hiding all of our sins from the daylight

BREE BROWN

It had been a couple of weeks since their last fight, break up, issue, whatever you wanted to call it. The realization that their previous relationship hadn't really been what they'd built it up to be had hit her hard. While it took a lot of working herself up, she did manage to bring all of it up in her therapy sessions. It stuck with her that she didn't really know that much about Jake. It felt like she knew him too well sometimes, but basic things, she just didn't know. Maybe that's why she challenged herself to think of a date idea that he would like, based on what she does know about him. They had to start somewhere. It took her a couple of weeks to find something, but in the meantime she did reach out to him, just to talk. To ask him how he was doing, what he was up to. She even broke her own routine to work out with him. It had actually been fun, and she confirmed that she did, genuinely, enjoy his company. It made her feel more confident about asking him out, something she had absolutely never done before. But she figured, he would have taken her out before if she had allowed it. So, the least she could do was try and make that up to him by making the first move. Her therapist agreed. Given that she knew he liked computers, video games and competition, she had narrowed it down to paintball and laser tag. But ultimately, laser tag felt a bit more her friendly. I mean, little kids played laser tag so how hard could it be? Plus, she wanted the date to be something she thought he would like but that she could also enjoy. Her therapist pointed out that, that was kind of the point. In her defense, she'd never been on an actual date, but she was learning. After she texted her ex to ask when he was free, she told him she had an outing for them planned and to wear comfortable dark clothes and shoes. She figured he would assume whatever it was would be something bougie, and she found she was actually excited to see how he reacted to everything. This was probably this most dressed down she had ever been in public. Even her make up was giving natural beauty and she was wearing sneakers and leggings. It wasn't so much about Jake seeing her like this, it was everyone else but for the first time, she didn't really care. That might change if there a headline tomorrow about her letting herself go or something but for now, she was excited and as they approached Jake's place, she texted him that they were outside. Unsure of what to do, she remembered what her therapist said, what would you want him to do? So, she got out of the car and went to his side of the car, to open the door and while she thought maybe that was too literal, it was still a nice gesture. As she waited for him, she felt... nervous but in a good way. 

JAKE PUCKERMAN

If someone had told Jake that one encounter with his ex where she had to see him with another woman was all it would take for her to step up and offer the kind of attention other women were freely giving him, he would've been sure it was bullshit. He hadn't even expected anything he'd said the last time he saw her to have resonated with her, so her sending texts to check in and just communicate in general had been puzzling at first. He wasn't used to it, and part of him assumed it wasn't genuine — it was just something she heard him say other women were doing, so she was forcing it. But as the weeks went on and she became consistent with it, and then even joined him for a gym workout, he could tell she was doing it because she'd valued what he'd said and was trying. But it was her suggesting an outing that truly threw him for a loop. Her saying it was casual let him know that it wasn't some posh ass thing, thankfully, so he just settled for jeans, a plain old Versace tee, and a pair of sneakers. It would have been Eva approved, so that meant it was good enough, he decided. Once Bree's text came through, he tucked his wallet into his pocket and headed down to the parking lot, and he was surprised to see her waiting by the door, and on the other side, no less. "What are you doing?" He questioned curiously, but the more he glanced around the more evident it was that this was Bree's attempt at doing the date thing. "I'm not getting in before you." Jake insisted as he stepped closer to her, putting a hand on the small of her back as he gently guided her into the backseat, and then he climbed in after her. "Where we going? And you know I hate surprises, so just tell me now." He pleaded as he shut the door.

BREE BROWN

Not entirely sure how to answer because she wasn't super sure what she was doing. All she knew was on dates you open doors and pay. And from her understanding, in today's times, she asked him out so that was her responsibility, but she could be wrong about that. Either way, she let him guide her back in the car, and she scooted to her side and once Jake was in she almost rolled her eyes at him immediately asking where they were going. But as soon as he shut his door, her driver let them know they would be arriving in about eight minutes. Looking over at him, she had hoped they could get to the location before he asked, but she was honestly surprised he'd waited until now to ask. "It's an adult arcade. It has an arcade, go karts, something called cosmic bowling, I'm not sure how that differs from regular bowling, and laser tag, which is what we're going there for. And I think what makes it adult is the addition of alcohol and explicit lyrics, based on their Instagram." She explained. "And I opted to go in the afternoon in case you wanted to do more than laser tag. When we get there they'll give us wrist bands that will allow us to go anywhere in the facility and a points card. Everything we do there can earn us points where we can trade in for prizes or food. From the reviews it seems it's a, better DnB. I wasn't sure what that was but apparently it stands for Dave and Buster's, which is like an adult Chuckie Cheese. And I think we get three drinks included with the wrist band." Reaching into her purse, she took out her phone to bring up her confirmation 'ticket', to confirm she'd given him all the relevant information. Looking at him again, she noticed he looked good. Not that he didn't usually but generally she's too annoyed at him to actually appreciate his style. "Are you wearing Versace?" She asked, already knowing the answer. "You look good." She said with a smile.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Given that Jake wasn't used to this, he had to ask what was going on. He didn't know what Bree was up to nowadays, considering that she had been acting differently since their last showdown, so he was mostly trying to make sure that he wasn't walking into some kind of stupid trap. So as the driver took off and she started rambling off the plan, he tried to let her get through as much of the brochure a she could before he started laughing. Not just any laugh either, but a bubbly one, as he found it rather cute that she'd basically memorized all of the information from the website or whatever. "First of all, I'm both surprised and offended that you have never heard of Dave & Busters. That's insane. Also, cosmic bowling is cool, and it reminds me of a rave, kinda. They cut the main lights out and instead, it's like the neon lights and lasers, things glow in the dark, and they play loud upbeat music. I've only done it once, while drunk, but it was fun." He nodded. "But what also makes it an adult experience is that there's usually no one under 21 allowed. Thankfully." Jake hummed, and it wasn't that he didn't like kids, it was just that this sort of thing was a lot more fun with alcohol and no whiny kids. At Bree's compliment, he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "You do know that Eva pimped out my closet, right?" He still didn't care about designers and whatnot, even now that he had money, but Eva had pretty much tossed out most of his old wardrobe. "But thank you. And you look...like the Bree that only I used to see." He pointed out. "You look beautiful."

BREE BROWN

At the sound of his laugh, she had a millisecond of panic that she hadn't picked a good date activity. And was about to be mad at him laughing in her face about it. But then he started talking and it was clear he was just amused the she didn't know what Dave and Buster's was. Which, how would she? That definitely wouldn't have been an approved place for her to be seen, but then again neither would this adult arcade place. And even if they had landed some paid deal with them, she wouldn't have been allowed to wear leggings and sneakers. But tonight, there would be no cameras and she could just have some undocumented fun. Well, maybe she would take a couple of pictures, just for her camera roll. She supposed it made sense that there would be no kids, probably for the best and definitely made her feel more comfortable about drinking in general. Nodding she put her phone back in her purse. "I assumed she would, nothing in your closet had a singular brand name she would have approved of." She laughed a little. "But the style is still you, regardless. Just now they're high quality pieces instead of articles of clothing." Smiling at him returning her compliment. She had to admit that his ability to make her feel worthy no matter what had been one of his most attractive features. "Thank you, but you might not think that after i kick your ass in laser tag." She said with a smile. Before she knew it they were at their destination and her driver was opening the door for them. Leaving her purse in the car, she just brough her phone which had some cash and her cards hidden in the case. As they walked in they were greeted by a very chipper young woman who quickly went over the different areas of the building. Since Bree had pre-paid for the 'elite package' the employee gave them their wristbands and point cards and explained their their first three drinks were free and they just swiped their points cards any time they drank. At the end, they could get pries and pay the rest of their bill for any food and drinks they get. Once she walked away, Bree looked up at Jake. "So do you want to do laser tag first, or get a drink and some food?" She asked, the restaurant right in front of them.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake rolled his eyes playfully when Bree too dissed his former clothing choices, just like Eva had done the second she'd taken one gander through that old wardrobe. Honestly, he had known from her first day that Eva was a perfect fit to be running Bree's PR, as well as those two being friends in general. By now, most of the stuff they said about his former choices, clothing and everything else, just echoed each other, and it made sense that him and his brother (and Ali that one time he knew about) were so captivated by them. "Not everyone grew up like you two, and I personally liked my 'articles of clothing' before. This one plain ass Versace shirt, which is just a black tee that had a designer label ironed onto it, should not even remotely cost over $300. This fancy stuff is a scam." He insisted, and it truly was, but it was the lifestyle he was apart of now, so he had to get used to it. His ex assuming she'd kick his ass at laser tag was hilarious, especially since he was sure she had never played before, unlike him. Letting the employee ramble as he looked around, he wasn't even paying any attention as he was already mapping out how their time here was about to unfold. Once they were left alone and Bree spoke, Jake took her hand and led her over to the restaurant, opting to sit right at the bar. "I ate a little earlier so I'm not hungry right now, but I do need a drink. But if you need to grab a bite to eat first, that's cool." He stated as he hopped into an empty barstool, his hand still holding onto his ex's. "And since I know what you're up to now, we might as well use this time at the bar to knock out the basics, and I'll start. What's your favorite food, and your drink of choice when you go out? Mine are easy. I don't have one favorite when it comes to food — I'll eat anything as long as someone who knows how to season it cooks it, and the drink depends. If I'm just at home or with my siblings, it's beer. But when I go out with the boys, it's whiskey all day." He shrugged.

BREE BROWN

To be fair, Jake wasn't wrong about designers being a scam, generally speaking, but Versace was an entry level designer. Anyone could buy Versace, Gucci or Coach. One day she would introduce him to true high end labels that you needed wealth to access. She let him lead her toward the bar, smiling a little to herself at how casually he reached for her hand like it wasn't lost on her that it was the first time she allowed him to do that in a non orchestrated setting. It didn’t feel tense or performative, just easy. Comfortable. And it surprised her how much she liked that. She slid onto the barstool beside him, crossing one leg over the other as he started with a question that, at first, felt oddly simple, but she realized was actually kind of important. No one had ever really asked her that, not in a way that felt like they really cared about the answer. Opting to pass on the food, she had eaten at home, something healthy and energizing, figuring she could end the day with fatty diner food from this place. "You eating pretty much anything sounds accurate. But I didn't think your drink changed based on who you were with. I'm not family or one of your boys, so is their a third drink of choice when you're out on a date?" She asked a bit playfully. Not really expecting an answer. "Is it sad to admit I've only eaten my favorite food once?" She laughed, a little embarrassed. "But it's BBQ ribs, extra sauce. But there's no... clean way to eat those and they're fatty and not exactly a healthy choice. But I don't think I've ever eaten anything better. Except maybe a king crab seafood boil, with a lot of garlic butter. A worth it $200 every time." Again it wasn't a meal she ate often, it required a bib and gloves for god sake, and a cup of butter was anything but healthy but she'd usually do it for her birthday. "For drinks, anything with tequila, especially a tequila sunrise or a margarita. But Margarita's are for partying with the girls. Tequila sunrise is  appropriate for any occasion." She answered. "When you're stressed what do you do to decompress and if you could only tell me one thing about yourself what would it be? For me, when I'm stressed I take a bath with a bottle of red wine and watch something funny like Abbott Elementary. And if I could only tell you one thing about myself I would tell you..." She trailed off, thinking about what to say. "You're going to have to answer first I need more time to think," She said with a smile. Truthfully, she just didn't want to get too deep so she was relying on Jake to set the tone.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake hadn't exactly thought about how he switched drinks depending on who he was with, but in hindsight, it usually just depended on the setting mostly. But he certainly hadn't thought about whether it changed on a date until Bree asked, and considering that's what they were on right now, it was a damn good question. "In my defense, Puck has a teenager at home so whenever he cooks, we keep it light with beer. Same with when I'm just at home chilling, beer is just like an adult kool-aid to sip on. But ain't no NFL players going out and ordering beer. I had never even heard of a drink called a Godfather until recently, and hadn't touched any Cognac before, so I just got into whiskey like that." He shrugged, and it was a bit of a change from his old life, but he wasn't complaining. "For a date, maybe a whiskey neat or a gin & tonic." Listening to Bree's response, he was sure that he was a bit shocked to hear her confess to such, and it wasn't an expected answer, so he had to let that sink in until the bartender came over. He ordered the whiskey neat for himself and a tequila sunrise for Bree, because she did just admit that it fit any occasion, before raising a brow. "I didn't expect you to get down like that, but now that I know you do, my brother is an amazing cook — and even better on the grill. I told him we had talked about you meeting Maya, before all the other drama anyway, and he said you could come over for dinner. I could get him to make you some ribs, and there'd be no cameras or paps around so we could all be as messy and unhealthy as we wanted." He offered, and personally that was how Jake liked his barbecue, so why not? As it was Bree's turn to toss out questions, he certainly hadn't expected it to be the two she tossed out, and he was glad she answered first because the man needed time to think those over. Adding her answers to memory, he was glad the bartender quickly came back with their drinks, and he took a long swig of his before humming. "Guided meditation when I'm stressed. I mean, sometimes I just work out, but I've gotten into the meditation instead lately and that helps. But uh..okay, truthfully, I don't like the fame or the popularity or whatever that comes from being a baller, or even a nepo baby. The money's nice, people wanting to meet me and shit is cool — but I was social before all of this anyway. I've always liked meeting people and interacting with folks, but I preferred it happening organically, and when people didn't know me as anything other than the Jake they met on campus, at a normal lame ass party, or even on just riding raggedy dirt bikes in some seedy area. I ain't need all this extra shit to catch a vibe with folks, and I liked it better when I had to work and prove myself to get shit, you know?"

BREE BROWN

While she had never been much of a whiskey girl herself, she did know that most people come into money and their taste in liquor got bougie. There was a lot of status in what alcohols you had in your liquor cabinet and wine cellar. Her parents had the best of it all and she was pretty sure she had never seen them drink a single bottle. Just another thing that was for show. "What's Kool-Aid?" She asked, but let out a laugh almost immediately after. "My grandmother use to make the blue Kool-Aid for me as a kid, with a bag of sugar and everything." Her mom had hated it and that was probably why her grandma gave it to her. "She use to say it would give her super powers and the sugar rush had a five year old me thinking it was true." Was this the first time she'd mentioned her grandmother to Jake? Was this the first non upsetting story she'd ever shared of her childhood? It felt like she held them close so no one could take them but sharing that, didn't feel like losing it but keeping it alive. As she finished answering, the bartender arrived and she damn near kicked her feet giggling as Jake ordered drinks for them. It was really hitting her that she had never experienced a date and as odd as it sounded, it was nice, doing it for the first time with her ex. The casual offer to have her over for dinner with his brother and niece, made her smile. "That sounds like fun and I can get all of the necessary groceries. Just tell Puck to send me a list of exactly what he needs or a picture of the receipts so I can send him what he needs. I'd offer to bring a dish but the only thing I know how to do properly in a kitchen is pour a glass of wine." And she was dead serious about that. She didn't even know what the different between and oven and a range was. As her drink was placed in front of her, she watched Jake drink from his waiting to see what he'd say. Okay, guided meditation was not what she had been expecting. Honestly, she thought he might say sex or video games, so it looked like they both had some surprise answers. However his answer the second question didn't surprise her as much. He hadn't grown up in this world. "No, not really, but that's because I grew up with people recognizing me before I could even tie my shoes. So I'm never had to work or prove myself to get much of anything except respect.But I don't think I like the fame either. I'm just good at it, if that's even possible. But it's a performance and it is exhausting. My life has come with a lot of privillage but maybe even more pressure. All I really want is to walk into a room and just exist without having to live up to some idea a stranger has of me." It was the first time she had ever said, out loud, that she didn't actually love the fame. Even now she kind of wanted to add that she was grateful but she hoped Jake would know that without her having to say it.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake was about to have his flabbers gasted when Bree initially asked what kool-aid was, but when she laughed and started explaining that she did in fact know what it was, he had to shake his head. He hadn’t known if bougie rich folks knew about it, so at least Bree’s grandmother did in fact introduce her to it. “In grandma’s defense, it did give you the power to run at full speed and have more energy than usual, so she didn’t lie.” He laughed. “But now that I know you know what it is, you and Maya are getting introduced to bebops.” He made a mental note to be sure he added it to the list for this family dinner they were planning. He wasn’t even the least bit surprised when Bree instantly started offering to pay or reimburse Puck for the groceries. She didn’t like to show up empty handed, and since she would be the guest of honor, of course she’d want to step up and do the heavy lifting. But once he downed the rest of his drink and motioned the bartender over with a refill, Jake quickly shook his head. “Lemme stop you right there. Puck is not allowing you to pay for anything when you’re the guest. My brother is a whole ass gentleman, and he would never accept letting you pay for anything. You’re bringing stuff for Maya so that’s enough, but if you feel like you need to bring something else, bring wine or beer, or both. That’s it.” He’d take care of the groceries and whatever else Puck needed to do the cooking, but he already knew that his brother would shut down Bree doing any more than just maybe bringing a beverage, so it was best that cleared that up now. Letting the bartender refill his glass, Jake was slightly surprised to hear Bree start echoing his feelings about fame and whatnot. He knew she’d hated the way her brand or image or whatever had been handled before Eva stepped in, but he hadn’t expected her to dislike it, especially when she seemed to put it before everything else. Sipping on his whiskey as he let her continue, he had several things he wanted to say, several things he could say and that she probably needed to hear, but Jake had learned a long time ago that most of it went in one ear and out the other. Talking to her was always a feat when it pertained to this, and he still didn't understand why she kept going along with all of this. "Not to sound like an asshole or anything, but have you ever considered just not performing?" He questioned curiously. "You can be grateful for the life your parents and the social media stuff has given you, but you're allowed to say fuck it and be yourself without it coming across as you're ungrateful. I mean, that momtok group keeps coming up on my TikTok fyp, and they got a whole tv show from being bad mormons and being swingers. Why the hell should you keep pretending when they're being awarded for being religious whores? Same with the Kardashians or Jenners or whatever. One shitty, low budget sex tape spawned the whole family a career, so why can't you just be yourself?"

BREE BROWN

"Grandma never lies. I do believe it gave me super powers. It probably still would." She laughed before taking another sip of her drink. Furrowing her brow, she half thought he was messing with her. "What in the world is a bebop and what does it have to do with Kool-Aid?" She asked, knowing he probably wouldn't tell her and she'd have to wait until they made this bbq dinner happen. Although she could look it up but she's not even sure what to search to get the right thing to pop up. The only thing she could even remotely think of was a type of old people music. But that has nothing to do with Kool-Aid. Her train of thought being interrupted by Jake telling her Puck wouldn't accept her offer to pay, she almost protested. However, she could agree to bring the drinks. At least it was something, she could show up with nothing, that's rude. "Okay, I will be in charge of the drinks. What kind of liquor does your brother like? It is the bare minimum that I bring him a gift and an expensive bottle of liquor is always appreciated in my experience. And what is your favorite non alcoholic drink. You can't just drink beer all night." Also she just wanted to know. While she didn't cook, she was a good host and liked to have her favorite people's favorite drinks in her fridge and a bottle of their preferred body wash. And apparently Jake was classified as one of her favorite people. As she finished revealing her truth, she reached for her drink again and good thing too. As it seemed Jake had at least one hard hitting question in him. As he continued talking, Bree finished her drink and motioned the bartender for another.  Bree didn’t answer right away. She just stared at her glass for a moment, weighing every emotion that tried to push its way forward. When she did finally speak, her voice was quieter. "In short, yes. Many many times I have considered, even threatened to quit. But it's never felt like a real option. In my house your name wasn't just your name, it was your brand and it represented the whole family. And any mistake you made was a headline." Tracing the rim of her glass with her pointer finger, pushing the little straw along, she sighed. "The truth is, I don't know how to leave without feeling like I'm disappointing everyone. Including myself." She looked at him, finding the ability to smile just a little. "But I'm working on it." It was all she could offer for now, she really didn't need to get into her therapy journey right now. So she raised her glass, "A toast, to our first date." And this time her smile was big and genuine.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Honestly, Bree not knowing what a bebop was shouldn't have made him laugh, but he supposed that maybe she did know and rich people just called it something else. "It's basically a popsicle, but in Alabama, the ladies in the hood who sold food out their houses used to make a killing by selling bebops. They'd fill mini foam or solo cups with kool-aid, freeze it, and then flip it so it was like a popsicle in a cup. Now imagine all of the neighborhood kids running around in the heat all day, and their moms and grandmas telling them that they can't keep running back and forth in the house for a drink all day. Those ladies used to sell bebops for a quarter, so each kid would spend a dollar or two on just bebops." He laughed. It was clever really, and he hopes those women were living damn good lives now. As she asked about his brother's favorite liquor, he shrugged. "Bourbon or Cognac, I think, but my brother ain't the expensive liquor type. That man built his house from the ground up by himself, all he needs is a regular 6-pack from a convenience store." Jake pointed out, though he was sure Bree wouldn't listen so she'd just have to pick something herself, which might be for the best anyway. "My fav non-liquor is Dr. Pepper, but baby girl, I can drink beer at a barbecue all day. Did it all the time as a teen." He bragged. It was probably another nod to how horrible of a mother Tatum was, but that was rather evident now. Watching as his ex seemed to hesitate in answering his question, he was about to tell her she didn't have to answer it until she did. Again, he didn't understand the pressure or why shit like that mattered so much, but Jake just listened anyway, letting her get it all out before watching her raise her glass. "Mhm, cheers to our first date." He hummed, lightly tapping her glass with his own before he downed the rest of his whiskey. "For the record, you're not in the Brown household anymore. You have your own place, so make your own rules." Jake suggested, and honestly, it was time she did that, after all. "Maybe you didn't have the option before, or know how to quit before, but you do have Eva in your corner now. If anyone can help you navigate the change, it's the retired beauty influencer that's running our PR." Sitting his glass back down, he took his wallet out and laid a crisp Benjamin on the bar before pushing himself up. Since the barstools moved, he shifted Bree's until he was forcing her to face him now, and then he gently cradled one of her cheeks in his hand. "You doing what you want, and what makes you happy, won't disappoint anyone except your parents, but you're a grown woman now. A smart, beautiful, grown ass woman who deserves to let the world see her for who she truly is." Jake stated before leaning in and kissing Bree's other cheek. "And just so we're clear, in our house, your name — which I'm assuming you'll hyphenate as Brown-Puckerman — will just be your name. No strings, no expectations, no brand depending on it. I promise you that, baby girl."

BREE BROWN

The moment Jake started explaining what a bebop was, and Bree could envision it, but truthfully she had never seen a styrofoam cup popsicle. In fact, popsicles weren't really something she was permitted to eat. According to her mother there was no 'proper' way to eat them. But as Jake smiled recounting, she imagined a young Jake and Ali, running around with the neighborhood kids, change in their pockets, colorful frozen treats in their hands, giant smiles on their faces, and she thought it was how childhood should be. Filled with community and sugar. "The wealthy believe eating anything off of a stick is very unbecoming. We had sorbet, sorbetto and gelato. Although, I did have, what I think is called, shaved ice in Hawaii once when I was young." She knew it wasn't the same thing, but it was as close as she could get. Even her grandmother hadn't made anything bebop like for her. As Jake spoke about his brother, she hadn't been surprised until he mentioned that Puck built his house. That was impressive and somehow felt like it said a lot about the man. While it wasn't often she felt, intimidated, she could tell how much his siblings meant to Jake and she just wanted to make a good impression. While she wouldn't be gifting a six pack of CVS beer, she would keep in mind that a three thousand dollar bottle of bourbon was probably a bit too much. Her thoughts of putting together a 'bourbon basket' were interrupted by him answering her question and when she was about to mention the sugar content he hit her with a 'baby girl' and she had always rolled her eyes when anyone had called her that in the past. But ever since the first time her ex had called her that she would just smile as her heartbeat felt like it was fluttering.  "Okay bougie on a budget for your brother and Dr. Pepper for you." For a moment she wondered if they had met as teens, maybe gone to the same middle or high school if he would have liked her. Or if she would have liked him, she bet he was womanizeer back then. As the tone shifted to something more serious, she sipped on her drink after the toast. His words, while not revolutionary, hit like they were and that truth settled in her chest, heavy. He made it sound so simple, like she could just choose herself and not have to explain it to anyone. But she supposed that's what true freedom was. Choosing yourself, even when no one else gets it. Slightly surprised by his sudden closeness, she let him turn her barstool to face him and didn't flinch or move away when she felt his hand cradled her cheek. Instead, she just looked at him as he spoke. And with each word any doubt or anxiety she had about them just melted away. As he kissed her cheek, she sighed in contentment and knew he was her person. Then he just had to keep talking and now she didn't have any idea what to say to that. So she stood up, finished her drink and processed the implication of marriage he just proposed. "You know it's pretty bold of you to talk about marriage on a first date. I'm not made at it though. I might need to workshop Brown-Puckerman, it's not my favorite." She teased, smiling, her hand grabbing his. "So are you ready to be a gentleman and let me win laser tag?"

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake was sure that his jaw dropped and his brows remained knitted together as Bree explained what uptight rich people had instead of popsicles, which all sounded weird and disgusting. Well, aside from the shaved ice, but of course she'd only have it in Hawaii. "I don't know what the difference is in what all you just said, but now that we're apparently doing the date thing, I'm gonna introduce you to everything the non-wealthy experience and love." He promised, and he truly would, since he wouldn't mind revisiting a ton of stuff he loved as a kid/teen, and he'd get to share them with Bree, Puck, and Maya, so it was a win win. He nodded when he seemed to have talked her off the high end liquor ledge, thankfully, and he was just glad he wouldn't have to keep pushing it. This wasn't going to be some fancy barbecue, it was simply going to just be a small family thing, and that didn't require anything super expensive. For a first official date, one could have assumed that they were getting far too deep with the conversation, but they were past the early stages either way so this was just...backtracking and getting to know one another the way they should have done before. As Bree finally seemed to stop fighting him on the bullshit he spewed, Jake couldn't help but smile in satisfaction. Normally, she would have quickly shot down his marriage proclamation, or reminded him that they weren't even together right now because of his actions, so it seemed like a slight step in the right direction now. He rolled his eyes playfully at her words, but let her take his hand anyway. "You can always keep Bree Brown professionally, and just be Bree Puckerman at home." He offered before he started to lead the way over to laser tag. "You don't even know how to play, and we won't be the only ones in there, so how am I gonna help you?" Jake teased as they headed in. Luckily there were some other adults waiting and not any kids, so he pulled his ex over to where the remaining vests were. "I could tell you how to play, but there's a video that's gonna play to describe it." He insisted as she dropped his hand from Bree's to grab one of the vests, going to put it around her. "There's no teams in here. Everybody gets their own points based on how many people they shoot, so you're just gonna have to either find a good spot to hide and shoot from, or be quick as you run around and shoot." He laughed, grabbing his own vest and getting it on just as the demonstration video started. He took care of entering their names in, choosing to go with their initials (the future married ones, of course) as he made sure they were good to go. The video only lasted for a little over a minute, and then he was facing Bree again. "You got all that, or do I need to literally tell you how you should play?"

BREE BROWN

Bree couldn't hold back a bright laugh at Jake's facial reaction to her snooty ice cream adjacent desserts. Truthfully, even she wasn't sure what the difference between sorbet and sorbetto was. "I think one of them is dairy and the other two aren't or two of them are dairy and one isn't. Honestly, I'm not sure, my favorite was the shaved ice." She smiled. "I'm very curious to see what you grew up loving and I promise to be open minded, although I have to draw the line at cheese in a can." Dairy wasn't exactly on her list of approved foods, and while she could probably handle a pizza or a burger, there was no way her digestive system was equipped to handle cheese whiz. At his surname suggestion, she actually found herself thinking about it as they made their way to the laser tag area. Bree Puckerman did have a nice ring to it. Listening to him explain the concept of this game, because he was right. She had looked up a couple of videos but she had no idea what she was doing, so she found herself listening very intently to him. She let him lead her to the vests, her body brushing slightly against his as he helped her into one of the vests. Something about the casual intimacy of the moment, caught her off guard but in a good way. It was the first time she'd ever experienced non sexual itimacy in a romanic dynamic. While she could appreciate that, where Jake was concerned, that was almost entirely her own fault, she had just realized, even outside of Jake, long before Jake even, intimacy was a sexual thing exclusively. Making her think that's just the way it was but she found herself glad to be proven wrong. Once her vest was on, and he kept talking she wasn't overwhelmed or feeling the need to perform. All she wanted was to not come in last and maybe shoot Jake one time. Normally, she'd feel the need to win even if it is a game she has never played before. But as her ex gave her a couple of strategies with a laugh, all she could do was smile and give him a quick, "Got it." As the demonstration video started, her eyes were glued to the screen, determined to get as much information as she could. She'd have complained about the short length of the video if it hadn't been for her catching the nicknames he'd punched in for them. JP and BP.  And while a month ago that would have had her spiraling, now it just felt reassuring. He really liked her, enough to allude to marriage pretty casually. His voice brought her back and she looked from the screen back to Jake. "No, no, I'm a genius and a fast learner. I plan on giving you a run for your money in there." She said playfully. Soon, they were being led into a dark blacklit room. "Here I thought you might glow in the dark." She teased as the announcer to them they has 30 seconds and everyone else scattered. "Good luck, Puckerman." She said as she went to find a good hiding place.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake wasn't surprised that Bree hardly knew the difference in whatever bougie food food she'd been given, but it didn't sound good either way so he'd be passing on that in favor for what he knew. But that the mention of cheese in a can, he frowned. "Like that old easy cheese stuff? That's white people shit — and even Tatum ain't that white, so her kids definitely aren't either." He knew exactly what she was referring to, but he had never tried that shit because it just screamed weird, so he wouldn't be introducing her to that. He just couldn't say the same for what Maya might introduce her to, since he had no idea how to keep up with the trends of these kids now and he couldn't be blamed if that was something they were currently digging. While getting her into the vest and giving out instructions, he hadn't exactly been thinking about it being a romantic moment of intimacy, or even any sort of intimacy at all — he only saw this as being something he hadn't expected to be doing with his ex. He hadn't even imagined that she'd be up for something like this, and he was just busy living in the moment, which was still foreign when it came to them, but he was already ecstatic about it. Once they were let in, he watched the others scramble, noting where some of them were headed before she smirked down at Bree. He could have let her know about the vests glowing once the game started, but she'd figure it out on her own. "You too, Mrs. Puckerman." He teased as he watched her take off. Now Jake, he had played this game too many times, and he wasn't a punk so he wasn't hiding. Instead, he stood right in the middle of the two-story playing field, his gun in position and ready as the timer kept ticking. Given that Bree was probably the least experienced one in here, he was going to help reduce some points for the other players. As soon as the timer ran out, he didn't even move, letting the others start fleeing before he started lighting them up one by one. Luckily he was in the perfect place with obstructions on either side of him, so he alternated between ducking and shooting his lasers as the others tried (and failed) to outdo him. Inching towards Bree, he didn't even aim at her when he could make out her form in the dark lights. "You want my help earning some points?" He questioned, keeping an eye out and shooting at someone trying to sneak up on them before realizing her needed a recharge. "You can hide behind me and do the shooting so I'll get hit instead of you. Well, you'll have to watch your back, but I dan cover your front."

BREE BROWN

Glad to know that cheese in a can was weird, even to Jake, Bree did have a particular palette. Or she always thought she did, but truthfully she just never ate at places that were less than $150 a plate. But then again that was kind of true for her life as a whole. If it wasn't expensive and on trend she just wasn't exposed to it and if she did happen upon it, before she could even form a sense of curiosity about it, someone had been there to tell her it wasn't good enough for her. And she just never really questioned it, instead she'd turn her nose up at it and look down on it. It wasn't her best quality, but now she was in a dark room, wearing a vest thousands of people had probably worn before her, crouched down in a little nook waiting for a timer to countdown so she could shoot other adults with a laser gun. So, it seems safe to say, she's working on it. As the timer finished, she was surprised to see her vest light up and her lasers make a sound like they were starting up. Immediately someone shot her and she realized she wasn't covered on all sides. The vest lit up red for a second and then went dark. It gave her enough time to move before her vest and guns lit back up and this time she was able to shoot a couple of people. It was actually a lot of fun and way more active than she was originally anticipating. She had been in the zone when she heard a voice she didn't yet recognize and she jumped just a little and without thinking shot one of her laser's at him. "Oh my God!" she whisper yelled as she realized who it was. As he shot someone else, she was already using him as a shield as he was suggesting it. To be fair, he was clearly good at this okay, and she could use all the help she could get. But there was something very sweet about him being willing to lose points just so she could get a few. Looking up at him, she smiled, "That's very sweet of you, but I've got this. I've only been hit like, six times and I've definitely gotten more than six hits on everyone else." She said. This game had a learning curve, and she was in the middle of it and at her core she was a student who loved to learn. Seeing someone round the corner she shot them before they could shoot Jake, "But we do seem to make a good team so why don't we watch each other's backs and take home the gold and silver?" She put her hand out for him to shake, to seal their alliance.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake still couldn't believe that Bree had agreed to this, or that she seemed to be playing, and learning the ropes, but he was sure that this might have been the first time he'd ever actually seen her just let go of everything else and have fun. Real fun. He couldn't even be mad at her shooting at him, since he wasn't that invested in winning anyway, not now that Bree seemed to be enjoying it, and even in the dark he found this to be the cutest she'd ever been. She hadn't even complained once about wearing a vest that countless people had worn, holding a laser many people had touched, and even breathing the same air as people who probably didn't wash their hands and probably weren't vaccinated. He would have never thought to even ask her to come to anything like this if she hadn't planned it herself, so there was that. At her suggestion, Jake just shook his head as he felt the small hand being held out to him. Tapping her hand with his laser, Jake leaned in and kissed Bree's lips softly. "Deal. Now let's go, James Bond." He teased before spinning back around, and he instantly caught sight of someone else's laser and immediately shot at them. "I've got our front, you take the back." He stated before he slowly started moving forward again, already knowing the best places to hide and duck between to make sure they were gonna win this. Apparently their opponents figured out they were teaming up now and before he knew it, he could see vests and lasers everywhere so he just went back to shooting every vest he could. "Let's go, babe!" He beamed, firing another shot off as they kept moving. The only thing he hated about laser tag was how hard it was to tell who was winning, yet he just kept leading Bree around the playing field and firing at everyone he could until the final buzzer went off and the lights came back on. "If we lost, I'm fighting." He joked, taking Bree's hand and leading her back out, and he immediately went to check the scoreboard. "Just so we're clear, I didn't let you win." Jake pointed out, motioning to the BP in first place, and the JP right below it with one less point. "You technically won that one fair and square, but because I'm a gentleman, I'll accept it. This time. Next time we play, you're on your own, Mrs. Puckerman." Shrugging, Jake took Bree's gun and vest off first before doing the same with his own, returning them back to their rightful places before he faced Bree again. "As the winner, do you want to pick what we do next? Or do you want me to just decide because if you do, cosmic bowling would be my choice."

BREE BROWN

Slightly surprised by the kiss, she was still quick to return it, on instinct. An affectionate smile spreading across her face as he agreed with a little teasing. Listening to his instructions, she let him handle the front and she made sure to cover their back. Moving with him, pointing her laser at the flash of a vest in the distance and within in a few minutes it was obvious everyone else caught on to their alliance. Sudddenly everyone was on them and where she would normally have been stressed or even annoyed at the pressure to perform, she heard Jake's encouragement and his general energy and it influenced her own mood. It might sound dramatic but this might be the most fun she's ever had. More than that it might be the first time she actually had real true and genuine fun at all. Firing off shots and moving in tandem with Jake through the course, she had no idea what the score was and she found she didn't even care. Through the sweat, the mini workout and the quick on your feet thinking required to move like they were, she really had no doubt they were coming out on top and she found herself randomly smiling. When the game ended and the lights came back up, she didn't take her phone out to fix her hair or blot her face, instead she just laughed as her ex threatened to fight and let him lead her out of the room. Looking at the score she did a little victory dance as Jake made it clear he didn't let her win, which she didn't need him to tell her. She was killing it in there, literally. "I know you didn't let me win. I'm just a laser tag prodigy." She said flipping her ponytail and dusting off her shoulders. With a exhale she let him take her gear off before accepting a couple of, 'good game's, from people. As he was taking his own gear off, she did smooth her shirt out a bit. "Although, I will admit, you definitely helped me achieve greatness so we can do cosmic bowling next. However, I've only bowled once and it was more of a photo op for one of my mom's charity's then a fun family outing, so you might have to show me how exactly to get the weighted ball down the lane without bumpers and the ramp thing." It was her long winded way of admitting she'd never actually throw a bowling ball. Which, she is now realizing, is yet another staple activity she wasn't exposed to. It was becoming very clear to her that she might be well travelled but she is not as knowledgeable as she originally thought.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake rolled his eyes playfully as Bree insisted that she was some sort of prodigy, because of course she'd say that. "You're a quick learner, and you had a bodyguard. Let's not go overboard, babe." He teased, and they both knew that if he hadn't sacrificed himself, he would have been in first place. Smiling and nodding at the praise, he was sure he saw one of the ladies snap a photo of them, which only meant one thing: she was a fan, and their date night was about to plastered all over social media. Great. The fake dates were fine, since Eva usually catered them to be publicity stunts so people could gawk over them, but he didn't want their first real date to be interrupted by annoying ass fans. Focusing back on his ex when she agreed to bowling, while also informing him that she clearly didn't know how to bowl, it was actually the perfect cover. "Baby girl, you know you don't have to take the long route every single time you need to explain that your bougie ass family didn't do anything fun, right? Just flat out lead with it." Jake winked before taking Bree's hand and making a beeline for the shoe rental. Given that he at least knew her shoe size, Jake told the attendant their sizes and then grabbed the shoes with his free hand, got them a lane, and then tugged his ex to the cosmic bowling area. If Bree didn't understand it before, she sure as hell could see why it was called such now, and why some people would prefer it over regular bowling. he led them all the way to their lane before finally freeing Bree's hand as he flopped down onto the seating. "I know the idea of wearing shoes other people wear probably grosses you out, but we can throw your socks away afterwards." He teased as he kicked his sneakers off and slipped the hideous bowling shoes on. "Now, get yours on while I find a ball for your small hands." Jake teased, hopping up to go over to the nearest rack. He tested his own fingers into two to pick out the right one, and then just guestimated which ball would work for Bree's hands and carried them over. "Test this one." He stated once he'd loaded them into the ball guard thingy. "The pink one, obviously. If it doesn't fit, we'll go up a size, but I think this one might be right." Or so he hoped, anyway, but for now, he grabbed the tablet and started to enter their names into the game. "And while you do that, you can tell me what other hobbies you have besides the social media stuff, and being a math nerd." He teased.

