They had all been there for one another through the good times and the bad, and even as they got older and had more work commitments, the same bond was always there between them.
As the second round of fresh juices arrived, Channing looked down onto the beach. There were small smatterings of people down on the golden sands. There were some folks in the water too, from early morning surfers to groups of swimmers too.
But it wasn’t outdoor activity of the sporting kind that was on Channing’s mind…
Me and Max together…
Naked. On the beach…
What would people say?
Channing suddenly realized just how excited he was getting by the prospect of being nude on the beach with a Daddy like Max and swiftly crossed his legs to cover up any tell-tale signs of arousal.
If it was ever in any doubt, Channing realized that keeping his mind off Max was a hopeless task to even attempt.
Channing decided that the only way of dealing with his feelings of self-consciousness around Max and their relationship was to tackle things head on.
It was time to message Max and arrange a meeting.
But whether Max would be even close to being awake for another few hours was a whole other matter…
* * *
When Max finally replied to Channing’s message, Channing was somewhat surprised to find that Max had been up for a few hours.
Even better than that, Max had actually paid an impromptu visit toBark Buddiesand helped out with their morning laundry session.
After making his way to the location that Max sent in his message, Channing took a moment to look around. It was a cool block close to the beach, populated by a lot of hipsters and grungy types. It was one of the few areas of Los Frisco that hadn’t quite been totally consumed by healthy lifestyle spots.
Even though Channing loved his clean and healthy life, he couldn’t deny that hanging out in a dive bar from time to time was fun too. And, more than anything else, it was one hundred percent pure Max Manchester…
‘Tracker sayshiby the way,’ Max said, flashing a smile over toward Channing as the pair of them embraced. ‘This beer’s on me. It’s the least I can do to say thank you for your hospitality. And for bringing that big beast Tracker into my life too.’
Channing smiled and felt his heart skip a beat.
This was the kind, impulsive yet compassionate Max that Channing had developed such strong feelings for.
This was the Max who had kept a hold on a small but significant piece of Channing’s heart for so long.
But more than anything else, this was the version of Max that Channing wished could be on show for the whole time. There was no talk about a fear of commitment, no cancelling plans, and no flaking out on responsibility.
This version of Max was the Daddy edition that Channing desired.
Hell, this version of Max had actively sought out the responsibility of going down toBark Buddiesand helping out with the comparatively pretty dull task of sorting out stacks and stacks of doggy blankets and beds.
As they took a seat outside of a rough and ready bar, a rarity in Los Frisco, Channing raised his bottle of beer and saluted his old friend Max.
Max flashed a smile in return and took a big glug of the beer.
‘Feels good after a good deed at Bark Buddies,’ Max said. ‘Not that I was there just so I could justify a beer, of course. Those damned mutts are just too cute. Shit, in another life I might have been a vet.’
‘You totally could have been a vet,’ Channing said. ‘But you’d have needed to graduate though…’
‘Touché,’ Max replied, a grin on his face. ‘I’ll let that sass slide, boy. But, anyway, you know me. I like to cut and run too much, right?’
The pair of them shared a moment of contemplation.
Channing was glad to see that Max was at least self-aware of his own tendency to run when the going got tough.
