Giving Notice - Chapter Three (Complete!)

When inspiration strikes, it strikes hard. I know I only JUST posted a preview of this chapter earlier today, but I couldn't stop writing, and somehow I just... went ahead and finished the chapter. I'd originally wanted to have a sweet, romantic sex scene between Max and Stephen to cap the chapter off, but the chapter found its own logical (and SO SWEET OMG) end point. So, here it is, chapter three in its entirety, which means Part One of the book is finished! That means that the novel is 1/3 of the way done! 

Please let me know what you think! I honestly hope you guys love what I've written so far, and I hope you know that YOU are what's keeping me motivated despite everything going on in my life right now. I can never express to you what your confidence in me means to me, and I hope you feel like the world of StartAgain belongs to you as much as it belongs to me. <3

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CHAPTER THREE

Max woke early the next morning, eager for his day trip with Stephen. He impatiently watched cartoons in his crib until Mr. Jennings arrived to get him changed and ready for his day. Max squirmed a little when he saw the outfit Mr. Jennings had picked out for him; blue denim shorts with a snap crotch and an elastic waistband, and a pastel blue tee with a pair of teddy bears holding paws and the words “2 CUTE” printed on the front. Thankfully, the tee was at least long enough to hide the waistband of Max’s diaper. The outfit did little else to obscure Max’s thick padding and, while he had grown accustomed to wandering the manor in toddler apparel, he was going to be out in public today. He nervously smoothed down the bulge of his diaper in the front of his shorts, but the effort proved pointless.

Thankfully, Mr. Jennings had allowed Max to go without any form of bondage, since he was going to be leaving the mansion. Max didn’t know if he could’ve handled the stares he was sure he would’ve gotten from strangers if he’d had a collar locked around his neck out in public. He was already apprehensive enough about others seeing him in such a babyish outfit.

No sooner than Mr. Jennings had scurried off to take care of some of the other cubs, Stephen knocked at his door. “Awww, you look adorable,” the wolf said happily before kissing Max’s forehead.

“Stephen, I don’t know about this,” Max said nervously, eyes cast downward. “People are going to notice,” he added.

“And?” Stephen asked. “Nothing inappropriate is on display. And if people notice your bulge, they’ll just think you’re well-endowed. Which, I happen to know for a fact, you are.” The wolf smiled warmly.

“Can’t I just wear the clothes I got here in?” Max asked with a whine. He could feel a small knot forming in his stomach.

“You could, yes,” Stephen said. “I’ve got that outfit in my closet, I had the laundry clean and iron them before I put them away. But… is that what you really want, pup? Because I can promise you, nobody will dare to say anything to you with me at your side, and you really do look cute in that outfit without it completely screaming toddler. It’s up to you, of course. But I really do want you to consider keeping that outfit on. You shouldn’t feel shame for dressing in the clothes you like.”

Max considered Stephen’s words. It’s a lot, Max thought as he glanced at his reflection in the mirror on the wall. Just a few days ago, I’d never even worn a diaper by myself before. And now I’m going to go out in public in full baby gear, where other people can see me? But… Stephen will be with me the whole time. Max looked at himself in the mirror once again, more appraisingly this time. The shirt is pretty babyish, but the shorts aren’t too bad. They’re dark enough that it’s not super obvious I’m in a diaper. And the shoes are colorful, but at least they have laces. If I saw someone dressed like me in public, would I think they were an adult baby? Or that they just liked cute, colorful clothes? Hmmm…

Max nodded slowly. “I’ll wear this,” he said cautiously. “But you promise you won’t leave me by myself at any point?”

Stephen chuckled. “I promise. Daddy’s honor,” he said, crossing his heart with an index finger. “And I’m proud of you for being so brave, kiddo. Now, let’s head to town and start our adventure! We can pick up breakfast somewhere first and then we’ll go shopping.”

Stephen and Max made their way to the lobby, then took the main elevator down to the underground parking garage. Stephen guided Max to one of the company cars, a fancy black luxury sedan. Max was relieved to see that there wasn’t an oversized car seat in the back. He climbed into the passenger seat and buckled his seatbelt.

“If you’ll open the glove box,” Stephen said as he buckled himself into the driver seat, “you’ll find a blindfold. You’ll have to put it on and leave it on until I tell you that you can take it off, okay pup?”

Max nodded, bemused. He put the blindfold on and was instantly enveloped in darkness. “Am I allowed to know what city we’re even going to?” he asked.

“Portland,” Stephen replied as he started the engine. Max felt the car begin to back up.

“Which Portland?” the golden retriever asked curiously.

“Oregon,” the wolf answered. “The manor is between Portland and Seattle, but Portland is a bit closer. Plus I hate the Seattle traffic.”