BREE BROWN

"I will keep that in mind." She said playfully. Again, she let Jake lead the way, this time to a surprisingly brightly colored counter where the shoes apparently lived. Arguably the ugliest shoes she had ever seen and on top of that, they're used and the vest was one thing but shoes?! This was truly going to be a test of her commitment to just have fun and not think too much. According to her therapist, not everything has to be perfect to be worth it. So, as her ex led her to, what she assumed, was their lane, she was actually kind of mesmerized by the neon lights and the music and the general vibe of cosmic bowling. Sitting down next to Jake, she was glad he knew her well enough to know she was absolutely struggling with the idea of putting these ugly used shoes on her feet. She was even more glad at his suggestion to simply throw her socks away after this. Nodding in agreement, she laughed at his comment as he walked away. After a few moments she had the shoes on and truthfully, she was pretty proud of herself for doing it with zero verbal complaints. Surely that was growth. As she saw Jake returning with a couple of shiny balls in his hands, she stood up and had to admit, she did like that it was pink. Looking around she got the gist of how to test it out. Picking it up, it felt like a good weight for her and while normally she would have scoffed at putting her perfectly manicured nails anywhere near a bowling ball, she did it anyway. I mean, she's come this far, she can't give up now. So she stuck her fingers in the mysterious holes and then held it up to her chest like she saw other people doing around them. It felt comfortable considering. "I was a cheerleader, nationally ranked, although I guess that's not a hobby." She had to think for a second, putting her ball back on the ball holder situation. "I like to dance, I enjoy reading, especially filthy romance novels and horseback riding." Truthfully, there was a massive list of things she wanted to try. "But the list of things I want to see if I'm into is much longer. I've bever been on a roller coaster, and I want to swim with dolphins and learn how to drive." Looking over his shoulder at the tablet she saw their names, and she looked up at the screen above their lane to see their names there too. "What about you? Besides football and video games what are you into?" She asked, genuinely curious.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Watching Bree test the ball out, and without complaining, Jake was sure that this was the longest they had ever gone in a public place without even one line of sass or repugnance, and he was sure that this was the version of his ex he was used to — just outside of the bedroom. He was sure that he'd been yearning for this exact thing since he'd met her, and although it was long overdue, he was just grateful that it was finally happening. As Bree posed with the ball and started answering his question, he found one of his brows piquing as he processed this new information. He knew about the cheerleading thing, since it tied into that weird ass family he couldn't stand, but the rest? He would have guessed the dancing thing since it seemed like it went hand in hand with the cheerleading thing, but the others were somehow oddly specific and not anything he would have expected Bree to be into. "When you say 'filthy romance novels' are you talking about something like 50 Shades or whatever? Or those books that have like those cheesy beefed up male models on the cover?" Jake didn't think he'd ever touched a book that wasn't for school so he didn't know much about that sort of stuff, but he'd seen those cheese books in Wal-Mart and recalled some kids in class arguing about the 50 Shades ordeal before. Definitely not anything he wanted to deep dive into himself, but he wanted to know what Bree liked, he supposed. "You know you're rich enough to start making your way down that list, right? But if you want, we can take a friends and family trip to Disney sometime soon and knock the rollercoaster thing off. I can also teach you how to drive." He offered, at least so she couldn't say that he didn't, and he would follow through if that's what she wanted. As she flipped his question on him, Jake picked up her bowling ball again. "I like playing all sports, or even trying new ones. I like to get new tattoos just because. I love going to the gym, obviously, but I also kind of like the different classes I've heard about since coming to LA. Puppy and goat yoga or whatever might be my new favorite way to exercise." He chuckled. "I've also been trying water activities lately. I like to fuck around with my sister's music stuff sometimes when I want to annoy her. And, most importantly, I like being a taste tester for people when they cook or bake something." maybe that wasn't a hobby but close enough, Jake decided as he started walking towards the lane. "Come here. I'll teach you how to bowl." He stated, holding his free hand out to Bree.

BREE BROWN

Laughing at Jake's question, she nodded. "Exactly like 50 Shades of Grey. I have a rather extensive collection, even a few limited edition releases. I would say it's a guilty pleasure but I feel no guilt." She shrugged. At least she didn't anymore, if it's something she enjoys and it's not hurting other or herself what was there to feel guilty about? She also couldn't help but smile, because he didn't say 'ew' or look at her like she was a weirdo for liking her spicy stories. Not that she expected him to, per se, but a part of her was wondering if they could actually get through an entire night without a single argument. While this would have been a dumb topic to fight over, they had absolutely fought over equally as dumb topics, so she couldn't put it past them. At the mention of a friends and family trip, her smile only grew and she had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop. "A friends and family trip could be fun, especially if we charter a private jet, because we have to go to the one in Orlando, it's the better one, so Ive been told. Maybe Eva or even my brother's would want to join." She said more to herself, her mind already planning. "As for you teaching me how to drive-" She paused. "You are a good driver, learning from you seems like a good idea." Turthfully, she was just happy he offered because she did actually want him to teach her. Even if it did end up being a bad idea, she still wanted to try and see how it goes. "I would appreciate you teaching me." She admitted, her smile returning. Listening as he answered, she was glad to know that, for the most part, nothing shocked her, his hobbie's and interests made sense for him. Except she had to admit, the yoga and the potential musical ability did surprise her. Although, she supposed it shouldn't, given who his father was. "I did not think you would be a yoga guy. And when you say you mess around with your sister's music stuff, does that mean you sing? or play an instrument? or create beats?" Honestly, Jake really didn't need to be musical, he had more than enough going for him to make him attractive and talented, the idea that he could also sing or play an instrument was just too much. "And water activities, like sailing or crew?" Saying it out loud even she could hear how bougie that sounded. The last one felt like less of a hobby and more like common sense. She's never quite understood why people think she should learn how to cook when there are people who have dedicated their lives to cooking for others. Surely it makes more sense to pay a professional for that. Placing her hand in his, she followed him out onto the lane, the shoes surprisingly forgotten and a smile on her face. "Yes, please do, because I feel as though using bumpers at 26 is slightly embarrassing." She said with a laugh.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake decided to make a note about her little books, since he'd have to look into it the next time he was at her place and then they could circle back to it, but at least he knew about that now. And maybe he hadn't expected her to be so open to a friends and family trip right away, but when she jumped right on board, he nodded and decided that was a good way to keep merging their lives together. After all, she was going to be his wife one day, so why not? "I still don't get the difference between the Disneys, but I've never been to either one so I guess it doesn't matter. But sure, yeah, we can see who all wants to join." Registering the way she paused on the driving thing, he let it go once she relented and decided that she did want him to teach her. "Just let me know when you're ready, and I've got you." One of the perks of growing up in Alabama had been learning how to drive even before he was 16, so Jake was relatively positive that he could have her driving in no time. When Bree questioned his response about his interests, he found himself laughing at her rambling, which was pretty cute. "I didn't think I'd be into yoga either, but it's not bad. As for the music stuff, I can play the guitar a little bit, but singing or creating beats? Not at all. I'm not tryna be a mini Gabe or nothing though." He clarified. "What the hell is crew? I just meant that I've tried surfing, paddle boarding, kayaking, and that water skiing thing. The white guys on the team are into anything involving the water, so I've even gotten a taste of partying on a yacht and it's not so bad." He never thought he'd be saying that, but things changed when you lived in LA and had money now. As his ex took his hand and they reached the line, he smiled at her comment as he positioned her in front of him. "You know things are only embarrassing if you take it that way, right?" He questioned, though he knew Bree wouldn't agree. Taking one of Bree's hands, Jake put her fingers into the ball as he passed it over. "I'll help guide you, but all you've gotta do is bring it back, then swing it forward and let go of the ball. Make sure you swing it back forward with just enough power, and try to aim straight for the middle pin." Jake explained as he moved both of his hands to Bree's waist, holding her body against his own as his other hand gently gripped her elbow. "I'm ready when you are."

BREE BROWN

It maybe seemed silly, but it was rare for Bree to take a trip she actually enjoyed. Not because she didn't visit beautiful places but usually everything was so planned and specific, down to what she wore, who she was with and where she was seen. It was like clocking into work and stepping out of line or taking the smallest of risks was just never worth it. Much like this date, it would likely be the first trip that wasn't an elaborate photo op. And she found she was more than happy that Jake would be with her, because if nothing else, she knew he would help balance her out. Just like he was tonight. "Then maybe we can go to Disneyland at a later date and see the differences first hand." She tried to sound at least somewhat casual, but she knew it meant something that she was actually comfortable making future plans with him. It seemed she had finally accepted that she wanted her ex to be a part of her future. A somewhat scary thought, but in this moment, it didn't feel it. Nodding at him confirming he'd be her driving instructor and then listening as he clarified mostly his music ability and she now was imagining him sitting somewhere, guitar in hand just messing around and it was such a warm visual, she hoped she'd get to see it in reality one day. At the mention of Crew, she sometimes forgot certain sports only existed in certain tax brackets. "It's rowing, usually teams of four or eight compete at regattas." That was the short of it because she was sure he didn't want to know the ins and outs of Crew. "I went paddleboarding once. I learned very quickly that I should have prioritized learning how to swim first, but I have since learned how to swim and I'm not half bad according to my instructor." She said proudly. She kept in mind the idea of a yacht party, that seemed like something they could definitely have fun with, might make a good birthday celebration. Plus her family rarely found much use for either of their yachts. As he moved her into position, she had to disagree with his sentiment and as she was about to say just that, his hand was on hers, guiding her fingers where they needed to go. She listening intently as he explained the position and movement to get this ball down the lane. The feel of his hands on her waist and his body pressed against her back, she took in a deep breath, focusing on the task at hand. Nodding to indicate she was ready, she swung her arm back then forward, letting go of the ball and aiming right down the middle like she was instructed. It didn't knock down every pin but a few went down and she was excited. Jumping and letting out a little yelp, she turned around and looked up at Jake with a smile. When she saw her ball pop up out of the corner of her eye, she left her ex's side to grab her ball. "Okay, move, I'm doing this one alone." She said, focused but she did blow him a little kiss as she walked back up to the lane.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

"So two Disney trips, just to judge the separate parks? I'm in." Jake nodded, deciding that he wasn't going to question it much since she'd change her mind if he did. They were planning future things to do together, and without Eva scheduling it for them, so apparently tonight was full of progress, which was a pretty good thing, as far as he was concerned. As she tried to explain rowing, he realized that some things weren’t even basic terms, considering that he didn’t have a clue what the hell a regatta was. “Yeah, I’ll leave the crew or whatever to you bougie rich people. Just playing around with the other stuff is more my lane.” He nodded. “If you want, you can come to the beach with me and the guys next time we go. I’m not really good at paddle boarding, but it’s the attempting it part that’s fun.” Or that was how Jake saw it, anyway. Maybe Bree would feel the same way if she tried it away from the cameras and whatnot, so it was worth offering. As she let him guide her into rolling her first ball, he tried not to focus too much on the fact that Bree was allowing him to hold her, to be somewhat intimate in helping her bowl, and even he was a little surprised that she managed to knock down a few of the pins. He smiled at her excitement over it, figuring he might as well let her have this achievement without making any jokes. “That was good, babe.” He teased as she gave her a little clap of appreciation. “You just needed someone to show you how it was done.” Shrugging as she went for her ball and opted to do it herself, this time, Jake nodded as he stepped out of her way. “Now that you can handle it, you’re on your own this time, and I’m not going easy on you. So how about we order some wings or something, get another drink, and see who can get the higher score?” He suggested with a smirk. “And if you’re not scared, we can even make it interesting and turn this into a bet. Whoever gets the higher score gets…whatever they want from the other?”

BREE BROWN

Nodding, because of course that was exactly what she was suggesting and she was glad he wasn't going to fight her on it. It also gave her a warm feeling she wasn't exactly accustomed to but she thinks it might be what genuine happiness feels like. The feeling only grew as Jake invited her to join him the next time him and his team go to the beach. That felt like a step in the right direction. I mean, she hadn't exactly officially met his team yet. They'd been around a couple times when they went out but that had been scheduled appearances and was more like work than anything else, and they'd been there that night at the club, but obviously he wasn't introducing her to them. It really shouldn't feel like this big of a deal but she wanted his friends to like her, just like he wanted his family to like her. She just needed to not put too much pressure on herself to be what she thinks they'll want her to be. "I do like the beach and it would be nice to meet some of the guys on the team." She said like she was just now considering this. With her first official bowling throw under her belt and some praise for Jake she was primed to overestimate her bowling abilities. Which is 100% the reason she agreed to a bet with her whole chest, because she truly believed she had a shot at victory with her measley four pins. Putting her ball down for a second she shook her ex's hand. "Scared? I'm a natural." She said confidently. "You've got yourself a deal." She said with a smile, before letting his hand go and picking her ball back up to bowl, hitting another three pins, which she was incredibly proud of until it was Jake's turn, and let's just say immediately she was humbled and by the time they were half way through she had accepted defeat and was just looking to break 100, which she did not achieve but she did manage one spare and she argued that despite what the screen said, she she have gotten at least 35 points for that. Even though she was, arguable, not good at all at bowling, she was having a good time, smiling and laughing and cheering Jake on like they weren't suppose to be competing. I mean, she tried to watch what he did to learn but she found herself getting distracted by how hot he looked with his focused face and bowling stance. Not something she had anticipated but when the game was officially over, she figured to had to try and squeeze a win out. So she walked up to her date, and put her arms around his neck and gave him her best pleading eyes. "How about we go with golf scoring and the lowest number wins?" She asked batting her eyelashes, knowing damn well there was no way he'd go for it.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake hadn't really considered Bree wanting to meet some of his teammates before, mostly because that was just another thing they hadn't really done before, even with their friends they had in college, so perhaps that was why he had never offered this up before. Them all sharing a space because of the PR events, or the night he was out with Leilani, hadn't been the right opportunities, but everyone was usually pretty relaxed when they weren't just on display for the public that wanted to hound them. "I think we're going back out in a few days. We're trying to make the most of what time we have before we gotta report to training camp at the end of July, so I guess we need to start planning all this stuff ASAP." He suggested, which he was sure that Eva could get on it quicker than they could if they filled her in, yet he could already sense the judgment she'd be unleashing on them. Bree getting competitive, and cocky, after her first go at bowling wasn't surprising, and he had fully expected her to do this so he wasn't backing down now. "Let's see how much damage we can do." Jake teased. Now, he was convinced that bowling wasn't one of those things people naturally learned to be good at, since it was impossible to just roll a ball straight enough to knock down most, if not all, pins strategically every round. But he had in fact bowled enough as a kid that he could throw the ball fast enough, and well enough not to get a spare, so him ending up scoring higher than his ex was to be expected. What wasn't, however, was Bree not accepting her defeat by trying to come over and persuade him into reversing the rules. Wrapping his arms around Bree's waist, Jake smiled as she gazed into her eyes. "I've never played golf, so no, baby girl." He teased. "But you can choose what we do next so you can redeem yourself. Or you can throw in the towel now, and we'd be even. You won laser tag, and I won this, so we're both winners." He offered. "Or I can beat you at some arcade games."

BREE BROWN

Right, training camp, Football season was about to start back up again which also meant going to games and God knows what else. Well, Eva would know what else, so she also wanted to make the most of the summer they had left. More than anything, he hoped they could avoid anymore fights or misunderstandings, even if that was probably too tall of an order for them to fulfill. "I will check with Eva about my schedule for the next week for the beach and I will also tell her about Disney and see what magic she can work." She smiled genuinely and didn't even care that she knew Eva would absolutely have questions and opinions about them traveling together. It was worth it. Even though she lost at bowling, she had a good time and even though Jake wasn't going for her golf score idea, she didn't feel defeated. She felt warm and smiley. Might have something to do with the alcohol or Jake's arms around her and the way he called her baby girl, probably all of the above. But she sighed dramatically and accepted her loss. At his suggestions for what they could do next, she hadn't played a video game in years. It was the one thing she had consistantly done with her brothers. Looking back on it now, she could see it was their way of spending time with her. But at the time she was annoyed because they had been so much better than her but they helped her and guided her and she ended up being not half bad at first person shooter games and she even out played her brothers on racing games. "Hmm, we should play some arcade games, get as many points as possible and see what prizes we can walk out of here with." She suggested looking over toward the arcade. It seemed so silly and for the first time that didn't feel like a bad thing or something to avoid. All of this could be viewed as silly but it was fun and she hadn't gone to check her hair or make up once. Hadn't even crossed her mind, she also hadn't noticed anyone noticing them. It was nice, being in the moment with him. Pulling apart from her ex, she sat down to take the bowling shoes off and put her own shoes back on. "They had a tiara at the prize counter and I want it." She said as she finished tying her shoes.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake just nodded as Bree insisted she’d check with Eva, who they both knew would rearrange her schedule if it meant getting them to spend time together, so that problem would be solved, as was the Disney trip. Eva would probably plan the entire thing herself and just tell them to pack a bag once it was done. With that settled, he focused back on their date, and as soon as she’d agreed to the arcade games, he smiled. “I felt like I stopped doing it for the prizes a decade ago, I’m just competitive.” He snorted, and maybe that was because he grew up with Ali and they were always teasing each other about who was better at something, but it was an old habit that hadn’t died, and probably never would. Kicking his own bowling shoes off, Jake slid her own sneakers back on before grabbing both of their shoes. “I’m surprised you want some cheap, probably plastic tiara from here, but sure, let’s see if you can beat me and get enough tickets for one.” He teased before he went to return their bowling shoes, and then he grabbed a plastic cup and filled it with tokens. “Alright, we’ll alternate between playing games we’re both familiar with, just to keep it even.” Jake hummed before taking Bree’s hand into his free one and heading for Mario Kart first, because duh. And surprisingly enough, as they went from one game to the next, he was surprised to find that she wasn’t even half bad at these games, managing to beat him on some of the ones he’d grown up playing. He’d lost track of time as they maneuvered from one game to the next, laughing and getting more and more competitive as they racked up points and earned more and more tickets to cash in later. Eventually, as they made it to their final game and he let Bree win, Jake found himself admiring this version of his ex. She was laughing and having fun without the pressures of her family and her fans hovering over them, she was dressed down and clearly so focused on enjoying this date and their little competition that she hadn’t even complained once, and for the first time since they’d met, they were just enjoying their time together. It was exactly what had been missing before and now that they were here, he realized just how crucial this had always been. “I’m sorry.” He blurted out, tossing all of their tickets around his broad shoulders before he fully turned his body to face his ex. “I know you thought that I didn’t wanna do stuff like this with you, and I should have expressed my desires a lot more clearly back then, so I’m sorry. But you’re wrong. This entire date has been exactly what I wanted all along, and with you. So thank you for this, and if you want that tiara, I will get you that damn tiara.” He stated smugly. “But only after you kiss me.”

BREE BROWN

JAKE PUCKERMAN

A few days after his last run in with Bree, Jake was on the verge of literally losing his damn mind. Mixed signals were bad enough any other time, but the more time he spent with Leilani (and the few other women who went from being in his DMs to casually running into him at bars), the more he was starting to question his own sanity and the complicated web he'd weaved with his ex. He needed to talk to someone that had a lot more sense when it came to all of this feeling stuff, or more sense than him, Ali, Gabe, and Tatum — individually and combined. Eva had already told him she thought all this relationship stuff was a crock of shit, so that only left his big brother. He didn't quite know what all Puck knew about relationships other than he fooled around with Maya's mom, knocked her up, and then raised Maya on his own since her mom wasn't ready for that much responsibility. He'd also figured out that his brother and his PR person were more than friends, but they hadn't gone into specifics yet so why not now? As soon as he'd come over to Puck's, he'd been tackled by his niece, who he had to bribe just to get her to run off and be a teenager while the men discussed some adult business. The look she gave him in response made him laugh, considering them being called men was a stretch, but he just shrugged it off as he grabbed two beers and sat down at the kitchen table. "Puck, I need some real advice. I know we missed out on all of the big brother/little brother bonding and girl talk over the years, but now's your chance to make up for it." He hummed, opening up his beer and chugging some of it down as he tried to figure out where to start. "For the record, Bree and I aren't together right now, regardless of what our social media says. Not sure if you heard that interview we did, but basically we dated, she had to hide me from the world so I eventually cheated when I felt neglected, and we broke up. Everything now is fake." Saying it all out loud like that made it sound even messier than it already was, but maybe he just didn't understand it because he was in it. "The relationship we're allegedly in now is fake, and I've been..seeing some other women. I mean, I'm a Puckerman, and it's like in our genes, right? But I'm technically single so that's allowed, right?"

NOAH PUCKERMAN

As per usual, with no warning there was a sibling in his home. Not that the eldest Puckerman minded, but this time Jake seemed a little, what's the word, frantic. Having been under the sink, trying to figure out how it was still leaking, he heard his brother's voice and knew immediately this was not gonna be the kind of conversation her could have while doing something else. Getting up and throwing the kitchen rag on the counter, he rinsed off his hands as Jake finished his first string of words. Sitting down he nodded, "you came to the right person, bro. I ain't good at much but I am good at people." He said, taking the other beer and opening it but not drinking from it quite yet. As he sped ran his and Bree's non relationship, Puck just tried to keep up. Everything now is fake." Puck raised his brows at that because the last time he saw his brother with Bree, it definitely didn't look fake, and Puck knew this was LA, this was Hollywood but ain't nobody that good. But so far Jake hadn't really told him anything he hadn't known, seeing as he had watched the interview and Eva had pretty much filled him in on the rest. Not the neglect part thouogh, that was new and apparently relevant if he was bringing it up now. Once his brother finished with a pretty loaded question, he took a healthy chug of beer."I knew most of that, Eva filled me in on some of it and the rest of it I got from the interview." Putting the bottle down, she leaned back in his chair. "But I can't really answer that question for you, man 'cause it sorta depends on what you want. You wanna get over her or nah? If you do then you're allowed, supported and encouraged. But if you do wanna be with her, or see if that's even possible at this point, then I don't know. You should probably be focusing on her, but you said you cheated the first time because she neglected you while hiding you and I'm not you, you're not me, but I don't think I'd do well being hidden. It'd make me feel, uhhh... less than, I guess." Taking another swig of his beer, he wanted a second to figure out how to say what he wanted. "The way y'all looked at that Valentine's Day thing didn't seem like things were fake. Did something happen with y'all recently? I feel like I'm missing info here." He said seeing the pieces of their puzzle but not enough to get the full picture.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake loved that he could pop up at Puck's place any time he wanted to, and with no warning. And at least this time he wasn't empty handed, if his brother counted the tea as a present. He kept sipping on his beer as Puck caught up to everything he'd ceremoniously dumped on him, and it was quite a lot to process when you had only been on the outside looking in at Brake, the PR edition. Hearing that Eva had tried to fill in some of the pieces had given him hope that he wouldn't have to bear his entire soul to Puck, but then he realized that he only knew what he'd been telling Eva, not what all Bree had told her, so what Puck knew could have been news to him too to an extent. But as his brother did the brotherly thing and started trying to make him think, he sighed. Maybe he wasn't ready for this advice like he'd assumed?  When Puck pretty much pointed out one obvious thing though, he knew he needed to just get it all out there, which was confirmed when Puck mentioned missing something. "Okay, let me just explain it better. We are broken up. Everything we said on that interview was true except the part about me wearing her down and getting her to trust me again so we could get back together. Up until we had to prep for that interview, we hadn't really talked since I cheated because she kept blocking me on everything and wouldn't let me explain, so I'm talking months of her just completely shutting me out. And then Eva swooped in to revamp Bree's brand and jumpstart mine, so she said us being sold as a couple would do wonders for us. Which it is, that woman is a genius, don't get me wrong, but it's also...complicating things." Jake sighed. "What you saw at the Vday thing was real. Mostly. We spent that night together but then she said it was a mistake and wouldn't happen again. Everything Eva has us do as a couple is the only time we spend together, or the only time we've ever done anything outside of our bedrooms. Before the NFL stuff, she couldn't be seen out with me because I was just some broke kid from Alabama who didn't fit the brand her parents had wanted for her. I only saw her in the privacy of our homes — those dudes her old team forced her to fake date took my girl on dates when I couldn't so much as hold her hand in public. That shit did make me feel like I was less than, or like she was ashamed to tell people she was dating way below her tax bracket, and that's how I slipped up and cheated. It was once, it didn't mean anything aside from a woman finally making me feel like I was enough, and I've regretted it ever since. But how long am I supposed to pay for one mistake?"

NOAH PUCKERMAN

Okay, shit, there was a lot going on with his little brother and his girl who's not his girl. But he was getting that the interview was real, except for how he got Bree back, that sounded more like what Jake wanted to happen. But after he cheated Bree cut him of, cold turkey, which, he can't say he'd surprised. But then Eva, with all her brilliance and beauty, saw an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. Build both Jake and Bree's brands was forcing them, well Bree, to interact. Based off of some stuff Eva had said, he could assume she saw what he saw, two people with a tangible connection. Strangely, that part was easy enough to understand. The second half of this saga however felt more muddled. As it seemed to be filled with just as many feelings as there were facts. But from what he could gather, back in the day they only did couple things in private and he had to watch her date other men and she felt forced to live different in public, leading Puck to believe, if he'd giving Bree the benefit of the doubt, that mayb she viewed her time with Jake as something special while it left his brother feeling anything but. Now, they only spent time together when it's required and in private Bree is telling his brother it was a mistake and again making him feel unwanted, while simultaneously, very obviously, wanting him. So, in a way, they were just in the same situation as before, just upside down and inside out. A couple of sips of beer and a deep sigh later, he felt ready to speak again. "I ain't excusing cheatin', you definitely crossed the line. Hell you long jumpmed over that bitch and assplaned 25 feet past it, but if y'all were legit together her going on dates with other dudes, PR or not meant she was already hovering a toe over the line. I'm not saying you were justified but it doesn't sound like either one of y'all had the relationship you actually wanted back then. Y'all were trynna put up the walls before laying the foundation. And you're still trynna do that. Which is why shit ain't changed and you still feel like shit and she still feels like shit." He put one of his elbows on the table, his hand around the half empty beer bottle. "But I think you might be asking the wrong questions. You gotta figure out if you actually want something with her or not and if you do what do you need to do to make it happen and if you've already done everything you can then you gotta ask yourself, how long are you willing to wait for her to catch up?" In a way their situation was complicated but in a lot of ways it was pretty simple.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

If there was one thing Jake wasn't expecting, it was for his big bro to sit here and at least crack a joke about the cheating thing. They knew it wasn't funny, and it had been wrong on so many levels, but the way Puck put it made him crack up. He did do exactly as his brother described, and even laying it out like that made it sound horrendous, but saying it out loud like that was comical. But he still listened and took in everything else Puck said, which was...mostly true? More true than Jake had realized. He ain't know, but he ain't really like having it all laid out bare like that either. Finishing off his beer, he got up to grab another, popping the cap off with ease before he sat back down and took a sip. "I pretty much sat on that interview and told the whole damn world that she's what I want. I told her that to her face, in as many different ways as I knew how to say it, but the ball is in her court and she's pretty much locked my ass out of the arena." Jake groaned, gulping down a chunk of beer before he sat the bottle down on the table. "I didn't realize it until our fight the other night, but we don't have a foundation, and that's not even on me. I'm the one who got sidelined. Her brand, her family's opinion, and what a bunch of losers who stalk her think all mean more to her than anything else. Competing with that ruled out date nights and shit before when I was just some random college kid, but now? The whole world thinks we're a happy couple but unless Eva schedules something, she won't even give me a chance to actually put in the effort to win her back. I don't know how to fix what I broke when she literally won't talk to me unless there's a check involved." That was definitely a wrench in a plan he didn't have formulated yet, but Jake would still try if she'd let him. "And in my defense now, I've never had this much attention, this much money, my own place, or even a social media presence before. My DMs are full of baddies that want a little bit of the best Puckerman. If the woman I love won't meet my needs, why can't I let some other woman do it as long as it's just no strings attached sex?"

NOAH PUCKERMAN

Watching as he brother got another beer, Puck took another sip of his own. As Jake began talk again, he wondered if his brother had ever said any of this out loud before. If he'd ever just said his feelings out loud and really heard them, because the way he was talking it sounded like this was the first time he was putting words to his feelings. Sometimes, it's easy to get caught up when everything is an inner monologue. It was good to know that he had been right and that his brother was being genuine in that interview. Normally, Puck doesn't watch stuff like that but he had to to support Jake. And he had been kind of surprised at how earnest he sounded, Puckerman's were a cocky people, but in the interview he hadn't seen any of that and he did wonder how Bree couldn't see it for what it was. While he had a few questions still, he let his brother finish sharing before speaking. Finishing off his beer, he let out a breath. "I don't know Bree, but in general it's difficult to look past cheating. If she does manage to do that then I think she'll see y'alls problem started way before you cheated. Y'all ain't been right since your actions and your feelings stopped matching up. And I don't know everything but from what you've told me the way y'all were acting said it was nothing serious, but the way y'all were feeling, I mean you're saying you love her, that's about as serious as it gets. And normally I'd tell you you ain't got a shot in hell, but the fact that she hasn't asked Eva to end y'alls PR thing and she's still fighting with you, means she loves you right back, man." Sighing, he could only imagine how confusing and difficult all this way for his little brother, and he hoped he was helping. "Like you said, it's up to her now, she knows how you feel and what you want, now she's gotta catch up. So I mean, I think you should move however you wanna move. You wanna hang out with baddies and have casual sex until she reaches out or you move on then I think you should. You deserve happiness, bro, so do what's gonna make you happy." He offered him a smile because he just didn't have the answer to how to fix it. Right now he just had to wait an see if she was ready to build something real with him and he knew waiting was a bitch.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake hadn't caught his slip up until his brother was saying that he loved Bree, which he knew Puck hadn't just assumed all on his own from his rambles. And it was true, sure, but he had never said it out loud. But now that he was rethinking things, examining the details of their relationship, maybe he didn't know what he truly felt. "See, I get that it's hard to look past it, and that's why I gave her space afterwards. But until I finally sat down and explained my actions and my feelings, I don't think either of us realized that maybe what we had before wasn't..what a relationship was meant to be anyway." He hated that idea that it wasn't real, that their relationship was lesser than simply because he was a secret, but perhaps it was true? Downing his second beer, he shrugged. "I think if we'd been allowed to act like a couple, go out on real dates and express how we felt, things would have been less messy. I wouldn't have had a reason to cheat, and maybe I would've been able to tell her how I really feel. We'll never know." Again, he hated it, but what more could he do now? Listening to his big brother's advice, which was in favor of him doing what the hell he wanted to do until Bree decided what she wanted, he nodded, glad that someone saw things his way. "I've had casual sex before, back when I was a nobody, but it's different now. A little clout and signing to the NFL changes shit. I've never had this many women begging to sleep with me before." Jake laughed. "And it's just casual with them. Just no strings attached sex or hanging out doing stuff we enjoy. Shit I don't get from Bree, so I don't get why she's so mad about it."

NOAH PUCKERMAN

"It may not have been was it should've been but it was definitely real. You don't end up with feelings like that outta nowhere. Y'all had something good, it was just wrapped in a lot of bad." He said with a slight smile, it was a concept he was all too familiar with. After all, pretty much any attempt at a legit relationship for the eldest Puckerman had a similar sentiment. It was both upsetting and comfortable knowing it wasn't just him struggling with his romantic life. As Jake kept talking, Puck nodded along, agreeing. While there isn't anything wrong with wanting to keep things private, keeping things hidden would definitely put one hell of a strain on any relationship. Probably have you developing a few complexes while you were at it. Plus, as Puckerman's they got a little territorial, maybe a touch possessive. It was important to be able to claim what's there's, as barbaric as that sounded, he knew he was like that and it seemed like his brother wasn't any different. "You might never know what could've been because it is what it is, now, but you can do shit different this time around." He'd have added a, 'if it works out that way', but he knew it would. Didn't know how he knew, but he just did or maybe he was just a romantic and he could see how much this woman meant to his little bro and he just wanted it to work out. Wanted his brother to be happy, wanted him to have a second chance. "Yeah I can't imagine what kind of propositions and shit you're getting from like top women too. Maya had me do some tik tok dance with her once, her comments were a lot of, 'you're dad's hot', 'what's his at?', 'who's that in the back?'," He laughed remembered how motified his daughter had been. "Now when I'm in a video she puts an emoji over my face. But if I had to guess, I'd say she's mad because she wants to do those things with you. Maybe not the casual part, but the hanging out and just having fun. I mean when's the last time y'all were together and didn't end up fightin'?" He asked somewhat seriously.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake couldn’t help but nod as he processed what Puck said, and it sounded like his previous interpretation of their relationship after all. He knew it wasn’t perfect, and he knew there had been a lot of things wrong, but it had been real. Their feelings had been real, what they shared when they were alone had certainly been real, and the pain they’d both endured in the end had obviously been real. “Yeah, yeah, I know. You’re right.” He nodded. Maybe he just needed to keep that in mind going forward, or any time he saw his ex. And whenever she was ready, maybe they could sit down and unpack everything, from before and current, to actually start working everything out. If it helped make things go smoothly from here on out, it had to be worth a shot. “That’s just it, I’m willing to do things differently, I just need her to give me a chance. And without constantly throwing in my face the one mistake I made. It was one time, and I could be better if she would just let me prove it.” But until she did, that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy his little fan club. He couldn’t help but chuckle as Puck mentioned the TikToks, which Maya had sent to him and Ali first so he knew exactly which ones he was referring to, and he’d seen some of the comments. “The ladies do tend to love the Puckermans.” Jake laughed. “But yeah, I know that — Bree’s the one who won’t let me do those things. Kinda dumb to be mad about it when she’s the one rejecting me.”He huffed. “And honestly, since before I cheated. Since then, it's been a fight every time. Might not last long, and sometimes it even ends in sex, but we haven’t had one night together without a fight.” Definitely not good, but he would add it to the list of things they needed to work on. “If only we could be more like you and Eva.” He threw out teasingly. “You know your mini me is always up in your biz, right? Heard you and the queen of PR have been seeing each other more than just once or twice..”

NOAH PUCKERMAN

Leaning back in his chair, Puck smiled like a moron at Jake admitting he was right. It didn't happen often so he felt justified in relishing it in when it did happen. Nodding along as his brother reiterated that he would be willing to do things differently, to do things better if his girl would just let him in. It was clear to him that his brother had a significantly better handle on his feelings, what they meant and how he wanted to more forward, than Bree did. And Puck wished he could figure out why she was struggling so much to come to grips with everything, so he could relay to to his younger brother, but he just didn't know her and now he was thinking of ways to casually bump into her so he could ask. But that would probably piss Jake off, but it might be worth it. He kept it in the back of his mind, maybe he could consult Eva, she probably knows more on the Bree front anyway. Laughing at the mention of the ladies loving Puckerman's he could only agree because it was true and in Puck's case quite a few dudes seemed drawn to him too. As he was about to offer more perspective on his brother's situation, he was taken completely off guard by him bringing up the thing he and Eva got going on. He didn't even realize anyone was paying enough attention to have noticed, but he should've known his kid would. It was a very Santana trait for her to have inherited. "Nah, we've hooked up a couple times and I made her dinner once. You wnt something more legit for you and Bree." And because he just knew that wasn't gonna be enough for Jake to drop it, he continued. "We hooked up months ago, I asked her out because I'd be a fucking idiot not to but I didn't really have the time. I flaked on her twice before she stoped responding to me. Couldn't even be mad, then I saw her at y'all party thing and she gave me another chance. I made her dinner, we smashed and that's pretty much it. It's not a relationship or anything." Which was all true, they were friends with benefits and they were both on the same page with that, so no drama.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake didn't know what he was expecting to hear in regards to Puck's thing with Eva, yet all he really knew was that it seemed to flow a lot more smoothly than whatever he was doing with Bree. And sure, he knew them not having the kind of history Brake had was instrumental in their relaxed sort of thing, but that didn't mean they couldn't steal some of that for themselves. Nodding along as his brother explained the bits of the story he hadn't known about, it made more sense now, and them sort of going with the flow after what almost wasn't actually sounded like the right speed for them. "Yeah, Eva kind of alluded to the fact that she's not exactly a relationship person, but a friends with benefits situation sounds chill. I'm glad she gave you a second chance." He hummed, and while his own love life was hell, maybe there was potentially hope for Puck and Eva down the line. Or who knows, maybe the whole laid back fwb situation would just last forever and they'd both remain happy. Either way, anyone having better luck than him and Bree seemed like it was better than nothing. "You two should just start supervising every PR thing Bree and I have to do. That way, if things get hectic, you two can can intervene. And at the next event that's family friendly-ish, you can even let Maya tag along. She's been going on and on about wanting to meet Bree, and Bree said she has some brand stuff she could probably get rid of by handing off to the kid, so why not?"

