SUNDAY, AUGUST 9

Elena Maria Isabel Wertheimer-Diaz was never one to sleep long hours. Sleeping, in her opinion, was a waste when you could be up, awake, and living your best life. So, despite flying in from Europe the prior evening, Elena was up before Emanuel and the chef.

Perching in the kitchen until a pot of coffee was brewed, she waited until she could make herself a cup of dark roast, served black, just like she'd have back in Spain. American coffee did not meet her standards but would do in a pinch. With her morning dose of caffeine in hand, she tightened her robe and headed out poolside. She loved mornings, especially when she had time to read in quiet and solitude.

This morning, she thought she was the only one awake, but she was not.

Mason had tossed and turned most of the night. He was mortified that Alejandro's grandmother caught them having sex on the balcony off her bedroom. He'd put much thought into how he would act and what he would say when he was introduced to Elena. Her acceptance was so important to Mason. After Elena suggested they take their activities to their own bedroom, he spent the night convincing himself he'd never be invited back.

The only thing that comforted Mason was Alejandro's arms. Even in his sleep, Alejandro held Mason tightly. Holding Mason so he couldn't squirm was the only way Alejandro got any sleep that night. It was also the only way Mason got any sleep as well.

Alejandro woke and immediately could tell Mason was already awake and fretting about facing his abuela at breakfast. Last night he tried to reason with Mason to move him past his fears. This morning, Alejandro chose a different strategy...distraction. With a slight adjustment of hips, he slid his morning wood through the crevice of Mason's bottom. Mason was helpless to respond with anything other than a moan.

When Alejandro pulled his hips back, both boys made slight adjustments so Alejandro would enter on the next pass. A sheen of sweat and remnants of the previous night's exchange of fluids left Mason well prepared for penetration.

Mason's toes curled as he groaned with delightful pleasure. Alejandro dropped his head forward, his forehead resting on the base of Mason's skull. "Oh gawd," he declared, "you are so perfect." The world outside of their passion for each other was forgotten.

The noise from the bedroom next door woke Michael. He rolled over hoping Christian would have awakened too, but no such luck. Michael had fallen asleep the night before while Christian edited videos. The teen stayed up to schedule social media posts of the previous night's performance to Mason's professional social media accounts as well as some to the band's accounts. He also traded video clips with the Foundation's new marketing team. Despite working fast and furiously, Christian still ended up working late into the night and probably wouldn't be up for a while. Michael decided to find a quiet place in the sun to rest and wait for the others to wake up or to join everyone else.

Crawling carefully out of bed, a chill from the morning air caused goosebumps to spring up across Michael's nakedness. He found a throw on the armchair in the bedroom and wrapped it around his bare self. Yawning, he headed down the hallway towards the pool. His bare feet padding lightly across the cool tiled floor. The night before, the pool party had broken up before Elena arrived. He wasn't aware of her arrival after he and Christian headed off to bed.

Elena heard the patio door open. She turned to look to the far end of the pool expecting to see her grandson and was pleasantly surprised to see his best friend. "Buenos días mijo (Good morning, darling)," she said greeting the sleepy boy.

Michael jumped at the unexpected intrusion on his peaceful morning. His left foot landed on the corner of the blanket causing Michael to topple over onto a chaise lounge and pulling the banket from his naked body. "Oof!" he exclaimed landing awkwardly on the comfy cushion. After the moment of shock was over, he realized his exposure and scrambled to reclaim his modesty. Not before, to his embarrassment, Elena got an eyeful of his morning wood and bare bum.

Elena turned away to offer the boy his dignity. She shook her head and thought, 'I guess it isn't only the Diaz men that are horny all the time.' After sufficient time, she turned back to Michael. Reaching out her hand, she said, "Ven, mi amor. (Come, my love.)"

Holding the blanket tightly, Michael went to Elena's side and sat next to her in the lounger right where she patted. She scooted over to make room for the boy, and he accepted the invitation to lie down next to her. "I didn't know you were here," he said, cuddling up next to Elena. The sun felt nice, especially snuggled up next Elena. She'd taken to Michael as a grandson, and he appreciated it wholeheartedly.

"Jacob said I'd just missed you all." She left out running into Mason and Alejandro on her balcony. "That was a wonderful show you and your brothers put on last night. Thank you for being part of the benefit concert. It raised more money than expected."

Michael was pleased to hear that. "You're welcome. And thank you too."

"For what?"

"For including me in the name of the Foundation."

"I'm not the one to thank, Michael. Alejandro decided that himself. I found out when you did."

