Max and Slade worked in the kitchen. Brooke sat and watched them just to see if they were messing with her. She never saw Max quite this happy. Never saw him happy.

Slade reached around Max for some spice and Max moved to get a spatula. They almost knew what the other needed. It was like a dance.

"I got to listen to the new stuff. I got through three songs on my breaks. Thanks for those headphones. You were right, I love them!" Max smiled.

"What was that? I was what?" Slade looked serious.

Max glared. "Right. You were right! I hope you're happy!"

Slade pulled Max into him and smiled finally. "I'm very happy!" He kissed Max and they melted together as Max chuckled. "What?"

"I'm telling you that you're right more often!" Max smiled.

Slade smiled into those blue oceans. "Good. I'm right a lot of the time. I might need to hear it. Damn, you're sexy, Dr. Vanilla."

Max closed his eyes and softened into Slade. "We're going to burn the food, Slade." He moaned as Slade kissed him.

Bill walked in. "Uh, I have the table set. Are you burning the food again?" He sat beside Brooke watching his son kiss his boyfriend that he just professed his love for. Bill was proud of him.

"Were you guys going to tell me?" Brooke was curious.

Max sighed. "No. I had no intentions, Brooke. I haven't told anyone."

Brooke stared. "No one?"

"No. Uh, his family and you guys." Max sighed.

"I'm waiting until Max is comfortable. However, I have awards coming up and I would love to take my boyfriend." Slade watched Max. "But I won't rush you."

"When is it?" Max stared.

"It's the music awards, Max! They're in six weeks." Brooke knew.

"Are you up for anything?"

"We are, as a matter of fact. Your favorite is up for best single." He smiled. "And we're up for best album and band of the year."

"Oh! I may have to go."

"And we are performing. I wanted you to come but..." Slade watched Max.

"I do have a tux." He smiled.

Slade smiled. "You do. I brought it back from the dry cleaners for you."

"Yes, you did. Did I thank you for that?" Max flirted.

Slade smiled. "Repeatedly but I will take another round of gratitude."

Max smiled. "Okay. But after dinner, if we don't burn it!"

"Which song is your favorite?" Brooke was curious now and couldn't ignore how cute they were. She softened a little. She was a little less mad.

Max smiled. "Dime me out. I love it."

Brooke nodded. "Oh. I don't know if I know it."

"It's all over the radio, Brooke." Slade watched her.

"Well, I have been working. I haven't listened to the radio!" She was frustrated. "I sound like Max!"

Max sighed. "Let's get this mess on the table." He moved pans to the table.

"This mess? I worked hard on this lovely dinner." Slade smiled and pulled Max to a chair and sat beside him. He realized that the last time they sat at dinner with Brooke, Slade was with her. He was happier now. He never laughed with Brooke, she wasn't fun like Max. No one he was ever with was fun like Max.

Brooke smiled. "You realize that the last time we were here, Slade was sitting beside me."

Max nodded. "I know."

Slade leaned into Max. "Brooke..."

Brooke nodded. "You look happier now, Slade."

Slade nodded.

Brooke sighed. "So, did I hear that there are drums upstairs?"

Max smiled. "Yes. I bought him drums to practice."

"And a keyboard." Slade smiled. "He's good to me."

"You are good to me." Max smiled and looked at his plate.

"Do that again and I'm dragging you to our room!" Slade glared.

Max turned red and chuckled.

"I don't want to know." Bill sighed. "So, what are your plans?" He was curious. They both had lives and they were in different states.

"Right now, I'm staying with Max. We don't have any solid plans." Slade sighed.

"He's welcome to stay as long as he wants." Max smiled. He was thinking about things. He already made some calls.

"Our tour is over but I will have to visit my parents. They'll want to see you again!" Slade smiled. "My dad has a huge crush!"

Bill stared. "Uh, is your dad....gay?"

Max laughed. "No!"