Max nodded. He understood the need to keep the mansion’s exact location secret, but it was nice to know that he was still somewhat near his home at BCU in northern California. Having been knocked unconscious for his trip to the mansion, he hadn’t been entirely sure if he was even still on the west coast. Knowing that he wasn’t far from home gave him a strange sense of relief. The rabbit hole to Wonderland isn’t that far away after all, he thought to himself.

Max and Stephen chatted happily while Stephen drove, and Max was a good boy and left his blindfold on until they were around fifteen minutes away from the mansion and Stephen had given him permission to take it off. Max had to blink his eyes to adjust to the bright morning sunlight.

Once they arrived in Portland, Stephen took them through the drive-thru of a Dobie Donuts. Max began wagging as soon as he saw the franchise’s cartoon doberman mascot, and his stomach gave an involuntary growl. Stephen chuckled and pulled up to the drive-thru speaker.

“Good morning and welcome to Dobie, how can we start your day off right?” came the unenthused voice of a teenage girl.

“What kind of donuts do you like, pup?” Stephen asked his passenger.

“Three raspberry jelly rolls and a large chai latte please,” Max replied almost instantly. BCU had a Dobie Donuts on campus, and Max had gone there almost every morning for the exact same order.

Stephen laughed. “I’ll have three raspberry jelly rolls… ahhh… two Bavarian creams, and two large chai lattes. And can I get an extra shot of espresso in one of those chais?”

The cashier read back the order and then asked Stephen to pull around. Stephen took a card from his wallet and paid for the order and they waited. The cashier, a young, heavyset pug with her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, gave Max a long glance but said nothing. She departed and returned a few moments later with their order. “I put some extra napkins in the bag in case your kid dribbles,” she said. “Have a good day.”

Max began blushing crimson as Stephen pulled out of the drive-thru and got back on the road. Max suddenly felt very vulnerable. He put his paw on Stephen’s knee and held tight.

Stephen chuckled. “Well,” he said to his companion, “either that young lady thought you were a real kid with some seriously overactive hormones, or I might have underestimated that outfit. But either way, you survived. See? Nothing at all to worry about. I won’t let anything bad happen to you, Max. Go ahead and dig out a donut, just try not to dribble on the car seat,” the handsome wolf added with a mirthful twinkle in his eye.

Max nodded, the tips of his ears still burning. He unwrapped one of the jelly rolls carefully and took a bite. Stephen waited until they were stopped at a red light and then worked one of his own donuts out of the bag, holding it in one paw while holding the steering wheel in the other.

Stephen took a bite of his donut and swallowed. The light turned green and they began moving again. “So, first place we’re going is to a furniture store, so we can get you a desk. I know you want to get back into your classes again. I took the liberty of having your belongings from your dorm picked up, since you’d said you wanted to live in the mansion full-time and take your classes online.”

“Oh, thank you,” Max said, nodding.

“Now, as you know,” Stephen continued, “your first month’s pay and sign-on bonus has already hit your bank account so you’ve got a cool eight thousand dollars now, but I still don’t want you going too crazy spending today. Anything you need, I’ll buy for you. And if you see something fun that you really want, you have to ask me first before you spend your own money, okay? Think of it like an allowance. Is that okay?”

Max grinned and wagged. “Yes, Daddy. And thank you for being so generous.”

Stephen chuckled. “Trust me, money isn’t an object. You know how much we’re paying you. Imagine how much the head of staffing and legal makes in a month. So if you like something, don’t hesitate to say so, alright pup?”

“Yes Daddy,” Max replied again.

A few minutes later, Stephen pulled into a shopping center parking lot and parked the car outside a furniture store called Woodworks & Such. The pair got out of the car, and Max once again nervously smoothed down the front of his diaper bulge.

But after browsing Woodworks & Such for over an hour, they came up empty-handed. Everything there was very generic, very adult-looking, and not at all what Max was looking for. It was the kind of furniture store Max could see his parents shopping at, but even the limited selection of kids’ furniture they carried was dull and uninspired. Crestfallen, Max and Stephen returned to the car.

Once they were seated, Stephen sighed. “Sorry about that, pup. I was hoping they’d at least have a desk you’d like, but that was a complete waste of time. I think we’ll try Kidz Spot next,” he said. “It’s a furniture store that focuses exclusively on kids’ bedroom decor. I bet we can find a neat desk there.”

A little while later, Stephen pulled the car into a parking space in a different shopping center across town from Woodworks & Such and turned the engine off. Max reached for his seatbelt but Stephen gently swatted his paw away. “That’s Daddy’s job,” he said with a smile. Max smiled back bashfully, and Stephen got out of the car and closed the driver door. He walked around the vehicle and opened Max’s door, then unfastened the canine’s seatbelt. “There we are,” Stephen said. Max stepped out of the vehicle and Stephen closed the door behind him, then took Max’s paw into his own and began walking toward Kidz Spot.