NOAH PUCKERMAN

"We got that in common, so yeah this set up works for the both of us. Normally, I wouldn't have tried for a second chance, honestly, but I mean, you've seen her. She looks like a Goddess or something. And the sex was..." He trailed off, briefly remembering their last time together. With a smile, exhaled. "So, you know, I had to try." Still, he had to admit, he was surprised that she had given him that second chance, even with the promise of homecooked food. But damn was he glad she had. Laughing at his brother's suggestion, but as he kept talking, he realized he was being serious. Man, how bad could their arguments be that he was backup? I mean, Bree did kind of scare him, she looked like she was a little too good at pushing buttons. Ot maybe she's just an expert at pushing Jake's because usually his little brother was pretty chill and calm. So he knew getting him worked up and frantic wasn't something just anyone could manage. "Wait, she still wants to meet Maya? Even though y'all aren't like together together?" It wasn't that Puck had assumed Bree was a horrible person or anything, but he was a little taken aback that she would still want to give his kid anything when she's not even really with his brother like that. "I mean, that would be awesome because you're not the only one she goes on and on to and honestly I think I've seen more of Bree's tik toks than you have and I'm definitely not her target demographic." He sighed. "But, I mean, Bree is always welcome over for dinner, there doesn't have to be an event for them to meet, if she's cool with that. If you're cool with it." He clarified, because he was always going to prioritize his siblings comfort. Maya could meet her some other time if she had to.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

BREE BROWN

It had been a long couple of weeks since her brunch with Eva. That night had been a huge party night for Jake because of the draft and of course he'd been photographed getting lap dances from strippers. Which, naturally, her parents had seen and felt compelled to show up, unannounced, at her place. She had to spend days defending her 'relationship' with Jake and his overall character, while being constantly reminded that he had cheated on her before so it would only be easier for him to do it again. Especially, since she'd allowed him to do it the first time. Of course they viewed her getting cheated on as her fault. By the end of their invasion, she was starting to believe it herself, which had her finding a therapist immediately. Then, her parents must have complained to her brother because both of them showed up, unannounced, at her door too. While the did tell her it wasn't her fault she got cheated on and it wouldn't be her fault if he did it again, they did ask for season passes. So she threw a shoe at them and they showed up randomly over the next week with food. Then of course there was everything else she was expected to do in a day, in heels and a full beat. Honestly, she had been way too exhausted to talk to Jake about discretion. Plus, she was annoyed at him, which had her irritated with herself because he can do whatever and whoever he wants. Needless to say, she had no interest in this Tik Tok creator event tonight and she had no intention of going. She wanted to take a bath and pretend she was somewhere else. But then her mom kept sending her articles and videos and Tik Toks of all the things people were saying about Jake's draft night excursion, and it pissed her off. Because, the only narrative she was sharing was the one that said Bree was dumb and stupid for taking a cheater back and essentially saying she deserves to get cheated on again or that no one will have sympathy when Jake steps out on her again. It made it impossible for her to get any peace in her own home. So, at the last minute she decided to go to the party. Put her phone on do not disturb and maybe try to have some fun with a few Tik Tok friends. Dressed to impress, she got to the party and it was actually fun. She was laughing and socializing, even had a couple cute drinks. After about an hour, she excused herself, trying to find somewhere quiet to just recharge for a few. Opening a door and stepping inside, closing it as she turned to see the rest of the room. She realized she wasn't alone, and she almost apologized and left, but then she recognized them both. Jake and a popular Tik Toker that Bree definitely knew, and who definitely knew Bree. Before Bree had a chance to say anything, the woman spoke. "Wow Bree, you really keep him on a short leash." Taking in a breath she held back an eye roll. "If that were true, he wouldn't be in a private room with you." Honestly, she just wanted to leave becaue the last thing she was trying to do tonight was fight the temu version of herself for a man that isn't even really her man.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

After his talk with his sister, Jake had pretty much decided to just have some fun. Bree had him unblocked, but only to send schedules and discuss PR stuff — it was never about them or anything outside of their fake relationship, so he had taken a step back. Repeating how he felt, his apology, the explanation, all of it had been exhausting, but especially when all he got in response was Bree repeating that she needed time, she was blocking him, she wasn't doing this or that with him, etc. Yes, he wanted her back, but at this point he didn't even know if it were an option anymore, so he was chilling. With all of the draft stuff going, the buzz around the NFL and the players had been high. While he hadn't known that draft night would go down like it had, waking up to the TMZ bullshit already being covered and watered down by Eva had left him rather smug. After all, it was just a bunch of ballers having fun at a strip club, and with the draft being drawn out over a few nights, it was also a repeat thing. Jake hadn't been into all of this before, but he was having fun and enjoying himself. His DMs had also been on fire lately, but he'd only been focused on this TikTok chick Leilani. She was gorgeous, and she said she wasn't looking for anything serious so he'd taken her out to a private dinner first, which then turned into them hanging out and playing video games, and just getting to know one another. When some creator event popped up, him and a few of his teammates decided to come with Leilani and her friends as their plus ones. It was cool at first, and he'd even agreed to do a few with some of the creators, mostly so Maya could see them and gush later, but then Leilani wanted to get a little privacy for a bit so he obliged. They hadn't even been in the room long before the door opened up, and his eyes widened when he saw Bree. He couldn't even get a word in before his date did, and then Bree clapped back and Jake groaned. "I ain't on nobody's leash." He clarified as he stood up. "Lani, give us a minute." He demanded, and she could tell that he clearly wasn't asking so she just nodded and headed out. Now alone, Jake sighed. "If you're about to chew me out, can we do it on another night? When we're not in public and I'm not with my boys?" He asked. "Besides, I didn't know you were coming tonight. Don't you hate most of these events?"

BREE BROWN

It had only taken her therapist one session to sus out her not so latent anger issues. So as Leilani left, Bree remembered the cliche advice to breathe through it. Cliche, but effective, none the less. The worst part was, she was his type. An accomplished baddie. Which made her feel insecure, which in turn made her mad. But she just kept breathing. It was nice to hear his voice, even if it did already sound tired of her. "I actually came in here to be alone for a few minutes. I've been here for over an hour and I needed a quick little recharge." She had no idea why she was explaining herself to him. "I didn't follow you two in here." She further clarified. This was so awkward, she really wanted to yell at him and call him an asshole because, of course, he was hooking up with someone she knew. It was hard not to assume he'd done that on purpose, found someone like her but better. But then maybe she was nothing like Bree and that was the appeal, and she wasn't sure if that was better or worse. "I'm not going to 'chew you out', as you put it, but as someone who was born into this and who's own reputation is effected by your actions, I will say that it's likely dozens of people have seen you and her here, several probably even saw you two come in here. Leilani loves a good story time. All it would take is one video of her talking about hooking up with or dating a pro football player for people to connect the dots." Finding it harder to hold her anger back, she took a couple more breaths before looking at him again. "Discretion and NDA's. You need to give her an NDA and make sure it's backdated to whenever you first hooked up. Eva can help you with that." This was too hard and quite frankly the exact opposite of what she wanted to be doing tonight. "Or you can deslove this entire PR relationship, so you can be free to do whatever and whoever you like, if that's what you want." God, there was a lot she wasn't saying and it was starting to boil to the surface and all she could think was how pissed she was, how she felt unwanted, how he was probably annoyed that she was even there. How he probably wished she was Leilani. She wanted to cry, which again, just made her mad. Which made her want to go back out to the party, find one of his more notable teammates and sleep with him. "Why her?" She had not meant to ask that out loud. If she were someone else she would have slapped her hand over her mouth.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake was surprised that Bree was offering up an actual explanation for why she was in here, but he hadn't even remotely assumed she'd followed them. "Relax, I'm not accusing you of anything." He pointed out. The last thing they needed right now was to fight about anything, let alone the idea of Bree Brown being on some stalker shit. That would never happen anyway, but he knew he sure as hell wouldn't have been worth the trouble regardless. Letting out a small sigh of relief when Bree insisted that she wasn't here to chew him out, he was about to just suggest they pretend this hadn't happened right now and deal with it later, in the privacy of one of their places until she continued, which only seemed to annoy him. Of course she was about to school him on some shit he didn't care about. He knew about NDAs and how shit spread when someone was on social media with loose lips, but he had worked all of that out with Lani, so there had been no need for all of that. But at the mention of their little PR arrangement, he couldn't help but chuckle. Of course she'd go there. At this point, he needed to take a few moments to get his own train of thought together, so he let her finish before taking his seat again. "She's a friend, Bree. We hang out, play video games together, go out and do fun shit — I'm not gonna make a friend sign some stupid NDA. Besides, she's trying to make her crusty ass white boy jealous so she ain't gonna go talking out the side of her neck about us." Jake insisted. "For the record, I didn't know you two knew each other like that. She slid in my DMs, we talked, decided to hang out. Not everything I do is about you, you know?" That wasn't entirely true, but whatever. "You only talk to me when it's about business, so what do you want? Should I just never talk to any other woman? Be a fucking hermit? You can't just expect me to sit home and wait for you to wanna use me whenever it suits you, Bree. I have feelings and needs and shit too, you know?"

BREE BROWN

Almost laughing at him sharing that Leilani had slid in his DMs. Of course she had, as far as she knew he was a taken man. Taken by someone she knew, and she still DM-ed him and that was the kind of person Jake wanted to spend his time with. Then he went and pointed out the obvious and Bree almost laughed again. There is no way he genuinely thinks, she think anything he does has to do with her. If he was thinking about her like that then he never would have been in this room with another woman in the first damn place. Okay, now she did laugh, well it was more of a scoff because he had clearly lost his mind. "I'm using you?" she pointed at him for even more emphasis. "Using you or what exactly? Clout? Already had it. Sex? Companionship? Conversation? Because from where I'm standing, you definitely want those things. Just not from me. And you must think I am the dumbest woman alive if you think I believe, for one singular second that you had zero plans to sleep with Leilani. Like are you seriously trying to tell me you just brought her into this private room for a quick sidebar?" Well, she had been doing well with the whole not getting mad thing, but she didn't appreciate being accused of using him. And yes, when she has time to cool down she's going to realize that what she should have done was ask what made him think she was using him and why. In fact, there's a part of her that already realizes that, but she's only a week into therapy, so sue her for not having all the tools in her toolbox yet.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake wasn't sure if it was Bree laughing or the fact that they were having to do this again that set him off, but now he was just as annoyed or frustrated or whatever as she seemed to be. God forbid the man have hobbies and female companions that weren't her, right? Ass she tried to break down just how she wasn't using him, all he could think about was how much he could use a glass of bourbon right now. And maybe a cigar, anything to try and calm him down. He didn't owe her anything, especially not with the way she constantly reminded him that they weren't together anymore and she wasn't ready to consider moving forward, so why was she even reacting like this? Once she finished, he stood back up and walked over to her, standing right in front of her as he glared at her. "Trust me, we all know you don't need to use me for anything except the one thing you can't get from every fucking loser you try to bring home." He pointed out, and no matter how many times Bree tried to pretend otherwise, it wasn't just his massive ego talking here. "If it's not about the PR stuff, you don't talk to me or respond to any of my calls and texts until it's late and you need to be fucked right. If you would actually stop fighting me, and your own damn feelings, you would see that I do want those things from you, Bree. You're the one who keeps shutting me down so yeah, I'm getting it from somewhere else now." Jake shrugged nonchalantly. "I didn't come back here with Lani to have sex though. I'm not stupid, even if you repeatedly try to insist that I am. Her and her prick of an ex just got into it at the bar, so I dragged her back here simply to calm her down before they ended up going viral on TikTok airing out each other's dirty laundry. For once, maybe stop thinking the absolute worst about me and let me be a decent human being for five minutes." 

BREE BROWN

There was something about Jake being in her face and being so smug about what he thinks she needs him for, that had smoke coming out of her ears. How dare he imply she couldn't have it just as good with somebody else? "You're not the God of Sex, Jake." There was a time she would have said he was but not when he's being an ass. "And how am I suppose to know you want anything more than sex from me when I can't even walk into a room without you sighing in annoyance, like you wish I was anybody else?!" That was specific to this current moment but it had pissed her off, so he was going to know about it, apparently. "And you were getting it from somewhere else when we were together, that's why we're in this situation in the first place. This situation being, my inability to trust you to not break my heart again!" She was getting a little too loud and a little to close to him so she turned away from him and took a few steps to put some space between them. The truth was, she wouldn't be in here fighting with him if she didn't want to find a way back to him, to them. It was clear he didn't know that and she was too scared to tell him. "I have my mom showing up and blaming me for you cheating, I have her sending me article after article, video after video of people saying it'll be on me if you cheat again because I let you get away with it the first time. Meanwhile everyone loves you and your honesty. And I have to sit here, alone hearing over and over again how I'm the problem. I don't even get to be upset or hurt about you cheating on me because apparently it's my fault it happened." She threw her hands up, exasperated. "I don't want Eva telling me how thirsty every women in America is for you. I don't want to wake up to pictures of a strippers ass on your crotch. I don't want to find you in a private room with someone else. So, yes, I want you to beg and grovel because it isn't fair that I have to fix what you broke!" Finally, she ran out of steam and before she knew it she felt her eyes welling up. Refusing to cry right now, she lightly patted around her eyes as not to disturb her make up. "I don't want to feel like I have to compete for you."

JAKE PUCKERMAN

"Never said I was." Jake quickly clarified, and he hadn't, but he did know for a fact that no one pleased Bree like he did. In fact, she was pretty goddamn hard to please, in and out of bed, so excuse him for being smug about the fact that if nothing else, he was damn good at pleasing his ex in bed. He was about to answer her first question but before he could, she started in on a whole tangent of repeating the same shit that lead to the aforementioned issue of him seeking things elsewhere, and he was already over it. How many times could they have the same fight without anything changing, or worse, without making matters worse? He wasn't sure, but he was exhausted of this. Letting her finish again, he was done catering to just what she needed from him so she simply shook his head. "You can't compete for a spot that's been yours since we met, but I'm not groveling anymore." His tone was much softer this time, yet still stern enough that she knew he was serious. "I want you to be upset and hurt or whatever that I fucked up. I've given you the space to let you sit in your feelings, I've let you ask questions and I've given you every truthful answer to explain why I did it. I've apologized, and I've asked what you need from me to move forward. You're the one who can't, or won't, tell me what we do from here so no, I'm not gonna keep begging you to meet me halfway here just to get blocked or treated like a piece of shit for one mistake." Jake exhaled another deep breath as he debated continuing, and then he just decided he had nothing else to lose at this point. "Why Leilani? Why the random bitch I cheated with and never saw again? Part of the reason why we're in this situation is because you won't just admit that I'm not good enough for you and this stupid lifestyle you care so much about. Even now. Do you even know what hobbies I have outside of football and fooling around with coding? Do you know what I like to do on dates, both romantically and platonically?" Jake knew the answer was that she didn't, but he still gave her a brief moment to let the questions sink in before he chuckled dryly. "We were never a real couple except in one of our bedrooms. I only know pieces of the real you because you let your guard down after sex. Before, you couldn't be seen out in public with me so I couldn't take you on dates, and now you just don't let me do anything except fuck you when you say so. I can't spend time with you outside of our places unless it's work related, yet you don't want me doing anything with anyone else even when you can't decide what to do about us. What's there to even grovel or 'compete' for at this point?"

BREE BROWN

JAKE PUCKERMAN

By now, Jake had endured more than enough of the woman who thought she deserved to be labeled a mother, and he needed help getting her on the first flight back to Alabama. The only problem was that Tatum wasn't budging —actually, that was putting it lightly. She had pretty much moved into his spare bedroom and been finding reasons to stick around: going on dates, trying to track down Gabe, and he was sure that he'd overheard her mention auditioning for some reality show involving money. She had also been living off of him, which wasn't new but this time, it wasn't the child support checks, it was his NFL salary. He'd been as nice as he could be, but as the baby, he needed his sister to help get rid of Tatum. She still hadn't been answering any of his frantic messages pleading for help, so he knew he had to take drastic measures. With his new desk and computer set up ready to go, he'd anxiously awaited one of his sister's weird ass memes to come through, and the second did, Jake wasted no time tracking her cell. And once it pinged, he grabbed Tatum and practically ran to his car. "What the hell, Jacob? Where are we going?" Was all he heard as he jumped into the car and started it up, and he didn't have time to explain where exactly he was taking her before just starting to drive. He was sure that Ali was with her band, and he didn't know if her band knew about Tornado Tatum, but they were sure as hell about to meet her now. Within fifteen minutes, he was parking in the lot of whatever studio space this was and shutting off his engine. "Get out, ma." He insisted as he climbed out, and Tatum just rolled her eyes as she did the same. "What is this, Jacob?" She asked again. "Just come on!" Jake huffed as he led the way inside, following the sound of what he knew was his sister playing one of her instruments. Clearly Tatum recognized it as well, and as soon as Ali came into view, the blonde smacked her lips. "Well well, if it isn't my other little half breed." Tatum sassed. "Where the hell have you been, Aliyah? You don't know how to answer the phone for your mama now that you're some D-list rockstar now?" She questioned, and Jake groaned in response. "Jesus, ma. This is probably why she wasn't answering your calls!" He huffed before he turned to glare at his sister. "But why the hell weren't you responding to my 911 texts? What if I had been dying? Or injured? Or broke, thanks to this little blonde demon?" He'd barely gotten the nickname out before Tatum was slapping him across the back of his head. "I'll show you both a blonde demon in a minute. Now Aliyah, what do you have to say for yourself? I've been here for almost a month, so why haven't I seen you?"

ALIYAH PUCKERMAN

The past couple of months had been fucking crazy. Between shows, a rapidly growing fanbase and the production of their album, which Ali was heavily involved with, she barely had time to smoke ad fuck, let alone weather the storm that is her mother. While she'd been flat out ignoring Tatum's insesant calls and messages, she'd still sent Jake a few funny/random memes. Normally, she would have helped him by now, but he was a big boy and it was time he learned how to tell their mom to fuck off. So, she did fully ignore his cries for help. And as the oldest, it was her birth right to teach him life lessons through tough love. Taking a break, she sent her brother an original Ali Puckerman meme before going back to listening to the same song she'd been stuck on for days, trying to get the beat just right. Thankfully, she had made a point of being alone today, because what felt like ten minutes after she sent that message, she was being interrupted by a voice that immediately killed her creative process. Looking up, didn't bothering moving from her drum set and instead just wished she'd had a blunt on her. Looking between her mother and brother as they both damn near yelled at her, she sighed. "Better a d-list rockstar than a z-list nobody." She said as she finally got up, drumsticks still in hand, one pointing at her mother. "Didn't answer your calls 'cause I don't like you." Straight to the point, lifting up her other hand she pointed her drumstick at her brother. "Didn't respond to your '911' calls because you're twenty-six years old, tell her to fuck off." Putting her sticks in her back pocket, she saw a bandmate appear in the door and immediately turn around. They knew who Jake was and she probably assumed the white lady was their mother and her bandmates knew enough to leave that shit alone. "But since you tracked my fucking location, like the evil hacker you are, I'm guessing you still haven't told her to fuck off so-" She turned to look at Tatum. "Ma, fuck off. Nobody likes you. Can I for back to producing my album now?"

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Had Jake expected this to go down exactly as it was unfolding? Yes. He knew both Ali and Tatum like the back of his hand, so he did in fact know showing up unannounced with their mother, while said mother was also in the dark about where they were going, was about to be quite the shit storm. He just didn't care, since this showdown needed to happen if he had any chance of getting Tatum to go home. But of course they both had to come into this with the insults, and now he knew this was going further down the drain than he'd expected. And while he just ignored his sister's words, like he normally did, Tatum, on the other hand, was only fuming now. "Aww, is this you thinking that you're better than me 'cause you've been clean for a day? A week? Get real, honey. It'll never last." She sassed, and now Jake was regretting his decision. "Can we just all talk like civilized adults?" Jake asked, though truthfully, neither his mother or his sister had ever behaved as such, and he didn't think they were capable of it. Tatum just rolled her eyes at his request. "No, Jakey, we can't. I don't give a damn that you two are adults now, you're not gonna disrespect me, the woman who gave you two little shits life, just 'cause you're out here in LA makin' something of yourselves now." Tatum spat, most of her anger directed at Ali, obviously. "I raised you both alone. Might not have been mother of the year, but I did what I had to do to make sure you both had a roof over your heads and food on your plate. And now that you're both making loads of money, you owe me. Don't most folks retire their parents when they make it big? I deserve to have a nice life after how hard it was raising you two, so I ain't going nowhere 'til I get it!" She snapped, and Jake just sighed as he shook his head. "And as the oldest, you get to take that one, sis."

ALIYAH PUCKERMAN

Normally, Ali was known for being cool, calm and eclectic. Maybe a bit odd, but in an alluring kind of way. Very few people had experienced any other version of her. Of course, her brother knew every version of her and she was okay with that. Their mother though, mostly only knew the strung out version. If you had Tatum as a mother you'd need to be high as a kite to deal with her too. Unfortunately, she didn't have any way of not being sober for this moment right now, so that meant asshole Ali was all that was left. It didn't help that she had been on a freaking roll with this damn track she'd been stuck on. While, she would generally put at least some of the blame on her brother, she was more than alright making this entirely Tatum's fault. Laughing at Jake expecting their mother mother to act like an adult, almost made this entire interaction worth it.  It took a whole lot for Ali not to keep laughing all the way through her mom's rant. The second Jake tossed this mess to her though, she was laughing again. Full belly and everything. Suddenly she started clapping, because the performance was admirable. It wasn't good, but then Tatum wasn't good at anything so, no surprises there. "That's actually fucking hilarious. Not gonna lie, you should be better that guilt tripping by now." She finally stopped clapping and laughing. "You know why we haven't retired you ma. For one, you've never worked a day in your life, so the fuck would we be retiring you from? Golddigging?" Letting out another laugh, Ali leaned against the surface behind her, crossing her arms over her chest. "Second, keeping your kids alive is actually the bare minimum. So, nah, you're not getting shit from either of us for barely doing that. If you wanted to live off of us you should've tried being the kind of mom who actually loves her kids, then maybe we'd love you back enough to help you out." Taking in a breath, she pushed off the counter. "Now, I'm not surprised your white ass thinks it's entitled to us and our shit, but it isn't the 1800s, so you ain't gotta go home but you gotta get the fuck outta Jake's place."

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Tatum and Jake both furrowed their brows at the roar of the laugh coming from Ali. She was unusual, that much they were both accustomed to, but this was catching them off guard as nothing either of them had said was funny. Then she started clapping, and Jake was about to ask his sister if she had fallen off the wagon again until she started speaking again, and then it made sense. Not to Tatum though, and as Ali started spitting out facts - well, they were facts as far as the kids were concerned, but to Tatum, it was just bullshit. How her own flesh and blood could be so ungrateful was beyond her. What did her crackhead daughter know about raising children? But it was Ali trying to kick her out of Jake’s place that made her scoff. “I kept you alive, fed, clothed, and made sure you had a roof over your heads. It was the best I could do with no help, so you’re welcome!” Tatum huffed. “And for the record, I was never a gold digger. If Gabe didn’t wanna pay to take care of his kids, then maybe he shouldn’t have been cheating on his wife and knocking me up not once, but twice. I deserved that child support, and while I could have been like a real gold digger and spent all that money on myself, I took care of my kids. Why don’t I deserve for you two to retire me now that you’re successful?” The woman questioned, and now it was Jake’s turn to scoff. “Purposely letting a deadbeat rocker knock you up not once, but twice, was you securing a bag for yourself. Nothing you did for us was out of love, it was you needing us alive until 18 so Gabe could keep sending you money.” He didn’t exactly like pointing out the obvious, but clearly their mother needed to hear it. "We're not taking care of you, ma. You've gotta figure shit out for yourself." As soon as he said those words, he had never seen Tatum break like this before. "Well too bad. I sold my house in Alabama, so I'm here now, kids. You two can fight over who I'm permanently living with, but mama's here to stay." To stay. The words repeated in Jake's mind and he was sure that she had truly gone and lost her white mind now. "Well you're not staying with me. Between football and IT stuff, I need my spare bedroom back, so Ali, good luck with that." Jake shrugged.

ALIYAH PUCKERMAN

Ali was so proud of Jake for clapping back that she almost took a second to dap him up.Of course, the moment was ruined by Tatum speaking, yet again. At this point, Ali was having a hard time even listening to anything she had to say. Which was pretty normal and use to get her in a world of trouble as a kid, but she had never been good at listening to the same shit over and over again. Unless it was music. Or her favorite show, or her brother being annoyed. Okay, so maybe she just couldn't listen to her mom say the same bullshit over and over. Then she mentioned selling the house and Ali's face scrunched up because, huh?? If she sold the house then why the fuck was she begging them for money? "If you sold the house, then why're you telling us to sign out paychecks over to you? You got money from the sale." Now, Ali wasn't a money kind of person, she had people for that, she just knew she always had enough for Taco Bell and party favors and that's all she needed to know, as far as she was concerned. However, she did know the house was worth a decent amount, I mean enough to get herself started somewhere else if that's what she wanted. "And I don't need luck, 'cause she ain't stayin' with me. Not unless you're willing to help me dispose of her body." She said, looking at her brother. There was not fucking way, they didn't end up physically fighting if they had to share the same space again. I mean, they damn near avoided those first eighteen years. "You got money from the sale, so use it to set yourself up, go find a old rich man to swindle. Live your dreams. But you ain't stayin' with either of us. Pretty sure I'm gonna change my number and block you just in case." Truthfully, ALi had no idea why she hadn't blocked that lady's number the second she moved out. But she's guessing it's for he same reason her little brother didn't either. "You should do the same." She looked at Jake again. "And don't give her any free tickets to your games, she will fuck your teammates."

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Tatum didn't have a single clue why she was letting her children that she brought into this world disrespect her like this, not after everything she'd sacrificed for them — like her body, or the fact that Gabe hadn't turned out to be the rich baby daddy she'd expected and he hadn't given her enough money to raise them and get out of Alabama and into some sort of mansion. And the nerve of Aliyah to sit here and try to do the math on the house made Tatum chuckle. "Oh please, that house was barely worth a dollar, and then I had to pay all of the fees just to get rid of it so I didn't make much. I also had to pay to come out here seeing as how neither one of my kids paid for me to fly out, nor have either of you bothered to check on me or do shit for me since you got out here and got all fancy." She huffed. Jake was exhausted now, and nothing their mom said was making this any easier, or getting the blonde any closer to her wish of leeching off of them now that she was apparently moving here. "You're not gonna kill ma, Ali. Both of you just need to breathe, calm down and think rationally." Honestly, being the only one on this side of the family who could stay relaxed and think things through without trying to escalate matters was quite the burden, and the women were giving him a migraine at this point. And leave it to his sister to keep ranting, amping things up even more by suggesting Tatum go back to what she knew. When she mentioned her fucking his teammates, Jake suddenly figured out a solution. "Enough! For fuck's sake, we're not getting anywhere so let's just go with the most reasonable solution: ma, go stay with Gabe until you sort yourself out." He decided, already taking his phone out to order her an Uber to take her to the location he'd found for the man. "So that's it? You two are just gonna dump your own mother?" Tatum spat, finally at her breaking point with her ungrateful children. "When that pretty little rich girl chooses the upgrade over you, which she will because you're new money and I'm sure she has plenty of men with old money at her beck and call, don't come crying to your mama." She scoffed at Jake before finally turning her attention to the worst of her kids. "And the next time you fall off the sobriety wagon, which you will because that's the life of an addict, see how well your new family handles it. And if Jake's on the road somewhere, don't you even dare call me. You can blame me all you want for my parenting skills, but what kind of older sister makes her baby brother spend years cleaning up after her bullshit because she's a goddamn crackhead? I might not have been the best mother, but you sure as shit ain't a good sister either. Jakey should be just as pissed at you as he is at me, so remember that the next time he's having to drag you to rehab." Jake was stunned at this point, mostly at Tatum's caucasity but also at the fact that she'd stoop that low, and he was beyond over it now. "Just fucking leave, Tatum!" He yelled, and maybe it was the blonde's own disbelief at her baby boy raising his voice, but she simply rolled her eyes as she stomped outside to wait for her Uber. "I'm sorry, sis.." Jake muttered. "And don't listen to her." 

ALIYAH PUCKERMAN

Part of her didn't believe their mother had even sold the house. I mean, this being some kind of new tactic to get money out of them, paint herself as having nothing, not even a home, to guilt them into financing her now that she was stuck out here, with no one but them to lean on. It wouldn't surprise her, hell, it would be more interesting than her usual bullshit. But it didn't really matter if she was lying or telling the truth about the house, Ali wasn't going to front a single dollar for their mother and she wasn't going to let Jake do it either. At least, not anymore than he already has, because he should have kicked that woman out of his place weeks ago. But he was better than her, always had been. Which is why she snickered at him saying she wouldn't kill Tatum, and while that was a bit dramatic, the sentiment was very much there. Meanwhile, her little brother was playing peacemaker, as per usual. Trying to get them to settle down and while Ali usually listened, she knew it would just lead to another Tatum tantrum. As Jake made his suggestion, she just knew they're mom was going to find a way to be offended so she could justify whatever bitchy ass comments she was about to make. 'So that's it?' Right on cue. Now, a couple years ago, what she said would probably have triggered a relapse, but she'd been taking her sobriety seriously. Seriously enough that she was in therapy, for real and she had a sponsor and she actually listened to her. Even if it was harsh, Tatum was right, she was and is an addict but she was dead wrong to try and push on Jake's insecurities. But her brother didn't give her the opportunity to say anything else to their mother and she was glad. She wasn't sure she'd ever heard Jake use such a tone with Tatum, and clearly it shocked their mom too, because instead of snapping back she said nothing and left in a huff. She was hella proud of her little bro. The sound of him speaking again, caused her to look at him and shrug. "It's all good, I aman addict and i mean you have had to drag me out of literal gutters more than once. You've always been a good brother to me, even when I wasn't being a good big sister to you." Taking her drumsticks out of her back pocket she started fidgeting with them. Look, being sincere wasn't her strong suit, alright? "Besides not listening to her is like, my thing." She laughed. "I'm more concerned she pushed a couple of your buttons. Bree isn't gonna upgrade from you, because she can't. Ain't no better than my baby brother." She said, throwing one of her sticks at him, hitting his arm. It was the Ali equivalent of a shoulder bump.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

With Tatum finally gone, all Jake cared about was being able to breathe without her spending all of his money, reorganizing his place, and being in his business. He was a grown ass man and didn't need his mother thinking she ran his life now, but especially not when it came with her somehow trying to sabotage his entire life. If their mom wanted to keep ruining her own life, then so be it. He raised a brow as Ali seemed to be unbothered by their mom's remarks, though he supposed that this was just another day for his sister. She always handled Tatum's bullshit better than he did, so to speak, so of course she was just brushing it all off. But when Ali seemed more bothered by what she'd said to him, and although it had crossed his mind already, he just shook it off for now. "It's fine." He half lied as a drumstick hit his arm. "You ass!" He groaned, picking the drumstick up and tossing it back at his sister. "But thank you for admitting that I'm the better Puckerman, which we knew already but I appreciate you verbally admitting it now." Jake grinned. "But if you ignore my calls again, I'm gonna start airing out your dirty laundry on social media, and before you think I'm bluffing, you should know that my shit is popping now." He chuckled. "Bree can't exactly upgrade from me when we're still broken up, and while I do intend on wearing her ass down eventually, the ladies are loving me right now. I've got some TikTok creator in my DMs, and she's not Bree, but she is ready and willing so I might just take her up on her offer." He smirked. "Time to start playing the Puckerman family game of being a hoe, right?"

ALIYAH PUCKERMAN

Not being quite fast enough to catch the fire returned drumstick, it hit her hand before falling to the ground. Picking it up she laughed, partially because annoying Jake was always laugh worthy and partially because of how truly opposite they were in skillset. Squinting at her younger brother's ridiculous claim of being the best Puckerman, she shook her head. "Now I never said you were the best Puckerman, just better than me. A rather low bar, I might add. So it's not even a compliment for real." She said with a smile, because Jake had been her favorite person since the moment he was born. Her first memory was of making a two year old him laugh at a grocery store after their mom told him no to buying him something. So maybe she wasn't a top notch Puckerman or an S tier sister but she was Jake's number one fan. Even if she did have to keep him humble. It was a part of the job description. "Oh I know it is, they got you on every platform, including Facebook.I ove seeing senior citizen thirst over you. It's equal parts gross and hilarious." She laughed. While she didn't know everything about this whole Brake ship, and she wasn't sure she wanted to but she did know it was kind of complicated. Which, if Jake wasn't in love, he'd have dipped immediately. He's not one to stick around where he doesn't want to be. "Can you hoe when you're suppoe to be in a loving swoon worthy relationship with America's sweetheart? I mean Tik Tok-er's aren't exactly known for being discreet. Fuck around with the wrong one and you'll end up the star of a viral five part story time called He Blew My Quarter-back Out." she snickered at her own play on words. "But also, isn't that just gonna piss Bree off? I mean, more than she's usually pissed off at you..."

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake rolled his eyes at Ali trying to shut down the way his ego had already been stroked, which it was far too late for her hating anyway. "I'm better than Puck too. I mean, I'm the baby, I'm tatted, I'm an athlete — hell, even Gabe should be looking over his shoulder now that I'm about to be the most famous Puckerman." He teased, though it wasn't exactly a lie, all things considered. Between the Brake stuff and the NFL, he was in fact rising in popularity and notoriety, so it wasn't much of a stretch. He had tuned out the Facebook people gushing over him since he assumed most of them were old people, and he didn't need to see a bunch of old bitties talking about how good he looked. Eva gave him the rundown on it sometimes, but they mostly focused on what worked for his generation. "Just focus on TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat or whatever. You know I get noticed on the street now? And they hit on me even while thinking Bree and I are back together." He smirked, trying and failing not to be smug about it. The last thing he needed right now was Ali trying to make sense of anything, but he knew she had a point, and not just in him keeping his dirty laundry in the closet if he tried anything. The thought of his ex finding something out and chewing him out made him groan. "First of all, He Blew My Quarter-back Out? Not bad for a scandal title." He joked. "But everything I do pisses her off at this point. She blocks me and doesn't want shit to do with me unless it's something PR related, and then we might accidentally end up in bed together afterwards, but then we're back to square one the next day. I'm starting to get whiplash honestly. She can't decide if she wants to give me another chance or not, but the very thought of me so much as talking to another woman has her chewing me out. How is that fair? And technically I'm single, so even if I do want my girl back, am I supposed to just not be a Puckerman when she can't decide if she wants me or not?"

ALIYAH PUCKERMAN

BREE BROWN

It had been a few days since the now famous, or rather, infamous, interview. Where Jake and Bree told the truth about their past and maybe slightly less truth about their present. Although Jake sounded remarkably genuine about their current status. While being honest had felt incredible in the moment it took no time for her parents and ever her brothers to start blowing her phone up with texts and calls and voicemails. Hell, she even got a couple strongly worded e-mails from her mother. For the first time in a long time, she hadn't looked at her socials either. Instead, she just let her queued posts drop as planned and just hadn't addressed anything yet. Thankfully, she had Eva to help her navigate that. Speaking of, she was late to this brunch catch up that somehow ended up in her calendar without her realizing. Unfortunately, to avoid having her family show up unannounced, she had spent most of the morning being lectured by her parents. Out of respect she allowed them to give their very unwanted opinion and it was what she had expected. Once she'd had enough though, she rushed them off the phone. Something she was very grareful she could do now that she wasn't under their thumb anymore. Once her driver pulled up to the bunch spot, she got out and was immediately lead to a table by the hostess. Seeing Eva, she smiled, poised and calm despite her tardiness. Turning to the hostess as she sat down, she needed alcohol now. "Pineapple mimosa and a bottle of top shelf vodka." She instructed, even though she knew that wasn't really the hostesses job, she had more than earned an alcoholic brunch. Looking at Eva, she crossed her legs under the table. "I'd apologize for being late but ater the morning I've had, it's a wonder I made it at all." She started an almot instantly there was a waiter there dropping off her drinks. Popping the top on the vodka she took a healthy sip of her mimosa before pouring a couple shots in and talking another healthy sip. "My parents are displeased and vry loud about it and I haven't bothered looking at my socials since the interview. How are you doing, I meant to ask you about Puck. I saw you two talking at the Valentine's Day party." She took another sip of her drink. "He's hot though, so I approve."