"No. That's what's so funny. My dad is in love with Max. I will have to fight him off. My mom...I had to pull Max out of her arms." Slade smiled.

"They were surprised that I was normal."

"And that I actually brought someone home. Wait until they hear that I'm in love!" Slade sighed. "Fuck! I'm in love! I never saw that coming."

Max smiled. "Me either."

Bill smiled. "Well, I'm very happy for you both!"

Brooke stared. "I'm confused. I didn't know you were gay, either one of you? Dad, you knew?" She paused and looked at Slade. "Did I turn you gay?"

Slade laughed. "No, Brooke. I'm bi. I've always dated men and women. When Max and I started dating, I decided I was gay. I'm happy with him and I am sorry that he's your brother. I really never planned this! I have never been in love before and never figured it would be with a man. I always thought I would settle down with a woman."

Max smiled. "I ruined you too! I'm thrilled that we're equal." Slade just laughed as he agreed. He loved that Max understood him.

Bill took a deep breath halfway through dinner. "Brooke. I have things to say. The first is about your mother. The reason she left."

"It was because of me." Max sighed. It felt better to say out loud. "I told her I was gay. I had just graduated college and was starting my residency nearby. I went out on a date and when I got back, she wanted to meet the girl. I couldn't do that because I had been out with a guy."

"My first guy, only guy. She kept going on about it and I finally yelled at her. I told her I couldn't bring a girl home because I was gay." He looked down and wiped a tear.

"She promised I could talk about anything but she lied." He looked up and wiped a tear. "She cursed me. She cursed at me. I don't know. She looked so hateful at me like I was diseased."

"Dad tried to talk to her all night that night but she left the next morning. She cursed me as she left. Told me it was my fault. I broke up the family. She blamed me." Max took a breath. "She told Dad to fix me."

Slade wiped Max's tears with his thumbs. "She was stupid for leaving." He looked into Max's teary eyes. "There is nothing to fix."

Brooke stared. "She left because you told her you were gay?"

Max nodded.

Brooke glared. "But? Why? There are worse things! What a fucking bitch!"
Bill laughed. "Max has blamed himself this whole time no matter how much I tell him it's not his fault. Those were her issues. She filed for divorce before I could. I blame her for it. She ended our marriage because Max was true to himself. I supported Max."

Brooke shook her head. She didn't know what to say but she was going to get their mom's side too. Maybe there was more to it and Max was lying. Maybe she caught him being gay or something.

"Well, I really am sorry." Max sighed.

"So, you have been gay this whole time." Brooke stopped. "I have never seen you with anyone?"

Max sighed. "I never dated again. I haven't for eight years. I was terrified when you brought this thing home!" He looked at Slade.

Slade laughed. "You were checking me out in Bill's kitchen, weren't you?"

Max nodded. "I was. I told you that Brooke's taste was improving. I couldn't stop checking you out. I just about screamed that I was gay." He paused. "I hate that word!"

"I thought I saw something then. Don't worry, I checked you out too. I almost tackled you at the Christmas party. You walked in wearing that tux but I was crushed when I saw Alyssa on your arm." Slade watched Max.

"Oh! That's why you asked about her." Max laughed. "So, is a dirty martini really your favorite drink?"

"It is. I never lied to you." Slade smiled. "You know everything." He saw Max look at his lip. His fake lip ring. Slade nodded. "Everything."

Brooke stared. "When did any of this happen?"

"Uh, you were flirting with that group of guys and getting interviews, Brooke. I talked to Slade at the bar. It was the best conversation I had had in a long time." Max sighed. "How sad is that!"

Slade laughed. "That is sad. I had to try to keep you from running away. Every time we were close, you bolted."

"I know. I was terrified because when I was near you my heart almost beat out of my chest. It was deafening. I was worried because you weren't...you were straight. I was afraid that I was attracted to a straight guy. It would be a curse." Max sighed.

