for. 

When the unfortunate time comes for them to get ready to leave, the kids burst into tears yet again, clinging to them as if it will actually be able to make the world shift and allow them to stay. It breaks Jake’s heart whenever he has to tell those kiddos goodbye. 

He bends down to hug Sammy, who is crying in his arms in the foyer. “I know, buddy, I know. I don’t wanna leave, either. But I’ll see you soon. I promise. It’ll only be a few months, kiddo.”

“That’s too long,” Sammy cries softly, clinging to his shirt and staining it with his tears. 

Jake rubs his nephew’s back soothingly. “It is, bud, but I promise it’ll go by fast, okay? I’ll see you again before you know it.”

“You promise it’ll go by fast?” Sammy asks, tears still streaming down his cheeks. 

The blonde gently wipes the tears away. “I promise. Bradley and I will see you soon.”

Lizzie stands off to the side, not crying as much after already having her turn to be hugged goodbye by Jake. He looks over at her and motions for her to come closer for one more hug. He embraces the two kids tightly, literally missing them already and knowing he’s going to hate to be away from them for a while, too. 

Their goodbyes to Bradley aren’t quite as emotional, but it’s clear they’re no happier to see him go than they are Jake. Bradley hugs both of them back so delicately as if he’s afraid they’ll break. 

Sammy clings to him just a bit longer before he lets go of his shirt. “Bye, Uncle Bradley. I love you.”

“I…” Bradley hesitates only for a moment, just enough time for Jake to wonder if the brunet will say that he acknowledges his statement again. ”…I love you too, buddy.”

Jake can hear everyone else quietly sigh at the adorable exchange, and he’ll admit that he was a part of the group. It truly is precious to see how much the kids love Bradley when they’ve known him for less than a week. 

He hugs Jess and Garret goodbye, then moves on to his mama, who has tears welling up in her eyes again, just as she did with Johanna and Ben. She doesn’t hesitate to hug him. “You be a good boy and be safe, okay? And call me when you get home, I’ll be worried about you until I hear from you.”

“I’ll call, Mama, I promise. And I’ll be good. I have Bradley now to keep me in line,” Jake smirks, before moving on to hug his dad. 

“Bye, son,” Dan says, giving him a long, tight hug. “Like your mama said: be good and be safe. We’ll see you soon.”

“I will, Dad. Thank you for everything.”

“Of course, Jake. You boys both take care.”

Meredith can’t help herself it seems, as she walks forward to bring Jake and Bradley both in for a group hug, just like Johanna did earlier. “I’m gonna miss you two. Look after each other, have fun, and grow in your relationship. There’s nothing more beautiful than that.”

“We will, Mama, I promise you we will,” Jake says as Bradley nods. 

“Okay, goodbye my love bugs,” Meredith says. “And Bradley, thank you for looking after my baby.”

Bradley flashes her a genuine smile. “It’s the greatest joy of my life to do so.”

They say their final goodbyes then, heading out the door to their cab to the airport. The ride is filled with a melancholy vibe as they begin their journey back to San Diego. Bradley and Jake hold hands the entire way to the airport, with the brunet’s thumb gently running over the back of the blonde’s in a comforting motion. Jake appreciates it more than he can say—it makes him feel a bit less sad that his time with his family has come to an end.

Even when they arrive at the airport, they keep their fingers intertwined as much as possible, not wanting to separate from each other now that they can do this so freely and not have it be part of an act. God, Jake really can’t believe that he has this. That Bradley has become his actual boyfriend. It’s like everything he’s spent the last several months wishing for has been granted to him. 

They’re sitting at a small coffee shop at the airport, waiting for their flight to begin boarding when Jake fully realizes how head-over-heels in love he’s fallen with Bradley Bradshaw. He can’t quite explain why the revelation is just now fully sinking in when there’s nothing special about this moment. They’re just sitting at an airport cafe enjoying some coffee. But Jake knows, right then and right there, that he wasn’t kidding when he said Bradley was it for him. He knows that there’s nobody else in the entire world he’d rather fall for. 

There’s nobody else in the world he’d want to spend his life with. 

He files that idea away for now, but he can’t help but let it fill him with joy for just a moment. 

And Javy said this sort of thing only happened in rom-coms and made-for-Netflix movies. God, he can’t wait to prove his best friend wrong. That gives him an idea, and he smirks to himself as he thinks up a plan.

Bradley’s eyes flit up from his phone to look at Jake. He gives him a soft smile and raises an eyebrow in question at the smirk on his boyfriend’s face. 

“Uh oh, whatcha thinking about over there?” He asks playfully. 

“Oh, nothing,” Jake says, far too innocently. “I just thought of a bet we could maybe make.”

The older man gives him a suspicious look. “What kind of bet?”

“Well, we’re going to have to tell the squad eventually that we’re together for real…but what if we hold off on that? Let’s see how long it takes for them to call one of us out on being a real couple.”

Bradley considers this a moment before he shrugs. “Sounds like a fun challenge. What are the stakes?”

“Loser buys dinner like usual?” Jake suggests. 

The brunet smiles and shakes his head softly. “I should have figured.”

Jake waits for an official answer. “So, what do you say? Is it a bet?”

Bradley smiles and nods. “Yeah, it’s a bet. You’re gonna have to kiss me instead of shaking on it, though.”

The blonde laughs, but does just that, leaning over the small table and laying a tender kiss on his boyfriend’s lips. He loves that he can be so relaxed and carefree with Bradley and that their playful competition doesn’t seem to be going anywhere now that they’re an official couple. As they break apart from their kiss, they hear that boarding has begun for their flight over the PA system. 

“Well, sweetheart, our plane awaits,” Jake says, offering his hand to Bradley.

When his boyfriend’s hand presses against his own and their fingers intertwine as they walk to their plane, it feels like the beginning of something new. It feels like Jake has finally found the right person for him, even if he was right in front of him for over a decade. 

But none of that matters now. All that matters is that they have each other as they board the flight that will take them back home, where their future together will finally begin.