EVA ANDERSON

With how busy her schedule had been lately, Eva had barely gotten around to getting out of her classroom or her home office much for the last few weeks, which was weighing on her far too much. The second a spot opened up on her calendar, she had her temporary assistant, or sister, reserve a table at her favorite brunch spot, and then she forwarded it to Bree's calendar as well. They had quite a bit to catch up on, and she made sure to pull all of the data and responses she needed before she headed out. She was tempted to start getting a driver like Bree, yet she hopped into her car and sped over to the restaurant in record time. Once she gave the hostess her name, she was escorted right to her table, where she ordered herself a large sangria as she took her seat. She'd received it and downed most of her first glass by the time Bree finally arrived, late might she add, but she let it slide this time. "You should still apologize." She hummed teasingly as she studied her appearance, and she had an idea of why she was late. As their server returned, she ordered herself a refill just as Bree dove right into what she'd expected, another complaint from her lovely parents. Granted that the interview hadn't gone as most people had expected it to, Eva had known Bree's parents would loathe every bit of it, but that was why she was in charge of Bree's image. But she let her client ramble, keeping her face stoic at the line about Puck, before she shrugged. "Hello to you too, and since we're getting right to business, screw your parents. The response to the interview has been off the charts: everyone appreciated you two being so open and honest, women are now desperately begging for their men to communicate how you and Jake convinced them you two communicate, and you two were trending on social media for hours after the interview. And truthfully, if I didn't know any better, I'd be sold on you two actually being back together for real." Eva smiled, thanking the server as she came back with her refill before she took a small sip. "But to answer your question, I'm great. Busy, but that's the job. And speaking of, Brake has a slew of new brand deals pouring in. You two are gonna be booked, busy, and paid for the next few months, and this is the one time I can't take credit for it. I told you that chemistry between you two was unmatched, and regardless of what your parents think, you two bring out the best in each other." She beamed, and truly, this was hands down the perfect PR move for them. "And yes, I did speak with Puck at the party. We had a nice conversation, and we're becoming friends." She decided to leave it there, sipping on her sangria again as she picked up a menu and glanced over it. "You and Jake been making up in the bedroom lately?"

BREE BROWN

"Yes, well, thank God you do know better." Laughing at the idea of people aspiring to her and Jake's perceived level of communication, actually had her putting her drink down, only to add more vodka to it. "And if that's true then we should be starring in movies and accepting an Oscar, because clearly we are beyond talented performers." Communication had to be one of Jake's least favorite activities, considering communication probably could have solved a bulk of their problems in the first place and then he wouldn't have cheated on her. Yes, she was a bit bitter about it and clearly still mad. Letting Eva praise them for their chemistry, Bree had to actively hold back an eye roll. Thank God for the drinks, it gave her something to do. But it did make her somewhat happy to know that they are being received well. Not that she would admit it, but she had been concerned, because it was likely that if they hadn't gotten a generally positive reception that this little arrangement would have to come to an end and something about that made her... displeased. Something she was not interested in exploring or discovering right now. "Becoming friends, which means that you two have been friendly with each other since the party?" She asked with a little smile because two people are hot as them, no way their friendly doesn't involve at least something a little sexy. Obviously Eva wasn't going to talk about it right now but she made a note to be more observant at future events where they're both in attendance. At her question she did feel herself tense for a second before she made herself relax again. There's no way she knows about that night. Plus, it was a fluke, and it hadn't happened since and it isn't going to happen again so there was no need to confirm anything. She could change the subject, maybe focus on something else she said, or complain more about her parents, but she knew that would look even more suspicious. Sighing, she didn't have the energy to beat around the bush convincingly and she didn't really want to lie. "There was a minor slip up on Valentine's Day, however, I would not describe it as making up, more like making a mistake. A mistake I haven't made since. I will agree that we do make a convincing pair to the public and our.... history is a big part of that, but it is history." Taking a particurally big sip of her, now mostly vodka, drink, she glanced at the menu. "So, these brand deals, are any of them going to require us to travel and if so I request separate rooms that do not adjoin." The idea of having to do this for another few months, gaurunteed was difficult. I mean the only reason she hadn't slipped up again was likely because they hadn't really seen each other. But if they were going to have to travel together and sleep in the same room multiple times, for months. She knew it would only be a matter of time.

EVA ANDERSON

Eva rolled her eyes as she saw right through Bree’s bullshit, and it was a fair attempt to pretend that the rest of the world was just being gullible by feeding into the Brake hype. Anyone with eyes could see that even with Jake’s transgressions, they were very much still into one another — honestly, she’d even say they were in love, whether they had admitted it to themselves or not. “I’ve been creating false narratives for almost 20 years, Bree. You two aren’t acting.” She pointed out, taking another sip of her drink. Part of her wanted to lock them in a room and force them to confront the truth, but at this point, her fake dating scheme was giving them every ounce of ammo they needed to just work it out themselves. As her friend clearly pushed for more intel on the other Puckerman front, she figured she might as well give her something. “Look, we met and had sex months before the party. He flaked after we made plans to go out after that, so I was surprised to see him at the party, and to find out that he and the light brights are siblings. So yes, we’ve been friendly since the party, and although neither of us is trying to do the relationship thing, we’re friends with benefits.” That was pretty much the entire gist of it, so hopefully that nipped that conversation in the bud. What was important here was Bree fighting her feelings for Jake, which seemed to be more evident the more she paired them together for some brand deal. As far as she could see, Jake seemed to light up whenever he talked about Bree or was forced to be all over her. Bree was the one who always hesitated at first, at least until Jake's charm, or annoyance, made her perk up, so the proof was literally in the pudding. But she simply hummed as she let Bree admit to sleeping with him, which wasn't a mistake, regardless of what she said, yet she took it all in as she was already brainstorming how to keep the intimacy building. And as soon as Bree mentioned traveling, Eva immediately picked her phone up and opened up her work emails. "Cut the bullshit. Nobody accidentally falls into bed with an ex, so own that shit. And there's nothing wrong with it. I know he hurt you, and you're entitled to still need time to heal but you two can't fake what you have. That's why I picked him." She stated smugly. "And no offense, but that man sitting in that interview and owning up to his mistake, being that vulnerable and communicating so eloquently? He deserved to tap that ass as soon as y'all finished. And that's not just my opinion, there's clips of the interview on TikTok and women are literally saying they would've let him bend them over right then and there." She knew Bree would get jealous over that, but the fans weren't wrong, and Bree should have been giving them man a blowjob as soon as they finished. "But yes, there's some minor travel stuff for shoots, but you two did just get invited on one of those brand cruises. And it's not one of the tacky cruise lines with kids, it's the adult only one, Virgin Voyages. They've got literally everything you two would need to survive for a week, but you'd have to share a cabin. I'd make sure it's a large one though, you know, for space if you two fight."

BREE BROWN

Okay, so Bree should have been prepared for that level of read, and yet, she wasn't. There was just a lot said and it was all true and most of it Bree was actively trying to convince herself wasn't true. It was making her head hurt. Finishing her drink as Eva described the exact opposite of a trip she wanted to take with her damn ex, she motioned to their waiter to bring them a mimosa pitcher. In the mean time she poured herself a couple shots of the vodka and sipped on it. Trying to get her thoguhts together on everything else, she opted to address Eva's little tryst with the eldest Puckerman. "I have to say, I am surprised you would give him a second chance after he flaked on you. And not just a second chance but he gets a whole label too." Another sip. "He must be particularly gifted in the bedroom department." Which, she suppose made sense, if Jake was anything to go by. Not that she was thinking about Jake's... gifts. Downing at least a shot's worth, she was more than thankful when the pitcher was placed in front of her. Not caring that her glass wasn't yet empty, she poured some mimosa in her flute, taking a couple of healthy sips. "And it was an accident, in that I had not intended to slip in the first place. It was not the plan. And you better not have told Jake any of that. The one good thing about all of this is that he isn't on social media, he doesn't read comments, he's not reading whatever thirsty ass DMs he probably has because he doesn't really pay attention to any of the platforms." As she was speaking she already knew that Eva had absolutely told him, and this was probably the one time that man had looked at comments and videos and hashtags. It was completely irrational for her to feel, jealous, but she did. What he started building a roster. She knew he could be discreet and if he wanted rolodex of hoes, he could absolutely make that happen without blowing their cover. Which, she found, made her angry. "You know what, feel free to tell him, I'm sure he'd be more than pleased to know there is a plethora of women out there begging for him." She rolled her eyes and downed her drink and poured herself another one. "And I hope whatever cabin you book is big enough for two beds, because I refuse." Of course, if she actually refused she would have said no to the entire idea, but seven days in a bikini on a boat, actually sounded really peaceful. Maybe she could finally swim with dolphins.

EVA ANDERSON

As Bree wasted no time hinting at why she gave Puck another chance, Eva couldn't help but laugh. Between the two of them, they had slept with all three of Gabe's kids, so at least she wasn't wrong there. "Is friends with benefits really a legit label?" She questioned curiously, though in her mind, it wasn't even something to get excited over. "But considering that I've slept with the other two and you're trying to pretend like you winding back up in bed with the youngest was just a mistake, I think we know being gifted in bed is in their genetics." She giggled, though it was very much true. Raising a brow as she watched Bree chug down more drinks, she was sure that this was her trying to deflect, wanting to keep up this facade that Eva saw right through anyway. When her little trick worked and Bree seemed to not want Jake informed about the comments, she smirked. "For someone who accidentally slipped and ended up back in bed with her ex, you sure don't like the idea of him seeing any thirsty comments." She hummed. "But I did tell him, and he brushed it off like it was nothing." Not that she could even blame him, since it seemed like another Puckerman trait to just be smug about people being thirsty for them. But it was further proving her point, judging by Bree's drinking and her demeanor. And since it was her job to be in her business, Eva figured someone had to get through to her, but not with her business cap on. "Alright, this is me talking to you as your friend. I know him cheating on you hurt you, but now that I have both sides of the story, you do know that Jake kinda has a point, right?" She asked, and she already knew that could go south so she quickly shook her head. "He was wrong, 1000% wrong, but the boy felt neglected. Like he wasn't good enough because he wasn't rich. But even you can see that he regrets it, and he is serious about you, and just you. Why aren't you allowing yourself to work on forgiving him for real?"

BREE BROWN

Putting her glass down briefly, Bree looked at her friend, "Of course it's a legit label. Like boyfriend, or best friend or coworker. They're all labels to describe interpersonal dynamics and your varying degrees of interest and care in them." Picking her glass back up, she drank from it, grateful for the slight warmth the alcohol was causing, it felt comforting and as added bonus, her headache was gone. At the mention of them haing slept with all of the Puckerman siblings, she couldn't hold back a laugh, "Well, at least Gabriel gave them something to be proud of." A sentiment that made her laugh a little more. Not so much because any of it was funny, and more because she knew all three of them would loathe giving their father credit for anything. Rolling her eyes at the implication that she was jealous, even though she was, she waved it off. "Only because his ego is about as astronomical as our atmosphere can handle. For the sake of our planet, it's for the best his ego isn't inflated any further." To be fair, that wasn't untrue, it seemed a large ego was something else the Puckerman siblings shared. Annoyingly, though, they could back it up. Pouring herself another drink, without the vodka this time, she sipped on it as Eva continued. The second she claimed friendship, the influencer knew she wasn't going to like what she had to say. And as she continued to sip on her drink and the other woman asked her last question, Bree sighed, both out of annoyance and because she had managed to ask herself that question as well. "What are you, his lawyer? Don't answer that." She said, finally putting her drink down. What she was about to say she hadn't actually said out loud and maybe she just needed to hear it said or maybe she was just tipsy and uninhibited but the words were coming out before she could stop them, so it was what it was. "I know that. I know why he did what he did. I even understand, psychologically, how he got there. It was stupid and honestly, it's kind of worse that he didn't plan to go out and cheat on me and it 'just happened'. And if I'm being entirely truthful I know that eventually I will forgive him but he betrayed my trust and forgiveness is one thing. Trust is something else and I can not force mysef to trust him. I either do or I do not and right now, I absolutely do not trust him."

EVA ANDERSON

Eva couldn't have rolled her eyes any harder as Bree insisting that a label was a label, which was a hard pass for her. She didn't do labels, not the legit ones, and a friend with benefits was not a real, significant label. She'd made a lifestyle out of fucking people she deemed friends, so this was just that, her keeping up her lifestyle. "Hey now, he gave them two things: the bedroom skills, and the good looks. Being a Puckerman might have come with a shitty father, and mother in the younger two's case, but God certainly blessed them in the ways that matter to us." She giggled, and she had to refill her own glass to toast to that fact. "And let the label thing go. We're friends, we fuck, and he cooks for me sometimes. That's it." She whined defensively, but they could leave that there. Besides, she was here to talk Brake business, professionally and personally, not about her arrangement with Puck. Letting her friend lie about why she didn't want Jake to know about the comments, she sipped on some vodka herself, pretending to be entertaining this bullshit. She didn't understand why she was fighting the truth so hard when it was practically hitting her in the face, but Eva just sat there tapping her nails against the glass as she listened. But as Bree switched gears and finally gave her some truth, she could understand it all, to an extent. She didn't have much experience with any of this herself, but she could see why Bree felt the way she did. "You have every right to be hesitant and not trust him, but again, as a friend, are you allowing him to try to gain your trust again? Or you know, are you just being mean to him and pretending you don't want or miss him until you mistakenly find your way into bed with him?" She asked, taking yet another swig of the vodka. "Even if it's baby steps, he can't really gain your trust back if you're not letting him, or if you keep blocking and unblocking him." Jake had happily shared his frustration with Eva when it came to how he'd tried to tell Bree the truth even before they prepped for the interview, yet he hadn't been able to because she kept cutting off his contact with her. They were in a better place now, sure, but Jake had implied that he wanted his girl back for real, so the ball was sort of in Bree's court. "And you're obviously not a fan of women drooling in his comments, and in his DMs which seemed to be filling up last I checked, so riddle me this. If he were to see one of these women, since you two are broken up technically, how would you feel? And don't give me some lie or some half assed truth. Be real with me, Bree."

BREE BROWN

With a giggle Bree raised her glass with Eva, "I'll toast to that." She said before taking a sip. Maybe she struggled to express the depth of her feelings for Jake but she couldn't deny Jake's face card or his thrust game. Although she did want to gag a little bit at the idea of Gabriel having sex. She didn't know much about him but her mother met him a couple of times back in the late 90s and generally mrs. Brown's opinions are... harsh, to put it lightly but she was right on the money when it came to Gabe. At least from what she's heard, she's never actually met the man. And from what she could tell, Jake would prefer she never did. At the mention of the eldest Puckerman cooking, Bree damn near choked on her drink because that is definitely some labeled relationship behavior, but she wasn't going to keep that to herself. Eva was easily spooked and Bree actually wanted to see where this whole Puckeva thing went. She also wondered if Jake knew anything and mentally noted she needed to ask him about it. Of course, sober her would probably forget. Instead of pressing she just raised her eyebrows and took another sip from her flute as Eva changed the subject back to her and her man problems. Which, she was a little too inebriated to stop the conversation and maybe that's was because her brain didn't want to. I mean, she had been trying to wade through her thoughts and feelings for months and clearly she wasn't asking herself the right questions or considering things from varying perspectives. But right now, Eva was. Putting her drink down, she actually took a minute to process what she had said. Taking in a breath, she sat back in her chair, still upright with her hands in her lap, legs crossed. "Me agreeing to this whole relationship is me giving him a chance. I will concede that maybe I am meaner to him than is strictly necessary and that isn't aiding in us closing our previous chapter to see if there is even a point in starting a new one." Taking another breath, she almost picked up her drink again but knew if she did she knew her answer would be diplomatic. "If he slept with someone else right now, I'd feel vindicated because that's exactly what I expect him to do. It might even be a relief because then I would know that everything I've been saying to myself is true. I'd like to think it would be easier because he would make the choice for me. I would have to try and figure out if I should let him go or not because I would have to let him go. Right?"

EVA ANDERSON

Refilling her glass again, Eva knew she was pushing Bree with this Jake discussion, but considering that it was as much business as it was personal, it was only fair. It also helped that now that she worked with them both and had seen them interact far too many times, she could tell what was real and what wasn't, even if Bree liked to lie. She could already tell her previous words were getting to her friend, which meant she had struck a nerve, thankfully. Watching Bree put her glass down, she sipped on her own drink as she listened, trying to make sense of the words coming out of her mouth. At least she was accepting her hand in their current predicament, which said a lot. But when she started explaining her logic in terms of Jake possibly sleeping with someone else, she couldn't help but furrow her brows in confusion. Honestly, she understood why Jake was so damn confused if this was the sort of response he got from Bree too. Once she finished, Eva shook her hear. "Wrong. Wrong as hell." She stated bluntly. "It sounds like you're expecting loyalty from him when you two are very much broken up, and when you don't even know what you want. He cheated, he apologized, and that damn boy has made it crystal clear that he would like to see if you can forgive him and take him back. But being mean, blocking him, and repeatedly saying it's not happening, or slipping up and having sex with him then calling it a mistake, is sending him the wrong message." Eva pointed out. "Is he supposed to grovel and not have sex with anyone else while you play with his feelings?" It was a rhetorical question, but if it made Bree think then it was worth it. "Besides, do you really think it makes sense for him to wait months for you to potentially get needy and sit on his dick just to say it meant nothing? And if you expect him not to hook up with anyone else, does that mean you can't? You were trying to get hands on lessons from me, and I considered letting you sit on my face, but are you saying that since he cheated, you're allowed to flirt and fuck whoever you want, but he has to be like a cat in heat? The boy's a Puckerman, and he has needs too, Bree. Hell, I'm not even a Puckerman and I need a warm body to relieve my stress a few nights a week. You can't ask him to be celibate if you're not going to even the playing field, give him a real chance to earn back you and your trust, and be willing to spread those legs when he needs a taste."

BREE BROWN

NOAH PUCKERMAN

It had been literal years since Puck had been on a date date. Where he was expected to plan beyond condoms, where he was going to have to offer up more than potential safe words. He knew it wasn't... great that the people who knew him the best were his mom and his kid. Not that, it was bad but it had been a while since he'd let anyone get to know him. Outside of his little veteran's group. Honestly, he wasn't sure this was going to go well, I mean he wanted it to, but she was out of his league and he was out of practice. Which is probably why no one, not even his siblings, knew this date was even happening. That way if shit went belly up, the only person who would know was himself. It was good that they were just chillin' at his place. Thankfully, Maya was with his mom and his siblings didn't seem to be in his business today, which probably meant Jake was with Bree and Ali was, who the fuck knows. After a couple hours of grocery shopping, he had what he needed for a simple but delicious pasta dish, some wine for Eva and some beer for himself. Having asked his date to let him know when she was on her way, he made sure mostly everything was done, except the pasta, which was handmade. He was aiming to impress and nothing was more impressive than handmade pasta. Wiping  his hands off on a kitchen towel and exhaled as he heard the sound of his doorbell. "Your food is good and you're hot, you got this." He pepped himself up walking to his front door and when he opened it he was met with a truly breath taking vision. How the fuck is she even hotter than he remembers? His mouth was agape for a few moments before he stepped aside to let her in. "Damn, you look fucking amazing." Closing the door behind her, he cleared his throat, trying to get his bearings. "Hope you like Carbonara, figured I'd wait until you got here to serve it, it's kinda a quick thing to throw together. But, uh, you want anything to drink? I've got water, wine, beer and a couple sodas and juice." He offered.

EVA ANDERSON

Eva didn't normally do any of this, and she truly didn't understand why she was so much as entertaining the idea now, but it was too late to back out now. Puck was amazing in bed, there was no doubt there, but she didn't know why they were indulging in a date when there was a fair chance that this would go nowhere. In fact, it couldn't go anywhere. He had a kid, and she didn't do serious relationships. The only reason she was even showing up now was because Puck was the first man who didn't give a damn that she didn't cook, and had even offered to treat her to one of his meals, and she never turned down food. After spending hours stressing over it just to get dressed in a sundress, she'd texted him to say she was on her way before heading out and making her way over. Eva wasn't the least bit nervous, since this was just a one time thing for them to get to know each other outside of the bedroom, preferably before they made their way there at the end of the night. After knocking, she smiled when Puck opened the door. Even if this was going nowhere, she did enjoy looking at him, so there was that too. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Noah." She teased as she stepped inside. She'd heard Jake talk about how his brother had built his own house, and she was rather impressed as she glanced around now. "I like almost all food, but that sounds good. And I'll take whatever red wine you have." Eva answered as she kept observing the house. "So word on the street is that you built this place yourself. It's a very beautiful home." She smiled. "And that Carbonara smells heavenly. If you're trying to land yourself a round 3, it's working." As if she wasn't going to give it up anyway. "I'd ask if you want me to help with anything, but the only use I'd be good for is pouring my own wine."

NOAH PUCKERMAN

While Puck had cleaned up a bit that morning, no amount of cleaning was ever going to make his place look like a bachelor pad. Normally, that wouldn't be an issue, since he never brought anyone back to his place, even if everyone was gone. To be honest, he wasn't entirely sure why he had offered to cook for her at his home in the first place. Normally he offers a five star breakfast, maybe a midnight snack. But it seemed Eva was breaking a lot of his norms and he wasn't mad at it. Making his way to the kitchen to uncork the red wine he poured her a generous glass. Taking the few steps to the table he offered the glass to her. "Oh, uh, yeah. I got a good deal on the land and I knew it'd be cheaper to build it myself since I wouldn't have to pay for labor." It had been a real bitch to build his home but it felt right and Maya loved it, so it had all been worth it. Going back to the stove, he saw the water was boiling and started cooking the noodles, getting the sauce ready in the couple minute it took the pasta to cook. In a matter of minutes he was tossing the pasta in the sauce and smiling at Eva's comment. "Damn, just the smell alone is helping me earn a round three. I gotta break out the Carbonara more often." Plating everything, he went to the table, which he'd set before his date even got there and placed the dishes down before getting himself a beer and bringing the rest of the red wine to the table. "I might not know you that well but even I know better than to ask you for help in the kitchen." He said smiling as he pulled out a chair for her, waiting for her to sit before he sat across from her. "I present to you, a traditional Italian Carbonara with pasta I lovingly crafted, homemade breadsticks and a salad with three made from scratch dressings, Ranch, Caesar and an Italian vinaigrette." He announced like he was a chef at a Michelin star restaurant and he had to admit, he was pretty damn proud. Shit looked really fucking good.

EVA ANDERSON

Eva never really brought anyone back to her condo, mostly because she didn't like one night stands knowing where she lived, yet she had made an exception for Puck with their first two rounds. It was only fair that she got to see where he lived now, and given the lack of things he probably would have needed to cook anything in her own place, this was smarter. She smiled as he poured her wine, and he didn't hold back which was a damn good sign. "That was really smart. Especially since you have a family to think about and all." She hummed as she sipped on her wine. "Personally, I'm addicted to my condo and don't want a house I have to care for myself, but I respect you for being one of those people that wanted this sort of home." Watching him closely as he went back to tending to their dinner, she kept downing more wine as he teased her about the whole smell thing. "Let me at least taste this Carbonara first before you start planning more dates like this." She joked, though the smell had her convinced that maybe he was good at it. And once he put the plates down and even the visual got her approval, Eva was sure that he had more than earned a handful of dates, or rounds of sex, at this point. And the small gesture of him pulling out her seat for her solidified that, and she smiled appreciatively as she took her seat. "Thank you, Noah. For nor expecting me to help in the kitchen, and for all of this." She giggled, and she could already hear her mother telling her to hang on to a man like Puck if this was how treated her just on their second official date. But considering that part of this was for them to get to know another better, Eva picked up her fork and twirled some of the pasta around as she narrowed her eyes at him. "Okay, so do we want to dive right into the important stuff first, like your kid and baby mama situation? Or should we start with the breakdown of you and your half things? Which all of my siblings are half things too, by the way — I'm the only full Anderson, and my mom somehow suckered my dad into raising three other mens' kids and letting them have the Anderson last name too — so I understand weird or complicated family dynamics." She threw out as she dug into the food, letting out a soft moan as she chewed it down. "Oh my God, you're an amazing cook."

NOAH PUCKERMAN

"Yeah, from time to time, I have a good idea. Plus, condos in LA are mad expensive." The easy banter between them made everything feel more natural. Maybe it was also because they were in his house, but while Puck was normally a pretty performative guy, always aiming to make people smile or laugh or make himself alluring in some way, right now, he just felt like himself. It removed all the pressure. Not that he didn't want to impress her but she seemed pretty okay with just him. Which was only further confirmed when she thanked him, which wasn't necessary but it did boost his ego a bit, none the less. "No problem. Hope you let me do this for you a few more times." He said with a smile before opening his beer and taking a drink. Picking up the vinagrette to put on his salad he was glad he hadn't actually put a fork full of salad in his mouth before she asked her questions. Because he would probably be choking on a piece of arugala right now. Instead he just cleared his throat and let out a bit of a laugh. Not because it was funny but because the directness surprised him. Even though it really shouldn't have. Eva has been pretty direct since he met her and they did say they were gonna get to know each other a bit. To buy himself some time to think before speaking he did shove that bite of salad in his mouth. "First, thank you, glad you like the food, plenty more where that came from. And uh, well, when it comes to my baby mom not much of a situation. We were young, she didn't want to be a mom which was fair as fuck, but I wanted to be a dad so she, ya know, she gave that to me. She hasn't been around until real recent. It's not like a drama or anything and we're not... I mean, she's gay, so it's not like a thing or nothing." Taking a large swig of his beer, he took a breath to process that bit of information she had just given about her own family before answering her second question. "I didn't even know Ali and Jake existed until like June, July last year. Also when I found out exactly why my parents got divorced. I'd just assumed it was because of my father's general shittiness. Didn't know he had a whole ass second family. I was pretty mad that I didn't know about them because I'd have liked to've been there when they were growing up." Looking across at Eva, he smiled a little. Not sad but there was definitely a little something sad about it. "But they're here now and usually one of them is just around and they get along with my mom and Maya, it was definitely weird as fuck at first but now, I don't know, it's like they've always been here." This time his smile was genuine and joyful. "I am gonna start calling them half things though because that's fucking hilarious." Finally, taking a bite of the carbonara, he had to agree. He was an amazing cook. "Your mom should teach one of those Alpha Male classes but for women 'cause that's legit impressive. Not the having kids on your dad part, but the fact that they're still together and your dad raised the others."

EVA ANDERSON

"As someone with a condo here, yeah, they are expensive as hell. But I don't know, the house thing never seemed right for me, but you do have a family to think about so I get it." Eva hummed, and she truly admired him for actually crafting a home for his family. She was sure it was the right thing to do when you were a parent, something she would never know anything about, thankfully. She didn't flinch this time at the mention of him wanting to spend more time together, and while she should probably unpack that, she was far too enamored thanks to his cooking so she'd agree to this again. "That could be arranged." She stated, and they still had the rest of this night to get through so they'd figure it out later. As she took another bite, she registered his body language after she'd rattled out all of her questions, and she assumed that she had dumped too much on him at once, but he'd have to get used to that if he wanted her to stick around. As he finally started to respond, she grabbed the ranch dressing and fixed up her salad, which was for sure getting counted as her one healthy thing for the day, but she nodded along to let him know she was actually listening — which she for sure was. This was important if they would be going forward, regardless of what direction it was. There was something about him deciding to step up as a father that made her smile, and while she didn't have a motherly bone in her own body, him being a DILF made this even hotter. "I feel like it's rare for men to step up like that, so that's amazing, Noah. And I'm sure your daughter, Maya, is very lucky to have you as her dad." Eva pushing aside this one red flag for Puck made her slightly nervous, but she was going with it anyway. As he started diving into the Puckerman family dynamic, she now understood some of the stuff she'd heard Jake say here and there. And while their situation was obviously different than her own, she was glad that they'd found one another eventually. "I'm glad it eventually worked out for you all, but those two little light brights are a mess." She teased, eating some of her salad before thought of something else — something she hadn't expected to have to mention. "But uh..I guess now that I know you're all related, I should tell you that apparently I have an attraction to Puckermans. Before I met you, Ali and I kinda hooked up. She was high, I had probably drank too much wine or tequila, and one thing led to another. But it was just sex." Eva reassured him, and even after she found out they were siblings, it wasn't like she'd cared since that had been before she met him, but she figured he should have the full picture before they went anywhere else. Thinking about her mom teaching a masterclass, she quickly shook her head. "Trust me, it's not an ideal situation. I honestly don't know why or how my dad is still with her, but..it sounds like your mom is the real all-star here." She smiled. "And I'm assuming you got all of your good traits, and cooking skills, from her, so make sure you thank her for me."

NOAH PUCKERMAN

It meant a lot to hear Eva compliment him as a father. I mean it always meant a lot to him when someone did that, but given the obvious fact that Eva neither wanted nor liked kids, it just felt like it meant that much more. "I don't know about lucky." He laughed. "But she is a good kid. A hundred time cooler and smarter and better than I ever was at that age. And not to sound sappy and corny but I think I'm the lucky one." He smiled, more to himself than anything. Truly, there was no one he loved more, no one he was more proud of than Maya. If it weren't for her he probably wouldn't believe unconditional love was possible. Laughing louder at the mention of his light bright siblings, Puck almost snorted his beer up his nose. A part of him wanted to defend them, but there wasn't anything to defend. She was right. Ali and Jake were basically the epitome of the phrase and he loved them anyway. Now, of all the things he had envisioned learning about Eva tonight, he had to admit, her sleeping with his sister was absolutely not one of them. For several moments he processed that information. Going through too many emotions in such a short period of time. But ultimately, he didn't feel mad or hurt or betrayed. So he just let out an exhale, not quite ready to laugh about it yet but also not feeling the need to make it into a thing. Plus, it almost felt a little like Eva was implying that this thing between them was more than just sex and that definitely helped soften the blow. "Gotta be honest, wasn't expecting that, but it is what it is. Depending on how high she was, she might not even remember, which we're working on 'cause she's better when she's sober." Stabbing some more of his salad onto his fork, he took a second before looking back up at her. "Im glad it was just sex though, 'cause I don't think I'd be willin' to end this to spare her feelings." He admitted before eating the fork full of salad. As someone who was a child of divorce, specifically due to the existance of a second family, Puck really couldn't imagine why Mr. Anderson stayed but another part of him could see himself loving someone that much. So much it's to his own detrement. Which was likely easy for him to envision because he has loved someone that much. Arguably it's the only way he knows how to love. Which isn't something you would think could be negative. Smiling at the mention of his mom, he nodded in confirmation. "For the most part. I think I got a couple good ones from my uncle, but I definitely take after my mom looks and cooking wise." At least, that's what he tells himself because he really doesn't want to look anything like his father. It's bad enough their personalities are somewhat similar.

EVA ANDERSON

Eva smiled as Puck did in fact get a little sappy about Maya, but she didn't find it corny at all. Given that her own dad used to be this sappy when he talked about her, she thought it was adorable that he clearly put his kid on a pedestal, especially since her mom hadn't been around until recently. "Sounds like you're both lucky then." She teased. It also sounded like Jake and Ali coming into their lives was quite the blessing as well, so even if their father was worthless, they at least had each other and that sounded like a better trade off. Taking a few more bites as she gave Puck the space to quietly process what she'd said, mostly because that was one hell of a curveball, she didn't really know what to expect. After all, this was new, and they were only on their first real date, so she could understand him wanting to end things here now. And she would have been content with it, since this had exceeded her usual limits anyway. But when he spoke up, she went from being surprised to realizing he had a point. "That's fair. We haven't exactly talked about it either so maybe she doesn't remember it." It was the best of the worst possible scenarios, so she would just go along with it. When Puck spoke again, she found herself biting back a smirk. "Good to know." She hummed, deciding they could just unpack his inability to end this later. Shoveling some more of the pasta into her mouth, Eva nodded as he explained where some of his genes may have come from, and since he didn't know who this uncle was, she just took his word for it. "Yeah, I think the cooking gene skipped me, but I got my looks from my mom too, thankfully. I couldn't imagine looking like a white man." She chuckled softly. "But to be fair, since I grilled you, what do you want to know about me?" Eva questioned before she picked up her wine glass, taking a long swig of it as her eyes trailed over Puck, quite literally drinking in just how hot he was.

NOAH PUCKERMAN

Laughing, Puck nodded but let her finish speaking. "Yeah, that's fair, looking like a white man would be rough." Not to say there aren't decent looking white dudes in the world but even the best looking ones weren't half as stunning as Eva. Shockingly, he had thought about what he'd ask her, what he wanted to know. Part of him kinda thought they wouldn't make it that far, but she seemed pretty down to actually talk. Puck wasn't really use to that. Also, he kind of felt like his questions were probably pretty dumb and usually he didn't care so much about looking like an idiot, but something about Eva just made him want to, at least, appear better than his usual. "Nah, grilling is what Jake and Ali do every time I sigh a little too loud. That wasn't half bad." He said with a shrug of his shoulders. Not wanting to give her time to one up herself, he rubbed his hands together. "I know you do PR but I'm realizing I ain't got a clue what PR even stands for, let alone what a PR person does. 'Cause right now I'm thinking you throw parties and something o do with social media, if Jake constantly posting everywhere means anything." Again not the smartest question, but it's what she does for a living, he should probably have a basic understanding of that. "I coulda looked it up but I figured my brain would work a bit better if you were the one telling me." He said with a wink. "And if you wanna tell me all your food preferences, I's appreciate it." Hey, if she was willing to give him a cheat sheet to her stomach, he was definitely gonna take advantage of that. Clearly food was the way to go with her, and Puck couldn't be more thankful that she was impressed by food.

EVA ANDERSON

Eva giggled as he pretty much agreed that taking after her mom's good looks was better than taking after her dad. Which sure, her dad wasn't hideous to look at, but he clearly wasn't the beauty in that relationship either, and she thanked god daily that she'd gotten her mother's genes. And while she normally didn't do the talking and getting to know anyone she only planned to sleep with, everything with Puck had already been out of the norm for her so she figured they should genuinely do this. She shrugged when he agreed that her questions weren't so bad, which she definitely could have stepped them up a little more, but Puck had been a gentleman thus far and she hadn't needed to push that much. She ate some more as he got into what he wanted to know about her, and the PR thing made sense, given that a lot of people didn't really know what her job truly was. And he at least wasn't too far off with his assumption, so that was a start. "Well first, PR stands for public relations. To put it simply, I manage how my clients look in the public eye. I make the decisions about their brands, sometimes I'm the one who actually posts certain things on their socials, and I do organize parties or any other events for them. But sometimes, I'm also the person who has to clean up the mess when they fuck up." Eva shrugged. "The social media part is probably the easiest. Like your brother had no sort of online presence before, so building up his social image has been a piece of cake. Those Puckerman genes probably help, and so does him being Bree's eye candy, but Jake's about to start getting paid just for posting selfies thanks to me." She bragged, and considering what she knew about Jake and Ali's upbringing, the extra income was going to come in handy for him. Thinking over Puck's last question, she figured it was best to leave that one as open ended as possible. "I'm not picky with food, and I'll try anything a few times. Especially if you're cooking it." She teased.

NOAH PUCKERMAN

Taking another healthy bite of food, he nodded as Eva explained that PR stood for Public Relations. Somehing, he really should have already known, but he appreciated her just answering and not making him feel like a dumbass about. He found himself genuinely interested in what she actually did. I mean, if she threw that party on Valentine's Day, that alone was enough of a job, he couldn't imagine having he time or attention span to do much else. But as she continued, his eyes grew a little wider. Being in charge of a person public image was, a lot. How was she even able to do that for more than one person at a time. He knew she was working with his brother, but he was pretty sure she also worked with Bree. And while those Puckerman genes were A+ looks wise, they were hell on earth personality wise. He could only imagine what kind of messes his brother could cause. Although, he figures out of the three of them, Jake would make be the easiest to manage. Puck wanted to ask more about Jake and Bree's whole set up, but he figured it would be better for him to get straight from his brother, but he did wonder if Eva brought them together. Was she also something of a matchmaker? Eating a couple more bites, he waited for her to answer his last question before speaking again. Partially, because he mama raised him to be polite, but also because the food was really good. He was going to have to officially put this recipe in his little recipe book. "If you're willing to try anything, then I've definitely got a few meals for you. Mostly, a breakfast/brunch kinda thing. You waking up to the smell of chicken and waffles, French toast, breakfast nachos." Yes, the implication was he'd cook it for her after a night together. Could you blame him for wanting to lock that down? "The PR stuff though, that sounds like a lot. I mean it kinda sounds like parenting, I mean, I'm responsible for Maya's whole life and that sounds a lot like what you do." Puck took another drink of his beer. "But those Puckerman genes got good and bad to 'em, we got a knack for sayin' and doin' whatever we want. So, you let me know if he's causing you any problems. I'll smack him in the back of the head for you." He said with a smile. "Did you get him and Bree together? You ain't gotta tell me the whole story if there is one, I'm just wondering if PR people match make too."

