by G. R. Lyons
Spencer locked up the shop, grinning as he pocketed the key, then stripped off his jacket and hooked it on a finger over his shoulder as he strode out to the crowd that was starting to gather.
He found Dirk near the front, talking with a photographer whom Jayden had hired for the event. Dirk spotted him and broke off his conversation, giving Spencer a smile and then a kiss once he got close enough.
“Hey,” Dirk murmured. “All set?”
Spencer nodded.
“Excited?” Dirk asked, a soft smile on his face.
“I am,” Spencer said with a sigh.
Dirk grinned, then kissed him again. “Good,” he murmured. “I'm so glad.”
Spencer grinned back.
“Here's your coffee, Mr. Cameron!” someone said.
Spencer pulled back from Dirk and saw Dirk's new assistant, Gil, rushing toward them, the hyper young man wearing an eager smile on his face as he held out a to-go cup from the coffee shop just down the street.
“Thanks,” Dirk said, taking the cup. “Is everything set?”
Gil nodded rapidly while he scanned a tablet he held. “Everything's in place, servers are up and running, all systems checked. Alarm codes set, files stored, the old offices officially empty–”
Dirk held up a hand. “Thanks, Gil. Would you do me a favor and go double-check the status with the printer?”
“For the next issue,” Gil said, nodding rapidly as he pulled out his mobile phone and started to hurry away. “On it, Mr. C.”
Spencer chuckled as the young man walked away. “He's still very eager.”
“Hmmm,” Dirk said. He took a sip of his coffee and grimaced. “Still can't get my coffee right, though.”
Spencer gave him a sympathetic smile. “But he did catch that fine print when Nautilus tried to restart their contract with you, though.”
Dirk nodded. “Yeah, he did. Saved us a world of trouble.” He took another sip of his coffee and grumbled under his breath.
Spencer tilted his head, studying Dirk's face. “Worth it?” he asked.
Dirk looked at him, his grimace slipping right into a soft smile. He reached out with his free hand, cupped it around the back of Spencer's neck, and pulled him in for a kiss. “So worth it,” he breathed.
Spencer grinned.
“Daddy!”
Spencer laughed and pulled back from Dirk, scanning the crowd until he spotted Jayden running toward them. Like Spencer and Dirk, Jayden was dressed up for the occasion, but whereas they were wearing three-piece suits, Jayden had gone without a jacket and had his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing off the bracelet he wore.
The one Spencer had made for him, with Daddy's boy carved into the leather.
Spencer glanced at Dirk. Sure enough, the man wore the watch Spencer had made for him two years ago.
The sight of both his boys wearing his creations made him so happy, he thought he might burst.
Jayden practically crashed into them, one arm around each of their waists, almost knocking them over. Spencer and Dirk both laughed and hugged him back.
“Isn't this exciting?” Jayden said, biting his lip and bouncing on his feet. “I can't wait for you to see.”
Spencer and Dirk shared a look, then they all turned to face the building in front of them.
Their new apartment wasn't the only move that had happened in the past two years. As things had developed between Spencer wanting to open his own shop and Jayden wanting to start his fashion line, they'd realized they couldn't do it all out of their home, and Jayden had gotten it into his head that they could all go to work together but have their own, separate spaces in the same building.
So the little brat had gone out and bought a whole building, right across from Temple Park. And it was absolutely perfect for their needs. The building had been undergoing renovations, anyway, so it had been vacant when Jayden bought it, leaving them free to set up their various businesses as needed once the remodel was done. As the three of them stood there, they looked up at the new home of Dandy Magazine, J. Wyatt Designs, Storm Danagger Designs, and, of course, S.D. Custom Leather. There were even a few empty floors remaining, so they had room for expansion or to bring on other businesses that were part of the fashion industry.
“Gods, I don't know which I want more,” Jayden said, still bouncing with excitement. “Today's reveal, or my first show. Maybe Storm's first show. Did you see the sketches he made for the preview meeting we're having next week? They're amazing. He's gonna be such a hit!”
Spencer and Dirk both chuckled, giving Jayden a squeeze between them. Little Storm was fast becoming part of the family. They'd gotten him away from his parents and moved him into their spare bedroom so he'd have a safe place to live, but the kid had insisted on getting a job to help pay his own way while still finishing school on his own. The accounting classes had been his parents' idea, but Storm hated leaving things unfinished. So Storm now had a business degree under his belt as well as a fashion line that would officially launch in a few weeks.
The kid had even found time and money to have his top surgery done as well as starting his hormone replacement therapy. Spencer smiled. The little one was still painfully shy—they hadn't yet convinced him to go to the club to see about finding a Daddy of his own—but he was definitely going places when it came to his career.