The pair entered the brightly lit store. The large space was divided into mock rooms by low partition walls, and each room was decorated in a different theme. Max’s eye was immediately drawn to a boys’ bedroom model in bright primary colors. It was a dinosaur theme, all cartoon reptiles and volcanos. Next to the silver-framed twin bed was a colorful desk and a tall, narrow bookshelf shaped like a palm tree. Max tugged Stephen’s paw eagerly, leading him toward the showcase bedroom.

A salesperson, an older, gray-haired cougar in a cheap suit, made his way toward the pair. “Welcome, welcome,” he said affably. “What can I help you with today?”

“We’re looking for some furniture for my boyfriend’s bedroom,” Stephen said. “Though I think we may have already found what he likes,” he laughed.

“Oh, we don’t get many adults looking for our products for their own use,” the cougar replied curiously.

“I, uh, I’m really into dinosaurs,” Max said shyly. “And unfortunately, there’s not a lot of options meant for adults that aren’t just generic boring brown furniture.” Max tried to stand as still as possible, worried that his diaper would crinkle audibly in the quiet furniture store. He squeezed Stephen’s paw a bit tighter, and Stephen gave him a reassuring squeeze back.

“Well,” the salesperson said, “feel free to take a look around. I know how you young people are big on the retro nostalgia thing. If you have any questions please feel free to wave me down, my name is Bruce.”

“Thank you, Bruce,” Stephen said, nodding. He turned to Max. “Well, have a seat and make sure it’s not too small,” he said, nodding toward the space-themed desk.

Max waited until Bruce had wandered away to speak with another shopper, then he approached the desk. His diaper was definitely crinkling, the sound echoing thunderously in his mind. He sat in the desk chair and brought his knees under the small desk. It was cosy but not uncomfortable, and the desk’s small size would fit nicely in his nursery. “I really like it,” he said enthusiastically. I would've killed to have something like this in my room when I was a kid, he thought. I was so jealous when I saw Corey’s nursery, with all its planets and rockets and robots.

“Do you want to look at some of the other options they have? Or is your heart already set?” Stephen asked. “You look like you’ve already made up your mind!”

Max giggled quietly. “Yeah, I think this is the one. But are you sure? The desk alone is $600.”

Stephen nodded. “I told you, money isn’t a thing. Get what you want.”

“Then I want this one,” Max said happily. “Thank you Daddy,” he mouthed silently.

“Then let’s go make our purchase, pup, and we’ll have it delivered to the mansion,” Stephen smiled, and Max couldn’t help but nervously cast his eyes around to see if anyone had noticed Stephen calling him pup, though the store was mercifully short on customers this morning. The pair found Bruce and let him know they were ready to buy, and the cougar’s face lit up.

“Wonderful!” Bruce said, steering them toward the checkout computer. “So we’re going with the whole Mesozoic bedroom? Or just individual pieces?”

“Just individual pieces,” Stephen said. “He’s already got a cr-- a bed.” He caught himself suddenly and gave Max an apologetic glance, but Bruce hadn’t seemed to notice. The salesperson gave Stephen a list of furniture items from the Mesozoic set with their prices. “We’re definitely doing the desk,” Stephen said, scanning the list. “Oh, and the bookshelf. Not the wide boulder-looking one, the tall skinny palm tree. The room we’re furnishing is on the small side. “Let’s see. Oh, there’s a toy chest that looks like a triceratops, Max, we’ve got to get that too!”

Max wagged, then blinked. But the eager salesperson was too excited for his commission to notice how loudly Max had crinkled. He nodded happily to Stephen, who continued to scan the list.

“Oh, there’s a dino-egg diaper pail. We’ll have that as well,” Stephen said, “...and the volcano lamp. I think that’s everything. Happy, Max?”

Max swallowed and nodded. He was surprised when Bruce didn’t react to the diaper pail, but he could practically see the dollar signs spinning in the big cat’s eyes.

“Fantastic! You’re making such a great choice, the Mesozoic set is one of our best-sellers,” the cougar said as he rapidly typed into the computer. “Did you want to add the two-year extended warranty for an extra $99?”

“No, thank you,” Stephen said. “Max is good at taking care of his belongings. But we do need to have it all delivered to the mansion.”

At the word mansion, Bruce’s face broke into an enormous smile. “Absolutely, sir! Our pleasure! What address will we be delivering too? I’m going to upgrade you to free same-day rush delivery, so you can have your order this afternoon! Compliments of Kidz Spot!”

Stephen handed the man a business card and a shiny, featureless black metal credit card. Max had never seen a credit card like it, but he knew it was something special when he could practically see Bruce’s eyes dilate and his mouth begin to salivate.