EVA ANDERSON

Eva had answered that question so many times over the years that she genuinely understood people not knowing what PR stood for or what they did, so Puck actually wanting an explanation from her instead of just going to Google it was sort of adorable. Most of her hook ups never asked, since her being a nepo baby was just how they assumed she had money, so it was sort of nice having one ask about it. Not that she'd even be open to getting this honest with anyone else, but considering how many times she'd already spun the block with Puck more than normal, they were sort of expected to learn some stuff about one another. She kept eating as he offered to do more cooking for her, even suggesting what sounded like a morning after meal. That was hands down another way to earn himself yet another round, as if he hadn't already done that with this Carbonara. But she could get used to being spoiled like this. "Noah, if you're trying to give me more reasons to keep coming back, it's working." She teased, even if it was the truth. Stuffing more of the salad into her mouth as he compared her job to parenting, she couldn't help but giggle at that, since she did not feel like she was her clients' mom in any sense. "Hey, don't worry. Jake is usually well behaved with me, at least until I get him and Bree in a room together sometimes." Eva hummed, and truly, she found it entertaining most of the time, but she also had her own motives with that pairing as well. When Puck asked about Brake, as the internet was already calling them, again, she realized he still hadn't asked his brother about that whole thing. "They're not...it's complicated." She laughed. "I'm rebranding Bree to cater her to the POC markets more than the white masses, and the last guy her old team had her fake dating was some boring white boy — they literally had no chemistry. Her new image needed someone that could handle all of her, and while I had some other options, her history with Jake made him perfect." While she wouldn't normally talk about her clients' business with anyone else, but Puck wasn't just anyone else — he was Jake's brother, and Bree's future brother in law, so telling him the truth wasn't exactly overstepping. Besides, she was sure Jake would confess to him eventually too. "What you saw on Valentine's Day is fake. Well, them being back together right now is fake. It's part of my PR plan for their images. And I'll let you get the full story from Jake, but they dated for a year, and then he cheated, but those two are very much not over one another. If my plan works, they'll work things out and get back together for real the more I make them do all this lovey dovey shit together."

NOAH PUCKERMAN

Usually, Puck didn't love when people called him by his government name. It just never felt like it fit and always ended up sounding, forced. Unless it was his mom. So, he was generally, pretty particular about who he let casually call him Noah. But something about the way it just rolled off of Eva's tongue. Not only did it not sound forced or hit his ear funny, it sounded pleasing. Like, yeah, my name is Noah and that's a good name. It felt so natural he was only just now realizing that what his date had been calling him. It made him feel warm, in a comfortable way, in a way that just made him smile. "Well, I don't offer my famous waffles to just anybody." He teased back. Although he was being honest. The last person he made waffles for, outside of his family, he was also in a committed relationship with. Not that he was jumping commitment with Eva. That would be crazy. That having been said, he could get use to that little giggle of hers. Puck took another drink from his beer bottle and finished it off. Interested to know what Eva meant by Jake and Bree. So he was glad when she continued and answered his question. Puck nodded as she explained, although it really just lead to more questions, especially because he thinks he remember seeing something about Bree and her ex, or wel, PR ex, somewhere, maybe some gossip tik toker. It never occured to him that the relationship hadn't been real. Of course, now that he's seen her with his brother it makes sense. What little he'd known, he could easily tell how she was with the other dude paled in comparison to how she was with Jake. Whatever was going on with them, it was real. Which he was glad to hear Eva confirm. Less glad to hear he cheated but it wasn't like he could judge. With a smile as he finished off his plate of pasta, he sat back a little in his chair. "So you are a bit of a match maker. Just not usually, but for them." He stated. "I gotta be honest, all that sounds like a lot and I guess I probably should understand it better, but I wasn't really raised like a nepo baby. I mean I always knew who my father was and stuff, but he had his life and me and mom had ours. So, it's kinda crazy to me that there are fake couples walking around and you wouldn't even know. Well, you might know, but the rest of us, gettin' duped like a dummy." He laughed. "And imma make talkin' to my brother the next thing I do. 'Cause I can't speak for Bree but I know what a Puckerman in love looks like." Truthfully, he didn't think they were fake even if technically they were.

EVA ANDERSON

Eva didn't even know if she believed that these waffles were famous or even special in terms of general waffles at all, yet she was assuming that either way, he didn't offer a home cooked breakfast after a night together often. Which made sense, given that she hadn't ever stuck around long for anyone to even offer it to her if that were something people normally did, so she couldn't help but appreciate his offer either way. "I can't wait to try them then." She teased, though with the way things were going, Puck truly was earning his way into a few more of these dates. And while generally opposed to such, she was accepting of it now. Much like she'd accepted that Bree and Jake had grown on her, both individually and as a couple, which meant they'd all be pulling Puck into this world more often than not now. Luckily it was just as new for both Puckermans, which meant her and Bree would have their hands full trying to keep them up to speed. She accepted Puck's slight praise, smiling softly until he started talking about his dad. Everyone knew the basics about Gabe Puckerman: rockstar, cheater, tended to party hard and was notoriously known for being a douchebag. She'd never crossed paths with him before, thankfully, but she could at least see that neither of his sons were like him. Ali, on the other hand, at least didn't get all of his bad qualities. "It's fine that you don't understand it. Honestly, some nepo babies should have been raised more like you and your siblings were. My parents definitely should have kept the reins on me a little tighter, but then I see people like Bree who had parents that control their entire lives and it's...somehow worse? I couldn't imagine not making mistakes and learning from them on my own, you know?" Eva shrugged, downing some more wine. "But wait, did that statement mean that you've been in love before?" She asked curiously.

NOAH PUCKERMAN

Puck smiled as she said she couldn't wait to try his waffles. It made him feel justified in his confidence that this wouldn't be the last time he saw her. A few more bites of his food and he was done with his salad and damn near done with his pasta. Picking up the bottle of white wine he poured himself some. It wasn't his usual drink but the escription actually made it sound not terrible. Plus the thing was more than fifty bucks, so he was getting at least one glass. Taking a drink of the wine, he let it sit on his tongue before swallowing it, pleasantly surprised by how accurate the description had been and he listened as Eva spoke. He was pretty sure he remembered her on a few magazines and tabloids growing up, The kind you'd see waiting in the check out line in a grocery store. At the time, celebrities and their kids seemed like they were living on a completely different planet than him. And now here he was, in L.A surrounded by people who were frequently talked about on social media, in magazines and even the news. He had to admit he was glad his mom had raised him how she did, and that he was raising Maya outside of the nepo bubble that seemed to exist in this city. "If I've managed to learn anything about the nepo world out here, it's that most of these parents care more about looking like good people than actually being good people. Plus a lot of parents, famous or not, look at their kids like an extension of themselves. So when they're kid acts up, instead of trying to understand them, they feel personally attacked. Like they're looking in a mirror and not seeing themselves." It was something he'd noticed over the years, from PTA meetings, sporting events, school field trips. The way some parents treat their kids like they aren't their own individual people but should just be the younger version on them. It was weird and Puck was glad his mom hadn't been like that and he was determined he wouldn't be like that either. At her question he took another drink, this time just swallowing it down. "Uhh, yeah." He laughed a little awkwardly, setting his glass down. "Only a couple of times. It's kind of a lot. Especially because Puckerman's don't fall for just anyone. So when we do it's at 150%." He smiled shoving the last of his pasta in his mouth.

EVA ANDERSON

If there was one thing Eva had been able to read into when she initially met Puck, it was that he wasn't like the other nepo babies she knew. He didn't flaunt wealth the way they did, didn't dress or frequent their usual hang outs, any of it. It had taken mere seconds to register that he hadn't grown up like they had, but she could also tell by the wine he'd chosen. Which was still good, though most reds she tried were anyway, but anyone else would've sprung for a more expensive bottle. The fact that he hadn't tried to go too out of his comfort zone made her smile as she kept shoveling food into her mouth. She took in his opinion of the people like her, and he wasn't wrong, not even by a hair. It probably would've struck a nerve if the Andersons overall weren't so flawed. "My parents tried to hide all of their dirty little secrets for as long as they could, but then we just started owning our shit, I guess. They could have raised us to be better, but they're not good examples themselves, so here we are." Eva shrugged carelessly, clearly not ashamed of her family's shortcomings, if they could be called that. "Definitely think being raised the way you and even Ali and Jake were raised would have been beneficial for all of the nepo babies I know." Chugging down some more wine, she didn't really know what she'd expected him to say about being in love before, but as soon as he spoke, she was definitely more intrigued now. "Why is being in love a lot?" She questioned curiously. "Which, I don't know if I've mentioned it before, but I've only been in one relationship before — it was a really good friends with benefits situation that everyone else assumed was a relationship, which it really wasn't. But that's my only real experience with dating, I guess, so I've never done the love thing. And all of the examples I've seen have been..not the best, so why were your experiences dubbed as being a lot?"

NOAH PUCKERMAN

"Owninng it's the way to go. Lying and trying to put on a front is fucking exhausting." Drinking from his glass, he didn't really know much about the Anderson's, he knows of them but he's never really been one to follow a celebrity like that. It started as a way for him to avoid potentially seeing or hearing about his father. Now, he just has other interests. But he did know she had two brother and a sister. Damn, he was kinda wishing he'd paid a little more attention to ET news or something. "I don't know about that though. Jake and Ali's mom is... well, I don't know how much you know, if you know anythin' but she's kinda like a natural disaster in the form of a tiny blonde lady. I haven't met her, but I have heard about her. A lot." It wasn't like he'd gone fishing for tea, as Maya would say, but Jake and Ali had a lot to say about their mama, and none of it was good. Well, Aliaysh had mentioned she was fun to party with but that's not great. Mostly she seemed very focused on having her life paid for by others. Mooching and leeching off her own kids. In a weird way, he could see how her and Gabe ended up together. They were both selfish and self serving. Still are, it would seem. Hearing Eva share her experience with committed relationships, or rather, lack there of, Puck tried to find the words to answer her question. "Yeah, I don't got any good relationships to use as examples either. So, I guess, when a relationship gets to the being in love part, for me, I don't really know what to do with it, and I-" usually just fuck it up, so I don't have to figure it out. A small voice in his head whispered. "I don't know, I freak out and end it before it can go any further." Clearing his throat, he hated when shit got too serious. "But I mean, I ain't really a fallin' in love type. I've only done it twice. For the most part I'm just vibin. Here for a good time with a beautiful woman or man or person. No strings, no expectations really." It seemed like such a fuck boy thing to say, and maybe if he was in his early 20s it would sound less bad. So he laughed. "Damn, that makes me sound like a man whore, but I guess what I'm saying is, I don't commit a lot so when I do, it's with all of me and it might not look like it but there's a whole lotta me." He smiled. 

EVA ANDERSON

For someone who didn't grow up in this world, Puck's view on it sounded exactly like Eva's own, which was refreshing considering the circles she usually ran in. Honestly, she'd grown tired of even hooking up with other nepos, which was why she'd spent the last few years steering clear of that lane, until now. Though, he wasn't like the normal nepo, so in her mind, he still counted. At the mention of Jake and Ali's mom, she shrugged nonchalantly. "Jake just kinda said she's money hungry, so considering your father's reputation and where they grew up, I kinda put 2 and 2 together." She answered, and she simply hadn't pushed Jake to talk about it since she didn't get the sense that he wanted to, and in the end, he was her client, not him and his leech of a mother. "But for the record, he seems to light up whenever he mentions his siblings or being an uncle. Even if you guys haven't known each other long, I think this version of family is really good for him." After all, both him and Ali seemed to be improving, even in baby steps, now that they had a niece in their lives, so that was adorable. Finishing off her salad as Puck started explaining his own history with relationships, part of her could relate to him freaking out and ending things once he was in too deep. She never got in deep because the second there was some semblance of an emotional attachment developing, she ran for the hills, so she didn't fault him for how he handled it either. She nodded along as he insisted that he wasn't aiming to fall in love, and they were at least on the same page there. "You're bisexual too? Good to know." Eva hummed. "You don't sound like a man whore though. You sound like a grown ass man that's enjoying himself, which you more than deserve after everything you've accomplished." She stated as she downed some more wine. "And I'm not looking for a commitment either, but..I'm not opposed to us making this a friends with benefits situation?"

NOAH PUCKERMAN

NOAH PUCKERMAN

It had been a while since Puck had been out out. Lately, his socialization was either at PTA meetings or with someone he met on an online dating app where they spent about twelve minutes talking and the rest of the hour... not talking. Probably why when Jake and Ali said he was going to this Valentine's Day shoot party thing, even his mom and kid insisted he go and attempt to have fun. So, now he was there, dressed in red and white with a pair his kids heart shaped sunglasses on his head. It felt weird not being at work or doing something Maya related, but what was even weirder was how both of his siblings ditched him three minutes after walking through the door. He'd been engaging in small talk with a few people, maybe even flirting a little. I mean, it is Valentine's day. Then someone caught his eye. Now, all he could see was the back of her, but damn was it a perfect backside. Grabbing a couple of driniks off of a tray, he made his way over to the raven haired beauty. Finally, his eyes landed on her face and, "Oh shit." He said more to himself than anyone. "Eva." Now, normally he'd feel like he hit the jackpot, and he still did, but this wasn't the first time they'd met. In fact, they'd already hooked up and even managed to snag a date. A date he fucked up more than once by cancelling. He'd be dumb to think he had a shot at trying something with her again, right? "I know I ain't gotta tell you this but god damn you look good." He smiled looking her up and down appreciatively. He had always favored the dumber side of things. Offering one of the pink cocktails in his hand to her, "I think it's a cosmo, but I think every pink drink is a cosmo." He laughed a bit at himself.

EVA ANDERSON

Eva was a literal genius when it came to marketing, and she loved when there was a whole event catered to showcasing that little fact. Okay, so maybe this event was for Bree, Jake, and Savage X Fenty — but she had landed Bree this partnership, she had planned everything, and it was her name getting credit for it so in a sense, she was one of the guests of honor too. She had also stacked the guest list with some of Bree's peers and some of her marketing contacts, mostly to land Bree (and Jake, little did he know) even more brand deals, so she was pretty much still working. Once the party was well under way, she'd jumped into boss mode and sent Jake over to taunt Bree while she started making her rounds, making sure everyone in the room was paying attention to the various shots of Bree and Jake all around the venue as she turned on her charm to push them onto the brands in attendance. It was going pretty well too, and Eva was rather proud of herself for her hard ass work with shifting the direction of Bree's brand, now letting it cater more to who she really was than who her parents and that tacky original PR team had wanted her to be. She was just about to seal another deal for the couple when she heard a voice she vaguely recognized, and her eyes narrowed when she saw his face. Accepting his compliment, Eva apologized and excused herself from the marketing executive before she turned her attention to the man. "Thank you." She stated, giving him a tight lipped smile as she accepted the drink. "It's...Puck, right?" She obviously knew his name, but considering how he'd flaked on their date, she wasn't about to give him the indication that one night together had been that memorable. But once she said his name, or what he'd preferred to be called, the realization hit. She hadn't put him on the guest list, but Jake had stated that he'd be bringing his family, who all happened to share the same last name: Puckerman. "Wait — you're Jake and Ali's brother?"

NOAH PUCKERMAN

While he wouldn't describe her demeanor as pleased to see him, she wasn't completely blowing him off. I mean, she thanked him, took the drink and got his name right. Although, how many Puck's does a person run into. It's a memorable name for a memorable guy. So, he was choosing to let that boost his confidence in this interaction. Taking a sip of his drink, he was surprised by her question, wondering how she knew his siblings, but then remembered they're famous and a lot of people know who they are. Nodding, he smiled. "Yeah, the non famous but hottest Puckerman." He couldn't help but to throw a little wink at her. "Kinda weird seeing my baby bro's face everywhere, he's not really this typa guy." He gestured around to the photos on display. "I'm also still getting use to the fact that he's with Bree Brown of thee Hollywood Brown's. But I guess I gotta get use to it." Despite his words there was a real sense of pride to his tone. Seeing how successful and talented his younger siblings were damn near brings tears to his eyes. Focusing back on the beauty in front of him, he took another sip from his glass. "Do you just know them because you're a fan of rock and football or, you said you work in PR, is this your event? I don't really know how all this works so don't judge me too much if throwing parties ain't in your job description." He laughed. This was not what he had practiced for months, because yes, he had been expecting fate to bring him back into this goddesses orbit again for a second chance. And he told himself that he'd apologize and earn himself a second chance. Asking if this was her party was not earning him shit. But now that he was in front of her it seemed his dumbass mouth refused to just say, "Sorry for being a flaky jackass." He blurted out unexpectedly. Clearing his throat to try and recover he scratched the back of his neck. "What I mean is, I shouldn't've cancelled on you. It was a tough month between work, classes and my kid, but everything's nice and calm now. So, it wouldn't happen again." I mean, it was better but it still wasn't what he'd practiced. But if you were standing in front of Eva, a woman's whose beauty you couldn't dream of, you'd make an idiot of yourself too.

EVA ANDERSON

It wasn't that Eva wasn't happy to see Puck — he was attractive, and the only time they'd actually spent together had been very memorable, after all. But for someone who kept a busy schedule daily, she'd freed up some time for him just to flake, and that was typically a red flag for her that would turn her off. But even now as he spoke up, claiming to be the hottest Puckerman, that damn charm of his was kind of hard not to be tempted into forgiving. "So every single one of you has a huge ego? Guess it's genetic." She hummed, which would make sense considering who their father was. She hadn't officially met Gabe herself, but considering how celebs and even nepo babies liked to talk behind closed doors, she'd heard the rumors about him and knew the ego was something he obviously passed down to his kids. Glancing around at the mention of Jake's face being everywhere, she shrugged as if it weren't that big of a deal, since it wasn't for her. But when Puck seemed shocked about Jake and Bree, she raised a brow. "Oh, did he not tell you?" She didn't know how close the siblings all were, considering that she didn't even make the connection that Puck was related to Ali and Jake until this moment, but maybe Jake hadn't disclosed the details of his history with Bree to his big brother yet. Downing the rest of her drink as he questioned exactly what her role was in tonight's festivities, she saw an opening that she couldn't just pass up. "Ah, now see that's information you would've had if you'd taken me to dinner." She pointed out. Humbling men was almost a character trait she loved about herself, but probably a little too much. Rolling her eyes at the apology, she was about to interrupt and insist that she didn't need to hear any excuses before he continued, and then her eyes widened. Work, classes, and a kid? The latter was usually a hard pass for her, and even his confirmation wasn't good enough. "It's fine. We had fun, and maybe we should just leave it at that one night."

NOAH PUCKERMAN

"We only found each other this summer, or... I still don't know how to say that but Ali and Jake didn't know about me and I didn't know about them until this past summer, July." Oddly enough, it had been one of the many things that decided to pop up on him while he was trying to take the beautiful woman in front of him out on a date."So there is still a fuck ton we don't know about each other but I do know enough to know he likes her." He said, his eyes finding his little bro caught up in a moment with his girlfriend. It made him smile. What could he say, he loved love, especially on Valentine's day. Turning his attention back to Eva, he was just in time for her to put him in his place. Slapping a hand over his heart, he feigned like he'd been hit, "Ouch, can't be mad at it though. You're right." It also wasn't an answer to his question, but that was okay, he liked a challenge. Plus this woman could do or say anything to him right now and he'd just be happy she was acknowledging him. Her kind of fine was one in a billion and maybe that's why when she suggested they should just leave it at that one night, he couldn't just surrender. "If you were anybody else, I'd cut my losses, say fair enough and find someone else." Finishing off his drink he put it down on the nearest surface. "But my gut says letting you go would be a mistake and my gut's usually right." He smiled at her before grabbing another drink from a tray. "I get that you can't say yes yet to a second chance, I ain't earned it, but I got the rest of this party and me and the universe are tight, so I know she'll give me a few more chances to win you over." Stepping closer to her, he was immediately hit with her scent and holy fuck, it was like unlocking a core memory. That night they'd spent together, the way they'd just fit and flowed. Yeah, he couldn't give up, not without a fight, he'd never clicked like that with anyone. I mean, it'd been six months and he was still hung up on her and knew that because the last three people he'd gone out with had all been temu versions of her. A fact he was only just now realizing. Bigger Love by John Legend came on and he reached around her to put his drink down. Reaching out a hand, he smiled, "We're already here, you look too damn good, and they got John Legend playin'. Dance with me."

EVA ANDERSON

Puck explaining his situation with his siblings suddenly made a lot of sense, as did the timeline of what Eva had learned about Bree and Jake's real relationship. Of course the youngest Puckerman hadn't had a chance to tell his big brother all about his history with Bree yet, since they were probably getting to know the real basics about one another first. "I'll let him give you the full story but trust me, those two are well past the 'liking each other' stage." She teased, and with the success of this one couples shoot, she already had plans of booking them for literally any and every couple brand project she could find. Bree would fight it, but oh well. She rolled her eyes playfully at Puck's reaction to the shade she'd thrown, but at least he could agree that she was right, as she usually was. The man had blown his chances for more than a one night stand, which was all that everyone got out of her anyway. She had never been the dating type, and she could buy her own dinner so she normally wasn't one who made that a requirement before she let someone take her home. After all, the man had already gotten his one night with her, and it should have sufficed. But when Puck pushed, and gave her some cheesy little line that she ended up smiling at, she figured that maybe he could earn himself a date, and possibly another nightcap. But she wasn't one to fold, so he was going to need to do a little more for her to verbally agree. "You use these sort of lines on women often?" She questioned curiously, though she wasn't sure if he'd give her a real answer for it but she was going for it regardless. "You sound rather confident about your bond with the universe though. She could be setting you up for failure this time around." Eva hummed as he stepped closer to her. Whatever he was playing at, he was lucky he was attractive. The song choice was horrible, but she accepted Puck's hand regardless. "One dance. And keep your hands above the waist." She warned. "Lead the way."

NOAH PUCKERMAN

"Those two are well past the 'liking each other' stage." Those words gave the firefighter more questions than he ever thought he'd have about his brother's relationship but what the fuck did that mean? Letting the mental line of questioning go he just made a mental note to bring that shit up with Jake ASAP. It wasn't until she brought it up that Puck realized that what he'd said did sound like a lline. In his defense, it wasn't, it was just the truth that happened to sound like a line. "Not gonna lie to you, usually a little praise and a smile gets me where I'm trying to go. I ain't used a pick up line since I was a teenager." He knew it made him sound full of himself but the truth is the truth and there was a reason he was cocky with it most of the time. Most of the time, because he's not feeling too cocky right now, but the fact that she was still there indulging him in this interaction did keep his confidence up. I mean, a woman like Eva gives you the time of day it's gonna be one hell of an ego boost. "Yes, ma'am." He said as he took her hand and led her to the dance floor with a little spin as he placed his free hand on her waist, his other hand placing her on his shoulder. "As for the universe, she and I are besties, she'd never set me up like that, But even if she did, I think the only way you can really fail is if you don't even try. And I know I made a shit second impression but I'm all about the effort." Which was true, especially when it came to the people he cared about and as cliche as it sounds, he cared about Eva the second he saw her. And not just because she was hot, there was something else there. He guessed folks would call it a spark and he was starting to think he wasn't the only one who felt it. As the song continued he busted out a few fancier moves, spinning her and seeing just how willing she was to follow his lead. Thankfully, for them both, he could actually dance, so he knew how to avoid getting his toes stepped on or stepping on anyone else's toes. At one point he spun her around in his arms so her back was to his chest. Arms wrapped around her waist, still technically in the green. Only staying there for a few moments he spun her back around so they were facing each other as the song ended. Out of instinct he moved in closer like he was going to kiss her, but he stopped himself, because he has self control and if he hasn't even earned a date with her, he definitely hasn't earned a kiss. "What's your favorite meal?" He asked, seemingly randomly.

EVA ANDERSON

"Oh? So you just smile and call a woman gorgeous or something and that usually works for you?" Eva teased, thought she could kind of see it. The man was attractive, she could give him that, and that damn smile just looked like it would get someone into trouble if they fell for it, so she could understand why women probably drooled over him if he put in the bare minimum effort. She wasn't that easy, mostly because everyone else was simply that easy for her, but she could also tell that her and Puck seemed to have the same sized egos at least. Allowing him to spin her as they made their way onto the floor, she was deciding to just give him a chance for now and go with the flow as he seemed to be leading. She raised a brow as he genuinely pushed for this second chance thing, which he wasn't quite blowing yet, and although slow dancing wasn't her thing, this was...fairly nice. Normally she'd be a little uncomfortable being this close to someone, in some position that could be seen as romantic, and she had to put all of her thoughts aside as he impressed her with the moves. But once he spun her and pressed her back against his front, Eva was sure that there was a slight charge in the energy between them, and even she had to admit that maybe he deserved another fair chance at getting to know her. Once she was facing him again, she noticed the longing desire to make another big move, and she applauded his ability not to make it happen. Most people went in for the kiss even when she'd made it clear that she wasn't interested, so that was at least a green flag for Puck. As he asked a random, but important question, she smiled. "Anything I don't have to cook." She responded playfully, though it was 100% the truth. "I love food in general, and could probably ramble off favorites from various cultures, so that's kind of a loaded question. But I was serious about the not cooking part. I know men like women who cook, but I don't do it. At all. Is that a dealbreaker for you?"

NOAH PUCKERMAN

Now, Puck couldn't think of a better answer to his question. A woman who loves to eat is his kind of woman, through and through. With a genuine smile on his face, he shook his head. "Definitely not a dealbreaker. Can't speak for other men but, I just like women, no homemaking skills required." He said as another love song came over the speakers. "Plus, cooking's kinda my thing and I love cooking for folks who like to eat." Was it a skill he begged his mom to help him with so that he could impress his crush when he was ten? Yes, but he had actually liked it and it became a fun activity for both him and his mom to enjoy together. An activity he has continued with his own child, who is maybe not as naturally gifted, but equally as enthusiastic and a half decent baker. Smile appearing on his face again, for what felt like the hundredth time, he said fuck it, and decided to just try and shoot his shot.... again. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, his phone went off in his pocket. Of course, his phone just had to ring right now. Lord knew, he was already on thin fucking ice and while it looked promising, if he stepped away now he could absolutely kiss his second chance with Eva goodbye. While it was very out of character for him to not, so much as, look to see who it was, he also saw this as a solid opportunity to maybe right a wrong. Show her that he was serious about getting to know her and that he wouldn't flake this time. So he slid his hand in his pocket, just to silence the phone before returning his hand back to her waist. "I've got Thursday off next week. Let me make dinner for you. If you don't like it then I won't show up to more of these events just to talk to you. But if you do like it then maybe you let me cook for you again." Surely that would be a win win for her and while it would probably be a lot of pressure for anyone else. Puck knew he could cook and look damn good while doing it. So, as far as he was concerned he'd be getting tha second date. "That's a pretty good deal, don't you think? Worst that happens, you eat a meal you don't love with a hot fire fighter." He said with a smirk.

EVA ANDERSON

Eva didn't really know what kind of answer she was expecting to her question, but when Puck said her not cooking was a dealbreaker, he had at least earned himself something, even if it wasn't a full second chance just yet. And when he confirmed that he liked cooking for others, she smirked as she moved both arms around his neck, pressing herself even tighter against his body. "So what I'm hearing is that you'd cook for me?" She teased, though that was another reason for her to be even more intrigued by him, and be open to this second chance idea. Considering her hate for such an annoying task, she was always a sucker for any man that wanted to cater to her stomach, which would try anything once or twice as it was. Even over the loud music, she too noticed the ringing phone, and she was about to scale back for him to go and take it when he seemed to be rejecting it. Now, that was polite, and with her ego, she was well aware that a woman of her caliber giving him any attention was rather important, yet she wouldn't throw a fit over him taking a call. Well, that depended on who the call was from, anyway. Brushing it off momentarily when he spoke up again, this time offering her a date where he did the cooking, she raised a brow. How was he so sure that he could commit to such a date? What if something else came up? Would she just be wasting her time by agreeing? Deciding to give him one more shot, Eva nodded. "You get one more chance, Puckerman. Blow this one, and that's the last straw." She warned. "And I'm only accepting because there's clearly a lot we don't know about each other. I didn't have you pegged as a firefighter."

NOAH PUCKERMAN

Mentally, he was fist pumping the air in victory. Physically, he let his hands slip around her waist, clasping them as the rested on the small of her back. Man, he had never been so happy that his mom taught him how to cook and this his brain had actually taken an interest in it. Something told him, second chances weren't Eva's thing and fuck knows they didn't have to be. I mean, he was a half decent guy, maybe more than hald depending on who you asked, but he could be the best an on planet earth and still not be at her level. The voice in the back of his mind was starting to get a little louder. So in an effort to shut it the fuck up he stopped thinking about who was and wasn't better than him, and instead focused on the feel of her arms around his neck and the scent of her perfume and the way she was looking at him. Letting her presence bring him back down. "Yeah, eight year old me would be disappointed becaus I was suppose to be the first space athlete. Which is just basketball but on the moon. Which would be sick, but you gotta be hella smart to get to the moon. Running into burning buildings is more my speed." As the song changed again, he figured they could take a little break. Leading them both back to where they had left their drinks, he grabbed two fresh glasses, offering one to her before taking a sip of his. "Holy fuck, aren't, that's straight vodka with just a thought of cranberry." He said but still taking another sip, letting the burn settle in the back of his throat. "You said you didn't peg me as a firefighter, so what exactly did you peg me for? A male model? 'Cause I've gotten that before." He said with a cheeky smile.

EVA ANDERSON

If anyone asked, Eva was being generous considering that she was now working with Puck's brother, and possible future sister in law — according to Jake, anyway. If the brothers were close enough to be around each other at events going forward, she was going to be seeing a lot more of Puck so she might as well give him a fair chance for them to be friends or something. Dating was off the table for her, but perhaps something could work. She smiled at his teasing about what he'd wanted to be when he was little, which didn't seem like much of a lie to be honest. "You can always pay NASA or someone to take you to the moon, you know?" She hummed, since it was a thing that happened apparently. Once he led her back over to their spot, she raised a brow as he seemed caught off guard by how strong the drink was. "Yeah, sorry. We wanted the drinks catered to the whole Valentine's Day 'get fucked up and then fucked' theme, so I made sure there was more booze than juice." Eva confirmed as she downed her own. Taking in what he said next, she shrugged. "I technically modeled as a teen so nah, didn't think you'd be a model. Even if you have the face for it." She giggled. "But I don't know. You're a Puckerman, and a nepo baby too, so I don't know. Musician, actor, regular nepo who just lived off of his parents' money. Anything but a firefighter. But I also didn't have you pegged as a DILF either." She admitted. "Guess we really do have a lot to learn about each other, huh?"

NOAH PUCKERMAN

"A vacation to the moon is bit outta my budget." He said with an easy smile. "But imma keep it in mind. Now that I'm at these rich people parties, maybe I can be a plus one." It wasn't lost on him, that it wasn't until that one billionaire went to space that he was fully unaware that you didn't have to go through NASA and that alone probably made him a little too dumb for space travel. As Eva explained their reasoning for strong drink and nodded before hsi eyes went a little wide at her throwing the drink back. "You plan on taking part in that theme?" He asked with a laugh. Although, he wasn't sure he wanted to kniow the answer because if she was planning on getting fucked tonight, it wouldn't be him and didn't love the idea of that. Not even a little bit, but he kept his demeanor easy breezy anyway. Hearing what she had assumed of him, he couldn't help the laught that escaped him. The idea of living off his dad was just so foreign to him. Puck did anything everything to avoid his father and that included his money, but he could understand where she was coming from. He knew he was out of the ordinary when it came to nepo babies. At least, from what he could tell he was. "Yeah, you being a model makes sense and not gonna lie, i do remember your name from a couple of tabloids back in the day, I think." Taking another drink from his glass, this time he was better prepared for the burn and didn't have much of a reaction. "But nah, I didn't live off my pop or my mom. I made sure I could provide for my kid and myself. I didn't do anything illegal though. Did some pool cleaning for rich people. But when you're 18 with a 2 year old, the lack of benefits from pool cleaning start to get to you and I was never much of a school guy. I know shocking, so I went into the military, did that for 12 years. Now I'm here." He said it so light hearted and not in a forced way like normal. Honestly, he had already surprised himself by even mentioning his service at all. Usually, he did everything he could to avoid that subject but the drinks were flowing and he liked the company.

EVA ANDERSON

Eva's brow quirked when Puck suggested that he couldn't afford to go to space, and that he wasn't used to being in spaces packed out with the wealthy. "Isn't your dad like a famous rockstar? I know there's some stuff there to unpack considering your siblings, but still." Maybe it was just her being nosy, but if they were going to get to know one another, that was something important to deep dive into, but only when he was ready to share, which she was fine with. When Puck flat out asked her if she planned to partake in her own theme of the night, she saw an opportunity to get a little more payback for him ghosting her, but luckily for him, her pink colored cocktails were working their magic and she wasn't in the mood to keep torturing him. "I do, but that depends on whether you want a round 2 or not?" She offered, and although he was still earning that official first date, she was always up for spinning the block if the sex was good, and it had been rather immaculate with him so there was that. She smiled as he pointed out that he'd heard about her back in the day, which wasn't shocking, and she hadn't changed much, but he didn't need to know that. "So you knew I was trouble and still slept with me, and want a second chance to take me out? That's daring, Noah." Eva teased. She was about to order another drink until he started explaining what all he did to take care of his daughter, and she was sure that she'd never been more surprised in her life. "Damn." She mumbled. "I definitely didn't see any of that coming, but that's impressive." Deciding that he had more than earned a second chance now, she smiled as she draped her arms around his neck. "You should come back to my condo and let me properly thank you for your service."

NOAH PUCKERMAN

BREE BROWN

The past month had been very busy. Between her doctoral program, her posting schedule and various events that she, thankfully, attended solo, she and Jake had barely had time to interact. Which make pretending that Valentine's Day never happened, rather easy. Of course, when Eva sent her the information for their newest public display of coupledom, it just had to be an official interview with an actual interviewer. That meant a prep session, because Jake was prone to just answering a question and maybe for normal people that was acceptable, but in an interview? Something that would be put online, to be added to one's digital footprint for the rest of time, absolutely not. This was going to require media training and, of course, them getting their story straight. All of which she explained to Jake in a rather long text which has now lead her to his new place in the city. It was actually pretty nice and it did leave her feeling proud of him. While there was definitely still a lot she didn't know about him, she was aware of where he was from and even knew a little about his mom. Enough, anyway, to be proud to see his was moving up in the world. As he deserved, because was is a hard worker and very talented. A shitty boyfriend but worthy of a nice apartment, none the less. Walking into the building to take the elevator up, she made sure a hair wasn't out of place and that her outfit was perfectly smoothed out. The outfit itself was maybe a little tight and a little short and a little lower cut than necessary. However, she dressed like a baddie, no matter where she was going or who was going to be there. You never knew when you were going to be photographed and no one would ever catch her slipping. It was irrelevant that she seeing Jake, and wearing heels, skirt combo she knew he would appreciate. Look, showing your ex what they're missing is basically a requirement. Finally, she made it to his door and immeidately after she knocked she heard a voice that deinitely wasn't Jake's say someething she couldn't quite make out. But it was definitely a woman and she was already rolling her eyes, forcing herself not to just leave.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

To say that Jake had barely had time to breathe over the past few weeks would be quite the understatement. Why he'd tried to cram for a certification while moving, having a brand and social media thing going, and working on being out with his team more, he didn't know — call it a lapse in judgment, he'd suppose. He hadn't really expected to have so much going on, but Eva meant business, and he had already learned that you didn't say no to that woman. He also knew her and Puck were hanging out, but since he hadn't had a chance to ask his brother about it, he was just obeying the woman's commands. Which is why when Bree sent him some text he just skimmed through and noticed they were going to do an interview, he just sent her his location and told her to come over whenever she was ready so they could prep. And the second he knew she was coming, Jake had given his mom a handful of places to scope out for her next rich target. Why Tatum was overstaying her welcome, he didn't know, but he needed her gone. He would have stuck her on Ali if he could find his sister, but since he couldn't it was up to him to try and get her out before Bree arrived. "Ma, you're gonna miss it. The golden bachelor audition only lasts for another two hours, and you don't wanna miss any of the rejected men!" He called out, to which Tatum just rolled her eyes as she finished getting dressed. "I'm coming, half breed, relax." She insisted, giving herself one final glance before she grabbed her purse and headed for the door. "I'll call you when I'm on my way back, since my other kid is pretending I don't exist." Tatum called out before she opened up the front door, only to find a woman on the other side. "So this is why I'm being rushed out? And just who are you?" She asked as she sized the young woman up. Having vaguely heard his mom saying something, Jake walked towards the door only to find her at the door with Bree. "Bree!" He panicked as she walked over and opened the door wider. "Ma, this is Bree—" He started to explain before Tatum started laughing as she glanced at him. "You little shit. You were trying to get me out of here so I wouldn't get to finally meet the girl you're always drooling over." She teased, and Jake was sure that he could have just died right there on the spot, but instead, he reached out and grabbed one of his ex's hands, pulling her past his mother and inside the apartment. "Bree, this is my mom. She was just on her way out because we have important work to do." He sighed, and Tatum instantly raised a brow as she clocked that tea, or so she assumed. "Kicking me out so you can get laid is not work, Jakey. But fine. It's a pleasure to finally meet the rich girl my boy's been obsessed with. Guess he got something from his mama after all. And don't worry, I'll be sticking around for a bit so you and I will get to know each other soon. You kids have fun, and wrap it up — or not!" Tatum joked as she finally left, and Jake instantly slammed the door shut behind her. "I'm sorry. I thought she'd be gone before you got here." He groaned as he finally turned to face his ex. "And nothing she said was true, so just ignore her. Now, can I get you something to drink? Before you ask, no, I don't have the cheap stuff. Ma made sure we traded everything Great Value for the expensive stuff."