Jayden, though, hadn't actually finished business school, but he'd gained a healthy respect for just how much went into making a business run, so Spencer and Dirk decided to call that good enough.
Dirk gave him a curious look over the top of Jayden's head. “What are you smiling about?”
Spencer breathed a laugh. “I was thinking about that night when you told Jayden to write up his chart of accounts, and he didn't.”
Dirk's eyes flashed. “Mmmm. That was so hot. Watching you punish him…”
Jayden squirmed. “Can we maybe not talk about that night ever again?” he whined.
Spencer chuckled. “You didn't like being denied Daddy's cock, did you, little one?” he murmured.
Jayden whined again.
Spencer kissed his temple. “Won't happen again, will it?”
Jayden rapidly shook his head as a shudder ran through him, and Dirk laughed.
“Don't worry,” Spencer murmured. “You'll get plenty of Daddy's cock tonight.”
Jayden bit his lip. “Yes, please,” he begged.
“Later,” Spencer said, winking at him.
Jayden squirmed again, and Spencer was pretty sure he saw Dirk do the same.
The photographer approached them. “I think we're all set, whenever you guys are ready.”
“Where's Storm?” Dirk asked.
Jayden grimaced. “He wasn't sure he was gonna– Oh! He made it!” Jayden darted across the small plaza between the building and the street that bordered Temple Park, grabbing Storm and bringing him over. “I'm so glad you're here!”
Storm smiled shyly. “There's so many people,” he said, still speaking in barely above a whisper.
“You're gonna be fine,” Dirk assured him.
“We're all here with you,” Spencer promised.
Jayden nodded agreement.
Storm fidgeted, then blew out a heavy breath as he eyed the crowd and smoothed a hand down the front of his shirt, an unconscious gesture he'd been making ever since his surgery.
“You look fabulous,” Jayden told him.
Storm smiled shyly again.
“Alright, let's get this party started,” Dirk said. He gestured ahead of them, letting Jayden and Storm go first while he and Spencer followed behind.
The plaza in front of their building had two levels with steps from one to the other. Between the steps and the building's entrance, the wide swath of concrete now had something built in the midst of it, currently covered over with a massive sheet. Jayden's idea. Something for the Grand Opening reveal, and he hadn't shared a single detail with anyone but the sign company he'd hired to construct it.
�
��Do you have any idea what this monstrosity might be?” Dirk asked with amusement.
Spencer chuckled. “Not a clue.”
“You know it's gonna be something outrageous.”
“It wouldn't be Jay if it weren't,” Spencer pointed out.
Dirk laughed. “Good point.”
“I have a feeling we'll both be horrified but secretly pleased by whatever it is.”
Dirk hesitated, then laughed and nodded in agreement. “You're probably right.”
They arranged themselves at the top of the stairs while the crowd gathered below. Spencer saw family, friends, and fellow professionals from all corners of the fashion industry present there.
“Good evening!” Jayden called out. “And thank you all for coming. We're so excited to have you all here for the grand reveal of our new, joint venture, and we look forward to working with you all in the coming years.”
The crowd cheered.
Jayden looked at Spencer, Dirk, and Storm with a sly grin on his face, then stepped to one side. “Ladies and gentlemen, I give you…” He swept out an arm, and on cue, two men stepped in on either end of the covered sign, grabbing the sheet and whipping it away to reveal gleaming black marble letters.
“Dandies, Inc.!” Jayden announced.
The crowd cheered again, clapping and whistling while Spencer and Dirk looked at one another and shook their heads. They couldn't help laughing though. That was their Baby Jay to a T.
The photographer started snapping pictures of them and the sign, as well as getting shots of the crowd for various press releases that would go along with the Grand Opening.
Along the edges of the plaza, a caterer was set up with food and drinks for the guests, so Jayden told everyone to eat and mingle, letting the party run on while the suns began to set and the evening started to cool.
The photographer caught up with them again. “Just a few more before we lose the light,” he asked.
Spencer, Dirk, Jayden, and Storm all did as the photographer asked, posing in front of the building and around the sign until the man was satisfied.
“I think we've got it,” he announced.
They started to break up, but then Jayden gasped. “Wait. One more.”
The photographer stopped in the midst of lowering his camera, and waited while Jayden looked around. Jayden shooed Dirk and Storm away, then waved at Spencer. “Come here.”
Spencer cocked an eyebrow in question but did as Jayden asked, letting the young man lead him around behind the sign. Jayden made Spencer put his jacket back on, then positioned him behind the right side of the n in Dandies, fussing about until he had Spencer situated just right, his body facing left, hands in his pockets, face turned toward the camera.