The salesperson rapidly completed their order, then printed out a receipt and a page that needed Stephen’s approval. The cougar pumped Stephen and Max’s paws in turn in a tight, enthusiastic handshake, then insisted that Stephen take one of his business cards in case anything should go wrong with their order or if they should ever need to make any other purchases.

When they finally left the store, Max’s head was practically spinning. “That’s the most money I’ve ever spent at one time,” he said, dazed, as Stephen buckled him back into the passenger seat. “And that salesperson was more excited than I’ve ever seen anyone be!”

“It’s amazing how well money greases wheels,” Stephen said, laughing. “Where to next?”

Max considered for a moment; he hadn’t really had a plan for today other than to follow Stephen’s lead. He thought about what his bedroom might need to make it really feel complete. “Um… decor, maybe? I could get some posters, some stuffed animals, that kind of thing?” he asked hesitantly.

“Sounds like a plan,” Stephen said with a grin. “We’ll head to a few department stores and see what we can find. Since you’re going with dinosaurs, I bet we’ll be able to get all kinds of neat stuff for your room.”

Max nodded happily as Stephen cranked the car. Shopping with Stephen was super fun, and it was so nice to be out together.

Several stops later, the pair were wandering the aisles of a Q-Mart department store, with Stephen pushing a squeaky shopping cart and Max following him closely. Q-Mart was much busier than the other stores had been, and Max nervously listened to the crinkle of his diaper as he walked. In his ears, it sounded so loud and obvious despite the low din of the store, and his eyes darted around looking to see if anyone else noticed.

They arrived at Q-Mart’s large, impressive toy section and, inexplicably, Max felt even more on display than before. The only people in the toy section were mothers with their toddlers; it was mid-afternoon and all of the older kids would still be in school, making Max feel out-of-place, especially wearing the outfit he was wearing.

Stephen turned his cart down an aisle with bins full of stuffed animals. “We’ll start here, I think,” he said, “then we’ll make our way toward the boys’ toy section. Although gendering toys is a bit stupid and antiquated, I think. Kids should be free to play with whatever toys make them happy, don’t you agree?”

Max nodded quietly, eyeing the hundreds of stuffed animals. In spite of his embarrassment, he couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement. He was toy shopping for the first time since he’d been an actual kid! And Bailey was finally going to have new friends to spend time with while Max was at work! He grinned eagerly.

Max and Stephen spent a few minutes digging through the bins, but they weren’t having much luck. There were lots of stuffed bears and rabbits, but they hadn’t found any dinosaurs yet. Max was almost ready to give up, when he spied a bit of green fluff peeking out from the sea of cream and brown teddies. He reached into the wire bin and pulled the green toy out and immediately began wagging. What he’d found was a squishy, oversized green plush T-Rex wearing a blue bow tie, and he immediately fell in love. Perfect, he thought with a grin. He eagerly turned to show Stephen.

“Would you look at that!” Stephen exclaimed happily. “Is that the one you want, love?”

“Yeah!” Max wagged.

“Well, remember what I said before,” Stephen said gently. “You have to ask before you spend your own money.”

“Oh,” Max said, brow furrowing. “Well, uh… can I get this one, Stephen?”

Stephen shook his head. “I’m not Stephen today. You’ll have to ask the right way, Maxwell.” The wolf smiled gently.

Max felt a brief moment of panic when he realized what Stephen was asking him to do. Right here in the aisle, where anyone could hear? But he knew Stephen was trying to help Max better accept himself, and Max nodded very slowly. “Um… can I please buy this… Daddy?” he asked quietly.

Stephen gave Max’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “You can, and thank you for asking like a good boy,” he said, pride thick in his voice. “I know that was hard, and I’m super proud of you, Max. And I hope you understand why I’m pushing you out of your comfort zone.”

Max nodded and smiled bashfully. “I know. You just want me to feel good about myself. I really am trying, Stephen, I promise.”

“I know you are,” Stephen said. He pulled Max close and gave him a tight, loving hug. “And you’re doing so great!” He held Max for a moment longer, then released him. “So… what are you going to name this guy?” he asked, gesturing to the dinosaur toy that Max was holding.

Max held the dinosaur out and looked at him, thinking. “His name is King,” Max decided after a moment’s thought.

“That’s a really good name, kiddo!” Stephen said. “Well, let’s put King in the cart for now and head over to the decor section. Unless you want to keep holding him while we shop,” he added.

Max placed King into the shopping cart’s basket. “I think it’s better if he rides in the cart for now,” he said. Max wasn’t ready to wander around in public clutching a plush toy just yet.

Stephen nodded knowingly, and the pair made their way to the kids’ bedroom decor section. “How’s your diaper?” Stephen asked when they arrived. “Need a change yet?”