He was as surprised that Alejandro had taken the initiative to set the name of the Foundation without consulting his family as he was that Alejandro had managed to keep it a secret. "I'm really proud of being part of the Foundation."

"I'm proud of both of you." She put her arm around Michael and gave him a squeeze.

"What's Segovia like?"

"Hasn't Alejandro told you all about his home?"

"Kinda," replied Michael. "But you've lived there a lot longer and know more about its history."

Elena adjusted her position to get more comfortable and set her book aside.

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Mason felt much more relaxed after two orgasms and a shower. If he could only figure out how to start every day in such a grand way. He was going to miss waking up with Alejandro every morning. Alejandro was feeling the same way. They dressed smartly for breakfast from the limited wardrobe they had on hand. Alejandro took Mason's hand and headed to the main living area.

Nervously looking around each corner, Mason kept a watchful eye out for Ms. Diaz. They say you can never make a second first impression, but Mason was going to do his darnedest to break that rule.

"Emanuel!" Alejandro caught sight of the family's butler and followed him into the kitchen dragging Mason behind. Chef Juan was cooking breakfast.

"Master Alejandro!" said the man warmly. "It's so good to see you."

"Emanuel, Chef Juan, this is my boyfriend, Mason Johnson." Alejandro proudly presented Mason to the part-time staff of their Laguna Beach compound. The men welcomed Mason making the nervous blond feel like a million bucks.

"Have you seen abuela?" asked Alejandro.

"I think I spotted her out by the pool," said Emanuel.

"Thanks!" Alejandro, with Mason in hand, headed to the patio. Through the windows looking out over the pool, they didn't see anyone out there. Alejandro slid the door open, and the boys stepped out into the morning sun. Elena's voice drew their attention.

Mason's nerves suddenly forgotten; the boys giggled as they approached. Unbeknownst to their friend, Michael's blanket had ridden up and his bare bottom was exposed to the world giving Alejandro and Mason a nice view.

Elena caught sight of the two boys approaching. She gave Michael a kiss on the forehead before stating, "You better go get some clothes on, Chef Juan should have breakfast ready soon."

"Okay," stated Michael, "thank you for the stories." Still unaware that Mason and Alejandro were right behind him, he was shocked when he felt fingers pinch his bare bottom. "YEOW!"

Mason and Alejandro laughed knowing Michael was more shocked than injured. Alejandro said, "You heard abuela. Cover up that shiny white butt." Mason laughed even harder, surprised Alejandro would talk like that in front of his grandmother.

Michael hopped up and fixed the blanket to cover his behind and gave Alejandro a playful shove before hurrying to wake Christian and get ready for breakfast.

"Abuela, this is my boyfriend, Mason Johnson."

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Diaz," said Mason, offering his hand.

Elena smiled and took Mason's hand. Instead of shaking it, she pulled him down next to her and gave the little blond a tight, side hug. "So, you're the boy that has stolen my Alejandro's heart."

Mason smiled in embarrassment. He replied, "Yes, ma'am."

"Please, call me abuela like Alejandro does."

That made Mason feel warm inside. He smiled and said, "Okay, abuela."

"Please sit with us, Alejandro." She motioned for her grandson to take a seat next to Mason on the chaise. "I'm happy you boys have found each other." She took Alejandro's hand. "You boys know you have a rough road ahead of you. Mason, I watched the concert last night. You are an amazing talent. You are starting to become a celebrity and people will begin to recognize you when you go out in public. And Alejandro, you know being wealthy also causes you to become somewhat of a celebrity too. Mason, people recognize Alejandro when he is in public which is one of the reasons we have Jacob. With success comes hardship. People will be jealous. Instead of seeing you as an example and appreciating your hard work, they will want to tear you down to make you like them. They will want to take away your success, and if that doesn't work, they will want to take away your happiness."

Elena had the boys' full attention. "The most important things are that you are both wonderful boys. You have each other. And you have devoted family and friends. And most of all, you have me. I am here to be your biggest supporter, and I am here to be your greatest defender."

The boys nodded in acceptance. Mason felt disappointment in the realization that people just can't be happy for others. He was saddened but he understood. Alejandro felt his anxiety grow. He knew it wouldn't be long before he was separated from Mason. But his grandmother's talk made him feel like Mason was being thrown to the wolves without him and Jacob to protect the younger boy.

"Señora," said Emmanuel from the patio door, "breakfast will be served." He bowed and entered the house.

"Before we go inside, I want to talk to you about something else. I've watched the men in the Diaz family for many years, and every generation is the same. I can tell when a Diaz man loves, and my grandson loves you deeply, Mason. But do you love him?"

