Briefcase Booty Read Online Free Page A

they laughed. “I really should get him home,” Peter said reluctantly. Now he’d found Luka, he didn’t want to chance looking away and his best friend disappearing again.
    “Yeah, I guess. Can I get your number, or something? I can borrow one of the guys’ phones to call you when I’m crashing at their place,” Luka said with another smile, but Peter could tell the difference now.
    The spark didn’t quite reach Luka’s eyes.
    And why was Luka crashing somewhere instead of living somewhere?
    “I know I don’t have the right to ask, since we haven’t seen each other in twenty years, but why are you crashing at a friend’s? Is everything okay?”
    The minute he asked, Luka sort of deflated, shuffled uncomfortably, but didn’t answer.
    “I’m sorry. You don’t have to answer. Let me put Loukas in his seat, and I’ll give you my number.”
    Turning away, Peter occupied himself with putting Loukas in the car seat. It was the safest one on the market, but there were about a gazillion ties and fastenings that always managed to get tangled up in knots.
    “Before I answer, can I ask you a question?” Luka said quietly.
    Peter paused whilst fastening the tangle of clips on the baby seat. He had a pretty good idea what the question was going to be. He was surprised it had taken Luka this long, actually. “Sure.”
    “Loukas, his name?”
    There it was.
    “Yes, I named him after you. You were my best friend before my parents turned out to be total bastards. I don’t speak to them now. I moved out as soon as I was old enough, and haven’t had anything to do with them since,” he defended.
    Peter couldn’t stand the thought that Luka might think he’d had something to do with what happened.
    He jumped when a hand came to rest on his back.
    “I know it wasn’t your fault, Peter. Apart from me not seeing you for twenty years, it worked out for the best. My parents run their own company now.” Luka sounded proud of them.
    Peter was, too. Luka’s mom used to work for his father—and his father had tried to blackmail the woman into sleeping with him, despite the fact that it was his son’s best friend’s mother. And just plain wrong.
    Bastard.
    “But if you moved out young, it does explain why I couldn’t find you.”
    Peter was glad Luka couldn’t see his face when he misted up a little. “You looked for me?”
    “Of course. Hell, mom would have taken you with us if there had been a way,” Luka said with a thicker accent. Since Luka’s father was from Ireland before he met and married his mother and moved to the US, Luka only had a few twangs and usually only when he was mad.
    At least that was how it had been a long time ago.
    Peter fastened the last clip in place, and before he could even stand up Loukas was fast asleep. And he still clutched the parrot. Peter’s son was the most important thing in his life. He’d do anything for him.
    Which made it all the more hurtful that his own father was so unloving.
    “Peter?”
    Standing up he opened Loukas’s window a tiny bit and pushed the door quietly shut. “Yes?”
    “You really named your son after me?” Even through the face-paint, Peter could see Luka turning pink.
    If it wasn’t for the fact that he was blushing too, he might have teased. “Well, I always liked your name, and I knew since we were little that you’d grow up to be a good man, like your dad,” Peter explained, rubbing the back of his neck. “And I missed you.”
    “Okay. I guess it’s my turn to answer now. I just broke up with my…boyfriend, and I’m between homes until I can find an apartment.”
    Boyfriend, not girlfriend. Luka’s gay?
    Peter knew he was doing a good impression of a fish. Shaking himself out of a state of shock, he cleared his throat and nodded. He said the first thing that came into his head. “Were—were you together long?”
    Luka looked as if he’d been holding his breath. “A year and a half. He used to be in the show too, but then he got