Max gulped, but thankfully they appeared to be alone in the section. “I should probably change soon,” he admitted. “But I’m okay for now.”

The duo spent the next several minutes shopping for decor for Max’s bedroom, and the cart began filling. Finally, Max began taking stock of the treasures they’d found: his new plush dinosaur, King; a smaller, powder-blue plush puppy he’d decided to call Alexander; a twin-sized dinosaur bedding set with a comforter, matching sheets and a coordinating pillow case; a brontosaur-shaped color changing desk lamp that could double as a nightlight; a couple of soft accent pillows; a colorful framed poster showing the silhouettes of several dinosaurs with each labeled to indicate its species; and a light-up dinosaur mobile that played music to hang over his crib. Max was in awe at the impressive haul, which didn’t even include the other purchases he’d made at the previous stores. His bedroom was going to look amazing when it was finished.

“Anything else you want to look at while we’re here?” Stephen asked him. “If not, we can go check out. I’ve got something really special planned for our next stop that I think you’ll really enjoy,” he said with a knowing smile.

“I honestly can’t think of anything else,” Max said happily. “Thank you so much for doing this with me, Stephen, this is so fun!”

“Of course, sweetheart,” Stephen replied. “I just like seeing you happy. You probably don’t realize how different you are than when we met, but I see such a change. You seem so much happier, and that gives me more joy than I can ever tell you.”

Max blushed. “I am happier,” he said. He took Stephen’s paw into his own and held it. “I’m doing things I only fantasized about before. My life has gone so completely different from anything I ever could have imagined, and I’m so grateful to you for… well, everything really. For finding me, for giving me this opportunity, for being so wonderful to me, for pushing me to be more open and accepting, for changing my whole world. I love you.”

“I love you too, sweet pup,” Stephen said. He leaned down a bit and brought his mouth to Max’s in a sweet, gentle kiss.

They made their way to the checkout and Max paid for his purchases. The total was over $200, which barely made a dent in Max’s checking account thanks to the sign-on bonus he’d received after getting hired at StartAgain.

Once they were back in the car, Max turned to Stephen. “So, what’s this thing you have planned?” he asked curiously.

“Well, it might be a bit early since it’s only just now a little after four, but I thought we’d have dinner at the Capital Grille, a fancy steakhouse. That’s why we skipped lunch, in case you were wondering. Luckily, my position at StartAgain affords me certain privileges, one of them being that I don’t have to call ahead for reservations at some of the nicer restaurants. The owner of Capital Grille, David, is a former S.A. employee. As I recall, he was big into spankings. So I’ll just tell him that if he doesn’t give us his best table, I’ll take my belt to him around the back of the restaurant.” Stephen grinned and winked playfully, and Max flashed a grin back.

“Sounds great to me, I’m starved,” Max admitted. “But I do really need to change first,” he added with a blush.

“Well, that’s perfect, because Capital Grille is black-tie only, so we’ll both need to change into some nicer outfits anyway. There’s a fancy suit laid out in garment bags in the back for each of us to change into.”

Stephen started the car and pulled out of the parking spot, but when they reached the far end of the parking lot he unexpectedly began pulling into a vacant space. Max blinked curiously. “Anything wrong?” he asked his boyfriend.

“You need a change,” Stephen said. “And I’m unaware of any adult diaper changing stations here in town, so it’s going to have to be the back seat.” He put the car in park and turned it off as Max began frantically blushing scarlet.

“Stephen… I don’t know, right here in public where anyone could see?” Max swallowed once, hard. “Can’t I just go back into the store and use their bathroom?”

“Only if you want to get stopped by security for taking a backpack into the store,” Stephen said sympathetically. “I promise I’ll make it as quick and painless as I can, Max, but we don’t have any other options.”

Max could feel his heart pounding in his ears, and he felt like crying. Gently nudging him out of his comfort zone was one thing, but this was a bridge too far. “Stephen,” he said, his voice sounding choked, “I can’t. Someone will see.”

Stephen turned to his boyfriend and took Max’s trembling paw. “Max, I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do. But I promise, I won’t let anything bad happen to you. We can either change you in the back seat, or we can head back to the mansion and just have dinner in my room. It’s up to you. But if you think you can be brave for me, pup, I will make this as quick as I can. What do you say?” Stephen looked at Max, gently but expectantly.

Max thought for a panicked moment. What he’s asking… fuck. I love him so much, and I do trust him. But this is so much! Max could feel tears beginning to well in his eyes. He gazed at Stephen, long and hard. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I don’t want to disappoint him. And… if someone does see, will I actually die of embarrassment? No, I won’t. I’ll hate it, but we’ll probably never see that person again anyway. Fuck.

Max nodded slowly. “Okay… I’m sorry for being a wimp. I’ll be brave,” he said, his voice trembling and nearly breaking.