Mason nodded energetically. He was embarrassed to put how he felt into words, especially to an adult, but he felt that this was the moment. This was the test that he must pass and somehow, he knew that Elena would know if he didn't speak the absolute truth. "I've never felt like this before in my entire life. He makes me feel important and special and all tingly inside whenever I look at him or hear his name. I want to be with him all the time and share everything with him." He didn't mention that the sex was the best he'd ever had and that he had plenty of experience to compare it too.

Elena reached out a hand and caressed Mason's cheek. "That sounds like love to me, mijo. But I feel like we need to set some ground rules. Once school starts, you will both be busy. I know you will be able to call and text each other, but I want you two to see each other too. I think for now, once a month is enough. Alejandro, you can fly up to visit you, Mason, or Alejandro, we can fly Mason down to visit you in East Harbor, or wherever we are. Plan wisely, but don't let it affect your schoolwork or your other responsibilities." She kissed Mason on the cheek. "I'm looking forward to getting to know you, Mason. I hope you and your mother come to Spain to visit."

They rose and Elena led the way to breakfast. The boys lagged behind.

"She acted like she knows me and my family," whispered Mason to Alejandro.

"She does," replied Alejandro in an equally quiet manner. "From what I've told her and from Jacob's reports, she probably knows you as well as me and your mom." The look on Mason's face caused Alejandro to laugh.

"After watching us on the balcony last night," stated Mason, "I think she knows me better than my mom."

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"Have a good tennis practice." Michael hugged Christian. Michael was staying in Laguna Beach and attending the benefit dinner that evening while his brothers, Christian, Zach, and Lars were returning to East Harbor.

Everyone said their goodbyes and waved before Alejandro, Mason, and Michael returned to the compound.

"Ready to learn to surf?" asked Alejandro.

Alejandro's smile always made Mason feel like he could do anything. "Okay."

The boys changed into wet suits and grabbed surfboards. At first, Mason left his on shore so Alejandro and Mason could share as the more experienced boy helped the other learn to surf.

Michael caught the first wave. He was still a novice, but he managed to make it in to shore though he didn't earn any style points.

He turned to watch Mason's first attempt. Instead, he rolled his eyes and paddled out to catch another wave. Reaching the point where the waves would break, he sat up on his board and waited for the next wave while Mason and Alejandro sat on the surf board they shared making out.

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"Good night, Jacob," the boys said as they headed off to bed in the Diaz family compound in Laguna Beach. Jacob wished them the same as he went about his nightly security check of the house and property.

"This was a day I'll never forget," sighed Mason as they walked down the hallway toward their bedrooms.

"Are you talking about the surfing or the kissing?" asked Michael.

"BOTH!" replied Mason with a giggle.

They arrived at Alejandro's room which had been used earlier as the fitting room for the tuxedos they wore to the benefit dinner.

"The dinner tonight was amazing," commented Michael, untying his wine-colored bow tie before slipping out of the matching tux jacket.

Mason, decked out in his powder-blue tux with a black bow tie took his jacket off first, then struggled to figure out how to untie the tie.

"Here," offered Alejandro. Mason stood before him; the taller boy looked the blond over one more time. "You look so handsome tonight. I was so proud to have you by my side. It helped me have the confidence to give that speech tonight."

Mason would have sworn he was floating in the air while Alejandro fussed with the bow tie, removing it completely.

"I can't believe the people we met tonight," said Michael, reminding his friends he was still in the room.

Alejandro ignored the comment and leaned in to kiss Mason. Eventually, they came up for air. Michael was already down to his socks and undies.

The kissing boys broke away and smiled at each other. A knowing look passed between them.

"Who do you remember meeting tonight?" asked Alejandro.

"Bill and Melinda Gates, George Clooney, oh," Michael said enthusiastically turning to Mason, "I'm so excited you got to meet our friend Johnathan Daniel from Crush Music. Did he tell you he watched the benefit show and loved your performance?"

"Yeah, that was cool. How do you know him again?" All the people and events from the past couple weeks were still swirling in Mason's head. It wasn't even two weeks since the Yard Goats won the SoCal BaseBrawl yet it seemed like ages.

"Crush Music manages Green Day, Weezer, Fall Out Boy, Panic! At the Disco, Sia, Miley Cyrus, and a bunch of other bands. Johnathan is who put us on the Panic! tour in Europe. He's a really good guy and comes through on his word."

"He also donated a shit load of money tonight. I guess he talked to the bands he manages, and they all contributed," added Alejandro.