BREE BROWN

When the door opened, Bree thought she had been prepared for what she was going to see. But instead the woman in front of her was older and white, neither one of those things fit Jake's usual type, but she did look familiar. Just as she was about to answer, Jake appeared saying her name for her, in a tone she was pretty sure she had never heard him speak in. Usually he sounded more... chill. Even when he was stressed he never really sounded flustered. Ma? This is his mother! She thought to herself as she lifted her hand ready to shake her hand in a cordial manner, but then his mom was speaking again and claiming Jake drooled over her, which she was unsure how to feel about that. Not that she got much of a chance to consider it since Jake was all but yanking her inside. As he officially introduced them Bree opted to just wave at the woman and offer a smile. After a few parting words the blonde was gone and Bree wasn't entirely sure what to make of her. Admittedly she was pretty, for a forty something, she was also incredibly crass, a bit inappropriate. Bree could definitely see where Jake got his mouth from. Between his mother and his father, he never stood a chance, it would seem. Turning back to her ex as he spoke, she tucked some hair behind her ear, taking in a deep breath and letting it out. "Water is fine. Sparkling if you have it. In a glass with ice and a straw." She responded. "And no need to worry, I am more than aware that drooling and obsessing isn't exactly your brand and if you were simply interested in my money you surely would have avoided cheating on me." She said as she pulled out a high organized binder from her oversized bag. Placing it on the table. "You didn't mention your mother was in town. I'm surprised you have time to entertain her between all of your... outings." While she had tried not to keep up with him on socials, she found she couldn't help it. So she had noticed him going out more and all of his thirst traps, which were extremely well received. "She seems, vivacious." It was the nicest thing she could manage to say without lying. "Anyway I'm going to assume you didn't have time to look at the questions before I got here, so let's just get to the point of this little meeting, shall we?" She asked, taking a seat and opening the binder to the first section.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake had never been more sure of his usual decision to keep Tatum as far away from this part of his life as possible, much like he knew Ali did, so her little impromptu trip here had already been far too much. He still didn't even know how she'd afforded a flight, but he was assuming Gabe gave her the money so she could get to LA and finally leech off of their kids now that they were grown and making money of their own. He made a mental note to get Puck to ask the man about it later, but for now, he had another fire to put out. When Bree gave him her boujee ass request, he just nodded before heading to his kitchen to fetch it. Hearing her instantly shooting down what Tatum had said, he didn't know if she meant it or if this was just sarcasm, but he shrugged anyway. "As long as you know the truth, I guess." He hummed. Making sure her water was just how she liked it, Jake walked towards the living room, instantly spotting the binder on his coffee table as he took in what she said next. "I didn't know she was coming until she popped up, and we've barely spoken since Valentine's Day so I didn't think you wanted to hear about Tornado Tatum." He answered honestly as he held the glass out to her. "But more importantly, why are you stalking my socials?" Jake asked with a smirk, finding it oddly amusing how the tables had turned now. "For your information, with the NFL downtime, some of the players are into team bonding by going out to the hottest bars and whatnot. Not my ideal way of getting to know my teammates, but I'm a rookie so I just gotta go with the flow. Me filling up my Insta is because Eva demanded it." He pointed out as he sat down on the couch. Her comment about Tatum wasn't wrong, but he didn't want to talk about her anymore so he focused back on the big ass binder on his table. "I did not look over those, but come on. You wanna jump right into business? No addressing the elephant in the room?" Jake questioned curiously. "The ball is usually in your court since you either don't respond to my texts or block me, so what's up? What haven't you reached out since we had sex? Back to your usual routine of deciding it was a mistake and you don't want to talk to me? Or were you waiting for me to chase you? Show up at your place uninvited so you could pretend to have security escort me out until I said I missed you and wanted to talk?" He joked, though she would have done it. "Choose your words carefully though. It'd be a shame if all this prep you're about to make us do goes to waste when I sit on that interview and tell the world how you used to crawl into bed with me after your little outings with knockoff Bieber because I was your real boyfriend, not him."

BREE BROWN

Taking the water from his hand, Bree was grateful to have something to do with her hands and mouth because the way he was talking she was inclined to pop off and she was trying to keep this as professional as possible. Which, of course, she should have known wasn't going to be possible. But she listened as he responded to her and she tried not to snap at him, and it was fine until he brought up Valentine's Day. More specifically when he started bringing up her usual behavior, which was enough, in it's own, to have her wanting to throw her drink in his face. But then he had the nerve to threaten her and the part of her that didn't trust him, fully won out. She just envisioned him holding this over her head, looking so smug because he gets to decide what happens to her image. He gets to decide if he wants to play his role or if he wants to blow her life up. While she was pissed at him for threatening her, she was more pissed at herself for giving him the ability to. For letting he ball be in his court. Deep down, she didn't want to believe he would do that to her, but the truth was, she just didn't know. And that was the problem. Putting the drink down on the table, she turned to look at him. "I am not 'stalking' you. We follow each other on every platform and unlike you, I check my socials regularly, so you pop up on my feed." For a moment she wondered if his current attitude was because of his mother. While she didn't know a whole lot, she felt she knew enough to know that relationship wasn't good. "I didn't call of text you because they're nothing to talk about. What happened happened and it isn't going to happen again." She hoped. "So unless you wanted a voice memo explaining that, there was nothing for me to say to you." Looking at the binder she was just going to move on but she needed to know they were on the same page. "The whole point of this arrangement is for us to help each other. I am helping you build something that will last long after football ends and you are suppose to be helping me create myself in my image, instead of the one my parents laid out for me. Now I truly have no idea why you agreed to this and right now I don't really care. I need to know if I can trust you." She just looked at him, more serious than she really wanted to but this meant something to her. This was her life she was trying to build, and maybe it was silly to Jake but it wasn't to her so she needed to know. "So, should I take this binder and go home and just accept the fact that you're going to do and say whatever you want to do and say on the day, and prep with Eva or are you going to do what you agreed to do when you accepted this arrangement and help me?" She asked sternly.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Making himself comfortable on his couch, Jake damn near rolled his eyes as Bree tried to insist that she was just following him and happened to see his socials. While he wasn't into his socials like that, he'd been around Maya and Ali long enough to know that the Instagram algorithm was usually off, something about it showing posts days after they'd been made and things not being in chronological order. So he was sure that Bree was in fact snooping, probably trying to see what women he was taking pictures with, instead of just asking him. "I'll never understand why you keep lying as if I don't know you, babe." He pointed out, and he wasn't even going to entertain that. Not that it mattered much because as soon as Bree could pivot to pretending like they wouldn't have sex again, that's exactly what she was doing, and he just allowed her to. After all, he knew just how weak his ex usually was, and if he pushed enough, or just looked good enough, it would happen again. "The condom broke, by the way." Jake teased, deciding two could play this little game. Call him petty, but Bree fighting the obvious seemed to just trigger his bullshit, and he never passed up a chance to toy with her. As soon as she turned on the professional demeanor and started yapping about her brand, he essentially tuned it out. Closing his eyes as he let her whine about what was important to her. He hated how much she cared about something so trivial as a social media image and fans that obsessed over her, which was probably why he got off on joking about doing something to shatter her little perfect online persona. Even as she looked at him, he just shrugged, letting her say everything she needed to say before he clapped in response. "Great speech, Barbree. I didn't listen to most of it, but good job." He chuckled. "You're here, so go ahead and give me what lie you want me to tell on this interview." He wasn't thrilled about any of this, but the quicker they did it, the better. "Come on."

BREE BROWN

Scoffing at his petty words, she rolled her eyes. This is why she took a Plan B and if that wasn't enough, she would be making a doctor's appointment to terminate. But his little jab didn't deserve a response so instead she just ignored it. Genuinely, no one got under her skin the way Jake did. Granted, no one enjoys someone being so blatant with their disinterest, but it actually kind of... hurt coming from him. Which was dumb, because she knew how he felt about all of this social media, self brand stuff. He thought it was frivolous and a waste of time. Which, again, had her wondering, why had he agreed to this? Stupidly, she had thought maybe it was because he had missed her or because he cared about her but clearly that wasn't it. She'd think it was just to have access to her sexually, but he didn't need to agree to a whole PR relationship for that. On Valentine's Day he made it seem like... it didn't matter, it was obvious now that was just to get her in bed. "I change my mind. I do want to know why you agreed to do all of this. Why not just tell Eva no? Why not just tell her this isn't 'your thing', that this isn't the kind of brand you want? She could have just as easily built you up as an eligible bachelor or even a fuck boy. And she could have simply found someone else for me, you weren't and aren't the only option. Or are you being this insufferable because you're mother is in town?" They were genuinely questions, with no attitude in her tone. It was the last chance she was giving him to meet her halfway. "Because, don't get me wrong, you are usually on my nerves but never his much and you're not usually so, I'm not sure how to phrase it. Maybe... bent out of shape?" Truly, she hadn't intended to be so outwardly caring. What she had wanted to do was tell him off, throw her drink in his face, yell at him, tell him to forget about all of it because she was done. But instead she just heard the things he said to her in that bathroom on Valentine's Day and even though she didn't want to, she believed him. She believe he missed her, believed he was sorry for hurting her, believed that if it was just about sex he would have gone elsewhere long ago. So instead of choosing to be mad at him, she chose to care about him. Usually he was the one being mature and asking questions she didn't want to answer. And she knew it was risky because there was a better than good chance he'd blow her off, but she figured if he could be honest with her in that bathroom, then she could give him a chance to be honest with her now.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Getting under Bree's skin was child's play for Jake, and sometimes, even he didn't know why he did it, or why he enjoyed it sometimes. He was never intentionally trying to hurt her, especially not after the cheating thing, but they were both always taking shots at each other that at this point, he saw it more as foreplay than either of them taking anything the other said seriously. So when Bree chose to start asking real questions instead of snapping or firing off more shots, he was confused? Concerned? Slightly touched by her olive branch? It was a lot of emotions at once, and his mind drew a blank as he just let her get all of her questions out. They had already covered the why of this whole arrangement, but the mention of his mom and him being bent out of shape hit a nerve, one he hadn't wanted to get into tonight, yet here they were. "For the record, my mom coming out here does rattle me." He admitted. "And I already answered your other questions, and my answers haven't changed, so I won't even entertain any of that." He decided, since what was the point of repeating himself yet again? There was something he hadn't quite explained, and given this interview thing, it didn't hurt to admit it now. "You know how I feel about all of this stuff, and I'm way out of my element here, but it's more complicated than that. I'm not you, Bree. Pretending to be something I'm not or lying about shit that actually mattered isn't me, so doing all of this with someone else would have been worse. I agreed to do this with you because I trust you, and even if we're having to lie about being a couple now, at least I don't have to fake everything with you." Jake admitted before he got up and headed back to the kitchen to grab himself a beer. "You can pretend you don't know why Eva chose this for us, but it's because even when we're fighting and lying to the world about us, we pull something out of each other that no one else can. So go ahead and get into your binder, I guess."

BREE BROWN

Prepared for the worst but secretly hoping for the best, she was glad the best case scenario won out. So, his mother was negatively effecting him, which was something she could relate to, so she wasn't going to push on that matter right now. Not when she had something legitimate to distract him with. And he reaffirmed that he meant what he said in the bathroom. Which meant she was a large part of the reason he agreed to this whole thing in the first place. Honestly, that was more soothing to her ego than anything else because truthfully, while she had given a slight bit of push back when Eva brought it to her, she pretty quickly agreed because it was him, specifically. While she could have done it with someone else, she wanted to do it with him. Watching as he got up and went back to the kitchen she ruminated on his admission that he trusted her. Because if he trust her then she could trust him. Even if he was liable to go off script, she could trust him not to purposefully do or say anything to hurt her image, no matter how dumb he thought all of this was. She trusted he wouldn't do that to her. And deep down she had known why Eva chose him for her and her for him and oddly the thought had her holding back a smile. All of which meant they could, in fact, get to the binder. Thank God. Taking another sip of her drink before turning to the binder again, she moved from the table to contents to the second section. Media Training 101. "I know that this isn't exactly your area of expertise, but it is mine and Eva's and you are a quick learner when you want to be. I don't like lying either, which is why I don't call it that. I call it a creative truth." She pointed to one of the headings on the page. "For example. They will likely ask when we met. You can just say, at a party. If they ask when, you say, in the summer. Neither of which are lies." Pulling out a packet and a pen, she placed both in front of Jake. "This is a packet of the most likely questions we will be asked. It's not that long of an interview so all of these questions won't be asked but we're going to go through all of them anyway. People like you, they like your attitude, your face and your vibe. So you don't need to be anyone other than yourself." She pointed at the next heading that read, BE PERSONABLE. "And most of these questions won't require you to lie anyway. I highly doubt you will struggle to come up with an honest answer for what my red flag is." She pulled out a second packet and pen for herself. "There is also a physical element to these things but let's focus on the questions first. So what would you say my red flag is?" She asked curious, her packet already fully filled out.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Popping the cap off his beer, Jake took a sip as he waited for Bree to say something. Part of him was expecting her to ask about Tatum, which he truly didn't want to get into now or ever, but especially not when he planned to make sure that little run in before was the first and last time his mother ever came close to his ex again. He had enough problems with Bree as it was, and he wouldn't let Tatum or even Gabe add to their packed load. Grabbing another beer for good measure since he could already tell where all of this was going, he headed back over and sat down on the couch again, already weary about wherever this binder stuff was going to. And the second Bree opened it up, he was already over this media stuff yet again. The whole 'creative truth' bullshit didn't help, so he sipped on his beer as he let his ex talk and give him what she suspected he was about to need to take notes. "Great." He groaned. He took in the watered down lies as he pretended to look at the list of questions Bree wanted them to go through. "All of this for a brief interview? This is ridiculous." Jake whined before he chugged down some more beer. Hopefully he could drink during this interview too, since it would be hard for him to stay poised an fake otherwise. When Bree started out with an easy question, he chuckled. "Just one?" He teased before realizing that Bree might throw a tantrum in response, so he put the beer bottle down on the coffee table before exhaling a deep breath. "Your red flag is that you care more about what other people want for you instead of what you want." He admitted with no hesitation. "You put your own happiness aside, even when it hurts you and people you care about, just to please certain people. Like your parents." Maybe that was too honest, or a little too vulnerable for him to admit, so he needed to lighten the mood. "You also sleep like a wild animal. Every time we sleep together, I wake up damn near falling off the bed." He joked.

BREE BROWN

Watching as he downed his beer, she sighed. "It is ridiculous but it's also part of your life now. And the general public aren't very forgiving these days, especially if you're black. So, it's important to know what you should and shouldn't say." She explained and she could understand because despite what it looked like to everyone else, she didn't like doing most of this stuff, but she was good at it and she made a lot of money doing it. She almost smacked him when he asked, just one? But he was seriously answering the question before she had a chance. It was too honest, sounded like something that should be relegated to a therapist or some sort of counselor. It was true though and Jake did favor truth, especially if it was uncomfortable. "The second red flag is definitely more appropriate for this interview, but knowing you, you'll say some variation of the first one, but I think that will be fine. It will show you have a deep understanding of me. Which is actually good, we don't want to seem too surface level." Writing a few notes on her packet, she read the next couple of questions. "They are unlikely to ask more than one 'negative' question. Negative like, my red flag, you least favorite thing I do, something I do that gives you the ick, things like that. For the most part they are going to want to ask cute and sweet questions. What's you're favorite thing about me, what's the most romantic thing you've done for me, what's something that I do you think is cute. Just answer honestly, unless you don't have an answer, in which case, tell me now and we can figure something out. Are there any questions on here that you would be concerned about answering or wouldn't want to answer?" She asked, realizing how business like her tone was. It wasn't anything personal, she just treated work like work. Although, she was finding it, a bit awkward because Jake simply didn't feel like a aspect of the job.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

If there was one thing Jake and Eva had agreed upon when Bree was too preoccupied to listen, it was that his inability to do or say as people expected was exactly what Bree's trajectory needed. But clearly the older woman hadn't relayed that to her real client, so he decided he'd keep it quiet and just take in her feedback. Not that he cared about white people not forgiving him for speaking his mind, but he's play along for now. He opened up his second beer and started taking sips as Bree continued speaking, throwing far too much at him at once but he simply nodded along anyway. All of these questions were ridiculous, and them even having to sit in an interview to answer these couple questions was insane. he didn't think anyone cared this much about them as a couple, real or staged, to genuinely tune in and want to hear these answers. But once she asked him which ones he was hesitant about, he flipped through his own packet. "Uh..I don't know, most of them?" He answered truthfully as he kept scouring over the questions until he spotted more than one that he didn't want to answer. "What was our first date like — or any question referring to dates, or how I feel about you." Jake answered, and he already knew Bree wasn't going to let that slide without wanting to know why, so he tossed the packet on the coffee table before swallowing down all of the content of his second beer bottle. "Honestly, that fucking Valentine's Day party would have to classify as our first real date since you kept me hidden away when we were actually a couple. And admitting how I feel about you will just give away the truth, that this staged shit isn't real — that our history is a lot more than just what's being shown off now. Your little creative truth bullshit won't work for most of these." Now he was...he didn't know, but mentioning their true history only made him annoyed, and now his own mind was wandering. "How are you gonna answer half of those questions about me? Gonna use the same fake answers you used when you did this shit with Shep? Maybe add in some bullshit about how I have more swag or seasoning than your fake ex-boyfriend?" He hissed. "Honestly, Bree, what answer will you give when they ask you what's your favorite thing about me? That I'm hot? Or who knows, if they ask why we went to the same college but you weren't interested in me when I was just a broke ass illegitimate son of an ain't shit rockstar, what answer are you gonna give? Some fake shit about us not knowing each other then, or who knows, the real truth about how you did want me, but I was too poor for your image?"

BREE BROWN

There were so many ways Bree had been prepared for this meeting to go. Naturally, it went in a completely new direction she absolutely had not anticipated. It was difficult to catch Bree by surprise but she should have known. If no one else could, Jake would be the person to manage it. Ironically, it had been one of her favoite things about him. At first she had thought he was on edge because of his mother, but she was quickly realizing it was her who had him on edge. And the more he spoke he sounded less angry and more heartbroken. This was the first time she'd ever considered what being kept a secret must have felt like for him. Truth be told, she had assumed he didn't care and when he cheated it felt like confirmation that she had been more invested then him. Because to her, he was precious, he was hers and every moment she got to be with him was a moment she could just be. It never crossed her mind that he didn't know, that he couldn't see or feel that from her. It never occurred to her that her actions had made him feel like he was just a bit of fun. Where normally his calling her out would cause a tantrum or various other forms of deflection, she just looked at him. Maybe a bit too long considering how much he had just said to her, how vulnerable he let himself be in that moment. Something she imagined hadn't exactly been his goal. She needed to say something but she didn't know what, or more accurately she didn't know how. "You're right." That was something she had never said to him before. But she meant it. "I shouldn't have just cut you out. We were together for a year, I should have at least heard what you had to say." This was so far out of her comfort zone and she was having a lot of unflattering realizations about herself. "I didn't know that how you- I didn't know that's how I made you feel. I never thought of you as some broke hot guy to have fun with." Bree paused just needing a moment to collect her thoughts. Everything was jumbled but his question rang clear. "Your honesty. Your authenticity. Your boldness. Your ability to surprise me. Those are my favorite things about you." Now she was thinking about this entire interview, the whole story they were suppose to tell and it kind of disgusted her now. Now it felt like a wat for her to keep hiding him. The whole point of firing her previous PR team was to give her the freedom to be herself. It's what Eva was working so hard to help her achieve. So why keep lying. "Let's tell the truth then. Tell them we were together in college. That keeping it a secret put so much strain on our relationship we broke up but that we found a way back to each other." It sounded crazy as she said it but it felt more right then anything else.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake hadn't exactly meant to have an outburst like that, but given everything they'd been through and everything he was being subjected to with all of this, it just sort of came out. And he wasn't sorry about it either, so there was that too. He didn't know how Bree would react to all of it, if she'd keep up her professional charade she had going or finally hear him — so he was quite shocked when it was the latter. Furrowing his brows as she first said he was right, before diving into a whole spiel practically confirming that what he'd said wasn't wrong. But then she surprised him by actually answering his questions, and now it was his turn to stare at her like she'd suddenly sprouted a second head or something. He hadn't been fishing for real answers from her, but now that he had them, even after all this time, he couldn't help the way he suddenly felt now that he had them. It was a lot to process now, and now his emotions were truly all over the place. Though, not even any of that shocked him quite like her changing her tune and suggesting they just come clean. Now he knew something was wrong. "I never thought you saw me as just some brokey to have fun with, but you sure as hell didn't want to be seen out with me either. And I know, I signed up to be with you when I knew about the whole social media thing, but I didn't think you'd still be hiding me after a year." Jake admitted. "And you never knew how I felt because you never asked, but also because nothing is more important to you than pleasing your parents and a bunch of fucking losers who sit home and obsess over you — and not even the real you, just a version of you that gets sold to the world." Maybe that was a little harsh, but it was how he'd seen things from his perspective so he was just being honest. "But if you want to tell the real truth, then I'll admit what I did to you. If we're going to come clean, then we tell it all."

BREE BROWN

There was entirely too much running through her head right now. However, she did what she could to make sure she stayed focused on Jake. As he continued speaking she could tell hat he was still agitated and she wanted to reach out, touch him, hold his hand, cup his cheek. Hell, sit on his lap but that felt like cheating. So instead she just sat there and actually listened to him and what he said made her feel a lot of feelings, things she would have to sort out on her own time. It's a lot to hear how someone you... care about, see you. Especially when they don't see you in a great light and honestly she would probably be mad and annoyed about it later when she felt more free to emote, but right now she had just suggested something insane and he had just agreed to it and she was now wondering if that's why he cheated on her, because she was hiding him. It still doesn't make it okay and she still feels betrayed and unable to trust him because of it, but she'd be lying if she said she hadn't wondered this whole time, why? "Okay, then we'll tell the truth. Did you just want to tell the truth about our history or did you also want to tell the truth about now. How we aren't really together because that's something Eva might need to know about, since it would likely require her to cancel any other couples shoots, interviews or posts she had setup for us." The idea of ending this fake relationship felt, not great but it wasn't like they were really together anyway and the truth is the truth even if she, or he, doesn't like it. Speaking of, "Is that why you cheated on me? Because I hid you and made you feel like I didn't want to be seen with you?" It was also worth noting that Bree actually didn't care very much about the fans or the fame, it really had just been to appease her parents. Something she probably needed to address in a professional setting. But it never did make sense why she prioritized all of that so much, when half the time it made her miserable. But they could talk about that later.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

This had all spun out of control at this point, and Jake was sure that their whole plan to prep for the interview was spinning out in ways they hadn't imagined. But that was also why he'd known most of these questions wouldn't have worked for him unless he lied about the answers, which he very much didn't want to do, or think he could be capable of forcing some sort of answer out for. But as Bree questioned just how honest they should be, he wasn't sure what they should do until she mentioned them telling Eva, which he knew would not go well. And truthfully, she kinda scared him, so he wasn't about to blow up anything she'd planned. "Slow down." He sighed. "I'm not pissing that woman off, so we don't have to go that far. We can just be honest about what happened before, and...I don't know, this is more your lane but...we say we missed each other and got back together? Something stupid and cheesy like that?" That's what stupid fans liked to hear, right? It could work, and he was sure if they told Eva this plan she'd probably agree, so there was that. When Bree spoke up again and finally asked a question he'd been dreading, Jake was sure that it would come up on the interview if they told the truth about their past, but that didn't mean he wanted to answer it for the whole world — yet he knew he had to answer it for Bree. "Look, I don't entirely know." He answered honestly. "We'd been together for a whole year and you wouldn't even invite me to your parents house for dinner to tell them the truth about us. You couldn't post me on your socials even as just a friend. You couldn't be seen out in public with me unless it was on campus and even then, I was limited in just how much I could touch my own girlfriend. It was hard not to start taking it as you being ashamed of dating some poor kid. I went to that party and I don't know — a chick is thrilled to post me on her socials and tell me she wants me, so I slept with her." Jake knew that was a lot to process, so he paused for a beat, trying to wrap his own mind around finally confessing all of this to ex. "It was one time, and I never went to that party planning to cheat on you, Bree. I fucked up, I know that and I take accountability for it, but maybe that was the only way I knew how to express my feelings? Or shit, I don't know, maybe I need a therapist to unpack every insecurity that built up from being in your closet. Either way, I'm sorry."

BREE BROWN

"It's not stupid and cheesy if it's true. And you've already admitted to missing me. So, the basic sentiment should be good. Plus, it's cute and the public likes cute." It was actually amazing and terrifying what the general public would excuse if it's wrapped up in a cute little story or an attractive face and Bree and Jake had both. There would still be people who had nothing but negative things to say but she was fairly confident that most people would be positive. A part of her was scared for him to answer her question. Right now she could make up whatever answer or reason she wanted or why he did what he did. But as soon as he answered she wouldn't be able to do that anymore. What if he says he was hooking up with her for months? Or that he didn't regret it, or that she hadn't been enough for him? Thankfully, that path to spiraling was stopped by him actually answering, and as he spoke she found herself feeling a lot of emotions. Guilt, anger, sadness, vengeful and relieved. Not because his explanation wasn't that bad, but because she finally had an explanation. It made her mad, kind of made her want to roll her eyes, made her want to be dismissive and defesive. I mean, he threw away their entire relationship, broke her trust, broke her heart just because some random posted him on her Instagram stories? But that feeling of guilt was still there as he apologized, again. Because, that hadn't been the only reason he slept with her, I mean she was no psychologist but if she were she might tell herself to try looking at things from his perspective. Insecurity was a beast and in that regard she couldn't really judge him for doing something so destructive. She knew, better than most, how dibilitating of a headspace that could be and sometimes you do anything to try and get some relief. But why didn't he just break up with her, or talk to her or expose the truth about them? Why did he have to cheat on her? Why did he have to hurt her like that? She should probably ask him that but she didn't have it in her to process anymore answers to anymore of her questions. So she was just going to have to tuck those away to ask him later. For now they still had an interview to prep for. One that this thorough and detailed binder would no longer help with. But first she did have one thing she needed to say to him. "I'm sorry for making you insecure and for not considering you and your feelings like I should have." There was probably more for her to apologize for but for now that's all she could manage. After taking a deep breath she closed the binder. "Unfortnately, nothing in that binder is going to be of much help. Once we tell them the truth the questions are all going to be about how we found out way back to each other and why I took you back. How I forgave you and that's going to be hard for me to answer because I haven't." She sighed. "I appreciate your apology, I even think I believe you're sorry. I can even see, psychologically, how your brain got there and why. And even though it's been several months since. it still feels like it just happened and I experience all of that hurt all over again and it makes me want to be a massive bitch to you, maybe figure out how to hurt you the same way. But I think we've hurt each other more than enough for one lifetime, so now I just have to sit in it." Looking at him, she exhaled. "Obviously I can't say that, so instead I'll go with something like, it took a lot of time and communication but eventually I trusted him again and he trusted me." It wasn't until she said that she realized that was her hope for them.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

While Jake didn't care what the public liked since they were far too gullible for their own good, he knew that was sort of the purpose here. Apparently being real didn't work for the mass of idiots building a brand was geared towards, so he would simply have to take Bree's word for it. Finally giving his ex a reason behind the whole cheating scandal should have been a bit more relieving for him to finally get that off his chest, especially after he had been trying to get her to talk to him for weeks now, but he mostly felt...empty? It wasn't in his nature to just take full accountability for something and bear his soul the way he had just done, and honestly he never wanted to do it again, but Bree deserved it. He knew she'd been sitting around trying to make sense of it herself, and he'd hated that she'd kept shutting him down before when he'd tried talking to her, so at least it was out in the open now. And he wasn't expecting her to apologize for anything, not after what he'd done, so he was quite shocked when Bree Brown actually gave a sincere apology. Jake wasn't sure he deserved that after everything, yet he still nodded and gave her a small smile anyway. Yet leave it to his ex to get right back to business, and he finished off another beer as he just let her talk. The business side of her would be hot if it wasn't so orchestrated to appeal to a bunch of internet stalkers, he thought to himself until she finished talking. "Or you tell me half of the truth: that I kept texting and calling you, annoying the hell out of you until you let me make it up to you." Jake suggested, which wasn't entirely wrong. Leaning closer to Bree, he put his hands on her thighs, squeezing them gently as he gazed into her eyes. "You know telling half truths or spinning even the negative questions into positives might be easier than trying to rehearse some shit, right?" He asked. "Think about it. They ask about your red flags, and I can say I like to focus on your green flags. You're brilliant. You're caring — even if you only let certain people see that side of you. You're one of the most hardworking women I know. You're a total math nerd, which is uncommon for anyone who looks this beautiful. And sometimes, when you allow it, you let your guard down and the real Bree comes out, which is when I admire you the most." He answered honestly before winking at her. "See how easy that was to just be honest?"

BREE BROWN

Nothing about this meeting was what Bree had expected. And even if this hadn't been a 'meeting', at no point did she envision her and Jake speaking so openly to each other about their previous relationship. In fact, Bree had intended on doing her best to pretend it never happened, because every time she had thought about him and their relationship and how it ended, it triggered immense amounts of anger and sadness. Of course, once he was back in her life that got harder, but she had still been determined to compartmentalize their past. So, she was rather surprised with herself right now, but not in a bad way. It was making her wonder what would have happened if she hadn't cut him out and instead had an actual conversation. Maybe she wouldn't still be angry, maybe her memories of them wouldn't be so triggering. Maybe, she'd be on the other side having processed and maybe even healed. But that was a line thinking for another day. Right now she felt okay, and she wasn't mad at the idea of letting Jake look like he begged just to talk to her again. Even if it wasn't true. Mainly because she had blocked him on everything and hadn't given him the chance to say anything to her, let alone beg. However, her response got caught in her throat a bit as he leaned into her, his hands on her thighs. She looked down as she felt his gentle squeeze. Looking back up when he started talking again. "But-" she started, cut off by his words, and she, for once, was glad he had. Hearing him list off so many things he liked about her she truly realized she had no concept of his perspective on anything related to her. Truthfully, she hadn't known he'd paid enough attention to her to even notice anything beyond her general attitude and her appearance. Most people didn't see anything outside of that and for most people her attitude was offputting enough that they didn't care to see anything past what she looked like. There was an odd sense of relief washing over her. Knowing that Jake had really seen her and liked her, not despite but because of, meant something to her. What exactly, she wasn't sure yet, but it was something. Notable to hold back her smile anymore, as he winked at her, she even let out a little giggle. "Well, I don't have any red flags so that makes sense." She said, her tone teasing. "So you think we should just... wing it?" She asked and the concept was very very new to her. Bree Brown never did anything without imagining every scenario and coming up with at least three suitable reactions to each one. Well, except when it came to Jake.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Maybe it was just Jake's overall charm, or the fact that he had never given a fuck what people thought and spoke his mind almost too openly, but the idea of winging an interview like this felt like the easiest and best route to take. If they were a normal, fake couple, then he could understand needing to prep for an interview, but considering that they didn't need to fake much, he didn't see a reason to prepare any bullshit answers. And judging by Bree's reaction to everything he'd said, he wasn't wrong about it working in his favor to tell the truth. He smirked when she insisted that she had no red flags, as if he hadn't already mentioned them as it was. Of course she wouldn't agree or own up to having any, but he simply shrugged it off, for now. They could dissect all of that later, when they truly needed to, but that wasn't important right now. But at her question, Jake nodded confidently. "I mean, we can prep what not to say, I guess? Like I know not to mention anything sexual, even if they ask about our sex life, but is there anything else you don't want me to mention? What you wear to bed when you stay over? If we cuddle or do the pillow talk thing after sex? Do I keep spare bonnets at my place so little miss Barbree doesn't mess up her perfect hair?" Jake teased, though those could have been questions he'd get asked, for all he knew. "And do they normally ask about like family stuff? If our families have met, what our siblings think of each other, that sort of thing? Cause as far as I know, Ali and Puck are both cool with this — or with what they know about us. And my niece Maya follows you on everything and wants to meet you, so you know, I'm sure your fans would love to hear that too."

BREE BROWN

There was a whole, rather thick, section in the binder labeled, WHAT NOT TO SAY !!. It included questions that they shouldn't answer and ways to answer those questions without actually answering them. Basically, how to say nothing and a lot, at the same time. Of course, if they were telling most of the truth the majority of that section is irrelevant. Hiding her smile and smacking his arm at the mention of spare bonnets, she smoothed a hand down her hair. Taking a moment to think about his question before her thoughts were interrupted by him posing another very valid question. See, this is why she liked binders and plans. When things were predictable she felt comfortable in her ability to control the situation. Make sure nothing is done or said that could hurt her or her family. But the truth was, them telling the truth about their past relationship put her in a situation that she had never been in before. Just telling the public that truth was going to have an impact on her public perception. Which was scary because she couldn't predict the outcome. Taking in a breath, she just reminded herself, that all of this was kind of the point. I mean, she wanted to be more honest, more herself because she was exhausted and miserable trying to keep up with a version of her that just wasn't authentic. At least she wasn't having to experience this alone. Even though Jake could be very... trying on her nerves, she knew he'd keep it real with her in private and have her back in public and as challenging as that could be, it's what she needed. "You can mention the bonnets and the cuddling. I don't think they will ask about what I wear when I stay over but if they do maybe just stick to me wearing your t-shirts and some fuzzy socks. They might ask if I snore or sleepwalk or move around a lot when I sleep." Fully processing what he'd said about his siblings and niece, she smiled. "Well when she and I meet, she can tell me all of her handles and I'll follow her back. And Ali already DMs me every 5-7 business days with memes I don't understand. But I would like to officially meet your family. As for my family, I am not sure how my parents feel about you now, I haven't responded to any of their messages since before Valentine's Day and my brothers are... fine, I assume. I imagine they would like to meet you." Bree had been completely avoiding her parents since they went public and mostly avoiding her brothers. Mainly, because she didn't want anyone else's opinion but she knew eventually she'd have to respond to them. Quite frankly, she was surprised her family hadn't just shown up on her doorstep already.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake laughed at the slap to his arm, knowing that it was a sign that even if Bree was mad or hurt or whatnot considering that she had an answer now, they were still them. The dating was fake (for now), and he still had a lot of work to put in with getting her to trust him or forgive him, but he could still find some sort of joy in knowing that he could at least still joke around with her sometimes. It was the only real semblance of normalcy they'd had since everything went down, but at least they were making baby steps of progress today. He nodded as she told him what he could mention, and even if he went off book a little, at least they was cleared up. "I've got it, don't worry." He promised, and he would be fine with the cute questions like that. That stuff was easier to answer, fake dating or not, so he'd ace those without even having to dwell on some crafted answer. As Bree spoke about meeting his family, he wasn't surprised that Ali was sending her memes, since she did that to him too. If anything, her wanting to meet his family was another step in the right direction, in his opinion anyway. But as she mentioned her own family, Jake sighed, knowing that they probably had to tread lightly on that end. "How about we tackle your family after you respond to them, and probably after this interview airs and they go ahead and start hating me anyway." He suggested, which was probably going to make the Browns dislike him more, but he'd deal with that if it came to it. "As for my family, you can officially meet my siblings and Maya whenever you're ready — though, the kid would prefer it happen as soon as possible. But as for my mom, let's just keep you as far away from her as possible." He sighed. "Besides, she's only here to get money from me or Ali, who apparently won't answer her calls and that's why she's stuck staying with me. Hopefully I can get rid of her by tomorrow, and then we can pretend you didn't even meet her today."

BREE BROWN

At the mention of her family hating him after the interview, she couldn't believe she hadn't considered that telling the world about their true history, including the cheating, would actually give her parents a reason to feel entitled to their opinion. And if they feel entitled they will absolutely find a way to make it known to her. Of course, they weren't going to like him no matter what, because they didn't hand pick him for her, but now they would feel justified, like they were being good parents and even better people for opposing their relationship. God, she was already exhausted, so much so that she was considering suggesting they just leave that part out. But she knew Jake wouldn't agree to it, and more than that she didn't want to leave it out. The whole point of telling the truth is to tell the truth. Besides, this whole Tatum thing seems more important anyway. It wasn't often that Jake talked about her and when he did, he really didn't have anything kind to say. Not that she blamed him, as much as she complained about her parents she did believe they loved her and were just wrong in how they showed it. But with Jake's mom, if she did love them, it was clear her kids didn't know that. "My parents were never going to approve, giving them a reason is not ideal but they were always going to be a problem. My brothers will probably, and very annoyingly, like you just fine. I can already tell Maya is going to be my favorite and I now need to know if she's a girly girl because I have so many PR packages with her name on it." Sue her, she liked being liked, plus she always wanted a sister growing up to bond with, even though her mother probably would have had them in competition with each other. She liked to imagine different. Putting her hands on his, she sighed. "I will absolutely not be pretending I didn't meet her today. I have entirely too many questions for that. I don't know what I was expecting but she is every bit what you've described and I only met her for two minutes. How long has she been staying here?" She looked around as if that would give her the answer. Although, she did suddenly notice a few out of place items now that she was looking.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake was sure that coming clean was probably going to start even more shit with the Browns, yet they were never going to like him anyway so he didn't give a shit. Sure, he wasn't the poor kid from college anymore, but he wasn't some snobby rich prick they'd hand-picked either, so he had already accepted that he'd never get their approval. But he assumed they weren't thrilled with Bree's decision to take over her own image now, so maybe it was good that they wouldn't like him. When his ex vocalized that as well, he simply shrugged it off. It was what it was. But when she insisted that her brothers might not feel the same way, he figured that was at least a fair start with half of her family, so he'd take it. As Bree mentioned giving Maya some of her PR bullshit, he smiled, already positive that his niece would probably never shut up about meeting Bree or getting anything from her. "Yeah, I think she's pretty girly. Then again, she'd take anything you gave her so either way, the kid will love you. But you're not allowed to swoop in there with your little brand stuff and try to become her new favorite person that's not her dad. I have that spot on lock, and I ain't giving it up." He warned, fully meaning business there. The hand on his was a gesture Jake hadn't expected, much like he hadn't expected for Tatum and Bree to meet at all, and his ex confirming that she wouldn't just pretend it hadn't happened made him groan. "I've lost track of how long it's been. Maybe a week? Almost two? Too damn long. But the second I got drafted and signed off on that contract, I knew she'd be out here. I don't even think she plans on leaving, and Ali won't help me out here so I've just been stuck dealing with her. At this point, I keep having to hide my wallet so she doesn't sneak out with it." Jake sighed. "But you can ask whatever you wanna ask. You've just gotta be out of here before she comes back."