Jayden jumped down the steps and looked him over. “Perfect!” he announced. “Stay right there.” He darted away, shooing everyone else out of the shot, and took up a place right next to the photographer.
Spencer glanced at Dirk, silently asking what in all seven hells Jayden was up to.
Dirk frowned as he studied Spencer's position, then he threw his head back and laughed.
The photographer took a few pictures, showed them to Jayden to make sure they were what Jayden wanted, then waved to Spencer that he could come down.
Spencer walked over to them and looked from face to face. “What was that all about?”
The photographer gave Jayden a questioning look, and when Jayden nodded, the photographer turned the camera around and showed Spencer the image on the display.
Spencer barked a laugh when he saw it. “Father's love,” he muttered. With himself dressed in black and standing behind the n that way, the sign looked like it read Daddies, Inc. instead.
He looked at Jayden, trying to suppress a grin. “Are you asking for a spanking, little one?”
Jayden grinned. “Please, Daddy?”
Dirk hummed low in his throat. “I might take one, too,” he murmured.
Spencer blushed. They'd discovered purely by accident that Dirk really liked getting spanked in bed, and the three of them had spent many incredible nights with Spencer delivering swats to each of his boys while he made love to them.
“Hmmm,” Jayden said, “something tells me we're not gonna get much sleep tonight.”
“You know we all have to be up early for work tomorrow morning,” Dirk pointed out.
“Oh, I don't know,” Spencer said. “In this case, I think five or six hours of sleep will be enough. Just this once.”
Dirk and Jayden both grinned at him, their eyes flashing with anticipation.
Spencer gave each of them a kiss, his entire being trembling with excitement. “Let's go home,” he murmured, feeling more happy than he ever imagined he could be.
Thank you for reading!
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And there will be more Dandies, Inc. stories coming soon!
Books by G.R. Lyons
Lethean Trilogy
(Paranormal M/F Romance)
The Lethean
Uncommonly Strong
Hale and Farewell
Shifting Isles Series
(Fantasy/Paranormal)
The Prisoner
S.P.I.R.I.T. Division
Return to Tanas
Broken
The Five-Hour Wife
Betrayal
Addiction
Blindsighted
Libertas
(More to come!)
Matchmakers
(Gay Romance)
Second Chances
Second Drafts
Second Place
Matchmakers (complete trilogy)
Second Act: A Matchmakers Novella
Treble and the Lost Boys
(Gay Romance)
Ice on Fire
Heavens Aground
Illumined Shadows
Surviving Death: A Treble and the Lost Boys Novella
Transitivity
(Gay/Trans/Menage Dark Romance)
Kacey: The First Premise
Austin: The Second Premise
Hunter: The Conclusion
Simon: A Transitivity Novella
Dandies, Inc.
(Gay/Trans/Menage Daddy Kink)
Fake and Dandy
Dandies, Inc.
Perspectives
(Short Stories)
Anchors Aweigh
Broken Defenses
Doubling Down
In Plain Sight
Racing to Win
Stripped Bare
Taking the Lead
GLOSSARY
Breaking of the World – an event that took place on the 5th of Sulinel in the year 2952; Father Zhagos struck the land three times with his mighty hammer and broke it into separate Isles, thus beginning the shift cycle
daevaak – a stimulant, particularly effective in boosting the effects of caffeine; flavorless; crystalline in form, like sugar, but red in color; must be kept chilled at all times or it rapidly loses its potency
Father – alternate name for either of the lesser gods, Zhagos or Kalos
'Father's love' – oath often used on Jadu'n in place of other curses or profanities; refers to the god Kalos
Jadu'n – an Isle, originally near the southern coast of the land before the Breaking of the World; also known as the Hole in the Ocean, as it is a valley almost entirely below sea level; home of the magi
Jaduan – a person who lives or studies on Jadu'n; of or pertaining to Jadu'n
Jaduan High Council – another name for the Vakti, the ruling council on Jadu'n
Kalos – Father of Healing; a lesser deity; brother to
Zhagos; patron god of the Isle of Jadu'n
magi – men born with magical powers (singular: mage); those who study magical craft on Jadu'n; also known as the Children of Kalos
Rajali – a fully trained and certified mage
shifting / shift cycle – a process similar to our plate tectonics; after the Breaking of the World, the land was no longer anchored as one mass, and instead became separate Isles that shift across the globe, sometimes grazing coastlines or directly colliding
Sulinel – third month of the year; originally (and still, by tradition) part of the spring season before the Breaking of the World
Zhagos – Father of Stone; a lesser deity
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
G.R. Lyons lives on California's beautiful Central Coast, daylighting as an office manager for the family auto repair business. Between repair orders and after hours, Lyons can be found reading all manner of books or working on one of several manuscripts.
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