“You aren’t a wimp, Max,” Stephen said sincerely. “You’re one of the bravest people I’ve ever met. I love you so much, and I’m so damn proud of you. Go ahead and lay down in the back seat while I get the changing supplies I brought out of the trunk.”

Max nodded and unbuckled his seatbelt, then carefully stepped out of the car. He felt like his legs were going to buckle under him, and he scanned the parking lot to see if there was anyone nearby. There wasn’t anyone in the immediate area, at least. He opened the back passenger-side door and laid down on the plush seat, scooting closer to the door and letting his legs dangle out of the car to give Stephen better access. He shut his eyes tightly and waited.

In a moment, Stephen stood before him and began pulling his shorts off. “Just like that,” the wolf cooed. “If anyone looks over, they’re just going to see my back.” Stephen quickly began untaping Max’s soaked diaper, then he had Max boost up so he could slide a fresh one under the retriever’s bottom. Max kept his eyes squeezed shut the entire time, terrified that if he opened them he’d see people staring. However, in spite of himself, he could feel his cock beginning to stiffen. LITTLE TRAITOR, he shouted at it with his mind’s voice.

Stephen rapidly wiped Max clean with baby wipes. He skipped adding powder and quickly taped the new diaper snug to Max’s waist, then pulled his shorts up. “And done, just that fast,” Stephen said. “And nobody any the wiser. You did so great, Max!” He pulled Max up and into a tight embrace.

Max could still feel his heart pounding in his chest, but he hugged Stephen back as tight as he could. “You’re sure nobody saw?” he asked nervously.

“Positive,” Stephen reassured him. “Now, sit down in the back seat and I’ll close the door. See the garment bags laid out in the floorboard? The black one has a suit in your size, go ahead and quickly change clothes while I keep look out, then I’ll trade you. I should’ve thought this part through better, but I’m so freaking proud of you, Max. You are such a brave guy.”

Max quickly changed clothes, feeling less panicked now that the doors were closed. The tinted rear windows gave him reassurance that nobody would see him changing. His breath and pulse finally began to slow. I can’t believe we just did that, he thought in awe and mild horror as he dressed. Changing into a full suit and tie while seated in the back seat of the car wasn’t easy, but literally anything was bound to seem easier than what he’d just experienced. After a few minutes of grunting and shuffling, Max was dressed. He stepped out of the car to tuck his shirt into his slacks.

Stephen whistled. “You clean up so handsome,” he grinned. “My turn,” he said as he climbed into the back seat of the car.

Once they were both changed into their finery, Stephen slicked Max’s hair down with his paw. “There. You look so handsome,” he said to the canine.

“You do too,” Max said appreciatively as he looked the wolf up and down.

“We can’t do anything about our shoes,” Stephen said ruefully. “I forgot to bring dress shoes for either of us. But I doubt David will fuss too much,” he chuckled. “Who knows, maybe we’ll start a new fashion trend, dress suits with sneakers. Shall we?”

Half an hour later, they arrived at the Capital Grille. Max sucked his breath through his teeth; this was the kind of place he’d never have dreamed of eating at before. The outside of the brick building was lined in black iron trellises covered in blooming honeysuckle vines, and the windows were darkly tinted and lined in strands of tiny warm white lights. The name of the restaurant was announced on the awning above the entrance in gold-gilt script. There was a quiet outdoor eating area surrounded by high hedges and ivy-covered white slat walls to the left of the entrance, each table lit by flickering kerosene lanterns, though it was a bit too warm for anyone to eat outside.

Stephen held the door open for Max, and the pair entered. The restaurant was dark and cool and inviting, especially compared to the afternoon heat outside. Though it was still early, many of the tables were already in use.

“Welcome to Capital Grille,” the gazelle at the greeting station said. “Do you have a reservation?” she asked politely.

“We’re friends of David Hanover,” Stephen said. “Could you let him know that Stephen Andrews and his boyfriend are here and that we’d like a table? Thank you.”

The gazelle nodded and quietly departed for the kitchen, and a few moments later she returned. A handsome, imposingly tall panther in a chef’s hat and apron returned with her. “Stephen!” he said with a joyful smile. “How are you, old friend?” The large cat pumped Stephen’s arm enthusiastically, then turned to Max. “And who’s this handsome young man you’ve brought me this evening?”

“David, meet Max. Max, this is David, the owner. He used to be our head chef at StartAgain, until he got the entrepreneurial bug and decided to open this place.”

The panther David took Max’s paw and caressed it. “Oh, you’re from StartAgain? Delightful, simply divine,” the panther purred. “And what department do you work in, you delicious young man?”

“He’s working with James in housekeeping,” Stephen answered for Max, “they’re finally cleaning the library up, and apparently Max has a real knack for library work,” he said proudly.