BREE BROWN

JAKE PUCKERMAN

To say that these over the top dramatics for some photo shoot thing he had begrudgingly agreed to was too much would be quite the understatement. Jake wasn't used to any of this, wasn't used to having this kind of attention on him or a whole party planned simply because he'd showed up and naturally looked good, but he was playing along all for one person: Bree. Well okay, maybe part of it was because Eva had politely demanded that he show up, wear the outfit she'd personally picked out for him so he could match with Bree, and then just go with the flow as him and his ex were paraded around like a couple. That woman was slightly intimidating so he wasn't going to tell her no, but his primary reason for agreeing was because he got to be all over his ex again. He knew he'd fucked up by cheating on Bree, yet he had tried to apologize and talk to her about it for what felt like ages and she just kept snapping at him before blocking him and avoiding him. So given that she couldn't do it tonight, he planned to take full advantage of it. After helping himself to the free food and free whiskey, one glare from Eva told him it was time to put on a show. He started walking around the venue until he spotted the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, and he smirked to himself as he walked over to her. He didn't know who she was talking to, didn't even care to look at them and see who they were as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Hey, baby." He whispered into her ear as he pulled her body against him just tightly enough that Bree wouldn't be able to get out of his grasp, which he knew she'd try to do the second she realized it was him. "You look absolutely stunning tonight, Bree." He praised before he softly kissed her neck, knowing that if he wanted her to play along and not immediately tell him to get the hell off of her, he was going to have to weaken her even a little bit, which wasn't that hard for him.

BREE BROWN

This entire situation was irritating. Okay, not the entire thing but the Jake of it all was. While she understood from a brand perspective that being romantically attached to the football player was, objectively, a genius move on Eva's part in shifting her fanbases perception of her, and would absolutely help her appeal to her preferred demographic, it still required her to cozy up to the man who had her completely in love just to cheat on her a year in. Surely, no one could blame her for being agitated at the sight of his stupid handsome face. Thankfully, in this moment she had a repreive from it all. Even though she was barely aware of who she was talking to, one of her peers, Sasha, who's hand had just squeezed her arm, as if to get her attention back. "Sorry. You know how it is." She smiled at her, "You were telling me why I should have been on your last girls trip." She said teasingly and her friend continued and this time Bree was focused. Of course, that meant they had to be inturrupted. Feeling a set of strong arms wrap around her, she recognized the feel of him before that "Hey, baby." She narrowly avoided rolling her eyes and when she subtly tried to step out of his grasp she realized just how tightly he was holding her. Dammit. She thought as he was complimenting her and then his lips were on her neck and she felt her eyes flutter closed for a second. This man was a menace and because there were people around she couldn't exactly swat him away. Instead, she leaned into him, half because it's what she would do if they were together and half because apparently one kiss on her neck made her weak enough to want to. It seemed Sasha took the hint and excused herself. Turning in his arms, Bree figured that would at least keep his lips to himself. Wrapping her arms around her fake boo's neck, she damn near swacked the back of his head. "I look stunning every night." She clarified. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Eva and she sighed, before looking back at Jake. "I've met what feels like your entire family tonight. Very charming, funny and almost obnoxiously attractive people. It's a shame those Puckerman traits ran our when it got to you." Except, in Bree's eyes, he embodied those traits and it was taking a lot for her not to confess that, she was hoping saying the exact opposite would somehow make the lie true. It didn't.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Although Jake had been drafted was playing in the league now, something he'd dreamed about as a kid, it all still felt sort of surreal to be honest. He had also been extremely unprepared for the way his life went from 0 to 100 almost overnight, and although he'd knows about the brand and social media image thing because of Bree, he'd been just as uninterested as before in all of it. None of it had mattered, and he didn't care to indulge in it like his ex did, but that had been his undoing. As soon as he'd picked out his team, he was being told that he needed to put himself out there more, get attention from brands and other players and coaches, gain new fans, etc. He had refused, and sadly, that just made his team even more joyful when Eva Anderson came knocking. Now, someone was running his socials, and he was being forced into shoots like the one with Bree. He hadn't had a choice in the matter, but it being a Valentine's Day shoot where he got to pretend to still be a happy couple with his lady got him to agree anyway. And the shoot had been a success, obviously, but now he just wanted some alone time with Bree. Smirking when she realized she couldn't get out of his hold, Jake knew he had her right where he wanted her. Once she spun around, his hands fell to her ass in return, giving it a tight squeeze. "See, I would know that if you stopped blocking me on insta." He hummed, knowing she would never stop blocking him any time she got mad at him. It was just who she was. When she spoke up again and complimented his family, and tried to shade him, he shrugged one of his shoulders as he leaned in closer to her. "Don't be childish, baby girl. We both know you don't believe that." Was his ego huge? Yes. Had Bree spent the year they were together feeding into said ego? Absolutely, so he knew what she really thought of him. "Now, we're supposed to be playing nice, so how about a kiss? Gotta really sell the couple thing, right?"

BREE BROWN

The second she felt his hands on her ass she had to roll her eyes. Thank God no one could see her face, but she didn't remove them and even leaned in a bit more at the squeeze. She told herself it was to keep up appearances and if Jake every questioned her on it, she would tell him the same. This entire situation was aggravating and confusing. Mainly because Jake was than anyone at getting her to lower her defenses and fold like her name is Auntie Anne. It's why she had been so adamant on not letting him have the opportunity to talk to her or see her alone, because it would take him an embarrassingly short amount of time to charm his way back into her skirt. The absolute last thing she needed was to be in the same room as him on Valentine's Day, of all days. Let alone in that room surrounded by photos of them, enjoying the feel of his hands on her ass. But, then again, they were suppose to be a couple and she had to admit, to herself and no one else, that Eva might have done her big one pairing them together. They had been well received, to say the least, and she was getting to do shoots like this one, for Savage X Fenty and she was noticing an influx of poc, especially black people following her, wanting to work with and collaborate with her. It's everything that she wanted and everything that Eva had promised her. Was it really so bad if she didn't hate the man chosen to be by her side? I mean, wasn't that a good thing? Coming back to the moment, just in time to hear her fake beau ask for a kiss, the influencer moved her hands down to his chest. "Your hands on my ass is selling it plenty." Unfortunately, she looked at his lips for a second and told herself it would be weird if they didn't kss. "But you have been oddly well behaved today, soI'll allow a kiss." Leaning up she quickly closed the distance between them, and she wanted to enjoy the feel of his lips on hers again after so long, but that's what he wanted and where would the fun be in giving him exactly what he wants? So she lingered, jus long enough for him to think he could deepen it, then she pulled away, smile on her face. To anyone watching, it looked like a sweet little kiss shared between two young lovers in the honeymoon stage of their relationship. But as her hands moved down his torso, she started to feel like her dry spell was coming to an end and if it wasn't for the close proximity clouding her judgment, she would be very disappointed in herself.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Bree's eye roll wasn't anything Jake wasn't expecting, but he also knew his ex enough to know that she wasn't as good as fighting him off as she liked to pretend that she was. After all, if she were that pissed about it, she would've pulled the generic moved and forced his hands to the small of her back instead, but he'd just let her think that he didn't peep the truth. They were surrounded by prying eyes, eyes that were being sold a black love story at an event full of potential brand deals for Bree, and probably himself now that his "image" had a purpose thanks for football, so they couldn't allow anyone else in on the truth. That sure as hell gave him some leverage though, and as usual, the boy was about to run with it. "The old fashioned ass grab is about as cliche and staged as a fake dating trope can get." He pointed out. Honestly, there were far too many fake dating movies out there for this not to be a staple format to follow, so that wasn't going to sell it like a kiss would. When Bree seemed to be agreeing to a kiss, he perked up a little as he watched her lean in. "Finally." He muttered, though it was short lived as she taunted him with the kiss, because of course she would. But for appearances sake, he accepted the gentle kiss, and once she pulled back again, he nodded respectfully. "That was cute, baby girl." Jake praised, letting his hands squeeze Bree's ass more firmly now. "But what will be even cuter is the way I'm gonna have your legs spread while you're moaning my name." That Puckerman ego was one hell of a thing, he knew that, yet he also knew how to get what he wanted out of his ex so he knew he was right. "Now, I'll let you choose if it happens in the bathroom here, or back at your place, but it is happening." He only took his eyes off of Bree's as some photographer moved in for a photo op, to which he was learning he'd have to adjust to, but then he was smirking as he gazed into her eyes again. "I'm assuming Eva is going to make us play this whole romantic thing up for a handful of more photos before this night is over with, but do keep in mind that I will gladly stand here and kiss or suck on your neck in that way that you like until you cave in and decide how we end this night." He warned, and they both knew he was dead ass serious. "So Happy Valentine's Day, beautiful, but how about a real kiss this time?"

BREE BROWN

For a singular moment she felt victorious. But he must have been even more disappointed than she had thought in not getting what he wanted from her because he wasn't pulling his punches anymore. It's not like she melts for just anyone talking to her like that but it was Jake. The way his voice sounded when he spoke low like that, just for her ears. Every once of her wished they weren't in a room full of people, important people who she needed to make a good impression on. Part of her wanted him to carry her to the nearest bathroom and the other part of her wanted to slap that ego of his into oblivion. Neither of which were viable options given their current situation. So instead she just leaned into his touch and giggled like she didn't even notice the cameras. It gave her time to think about what to do, which really ended up in her thinking about the situation in the first place. I mean, why would he even agree to fake date her? Then it dawned on her, he'd probably never had to do more than smile to get into a girl's panties and maybe his astronomical ego couldn't handle that she hadn't given him the opportunity to charm his way back into hers. Looking up at him as he asked for a real kiss, she considered her options and figured a little indugling was fine and in this case necessary. "Happy Valentine's day, baby." She said, leaning up and this time her hand cupped his cheek as she closed the distance, her mouth opening a bit. Giving him the kind of kiss he wanted and that the public would absolutely eat up. After a few moments she pulled away, her lips moving over to his ear. "There's a bathroom in the back, away from all of this. Go and I'll meet you there in a couple of minutes." Pulling back enough to look him in the eyes, she smiled and she finally took his hands off of her assto hold them. She knew she couldn't look too happy about it or he'd know something was up. It was important he thought he was about to get what he was asking for. "Hurry up, before I change my mind." She said with attitude the way she knew he not so secretly liked.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Jake could admit that he was an asshole more often than not, at least since their break up, but he was turning over a new leaf. Well, attempting to. He knew he still had a lot to make up for, but her constantly leaving him hanging whenever he tried to make a pass at her was driving him crazy. They were too exposed right now, but that didn't mean he wasn't going to do whatever it took to make her fold at some point. When she returned the sentiment, he wasn't sure whether it was authentic or not until lips were crashing into his own, kissing him a lot more intensely than the last kiss, which earned another squeeze to her ass as he returned the kiss. It also got little Jake to perk up too, which wasn't in the plan but when a woman as gorgeous as Bree kissed you like this, it was just a natural reaction. He groaned once the kiss was finally broken, thinking she was about to tell him to fuck off until she started whispering into his ear. Now, Bree Brown had never, a day in her life, just handed him what he'd wanted on a platter like this, and certainly not when he'd requested it while trying to take charge. Jake knew deep down she did like him being in charge, yet she would never admit it, and she would try to be the one in charge when she could. So when she instantly told him to head for the bathroom, part of him knew this was bullshit. It was almost too easy for her to agree, so he knew there was a catch. "Yes ma'am." He responded, deciding to play into this anyway. "You hurry up." He insisted before he took off for the bathroom. As soon as he walked in, being the guest of honor made it all too easy to clear it out, telling the other dudes that there was some kind of leak and they were sending someone in to handle it discreetly as not to cause a distraction. As soon as they all filed out, he waited by the door, determined to shoo anyone that wasn't Bree away while he waited for his girl to join him.

BREE BROWN

Catching herself smiling, she couldn't help it, her ex's excitement at the prospect of having sex with her was... cute, maybe even sweet. Watching as he disappeared in the crowd, she exhaled for what felt like the first time that night. It was hard for her not to just, fold for him. Harder than she wanted to admit to even herself. But she was determined to chalk it up to her dry spell, even if deep down she knew it was just because she wasn't over him. Which actually servered to irritate her all over again because why the hell was she hung up on a man who cheated on her and was now just trying to stroke his ego by getting back under her skirt? Embarrassing. With her sense of purpose restored she went and found a custodian, venmo-ed him $150 to make the bathroom look like it was out of order. But first she had to slip in without being noticed, which was just as difficult as she had anticipated. Having to stop and chat with people whose name's she had already forgotten. After a few minutes she was able to slip inside, the custodian immediately getting to work on blocking it off. Now that she was back in poximity to her ex she was starting to lose the plot a little bit. As she moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, leaning up their lips almost touching. "Is this what you wanted?" She asked with a kiss. "To prove to yourself that if you could just get in the same room with me, I'd fold?" She hummed against his lips. "You thought I was that easy?" She asked before backing up, putting her hands on her hips. "Is that why you agreed to this PR relationship? Did you ask for me specfically? Is your ego that enormous that you just couldn't stand that I didn't let you charm your way back into my bed after you cheated on me?" It was a lot of questions and she knew this was absolutely not what he'd had in mind, but surely he knew she wasn't going to give in because he made one self assured remark about her moaning his name tonight. "Did you actually manage to hoe your way through all of the viable women in L.A. that you're now spinning the block? You're such an asshole, Jake. Think that you can just have me whenever because you've what, had me before? I'm not an object you can pick up and put down at your leisure!" She huffed and without even giving him a chance she was snapping at him again. "Well, say something."

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Truthfully, Jake didn't have a clue what to expect once Bree joined him, yet he did know she wasn't going to just strip and let him have his way. That would have been far too easy, and nothing with his ex was easy. So when she came inside and instantly walked over to him, he watched her with a curious glint in his eyes. Where was she going with this? When she started with the questions, adding in a kiss between the first set of questions to taunt him, he was already annoyed. But once she pulled away from him and the questions became more pointed, accusing him of one thing after another before he could even get a word in, but he was pissed now so it was best that he think about what he was going to say beforehand anyways. He let her keep throwing out questions as he inhaled, and then exhaled, a few short breaths, and then when she finally snapped at him to say something, he chuckled dryly. "Oh, you're done now?" He snapped right back as he leaned against the sink counter, crossing his arms over his chest. "I didn't ask for anything. I got told by my agent that they wanted to work on my social media presence and had gotten an offer from Eva Anderson. Didn't even know who she was until they started laying out this whole PR relationship thing for your brand. You know how much I hate this stuff, but I agreed because you're the only person I'd feel comfortable doing all of this stuff with, and because I wanted to help with your brand stuff too." He admitted, shrugging his shoulders just slightly. "For the record, I keep trying to apologize and talk to you about the cheating thing, but all you do is this. You make assumptions, start bitching, and then fucking block me so I can't say anything to you. This has nothing to do with me thinking of you as some sort of object, or with any other woman. This is about us, Bree." Dropping his arms down to his side, Jake stepped closer to his ex. "If you would stop acting immature and blocking me just for simply saying two words to you, we could talk like actual adults. And no, I don't think you're easy at all. If I wanted easy, I'd be anywhere but in this bathroom with you." Maybe that was too honest, but since she'd thrown out her assumptions, he might as well clarify a few things just to cover his bases. "To be fair, a whole ass photoshoot with you in lingerie does get a man excited, so I can't be blamed for that. But fake dating my actual ex-girlfriend isn't as easy as we make it seem, not when I miss you, baby girl." Deciding to throw caution to the wind now, he gently cradled his ex's face in one of his hands, letting his thumb gently brush along her cheek. "I'm sorry for what I did. I know we need to talk about it, and I'm not expecting you to just forgive me right now, but at least let me take care of you." Jake pleaded softly. "I still know you well enough to know when you need to be touched, and I know that white boy your parents had you fake dating wasn't satisfying you — if you even let him try, that is."

BREE BROWN

Every part of her was so sure that anything that came out of his mouth would simply serve to prove her right. So, when he said he'd agreed to this not just because it was her but because he wanted to help out with her brand, she could feel her stance become just a little less guarded. Honestly, she was already regretting demanding he respond. This was much easier for her when she couldn't hear his side or get actual answers to her questions. It made it a lot harder for her not to pretend she... didn't feel what she felt for him. But, of course, he kept speaking. While he was right, about her not letting him talk and just blocking him, she had to. If she hadn't all he would've had to do was look a little sad and say he was sorry and she would have taken him back. She wouldn't have given herself time to process and understand how she actually felt and what damage had been done. It would have ended up making things worse, right? Taking her hands off her hips she mirrored her ex's movement by putting her arms by her side and not moving back as he moved forward. It also felt good to know that he didn't think she was easy, mainly because, for him, she always had been, bby her own standards. Maybe not generally speaking, but for her, he barely had to try before she was rolling around with him on a regular basis. Even now, she couldn't help but try and hide a smile as he admitted to finding her attractive. Now h needed to stop, but naturally he admitting to missing her and he called her baby girl in that stupidly attractive voice of his. It was too much, if she had a hundred walls up when she walked into this bathroom, she only had two left. He was too close. Then his hand was cupping her face and his thumb was brushing over her cheek, and she felt herself lean into the touch. Exhaling as she closed her eyes, it was the first time she'd hard him apologize for anything. Not because he hadn't tried before, but because this was the first time she had let him talk to her long enough to get it out. It felt so... genuine. But she just couldn't trust it. Maybe that's why she looked for any excuse to make this moment less, intimate. At the mention of her precious PR relationship partner, she just said what she thought might bring back a couple more of her walls. "He tried and succeeded." She said, but was immediately hit with a wave of regret as she looked in his eyes. "He took direction well." She tried to soften her previous statement. There were a lot of things she wanted to say, to ask but she accidentally let her eyes drop from his eyes to his lips and he looked so good in his Valentine's day fit. And his shirtless body being everywhere she turned since she got here, hadn't helped. "He wasn't you, though." She confessed, looking up at him through her lashes.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Could Jake be an asshole? Yes. Did he know how to get through to Bree when he wanted something? Also yes. But for now, this was the first time he'd gotten Bree alone without her just telling him to fuck off, and he'd be a damn fool if he didn't take advantage of it. Her body language signaled that he was getting warmer at least, so they were getting somewhere, which was a good thing for him. It was more than she'd given him in months, and more than she'd expected to give him when she walked in this bathroom, meaning he was clearly getting through to her. Or he was until she spoke up again, and he didn't hesitate to drop his hand at that bullshit. Now he knew he was a half breed, but the Puckerman side had come with more than just the ego so he knew that some rich white loser hadn't succeeded at pleasing his woman. It was impossible. He'd seen the dude and between the look and his dumb ass content alone, Jake knew that Great Value version of Justin Bieber came up short between his legs and couldn't dream of pleasuring his ex the way that she liked it. Even her little line about him 'following directions' sounded like bullshit, and he couldn't help but chuckle at it. "You mean you had to tell him how to fuck you?" He teased, though he knew that was exactly what had happened. "I'm sure that was so thrilling for you, babe." He hadn't intended on being an asshole but thanks to Bree and her little dig, it just came out naturally. But when she spoke up again, his demeanor flattened again as he met her gaze. Of course she'd go and throw that out after trying to get under his skin. She was lucky she looked so damn good right now, or else he would have shut this all down. "In the spirit of this stupid holiday that I know you like, I don't think a bathroom fuck will suffice. So, how about we breeze through the rest of this party, and then we go back to your place?" Jake suggested as he picked Bree up. "Sound good?"

BREE BROWN

Despite wanting to roll her eyes at his response to her little jab, she let him have it, since it had been an immature comment to make in the first place. Plus, he was right, not that she was willing to admit that to him, but the sex with her former... whatever, had been lacking. There was a time in her life where she would have been so into the sex they had, but post-Jake Bree just couldn't quite get into it. Before she even had a chance to smack his arm for calling Valentine's Day stupid, she was being picked up and her arms were around his neck. "We'll have to see if you can behave for the rest of this party and avoid pissing me. Neither of which are your strong suits." She said as she gave his shoulder a pat so she could be put down. Once she was, she looked in the mirror and readjusted herself to perfection, before doing the same for Jake. It dawned on her that they didn't have to sneak out of this bathroom, because everyone expected to see them together and if anything it was maybe the right amount of sexy. So she took his hand in hers and led them out. Still trying to do it covertly but she had to admit it did feel good that she didn't have to hide anythign anymore. The rest of the party was actually pretty fun, and mostly lowkey, considering anyway. Usually, she felt every agonizing minute of these things, but with Jake by her side, it had been tolerable. But as the party came to an end and they were finally allowed to leave, Bree didn't hesitate in alerting her driver she was ready to go home. Thankfully, it wasn't a long ride back to her place and she found herself cuddling up to Jake in the back of that SUV like nothing had ever changed. It wasn't until her driver had let them know they arrived and she had to, disengage from him, that she had even noticed she'd been on him like that. Shooing him out of the car, she stepped out after him and avoided touching him on their way up. Once the door was closed behind them, she hung up her jacket and slipped her shoes off, before turning to her ex. She had made far too many moves tonight and she was ready for him to lead. Yes, she was aware, he'd lowkey been leading this whole time but this time she wasn't going to fight it. So she just looked at him with a little smile, waiting to seejsut what he planned on doing now that he was here.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

Behaving was damn near impossible for a Puckerman, so he'd learned, but Jake figured lasting a few more hours wouldn't kill him. "Deal." The word had rolled off the tip of his tongue a little easily, considering the second they walked back out into the party and he was met with the photos around the venue, his resolve was weakening every single time he looked at Bree in that damn lingerie. But he sucked it up, smiling and greeting people, forcing more smiles for pictures, the works. It wasn't quite as unbearable as he'd envisioned it would be, but as soon as it was over, he was beyond relieved when Bree was tugging him to her car. He didn't call her out for nuzzling him on the ride over, choosing to just enjoy the moment without ruining it since it had been far too long since they'd even been alone like this. As soon as they arrived at Bree's building, he just took his orders diligently as he climbed out and followed her up to her apartment. He almost scoffed as he watched Bree's little tease, only taking off the bare minimum before she faced him expectantly. Considering he'd shit talked the white boy not knowing how to take charge, of course his ex was going to challenge him to do the opposite. As usual. So naturally, Jake took it with a grain of salt as he wasted no time stripping out of his clothes, discarding them right there in the foyer because they were unimportant right now. All that mattered right now was satisfying his woman, a task he took very seriously, especially when Bree might not give him the chance again any time soon. Stepping closer to his beauty, Jake held her gaze as he swiftly rid her of her clothing as well. "Had you unblocked me and let me talk to you after the shoot, you'd know that I had planned to give you more than my dick for Valentine's Day." He teased, picking Bree up yet again before carrying her back to her bedroom, not even needing to look where he was going as he made the familiar trek there. Once inside her bedroom, he delicately laid her down in the middle of her bed. "Now, no telling me what to do from this point forward. You can ask for something, but if you so much as demand anything, I'm going to prolong the inevitable." Jake teased, and they both knew Bree would get pushy if she coudln't have what she wanted when she wanted it, but he had all night to torture her if he pleased. Peppering kisses along his girl's chest, he started to trail down her body, only stopping momentarily to give her boobs a little attention before he continued descending further. While he wouldn't tell her that yes, he had been with someone else over the past few months for just a few quickies here and there, he could fully admit that she wasn't Bree, that he didn't desire her the way he did his ex. As soon as he was propped between her legs, he smirked up at her. "Just relax." He warned before licking a stripe along her folds first, just to taunt her a bit, which he knew she would hate. And then without warning, he gently pushed his tongue inside of her, starting up a slow, steady pace of devouring her cunt. God, how he'd missed this, even if he hadn't verbally expressed it, but at least he could show her now.

BREE BROWN

Usually, Bree was always on ten. Those synapses firing at an impressive rate, but then Jake was in her place, stripping and suddenly it was like her brain had never had a thought before. Had never solved complex math or edited a transition heavy Tik Tok to perfection. Nope, now all her beautiful and brilliant brain could do was process the man in front of her, and, quite frankly, it was damn near struggling to do that. Oh my God, he literally made her stupid. So stupid, in fact, that it wasn't until her legs were wrapped around his waist that she even realized he had undressed her too. At some point she would remember to ask him what more he had planned on giving her, but right now all she could do was feel her pussy flutter at being carried like she was lighter than air. As soon as she was laid down on the bed, she looked up at her ex and now her brain was turned on. At laest enough to hear what he was saying and get semi annoyed with it, because they both knew she couldn't adhere to that. Demands just slipped from her lips without her knowledge, almost every time she spoke. And yet, she just nodded because the feel of his lips against her skin had her feeling stupid again. Although, she did manage to stop herself from giving him a, 'yes, sir,' in response. it felt like a second and an hour before she looked down to find her man... ex-man, between her legs and at his words her head fell back and she felt his tongue, but not where she wanted it and she damn near made a demand, but it seemed Jake was just as eager as she was because within second his tongue was inside of her. She arched her back, her hips moving into it and one of her hands tangled in her bedsheets. It wasn't like no one had gone down on her since their break up but it was like she hadn't been touch like this since and she hadn't experienced pleasure like this and she hadn't realized how much she craved it until she felt it again. Like she had been looking for this, for him, in everyone since. And to avoid his ego growing to the size of their galaxy she would never be able to admit that to him. But she could absolutely enjoy it for the night because they definnitely couldn't do this again. This was just a blip, a Valentine's day blip, so it doesn't even really count. Yeah... yeah. "More.. not enough." She choked out between heavy breaths and loud moans. See, demands were how she communicated and she knew he was going to have entirely too much fun with that.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

It wasn't exactly a secret that Jake had some sort of hold on Bree, much as she did him, yet he was much better at playing it cool than she was. That was generally how they always ended up like this, with her going from being snarky to practically eating out the palm of his hand. Gloating was natural for a Puckerman, yet he was far too determined to satisfy his woman for it — at least for now. There would be ample gloating after they were well spent and hopefully cuddling after a few rounds. But for now, he had a goal and that was all he cared about. Well that and the fact that while he was selective about the women he put his mouth on, he would always jump at the chance to go down on Bree. Logic would've told him that it wasn't just because that whole "the blacker the berry, the sweeter juice" phrase was meant for Bree Brown and Bree Brown only, but it was much, much deeper than that. They had barely scratched the surface of their feelings before he'd gone and screwed things up, and since she would never give him the time of day to explain himself now, this was his only chance to try and relay most of what he felt for her. And not to toot his own horn, but he knew he was skilled with his tongue, which was confirmed as soon as Bree arched into his touch, further stroking his ego and challenging him to continue, so he obliged, shoving his tongue in deeper as ot delivered slow, loving thrusts inside of her. Her grinding her hips against his tongue was expected, and although she always wanted him to take control, Jake was used to her dominance rearing its head anyway. So as soon as she remarked that it wasn't enough, he rolled his eyes. "Got it." He groaned in response, though it was mostly just to taunt her a bit. But he did in fact have this, which he proved as he tortured her for a few minutes longer before finally offering some relief. Jake curled his tongue into Bree's g-spot, devouring her like his last meal now that he had her right where he wanted her. His hands trailed over her inner thighs, moving in sync until one hand was gripping her and yanking her closer, while the other extended upward to clumsily fondle her tits. If she wanted to be pushy, then he was going to make her beg for him to give her what she truly desired.

BREE BROWN

Now, there were many things about Jake, many qualities he had, that Bree had a deep appreciation for. So much about him balanced out her, admittedly, neurotic behaviors His ability to calm her and help her feel at peace Not to mention the determination, strength and talent it took for him to make it to the NFL despite a potentially career ending injury. Every time she looked at him, she saw a man who ticked all of her boxes. Having said that, he had been her best eater and losing that had been an unexpected disappointment. It had her on the verge of unblocking him more times than she would ever admit out loud. So, it wasn't all that surprising that five minutes into experiencing his tongue again, she could feel her climax building. While she had gotten use to being able to keep enough of her mind to keep it cute. Not too loud, not too much movement, controlled breaths. If she wasn't two seconds from an orgasm she might have realized that she had been holding back since their break up. But as it was, with Jake, holding back wasn't an option. She was breathing hard, muttering "oh my God's and a couple "right there"'s and maybe a "please, daddy"escaped her lips. Her fingers in his hair, her head thrown back and she was so warm that she could feel a bead or two of sweat on her forehead. As his tongue worked inside her, reaching that specific spot, she cried out in pleasure and yet it wasn't enough. She knew he could give her more and she needed it. His mouth was gifted but his cock? That's what she wanted to cum on. So she removed her hands from his hair and sat herself up a bit, more of her juices pooling at the sight of him between her legs. "I want your cock. Now. Right now." She looked at him, her chest heaving with his hands on her breasts. "Please." The please was very unlike her but the girl was starving, had been for months, so she couldn't be judged. Not that she was of a mind to care right now. All she cared about in this moment was getting Jake to give her what she needed. And what she needed was to be filled and fucked, apparently.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

While Jake wouldn't hesitate to admit that he had missed Bree, had missed being like this with her, that didn't quite compare to showing her that he missed it. Part of him was doing this to prove to them both that even if he was a fuck up, nobody else his ex tried to drown out her emotions with would ever live up to what he could do to her. It wasn't often that anyone could quiet the strong-willed Bree, and lord knows that Jake certainly couldn't shut her up 90% of the time, but that all changed whenever he got her into bed and took control. If she'd ever wondered why he was so damn cocky about his skills in the bedroom, the sea of moans and praises falling for her perfect lips was as good of an answer as they'd ever get. Her words sounded like the sweetest melody in his head as he kept curling his tongue right where she needed him most. Her sitting up and begging (yes, he was counting it as begging and he'd be using it to his advantage later) him to give her what they both wanted only made him smirk up at his girl as his tongue lapped at her cunt faster. Truthfully, Jake would leave his head buried between Bree's legs for however long she desired if he could, and even he was groaning from the taste of his favorite dessert. He knew his time with her was limited, at least this go round anyway, so forgive him for savoring as much of this as he could. Luckily for them both, his dick was craving Bree even more than his mouth was, so he slowly retracted his tongue before winking at her. "Adding that 'please' doesn't change the fact that you broke my rule." He teased as he started to pepper kisses up his girl's body, starting at her inner thighs, moving up to her tummy, and then to her tits. He smirked at her again as he dragged his tongue over her nipples. "I said no telling me what to do, baby." He pointed out, though they were both aware of that. Bree couldn't help herself, but he loved that about her anyway. He only toyed with her nipples for a minute or two before he finally caved, pushing himself up from the floor to step over to her nightstand. They'd learned pretty early in their relationship to keep condoms in her nightstand since they got carried away more often than not, and neither of them had been ready for an accident to happen, so he was grateful that there were still a few in their place. "I see you weren't using these XL condoms with Jack Harlow, huh?" He chuckled, unable to resist throwing out more shade at her previous fake boyfriend as he ripped the condom wrapper off with his teeth and then slipped it on. Maybe Bree was suffering from too much bliss to try and throw out some witty comeback, but in case she wasn't, Jake gently pushed Bree back down as he climbed on top of her, pushing her legs apart with his knee. "Feel free to keep calling me daddy too." He urged before he was guiding his dick into her pussy, deciding to at lease ease every inch in slowly first so she could adjust again. His length wasn't much different from the white boys she got set up, and he needed her to remember that. "How do you want it?" He questioned once every single inch was standing tall inside of his ex, and he started up a slow, steady pace of thrusts while he waited for her to answer him.

BREE BROWN

The second his mouth was off of her she almost whined for him to put his mouth back on her. Then he had the nerve to wink at her and tell her that her 'please' didn't make her plea less of a demand. Which did make her whine. Her eyes followed as he moved up her body, her breathing heavy and when he got to her more sensitive parts she couldn't hold back he little gasps of pleasure. She bit her lip to get herself together enough to respond. "Not a demand." She breathed out. "Just a strong suggestion." She clarified. Then his mouth was back on her nipples and if he hadn't felt so good she'd be making legitimate demands for him to punish her for. Lucky for them both, his mouth was good at more than agitating her. As he got up, she sat up and was slightly annoyed he assumed the condoms were still there and of course that mouth of his was causing irritation. Rolling her eyes she watched as he looked entirely too pleased with himself. Is this comment going to get me in trouble? Yes. But it was the kind of trouble that would likely have her begging in a second and have her walking funny in the morning and she liked that kind of trouble. Missed it. "Oh is there only one box left in there? I guess he and I-" Before she could even finish her smart ass remark, he was pushing her back down onto the bed, sliding between her legs and she exhaled as she felt his cock filling her up. It felt so good and complete that she didnt' even have time to process his daddy comment. Not that it was relevant, if he fucked her right, she'd be calling him daddy regardless. Not like it was the first time. As her cunt adjusted to his size, she wasglad she couldn't get her lie about Shep's dick out because Jake would have instantly known she was full of it by how her body was reacting to his size. It was clear she hadn't taken anything this big in a while. Even her favorite toy didn't quite live up to Jake and that was a truth she would never feed his ego with. Probably. It took her a second to process his question and she was grateful that he was taking it slow, like he knew she was going to have to play catch up. Now that she was adjusted and she felt that pleasurable warmth spread over her again, she opened her eyes, her hips moving as he did. "I want it so I can still feel it in the morning. I want it so my neighbors know." She exhaled as she felt him bury himself fully inside of her again. "I can't remember if you're even capable of that or not." She said with a cheeky smile, because she absolutely knew he could but just like her, he performed better when set up with a challenge.

JAKE PUCKERMAN

JAKE was pleasantly surprised that Thanksgiving dinner was such a success, and lacked any real drama, but that was about to go down the drain, he was sure of it. Since the lockdown, him and Bree had essentially been dancing around their argument, and while he would have liked to chalk it up to them just being delirious in the middle of that disgusting, smelly cafeteria, he knew better. They said their goodbyes to his family, Morgan, and the Lopezes before they headed out, and he didn't even complain as Bree's car came to pick them up. The ride back to her place didn't take very long, and to say he wasn't getting anxious about this talk would be quite the understatement. They'd gone down this road countless times before, and it usually ended in them breaking up, but he was trying to be more mature now. Or at least he'd attempt to. As soon as he tugged his girl into her apartment, he kicked his shoes off by the door and then decided against taking anything else off since he didn't want to give Bree the wrong idea. "Baby girl, we need to talk." He stated as he walked over to sit down on the couch. The last thing he needed was for them to get sidetracked, which very well could happen any second, so he knew what he had to do. "Remember that fight we had in lockdown? After you saw me with your phone and I said I was trying to like hack into something?" He rambled before shaking his head. "I lied. I was going through your texts, and before you get mad, just...hear me out. I really did get a vibe from you and that one girl, and I knew you weren't gonna tell me anything, so I wanted to see for myself. I know it was wrong, but considering that I saw shit about you two going on a date and her saying some lovey dovey shit to you, my feelings and actions are slightly valid."

BREE had been thoroughly surprised by the sheer lack of drama. I mean, Thanksgiving is the holiday of drama and yet. Despite Puck, Morgan and Eva all being in the same space, with Noel, mind you, nothing. At least, nothing she'd heard about yet but she would have to see what Maya sent her tomorrow. For now, it almost seemed like Jakes suggestion of staying out of it because they can work it out themselves, wasn't ridiculous. It might even be a solid suggestion. Not that she would ever tell him that. It's best he doesn't think, she thinks, he has good suggestions. Even they were doing well, no serious fights, in what must be, a record amount of time. They had a nice ride back to her place and she intended on keeping it that way, with sex. Truthfully, she had been maybe, kind of, using sex as a way to avoid the conversation that was looming over their heads. Look, don't judge her, their conversation always ended in Jake pissing her off and then her pissing him off and if they didn't break up, they were petty and snarky at each other for two weeks, and things had just been so... peaveful. Ever since his mother showed up she felt closer to him and she didn't want to take those two steps forward just to end up eight steps back because of a conversation. So when they made it up to her apartment, she had planned on just stripping as soon as possible but before she could even get both of her shoes off he had beaten her too it. Baby girl, we need to talk. Sighing, she finished taking her shoes off. I can still save this, if I can just get my top off- her thoughts were cut off by Jake bringing up lockdown. Before she could even answer he was admitting to lying and she was already starting to see red. But then he kept going, because of course he did and she actually did hear him out. Unfortunately, it just agitated her more. "How are you going to say I wouldn't have told you anything when you didn't even bother asking to give me the opportunity to tell you anything?" She asked her voice slightly raised, already. "And if you know it was wrong, why are you already trying to absolve yourself of any responsibility! Your feelings are you feelings, fine, but your actions were absolutely not valid. Not slightly, not at all." She looked at him, livid because why was she being monitored like she was the one with a history of cheating in this relationship? Calming herself down with some deep, deep, breathing, she paced the length of her couch as she tried not to beat his ass for violating her privacy like that and then having the nerve to claim it was valid! After a minute of so she stopped pacing and just looked at him, unable to had the agitation but also sadness in her eyes. "Jake, if you can't talk to me about stuff like that, if you can't trust me to be honest with you then how is this relationship ever going to work?"