Slade nodded. "Me too. I spent all of Christmas Eve and Christmas trying to figure you out. I couldn't tell. You look very straight but I kept seeing looks and you would watch me when you thought I wasn't looking." He leaned close to Max. "I was always looking!"

Max laughed. "I noticed. I didn't want you to leave. I was so worried that you would leave and never come back!"

"I thought about it but you were inside my head, so I took a chance, called you and dragged you to that concert." Slade smiled.

Brooked watched them. "You went to a concert?" She was dumbfounded.

Max smiled. "I did. It was in Bloomberg. Slade called and made me come. It was amazing and I love their music. They do a great live show."

Slade smiled. "I was screwed after that show. Solis knew it. You were inside me after that."

Max nodded. "I know. I had never slept with anyone until that night. I came home and felt so alone. More alone. I missed you like...air! Then you called, I was so relieved that you were coming back!"

Slade smiled. "Uh, I should be honest about that. I broke things off with Brooke right after that concert. My reason to visit again, it was just for you. I just wanted to see you."

Brooke sighed. "I should be furious!"

Bill smiled. "Probably but they are perfect together!"

Brooke laughed. "I know. I'm taking all of the credit."

Slade smiled. "Sure. I'm sorry that we didn't work out, Brooke."

Brooke nodded. "Things started falling apart when you met Max. I see that now. I was oblivious at the time."

"Maybe it was love at first sight?" Slade smiled.

Max shook his head. "I don't believe in that!"

Slade smiled and kissed Max. "You should. I fell in love with you in Bill's kitchen and I just realized that. I fell hard for you when you looked at me."

"I probably did too but I'm too stubborn to admit it." Max smiled.

Slade smiled. "We both know the truth and that is all that matters." He kissed Max slowly.

Bill sighed. "Okay. We get it. You're in love. Can we focus?" He turned to Brooke. "I have something else to confess." He looked down and Slade smiled. He just reminded him of Max. "I am not the manager of the sawmill."

"Did you get fired?" Brooke was about to be upset.

Bill shook his head. "No. I own it."

Brooke stared. "Why wouldn't you tell us?"

"Right? Why wouldn't you tell us, Dad!" Max smiled.

"Max knew." Bill glared at his son. "He knew. I'm sorry we didn't tell you, Brooke."
"You knew too? Why didn't you just tell me? I don't understand the secrecy in this house! Is that it?" Brooke glared.

"That is everything." Bill sighed. "I'm sorry, Sweetheart. I wanted you to make it out there on your own."

Brooke glared. "Why wouldn't I?"

Max sighed. "Because you would just say you were rich and not do anything. Come on! It took you this long to get a good job!"

Brooke stood up. "How dare you assume I would be a gold digger!" She hated that they were right. She grabbed her jacket and purse and rushed from the house.

Max laughed. "That was the thing that offended her?"

Slade laughed. "I was thinking the same thing."

"She hates that we're right." Bill sighed. "I have to go talk to her, don't I?"

"Yes." Max sighed. "I should have been nicer, maybe. I'm sorry about that. I'm the queen and she's more dramatic!"

Slade just laughed. Bill chuckled as he walked out. Slade couldn't talk because he was laughing too hard.

Max chuckled. "Shut up." He gathered the leftovers and put things away.

Slade was loading the dishwasher that he bought Max. He was still laughing.

"I can't believe you said that!" Slade chuckled to himself. He pushed the wash button. "This is the best thing I ever bought."

"Did I thank you for that?" Max smiled. He came home from work and it was already installed. Slade was afraid he would be upset. Max wasn't. He was thrilled. He had more to wash that one fork and one plate. He had someone and needed a dishwasher.

Slade smiled. "I don't recall a thank you!"

Max laughed. "I didn't say anything. I just attacked you in the kitchen, I think we fucked over the dishwasher."

"We did." Slade pulled Max close. "I may need a replay." He kissed Max. He pulled him to the counter and loved him over the dishwasher. Max was thankful.

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