“Oh god, cleaning,” David said with a sneer. “Better you than me, Max. I simply don’t have the patience for it. How long have you been with StartAgain?” he asked.

“About a week, sir,” Max answered, bemused. “I only just started.”

“And he’s already got his hooks into the most eligible bachelor in the land, eh Stephen?” David chortled. “I’m impressed, Max! You don’t know how many of us tried and failed to get into Stephen’s pants over the years! Well, enough about work, let’s get you two settled in so you can order.” David turned to the gazelle. “Marie, can you please seat them? Michael can be their server, full VIP treatment tonight for my old friend... and my new one!” He turned back to Stephen and Max. “Gentlemen, enjoy your dinner. And if you need anything at all, just let my staff know.”

“We will, thank you David,” Stephen said. “It’s so good to see you again.”

“And you!” the chef said as he retreated back to the kitchen. The gazelle, Marie, took them to a private back corner table near the kitchen. “Michael will be with you momentarily to take care of you,” she said politely as she handed them each a menu. “Can I put in a drink order for you while you wait?”

“Sure,” Stephen said. “I’ll have a sidecar. Max?”

Max blinked. “Um… can I please have a mojito? And a water with lemon?”

“I’ll put those in with the bar,” Marie said pleasantly.

As soon as the gazelle departed, Max turned to Stephen. “I hope that’s okay,” he said quietly. “Me ordering alcohol, I mean. Technically I’m underage to drink, and I probably should’ve asked you first.”

“Max, enjoy yourself. I was Daddy earlier, when you were little and we were shopping. Now I’m Stephen. And you’re my adult boyfriend, and we’re about to have a very nice dinner in a very ritzy restaurant. You’re with me, so nobody is going to card you here. I don’t think one drink will hurt anything.”

Max nodded. He was still learning the rhythm of his relationship with Stephen, when it was appropriate to be grown-up Maxwell and when it was time to be little Max. He was sure he’d have a clearer idea of where the lines were with time.

“I had so much fun with you today, thank you,” he said. “Honestly, that was a big bucket list item I got to check off, going toy shopping with my Daddy. That’s something I never could have dreamed of before.”

“I’m so glad you enjoyed it,” Stephen said. “I just want you to have fun and embrace who you are. That’s the whole point of StartAgain, after all. Sorry if you felt like I was pushing you too hard today. I have to keep reminding myself how new this all must be for you. You’re doing better than almost anyone we’ve ever hired, you should be very proud of yourself. Just as I’m proud of you.”

Max nodded again. He was proud of himself. Given how drastically his life had changed in such a short time, he was surprised at how brave he had proven himself to be. And any discomfort or embarrassment he felt was a tiny price to pay for the incredible life he was enjoying. Max opened his menu, then tried to keep his eyeballs in his skull when he saw the prices.

Stephen’s phone chimed in his pocket. He pulled it out and looked at the screen. “Oh, text from James, your furniture just got delivered! He’s having his crew bring it into your room and he’s going to have Corey help him get everything set up for you,” he said with a smile. He quickly typed out a reply, then put his phone away.

“That was fast,” Max grinned and wagged in his seat. “I can’t wait to see it all set up!”

A moment later, a young coyote appeared at their table with a wooden tray, on which sat a small unsliced loaf of bread and two ceramic containers of whipped butter. “Good evening, gentlemen. My name is Michael and I’ll be taking care of you this evening. Have you already put in drink orders?” he asked cheerfully.

“We have,” Stephen answered.

“Perfect. Then can I start you off with an appetizer tonight? The calamari is excellent,” Michael said.

Max’s nose wrinkled. He’d never had calamari before, but nothing about squid sounded appetizing.

Stephen noticed the look on Max’s face and winked. “I think we’ll do the artichoke dip with chips, if that’s okay with you, Max?”

“Sounds good,” Max said, relieved.

“And do you know what you’d like to order?” Michael asked.

“I do,” Stephen said. Max nodded and the server smiled. “I’ll have the New York strip and lobster tail, with the new potatoes and the garlic-butter asparagus spears. Medium-rare on the steak, please.”

The coyote smiled. “And would you like the house salad, or the Caesar?”

“Caesar, please,” Stephen answered.

Michael quickly jotted Stephen’s order on his pad, then turned to Max. “And for you, sir?”

“Can I please have the ribeye, well done, with the five cheese baked macaroni and a bowl of the loaded potato soup?”

“And for your salad, sir?” Michael asked.

“Um, house, with ranch dressing please,” Max replied bashfully.

“Very good, sir,” Michael said agreeably as he scribbled down Max’s order. “I’ll have those right out to you. And, again, my name is Michael. Please flag me down if there’s anything at all you need.” The coyote gave them a small bow and quickly departed.