JAKE had known they were avoiding this for far too long, but that avoidance had given him ample time to accept his fault, come to terms with it, stand by his decision, but also recognize that he was wrong and that Bree was going to be pissed — and rightfully so. It was going to lead to a fight, which he was semi-prepared for now, so as soon as Bree started speaking, he simply leaned back against the couch and let her go off, nodding along as he listened to her and accepted that she was 100% right. She was usually right, and attractive as hell, when she was scolding him for something, but this time he wasn't going to get mad or just start snapping back. Instead, he kept his eyes on his woman, letting her get out every single thing she felt. Once she finally seemed to calm down and asked him a fair ass question, Jake sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm not justifying what I did, and I take full responsibility for betraying your trust, again. As much as I'd like to say being stuck in that sweaty, smelly cafeteria for so long just made me delirious, I can admit that my own insecurities drove me to do what I did." He admitted with a sigh. "And I did ask you about it afterwards, and you lied like there was nothing there, they were just like family or whatever. And then what, a week later I look on that stupid website and you're admitting that you used to be in love with one of them. It doesn't excuse what I did, not at all, but all you ever do is interrogate me about what and who I've done, yet you don't tell me shit either." He pointed out. Honestly, how they were still here and in love, he didn't know, but clearly they had some work to do. "You don't trust me either, and ignoring our problems isn't helping, so...we need to talk, Bree."

BREE usually matched Jake's energy. If he was chill and calm and mature then she would be too, but for some reason right now, she was still adamant on not doing this. A part of her brain was convinced, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that she could turn this around. "I don't want to talk. Every time we talk we fight and then we break up or you say you just can't do this right now, which feels like a break up, or I block you just to text you again after a week and..." She trailed off as she brain caught up with her mouth. "...and we never talk about it. So our problems stay problems and we always end up right back here." She said that more for herself than Jake, but she could at least appreciate what her boyfriend was trying to do. Break that unending cycle and actually work through their issues so they can grow. Exhaling out a big breath she stopped her pacing again and shrugged her jacket off before hanging it off the back of the couch. Slightly agitated that he was right, Bree held back an eye roll in favor of participating in this conversation. "I didn't lie to you, Jake. There isn't anything there. She is like family to me, all of them are. I was in love with her, in high school and we fooled around but she never felt the same. By the time my first year of college ended I wasn't in love with her anymore." It hadn't even really dawned on her that she hadn't told him about any of that because it felt so far away but she could see how it would be jarring to just read about it on the internet. "In september she asked me out, you had just dumped me or whatever you want to call it, and that dude had just offered me literal money to have sex with me and in general, the whole dating scene had been more than disappointing since we broke up the first time. I just didn't feel very good about myself. I knew I could trust her to make me feel good again without her having any expectations or feeling entitled to anything. So, I accepted her date. We did kiss and then she asked me out for a second date. I said yes, but then she told me you could see herself falling in love with me and that she wanted to take her and I seriously. I told her I couldn't because I was already in love with you and that I didn't see that changing. We watched the movie she took me to see and that was the end of it." She finally finished and she found herself leaning againt her couch next to Jake as she looked at him.

JAKE was about to interrupt when Bree recanted how most of their fights usually went down, which was spot on, but he chose to stay silent for now. With their fight and the unsaid bullshit lingering in the air for over a month now, he had already planned to cut off the sex if they didn't solve this now. It would be almost impossible to hold out, but he also knew that as long as they were physical in other ways, he could manage without letting Bree think that he didn't love her, like what had happened before. But for the sake of this not turning out how all of their fights did, he remained quiet again, and sure enough, Bree started to explain things this time without downplaying it. He wasn't surprised that his suspicions were right and that there had been something there, and now it made sense why he felt like one of those weirdos was eye-fucking his girl in the cafeteria. He could be humble about being right later, but he let Bree continue before he turned a little to face her. "Fine, you didn't lie, but you left it out. Being in that cafeteria with you and them was the first time I'd ever actually seen you all together, so it was just a lot and I got suspicious seeing someone else eyeing you like that." He stated and shrugged. "I'm sorry. I should have just asked you about it instead of going through your phone." Jake admitted before he reached over and grabbed his girl's hand, pulling her right into his lap. "And for what it's worth, I didn't hide the whole sleeping with my friend thing from you, I just forgot. It was a quickie after we both vented about our exes, and then she ran back to her boy the next day, and it wasn't memorable so it honestly slipped my mind. That's the only reason I didn't tell you about it." He stated reassuringly. "But are we gonna talk about you sleeping with her boyfriend? 'Cause I thought there was only one white boy in the picture but then there was another one? We need to talk about your tastes, Bree." He teased.

BREE hadn't really thought about how, because their relationship was a secret the first time around, Jake hadn't seen her with anyone other than himself or whoever her parents had her publicly interacting with. It was the first time she was considering how, jarring, it probably was to see her so comfortable and loving toward someone that wasn't him. Which was her own fault, she should never have had their relationship so separate from everyone in her life. Letting herself get pulled into his lap, she leaned into him and instantly felt more comfortable than she had ever felt while they were- well they weren't actually fighting, which was shocking. Lord knows they had fought, and would fight, over a whole lot less. But right now, she wasn't mad. Is this what maturing felt like? Normally this explanation would sound like a really terrible excuse but she believes with everything in her, that sex with Ellie would be extremely easy to forget. Holding back a smile, she bit her bottom lip at his critism of her choice in sexual partners. "My tastes, as always, are immaculate. Because neither one of them count. I didn't chose Shep, so he can't be held against me and not to pull a you but I immediately forgot Miles even existed, let alone that I'd slept with him, until I saw him in lockdown." Before he could protest, she placed a sweet kiss on his lips. "Besides, I only slept with them because I was trying not to sleep with you. Which I was not successful in." She admitted, remembering how quickly she folded for him at that damn mixer. "Anyway, you're the only one I've wanted since the night we met. So you don't need to worry about anyone elses eyes on me. You never did." She wrapped her arms around his neck.

JAKE wasn't surprised that Bree didn't expect his list to be so short, but she shrugged anyways. "To be honest, after that shit you pulled at the mixer, I did intend on there being a lot more. But then I met Puck and Maya, moved in with them, and pointless sex wasn't really that important anymore." He had pretty much said this to Bree before, and he had meant it aside from forgetting the thing with Ellie, so at least now she knew everything. When Bree started explaining her own shit, he wasn't even sure how to feel about there being 'several women' that had apparently been with his girl, or the fact that 'several' seemed to imply that Bree had slept with more people than even he had. For how much shit she gave him even when they weren't back together, it was a little shocking that she'd clearly been busier than he had been. But when she revealed two of the women she'd slept with, Jake's eyes widened. "You slept with my friend?" He scoffed. "The woman has literally tatted my entire body, I wing woman for her, and you're telling me you slept with her months ago and both of you just said nothing?" He gasped. "And then you slept with my brother's baby mama? The same one who we now see regularly? What the fuck, Bree?"

BREE had already known that Jake chose to prioritize his new found family but she had been telling herself that he was lying. Because that made it easier for her to justify not talking to him or working through her own feelings about their relationship, how it was, how it ended and how quickly it started up again after she saw him at that mixer. Being mad at him became her armor, and at first it had felt good but eventually it just made her miserable. Ultimately, she had been hypocritical in interrogating him about every woman he even looked like he might have spoken to, while she was actively sleeping with pretty much everyone who showed an interest. Which is why when he eye went wide and she knew he was judging her, she didn't stop him or defend herself. It was wrong of her to sleep with his friend, and while she hadn't been thinking about that at the time, hell she hadn't even known, she should have said something as soon as she figured it out but instead she kept it to herself. Santana, well, that was several levels of bad. "I know. I know. I should've told you, I didn't know when I slept with them who they were to you but eventually I did and I just... I was scared that you wouldn't forgive me and that I'd lose you." That was most of the truth, but since they were doing this, she might as well give the whole truth. He probably already knew anyway. "I also didn't want to be the bad guy. But I was the bad guy and I should have take accountability for that." That fear started to rise up, that this would be the thing that broke them. That she would be the one to ruin it beyond repair. "Can you forgive me?" She asked, her eyes big and pleading.

JAKE didn't even know how to process all of this right at the moment, not with Bree sitting on his lap and seeming mostly genuine with her explanation and her pleas. If there was one thing going around, it was people sleeping with friends or whatever of the people they were dating or fucking, so he figured it made sense that she'd ended up in bed with people that had some sort of tie to him. And he could be pissed, sure, but they were in a better place, so why should he take them back to square one? Staring back into her eyes at her question, he sighed. "You know, it's not so much that you're being the bad guy when you eventually come clean." He pointed out. "I believe you. About not knowing who they were beforehand." He nodded. Had he wished she'd said something when she realized it? Obviously. But it was done and they were here now, so he just shrugged. "I forgive you. But starting today, we are done keeping secrets. If we're gonna do this and try to make this work, we have to be completely honest with one another at all times." It was a big ask for them, but Jake knew that at this point, they truly had no other choice if they were getting back together — officially, anyways. "Is there anyone else I specifically need to know about? Did you sleep with Morgan, Eva, Noel, my sister, anyone else related to any of us?" He questioned curiously. "And just so we're clear, I haven't." He confirmed.

BREE felt an immense sense of relief as he said he forgave her and she could tell he meant it. This mature side of Jake was incredibly endearing and it was motivating. Not that she would admit to being immature, but she was petty and manipulative and passive aggressive and she could be cold, she wasn't called the ice queen for nothing. But this whole, mature, honest and forgiving Jake was really bringing out her own maturity and warmth and joy. So, when he said they needed to keep up this energy for the duration of their relationship, she found herself immediately nodding in agreement. "Yes, sir." She said with a smile as she kissed his cheek. "Morgan is basically another older brother, so ew definitely not. In the spirit of honesty, I tried to sleep with Eva, even took her class but then the whole throuple thing happened. I've met Noel like twice and the extent of my communication with Ali is her sending me memes I do not understand. As for anyone else..." Leaning back a little to think about his question, she knew it probably looked some kind of way that she couldn't immediately say no, but she just wanted to run through the list of people to make sure. "No, I have no slept with anyone else related to you or our inner circle." Leaning in again, she kissed him. "I just wanted to get over you and when not talking to you didn't work I thought sleeping around in front of your face would. It didn't, obviously and it just made me miss you more, to be honest. Which was very embarrassing to me. Point is, I'm sorry for being a bitch after the whole mixer hook up thing. In the future, I'll just talk to you or let you talk instead of cutting you out and then trying to use you for sex or whatever I was doing."

EVA groaned as soon as Pia turned down the Puckerman's street. The fact that her mom had forced her to show up with some Filipino dish after forcing her to stay at the family house for over a week was hands down the most brutal punishment Paula had ever inflicted on any of the Anderson children, and now that they were here, all she wanted to do was run. But considering that she couldn't exactly drive by herself, she had to improvise as best as she could. Her plan was to only go to the door, say hi, hand over the dish, and then immediately flee back to her sister's car. Puck had asked her to stay for a bit if she could, but this was the most she could do. She was far too sober to stick around, but especially not when Noel was gonna be there too. Ignoring whatever advice her sister tried to give her as she stopped out front, she just shook her head. "Just shut up and keep the car running." She advised before climbing out, and then it took her a few seconds longer than it should have to properly grab the pan with her one good hand. "This is so embarrassing.." She muttered to herself, gently kicking Pia's car door shut before she started her walk of torture up the driveway. While Eva would normally hold her head up high in even the worst situations, having to pretend that she was okay when one wrist was in a cast and she wasn't even driving herself around in front of Puck's family was different. Between him, his mom, Maya, and Santana, she was sure that all of them would ask what happened, and she didn't know if she could lie to them and make it believable. Once she reached the front door, Eva had to use her elbow to ring the doorbell, and then it was just her luck that it was Jake who came to open the door. He furrowed his brows at the cast before turning around to look for his brother. "Bro, it's for you!" Jake stated smugly before he properly greeted Eva, and then headed back to his seat with Bree.

PUCK loved Thanksgiving, really he loved any holiday that brought all of the people he loved together. Even though there was one person missing, he'd still managed to spend the whole day, smiling and laughing and enjoying the company of the people he cared most about. A part of him had been surprised at Morgan's arrival but his smile was ear to ear when he opened that door to his tall cowboy. Maybe he'd looked around for another car pulling up through the window as he tended to the food in the kitchen. Enough, that his mom did her hand on his neck thing, to calm him down and keep him grounded. Thankfully, it worked and he went right back to giving Jake and Ali a hard time, because it's his right as a big brother, and soon Maya and his mom were defending them and the house was filled with joy and so was Puck. They'd finally been able to eat, Puck was a bit extra about everyone sitting down to eat together on this day but it felt good to see everyone dig in to the food he, and his helpers (his kid and his mom), lovingly cooked for them. So when they were getting ready to overstuff themselves with dessert, he was surprised to hear someone was at the door, but he figured it was maybe a neighbor and he desperately hoped it wasn't that neighbor. But when Jake said it was for him, he figured it couldn't be her because he'd have mentioned that. But then who? Everyone he loved and invited was there. Except- as he walked up to the front door he couldn't help the smile the spread across his face. "You came." He said, before taking the dish from her and stepping aside to let her in. When he looked down he noticed her covered wrist. She was hurt. His brows furrowed and his face was covered in concern. "What happened?" Before he could get an answer his mom and daughter were flanking him on either side. "You must be Eva, oh my goodness, it's so nice to finally meet you. I'm Nora, Noah's mom. You have to have some pie with us and tell us what you brought because it smells delicious." Just for good measure Maya decided to chime in too. "Oh my God, yes, you have to come in and give me honest feedback on my campaign posters, because dad and grandma just say they're amazing, but they say that about everything I do." Puck tugged Maya back by the hem of her shirt and as he was about to apologize the bathroom door opened and it looked like everyone was having the same realization at the same time, except Eva, which was, shit, they're all in the same place at the same time.

MORGAN took a deep breath as he washed his hands in the Puckermans’ bathroom, staring at his reflection in the mirror. His eyes were a little more sunken than usual, the shadows of grief lingering on his face despite his easy-going nature. It had been hard to find the holiday spirit with the ache of his granddad's absence weighing him down, but he’d been determined to show up for Puck. He owed him that much, especially after everything. He’d even trimmed his beard, just like Puck had, that one day he’d been over to take care of him. As he’d arrived at the other man’s house, he’d had a bouquet of sunflowers, and it had felt like a small, but honest gesture; a piece of himself he could offer without overstepping. He’d mostly given them to Puck’s mom, with a grateful ‘thank you for having me over’, as he’d taken his cowboy hat in respect. He appreciated being here, even if it wasn’t home. The smell of roasted turkey and the sound of laughter did help a little, and seeing Puck grin like a kid when they hugged at the door made Morgan feel like maybe, just maybe, he hadn’t completely ruined things between them. He sighed, wiping his hands on a towel, and rolled the sleeves of his freshly-ironed maroon shirt up his arms, past his elbows and took one look at himself. It was a rare occasion that Morgan even ironed his shirt, but here he was, having put an effort into himself, and was wearing his Sunday best. He pushed the bathroom door open, ready to rejoin the lively group. Except he wasn’t ready for what - or rather, who - was waiting just a few steps away. Morgan froze mid-step, his gaze locking onto Eva. She stood near the door, her wrist in a cast, cradling a dish in her other arm, her expression a mix of discomfort and defiance. For a moment, he thought he might be imagining it. His surprise softened quickly into quiet happiness, his lips curving into a small, warm smile. “Well, hey there,” he said gently, his voice low but warm, as if he didn’t want to startle her. “Didn’t expect to see you here.” He walked over to stand behind his chair, holding onto it - for moral support? He didn’t know. He looked up at Eva again, but when their eyes met again, he gave her the faintest nod. No words, just quiet reassurance. Whatever she needed - space, support, or just a minute to breathe - he’d be here, keeping his distance but ready to help.

EVA hated when her plans didn't pan out how she'd wanted them to, and the second she saw that smile on Puck's face, followed by his reaction to thinking she had showed up to stay for a bit, she knew she wasn't about to just leave. That was further confirmed when both Nora and Maya came over, but she still smiled at them both as they clearly made their stance on it known too. "It's nice to finally meet you too, Mrs. Puckerman." She responded genuinely before she turned to Maya. "I can't stay long, but I'll look at your posters too." Turning down Puck and Morgan would have been one thing, but Nora and Maya? Impossible. She still hadn't set foot in the house yet when Morgan emerged from the bathroom, and her face was a mixture of both confusion, surprise, and slight relief. Paula had forbid Pia from bringing Eva back home unless she handed them both their dishes, so this saved her a trip, at least. But god, she hadn't been prepared to have to face them both under the same roof, while sober, and around everyone else. If there were ever a time for her to drink, it was right now. But since she couldn't, she just gave Morgan . "I didn't expect to see you here either, but Paula made something for you too so this kills two birds with one stone. I'll just uh..go get it." She muttered before Jake sprang up again. "I'll get it. You should get that pie Nora offered."Jake stated before he took off outside. With that solved, Eva really didn't have another excuse so she chewed on the inside of her cheek as she walked into the house. The best thing she could do was just start talking if she wanted to get out of here as soon as she could, so she turned to Puck and Nora first. "That's Inihaw na Manok — basically a barbecue chicken, some Filipino bread, and some sauce she swears pairs well with both." She explained as she motioned towards the pan in Puck's hand. "And uh..I'll explain the wrist later." She whined, though she was hoping he'd let it go after the pie thing. But needing to change the subject quickly, Eva turned her attention to the table, where the aforementioned pie was. "I can uh..take that slice of pie to go. After I go look at Maya's posters." She offered. Unfortunately for her, Jake walked back in with the other pan, and with Pia in tow since he'd invited her inside for pie as well. "Great." Eva groaned. "Well, can we sit down and get this over with now?"

PUCK was use to the holiday's being, a lot, but this was chaotic, even for him, and yet he felt, whole. Like for once there wasn't this void in him that all the love and happiness couldn't fill. As everyone was interacting and Eva was talking, he put his hand oveer his chest because it felt tight. Apparently, it had been too long since he's spoken because he was getting nudged by his daughter so he looked down at her, "Huh?" he said struggling to zone back into the moment, she was about to speak when Jake came back inside, when did he leave?, and not alone, he came back with, who Puck assumed, was Eva's little sister. He smiled at her and introduced himself before all of his senses kicked back on, and his smile returned to his face, although he hadn't forgotten about Eva's wrist and now that he'd processed what she'd said he knew whatever happened she was embarrassed. Took one to know one, he guessed. Soon, Maya was all but skipping off to bring her posters out and his mom was taking the pan of Inihaw na Manok from him and now his hands were free and it was just him, Eva and Morgan at the door, so he closed the front door and couldn't help but look at the two people he loved as they were all together again and for the first time in months it felt, good. "Pie, umm, we've got a couple options.' He said as he started leading them to the table. "There's pumpkin, sweet potato, apple and key lime." Before he could get another word out, Maya was there with posters and button in hand. "Dad made them all but I helped with the apple pie! And grandma made the ice cream and whipped cream. She said proudly and Puck smiled. "Uhh, yeah, so be nice if you don't like it." He laughed as he got ready to serve them with a couple plates. "What's looking good to you? Personally I do the Pie Platter, which is a slice of each with a shit ton of whipped cream and a scoop of ice cream on the side." He explained. It was taking a lot not to reach out and hold them or touch them in some way, but the fact that both of them were there, in front of him and it wasn't a day dream or something made it hard not to smile anyway. Even if it wasn't all perfect, or exactly what he wanted, it was a start, maybe.

MORGAN stepped back slightly as the conversation picked up again - Nora greeting Eva, Maya jumping in with her usual enthusiasm - giving Eva space to navigate the whirlwind of attention. He caught Puck’s gaze from across the room, the expression on his face unmistakable: happiness, mixed with something deeper. Morgan felt a familiar pang, but he swallowed it down. When the group moved toward the dining table, Morgan followed at a respectful distance. He was grateful just to be here, grateful to Puck and Nora for welcoming him when he had nowhere else to go this Thanksgiving. As Puck rattled off the dessert options, Morgan stayed quiet, his hands slipping into his pockets. He caught snippets of the conversation; Eva mentioning she couldn’t stay long, Maya showing off her posters - and let himself fade into the background for a moment, content to watch and listen. When it was his turn, he glanced up at Puck, his smile faint but sincere. “Pumpkin sounds good,” he said simply, his voice steady. “Thank you.” He didn’t elaborate, didn’t add to the noise of the room. Instead, he slid into a seat, quietly settling in as the pie was served. This whole situation with Puck and Eva wasn’t perfect - it was messy and complicated and far from the way things used to be - but for Morgan, this right here was enough. For now, he was here, and so were they, and that was more than he’d dared hope for. He woke up from his little daydreaming, as he heard Nora's voice, who was sat next to him. “How's your grandmother doing, Morgan? I'm sorry to hear about the passing of your granddad. I hope she's staying well.” The question had the cowboy almost choking on his pumpkin pie, but he swallowed hard and shot it down with a sip of his water, before dapping his lips of any leftover crumbs. “It's been hard for her,” Morgan started and nodded to himself. “But my family's in Montana with 'er, and I'm sure that once she's found a new routine, she'll be okay. But thank you for askin', ma'am.”

EVA had no choice but to roll with things now, so as soon as Maya was back with her posters, she went ahead and took a look at them as Noah led them over to the table and gave a break down of the pie selection. Honestly, it was a nice spread of dessert, and she wasn't exactly mad about getting sucked into staying now. She let Morgan choose a pie first as she told Maya what to add to her posters to really make them stand out, and she even promised to come back another day to help her if she'd wanted her to. They'd have to worry about that later though, and preferably when Puck wasn't home so she didn't have to keep doing this whole awkward thing over and over. Once Maya went to put her posters aside, Eva finally turned her attention back to the pie. "I don't like pumpkin, but I'll do the whole Pie Platter thing with the others." She decided. And as expected, Jake came back after dropping the pan off in the kitchen and took his seat back next to Bree, and then offered Pia an open seat out of the way so the throuple could all sit next to each other. Eva made a mental note to kick Jake's ass later, but she went ahead and sat down next to Morgan anyways. She was more than content to just be served her pie in silence, but when Nora mentioned Morgan's granddad dying, she furrowed her brows. "Wait, what?" She interrupted as Morgan answered Nora, and once he finished, she reached a hand over and lightly slapped his arm. "Why didn't you tell me about your granddad?" She questioned. He had sent her enough texts lately to have mentioned it, and considering that Nora had asked, then obviously Puck had known about it and told her, so why the hell hadn't anyone told her? "I'm sorry for your loss." She added before she turned to Puck and slapped his arm too. "And why didn't you tell me either? Or tell me that you'd invited him here too?"

PUCK smiled as he started cutting a piece of pumpkin pie for Morgan, kind of nervous because, well, he'd made this and he hoped Morgan liked it. Putting a dollop of whipped cream on top he picked up the plate and to avoid stretching across anyone, he moved beside the chair Morgan was in and placed the plate down in front of him, his hand brushing over his shoulder as he moved back around to get Eva's reply. Again, he smiled as he started cutting pieces of the pies for her and arranging them nicely on the plate. He heard his mom talking to Morgan, but he wasn't much paying attention, Instead he went to the kitchen to get Eva her scoop of ice cream and when he got back, all he hear was "I'm sorry for you loss." Then he was being slapped in the arm. "Huh?" He said trying to buy himself time as he placed her Pie Platter in front of her. Part of him wanted to say, 'don't know, why didn't you tell me you hurt your wrist?' But he was trying not to be petty, especially with Morgan and Eva. So instead he just looked at her. "That kinda felt like something he should tell you." It was the truth but also he just wanted Eva and Morgan to talk more, to reconnect. All of their dynamics were strained but being on the outside of that dynamic, made Puck stressed and worried that they weren't communicating at all, and if they were it wasn't positive or fiing anything. And while he was trying not to force things to go the way he wants them to, he figured a nudge here and there and a little encouragement wasn't doing any harm. "I invite you both and I didn't know if either one of y'all were gonna show up." It wasn't really an answer to her question and he knew that but he also didn't really have an answer. Okay that's not true. "I was being selfish, damn." He finally said, hand sup in surrender. "I wanted my best shot at seeing you both today and at all of us seeing each other." Looking at Morgan, he wanted to apologize, he probably shouldn't have told his mom, but after he spent the night at the ranch, Puck had to answer to his mother and she wasn't one to ask a question and accept an incomplete answer, so he'd told her about the voice note and all of it. As if she could read his mind, his mom spoke again. "I'm so sorry, Morgan, I shouldn't have told your business like that." She looked at him, sincere in her apology, her hand on his shoulder offering a comforting squeeze, before she started making asking the other's what they wanted for dessert to give the three a moment.

MORGAN's eyes dropped to his plate as the words settled in the air. Talking about his granddad felt like trying to walk on a broken leg right now; it didn't get easier, no matter how much time passed. When Eva’s voice broke through, sharper and more direct, he looked up, surprised to find her eyes on him, and that she'd even slapped his arm, although it was soft. Why hadn’t he told her? “In my defense, I thought I'd included that detail, when I left you that voice note,” he admitted, his voice quieter than before, almost sheepish. “And you’ve also had a lot on your plate. I just didn’t want to add to it.” His hand found the edge of the table, gripping it gently for something to hold on to. His lips pressed into a thin line before he added, softly, “I’m sorry, though. I should’ve told you.” When Nora placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and apologized for sharing his business, Morgan shook his head gently, his gaze lifting to her. “It’s okay, ma’am,” he said, his voice low but sincere. “I appreciate you askin'. it means a lot.” His eyes flicked to Puck for a moment, a quiet apology lingering there, for letting this happen, before he allowed himself relax back into his chair. He didn’t want to linger on his loss, not when there was pie in front of him and people who’d opened their home to him, but the knot in his chest wouldn’t quite loosen. Still, he picked up his fork, offering a small, hesitant smile to the table. The conversation picked up around them, but Morgan remained quiet, just focusing on his pie in front of him. It warmed his heart that he'd been invited in to the Puckerman's house, and he was grateful for it. After everyone had finished their dessert, Morgan took a moment to himself to just be thankful for the entire day, before looking at the watch around his wrist; the one he'd been gifted by his granddad. “Well, I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, but I do have an important production to show up to tomorrow mornin', and I gave my coworkers the full week off, so I better get goin' home to my girls,” Morgan said, referring to his horses, and getting up from his seat. He gently shook Nora's hand. “Thank you once again for havin' me over, ma'am. It's been a real treat,” he gave her a gentle smile before moving over to give Maya a gentle nudge. “Tell your dad to bring you out soon, okay? I've got a few horses that need your type of wranglin',” he gave her a little nod and a convincing grin, before making his way to the door, grabbing his plate of food from Paula, as well as his hat. “I hope y'all enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving.”

EVA dug into her pie as soon as Puck put her plate down, and she took in Morgan's answer to her questions first, before she accepted the first one from Puck. With everything Morgan clearly had going on, she understood him just overlooking the fact that he'd left it out. And with the whiplash she'd been getting from his voice note and his texts, it made sense that something like that had just gotten lost in everything else. When Puck then confessed to wanting them both to show up so they could all see each other, she couldn't even be mad at him so she just nodded in acceptance. There wasn't much else she could say to either one of them at the moment, so although she didn't like the awkward silence between them, she just bit her lip and scarfed down the rest of her pies as quickly as she could. By the time Morgan seemed to be trying to make his exit, she was somewhat glad that he was making the first move to leave since she was about to do the same. Yet she knew she'd have to tell Puck about her wrist, and if she told him the truth he'd just tell Morgan, who would no doubt question why she didn't tell him the full story, so she might as well get this over with just once. Letting everyone else say their goodbyes to Morgan, she used her good hand to grab one of Puck's as she stood up, forced him out of his seat as well, and headed for the door. "We'll walk you out." She muttered as she dropped Puck's hand so she could open the door and step aside. Honestly, being alone with them both wasn't ideal while she was sober, but they hadn't been alone together since the whole campus fiasco, so she knew they needed this. Once both men were outside and the door was closed, Eva sighed as she faced them. "I know there's probably a lot we all need to talk about, but if I don't come clean about my wrist now then I never will, and I'd rather you both heard it from me at the same time, so..screw it. After lockdown, when everything went to complete shit with all of us, I started drinking a lot. Like bottles of wine and tequila every single day. It was the only way I knew how to cope with my feelings and my anger and whatever else I feel towards you two, so maybe I went a little overboard. Anyways, last week, I got drunk and then tried to drive home or to my parents' house I guess, and I crashed my car into a tree and that's how I got injured. But you guys don't have to worry because my parents are basically treating me like a prisoner now and making me go to AA meetings, so I've learned my lesson." She explained, and maybe that last thing wasn't entirely true but she sure as hell wasn't going to tell them that. "I should have told you when it happened, and I'm sorry that I didn't, but I knew you both would've tried to come over and take care of me, and I just wasn't ready to see you. Or..I guess I wasn't ready to let you see just how badly I've been handling the whole us not talking or seeing each other thing." God, how she hated being this vulnerable, especially with the two idiots who were responsible for the current headspace she was in, but if AA had taught her anything it was the importance of facing her bullshit head on — no matter how much she would have preferred to just take all of this to the grave. "And if either one of you feels the need to scold me for my actions, can we just postpone it for like a week? My entire family has been lecturing me since the wreck happened, so I can't handle another one right now."

PUCK sat down and watched as they ate their pie and felt a little swell of pride because it looked like they were enjoying them and he took a mental note. Pumpkin for Morgan and anything but Pumpkin for Eva. For a few minutes it was quiet between them and now Puck was worried about Morgan and how he was coping and process and about Eva, because how did she hurt herself? But they were together and Puck chose to focus on that while they ate. Too soon, Morgan was standing up and announcing his departure and he felt an ache as the room said their goodbyes to the cowboy. Then his hand was being tugged on by Eva and he stood with her. It took him a minute but just before she said they'd walk him out, he figured out that's what she wanted to do. Surprising though, since she seemed to be in avoi them at all costs mode, recently, which he understood, but now, maybe she didn't want to avoid them anymore? Following them both outside, he actively avoided the eyes of his family as he shut the door behind them. Soon enough they'd be up his ass about what happened so he intended to enjoy whatever brief moment they were about to have. Before him or Morgan, for that matter, had a chance to ask or say anything Eva was talking and Puck's eyes were on here. Intend to listen. With every sentence, every word she spoke, Puck felt his heart clench and his stomach drop and just when he didn't think it could get worse she'd say something else. It was hard for Puck not to blame himself, not to spiral into that place of shame and self hatred he'd spent the last six weeks clawing his way out of. But just having his people there, kept him grounded enough not to sink. It was a lot to take in, not just what she'd done, but about why she'd done it, and how that made him feel. Even if she hadn't told them not to scold her, he wouldn't. How could he when he'd been just as bad during lockdown, before lockdown. Even though he was worried and concerned, he was grateful to her family, to her parents for making her get help and keeping an eye on her. He was devastated that she'd kept it from him and Morgan because she hadn't been ready to face them or the way they'd made her feel. Yet, there was also a spark of hope, because she wouldn't have shown them such vulnerability unless she wanted some kind of future with them. Unless, a part of her wanted to rebuild that trust, they'd lost. The same reason Morgan sent those voice notes, the same reason he'd written those letters. In their own ways they were showing each other that they still wanted this to work, even if they didn't know how to get there yet. "I'm kinda just grateful you wanted to tell us at all." He admitted looking at her with a slight smile on his face. "Plus, not like I got any room to talk." He looked between the two of them, still ashamed of how he'd behaved from when he dad showed up again to lockdown. Fuck knows, he was a man of many mistakes and regrets, but he was really trying to do better, make better choices everyday. Choices that he could be proud of and he hoped Eva and Morgan were doing the same. "I'd like to be able to check on you though. Maybe you wouldn't mind me being around when you come back to help Maya. I don't wanna push but I care about you and no matter what kinda relationship we've got I wanna be there for you, however you'll let me." He took in a breath. "If you'll let me."

MORGAN stood outside, the crisp evening air brushing against his face as he adjusted his hat. He wasn’t sure why Eva had insisted on walking him out, but he didn’t ask. When it came to the two of them - hell, the three of them - he’d learned to let things unfold instead of forcing the matter. When Eva began to speak, her words hit him like a slow, deliberate wave, each sentence heavier than the last. Morgan kept his face steady, though his chest tightened with every word she shared. As she finished, the silence stretched out, raw and thick between them. He shifted his weight, his boots scuffing the driveway, and he looked at her with a gentleness he’d been saving for moments like this. “Eva,” he started softly, his voice as steady as he could manage, “I can’t imagine how hard that must’ve been for you.” He glanced at Puck, then back at Eva. “I hate that you’ve been goin’ through all that on your own. I hate that I wasn’t-... someone you could turn to when it got bad. But I understand why.” He let out a slow breath, his finger looping into his brown belt. “I’m sorry for everythin' I’ve done that made you feel like you couldn’t let me help.” His gaze softened even more as he added, “I ain’t gonna scold you. I don’t have the right. I’ve done my fair share of messin’ up.” Morgan hesitated, his fingers brushing over the edge of the leather of his belt like he wanted to fidget but forced himself to stand still. “I’m just real glad you’re still here, Eva. If you ever decide you want me to be there, even just to sit on the porch while you yell at me, I’d come runnin’. No questions, no expectations.” He swallowed hard, his voice quieter now. “I care about you, Eva. That hasn’t changed, and it won’t.” He glanced at Puck again, offering him a small, knowing nod, before stepping back and letting his smile creep through - soft, humble, and just a little sad. “You don’t have to say anything back. I just-... I needed you to know that. Both of you.”

EVA had half expected there to be some kind of lecture, since that was all she'd gotten lately, but she probably should have saw this coming. Both Puck and Morgan had fucked up countless times before, so of course they'd both be this damn gentle with her, even when she didn't deserve it. But it was a nice change of pace from the reaction she was getting at home at least, and it should have warmed her heart the way that it did, but that was kind of a typical reaction whenever they did something that wasn't breaking her heart. Letting them both say what they needed to say, she finally shrugged. "For the record, you're both horrible at keeping your distance anyways. Not that I'm complaining, but it was kinda obvious that you both still care about me." She pointed out, and it was rather evident, even if Morgan had been sending her mixed signals and she'd been more frustrated with him lately. "And it's not that I don't want either of one of you being there for me, I just don't know how to do any of this when we're..like this." She probably should have planned out what she wanted to say before showing up, but she also hadn't expected to see both of them at the same time either, so there hadn't been a way to properly plan out any of this, so she just had to wing it. "Noah, you can be here when I come back to help Maya. And I'm not gonna make you come over just so I can yell at you, Morgan. I can't promise that I'll ask either of you for help when I need it, but you can both check on me, and you can both come to me whenever you need me or if something happens — like losing your granddad." Eva stated before she turned to Morgan. "I really am sorry for your loss, and if you need anything, no matter what it is, just say the word." She offered before she stepped closer to him and kissed him softly, and then she turned to Puck. "And if you or Maya need anything, the same goes for you." She stated before stepping closer and kissing him just as softly.

PUCK kind of felt like he was dreaming. Not this today but the last couple of weeks. Things just seemed a bit too, good. I mean, things were still complicated and they were all still going through a lot, individually but right now, it felt like, maybe, they could work through it, together. Puck realized that might be asking for a lot, and just because they weren't arguing or yelling or whatever, at each other, didn't mean they were good or that they were going to find their way back to each other like he wanted. But it did give him hope. Hope that it wasn't impossible. While he was trying not to get his hopes up, he was an eternal optimist so he just couldn't help it. Both him and Morgan getting a kiss from Eva wasn't doing much to stifle that hope. But when he looked at them both, he could see that there was still so much for them to work through. Morgan's sunken eyes, a little lighter than they were but still heavy. Eva's clear exhaustion from being so vulnerable and the mental fight he knew she was having about whether to drink or not after this. At least it's what he would be thinking, it's what he still thought sometimes. So far he'd won those battles, and it looked like Eva had too, just like it looked like Morgan was forging a path forward, but they were going to misstep and stumble and fall and none of their foundations were strong enough to sustain themselves, let alone each other. Not yet, anyway. It made moments like this bittersweet, but Puck believed it wouldn't be forever, not with them all wanting to see each other and be there for one another. They'd figure it out, but it was gonna suck getting there. Pausing to just sit in the moment for a little longer, Puck reached out to them both, putting a gentle hand on each. "I appreciate you both coming tonight. I know things between us are rough, to say the fucking least, but having you both her made everything feel... complete. I know that sounds like a line, but I swear it's not." He said looking between them both, face full of earnestness.