“Stephen,” Max said in awe, “the menu doesn’t even have dollar signs next to the prices. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten anywhere like this before.”

“Get used to it, love,” Stephen said, chuckling as he slid the brass napkin ring off his napkin and unfolded it on his lap. “You’re going to eat like this a lot when you’re with me. Although I’ll never turn my nose up at a Burger Baron number six combo with large fries, either.”

“I honestly won’t ever get used to this,” Max mused. “I wasn’t, like, dirt poor growing up, but we weren’t wealthy either. I just can’t fathom making the kind of money I’m making now, just to clean and dust and stuff. How can StartAgain afford to pay everyone so well for just menial work?” Max was surprised that he hadn’t wondered at that before, but if everyone in the mansion was making the kind of money he was making, the business had to have a way to bring in money too.

Stephen laughed. “That’s a very good question. Well, for one thing, the Master is insanely wealthy. Like, top of the One Percent kind of wealthy. His family comes from old railroad money. But the company is profitable on its own. We own four different kink-focused porn companies that cater to all sorts of specialized interests. Remember way back when I hired you, I told you there were other opportunities for making money in StartAgain? Well, that’s one. Employees are given the option to consent to having their scenes filmed and sold, and they get a profit share from royalties on the sales. StartAgain’s bondage label, BadDogz, is the number one producer of gay bondage porn in the world, with global sales of almost half a billion dollars last year. And even the more exotic, specialty stuff tends to sell well. There’s someone with a kink for literally anything you can imagine.”

Max whistled. “I mean, that’s smart and makes sense. With so many adult things happening in the mansion at any given time, and with so many cameras everywhere, I probably should’ve guessed.”

Stephen nodded and tore a chunk of bread from the loaf, slathering it in butter. “It’s all opt-in, of course. Nobody is ever shown on video unless they want to be. And many of the mansion’s residents opt out because they value their privacy. But, as you can imagine, we have a lot of pervy exhibitionists who are happy to make extra money while supporting the organization.” He popped the warm bread into his mouth and chewed contentedly.

Max and Stephen chatted happily until Michael returned with their meals. The food was unbelievably good, beyond anything Max had ever tasted. Desert was even better, a giant slice of mouthwatering red velvet cake and fresh-churned vanilla bean ice cream to share, and glasses of champagne to wash it down with.

As soon as Michael had cleared their dishes away, the chef, David, reappeared. “I trust my cooking met your standards, Stephen?” he asked with a chuckle.

Stephen laughed and patted his rounded belly. “If I thought there was a chance in hell I could talk you into coming back to StartAgain, I’d write you a blank check right this second,” Stephen admitted happily.

“It was wonderful,” Max said in awe, “the best meal I’ve ever had in my entire life, sir. Thank you so much!”

“Praise from a handsome angel,” David replied. “All any chef could ever ask for. I only ask that you promise to dine with us again soon and grace me with your presence once more, Max.” The smooth-talking panther winked.

“Oh, yes sir!” Max chirped. Stephen pulled his strange metal credit card out of his wallet and tried to pass it to David, but the feline refused. “Absolutely not, Stephen. Your money is no good here. Dinner was on me. Consider it an insignificant token of gratitude for you hiring me at StartAgain. The money I earned working there allowed me to open Capital Grille and achieve my dreams.”

“Do I have to put you over my knee?” Stephen laughed, then he laughed all the harder when David began purring. “Fine, fine. Thank you, my friend,” Stephen said.

The pair said their goodbyes and left the restaurant, making their way back to the car. “Stephen, I think I might explode,” Max said happily as he poured himself into the passenger seat.

“Don’t do that, my love” Stephen said. “I like you better all in one piece. Besides, you’d ruin the upholstery.”

Max yawned and attached his seatbelt. “I could go right to sleep,” he said. “I just need a warm rock to curl up on. I don’t think I’ve ever been so full in my life.”

“That’s David for you,” Stephen said. “He won’t let you leave with an empty stomach. We’ve got a longish drive back and we’ve had a very full day, so why don’t you take a little nap? I’ll recline your seat and wake you when we get home,” the wolf said.

“Mmmmm,” Max sighed. “I love you so much, Stephen,” he added as his eyes slowly closed.

“I love you too, Max,” Stephen said. Max felt the wolf’s mouth press gently against his, and he kissed Stephen back softly. Suddenly, he felt himself smoothly drifting backward as Stephen reclined his seat. “So how was that for our first date?” Stephen asked him. “Did I do good?”

Max felt the car’s engine rumble to life, but his eyelids were too heavy to open. “Perfect,” Max said sleepily. “The best date ever. So much fun, so much good food. I love you so crazy much… I’m pretty sure I’m gonna marry you one day….” Max mumbled and trailed off. In a moment, he was sound asleep, the corners of his mouth turned up in a faint smile.