"I think everyone donated a shit load of money," noted Mason from his perspective. "I lost count of how much money was made."

"I did too," admitted Michael. "Between the concert and the dinner, I think the Foundation did pretty well."

"It did. Abuela said it was beyond expectations, but we won't have final numbers until Tuesday. We couldn't have done it without you guys. Thanks." He hugged each of his friends and whispered something in Mason's ear.

Mason gave Michael a hug and guided Michael backwards. Michael wondered what Mason was up to but went along with it until he bumped into Alejandro's knees. Alejandro's hands grabbed the waistband of Michael's green boxer briefs and slid them down, leaving Michael in only his socks.

Before Michael could question, Mason's lips met his and a hand took Michael by the hip and guided him backwards. Michael trusted his friends and gave himself to the experience. Kicking his feet free of his underwear, he stepped back straddling Alejandro's legs. Getting an idea of what was happening, when the hand on his hip pulled him down, he arched his back and presented his target to help Alejandro aim his weapon.

Sliding down onto Alejandro's slicked up member, Michael's own weapon leapt to attention almost instantly. He moaned with pleasure into Mason's mouth as his firm, athletic ass pressed into Alejandro's small, but manly pubic bush.

Mason pulled back and smiled for his part in this surprise. "We wanted to thank you for bringing us together." The little blond dropped to his knees and did what he does best.

"OH, MY GAWD!" squeaked Michael. Mason's assault on his cock and balls caused Michael to twitch and spasm. Each involuntary movement caused Alejandro's cock to move inside Michael causing Michael to twitch and spasm even more.

Alejandro rubbed both hands up and down Michael's back. Parting his own knees caused Michael's legs to spread even wider. It left Michael more exposed and vulnerable to Mason's talented mouth. Mason appreciated the extra room to work.

Michael clasped both hands behind Mason's head and held on for dear life. Bucking his hips to feed Mason more of his hard, fat, four inches of cock, Michael fucked himself on Alejandro's iron-hard rod.

To prolong Michael's pleasure, Mason, in his lust-filled haze, moved lower. First sucking on Michael's taut scrotum, then licking down to where his boyfriend's cock entered his new BFF's hole.

When Mason went lower, Alejandro cried out, "Oh shit, Mason. I love it when you suck my balls like that."

Eventually, Mason worked his way back up and took Michael to the base again. This time, Alejandro was moving his hips too. Michael found the right angle with his pelvis to ensure Alejandro's cock abused the bottom boy's prostate.

In ecstasy, Michael yelled as his body convulsed and fed Mason one of the biggest loads the younger boy had ever produced.

When Jacob headed to bed, the house seemed eerily quiet, especially with three horny gay boys in the house. He couldn't imagine the boys had finished already. He'd only heard what he deduced to be Michael earlier. Cracking the door open and peaking in, he saw Michael on his back in a 69 with Mason over him. Alejandro was on his knees plugging away at Mason's hole.

The opening of the door drew Alejandro's attention. The boy looked up and made eye contact with Jacob. Knowing Jacob was watching enflamed Alejandro's lust for Mason, as well as for the man with the prying eyes. The way Alejandro lustfully stared into the Jacob's eyes as he pounded Mason harder and faster didn't allow the man to break eye contact and turn away. The man nearly lost a load in his pants when he heard Michael begin to gulp and swallow while Mason moaned and groaned around the tool filling his mouth. Still, Alejandro didn't break eye contact with Jacob. Not even when he grunted and unloaded into Mason's bottom.

It was the hottest thing Jacob had ever witnessed. He couldn't hold off any longer. Jacob shut the bedroom door and adjusted himself so he could walk somewhat comfortably to his room to take care of urgent business.

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MONDAY, AUGUST 10

It was another long drive to LA and the two youngest on the trip, Michael and Mason, had staked out the rear seat of the SUV for themselves. Now that they were best of buddies, it was expected to find them huddled up chatting or working on something privately.

"I don't know how you talked me into doing this," said Mason pulling a small Saberspace notebook from his backpack. A matching ballpoint pen clipped to the spiral binding.

"You didn't put up much of an argument when I offered the challenge. Besides, I have complete faith that you can do this, and all your favorite singers write their own songs."

Mason sighed and nodded in agreement. He turned to the pages where he had scribbled lyrics and had scratched most of them out.

"What do you have so far?" asked Michael.

"Nothing good." He handed the lyric fragments to Michael to read.

"Wow," said Michael under his breath as he read the dark, emotional lyrics. It was really just phrases here and there around the page in somewhat of an order, but it was enough for Michael to thread together and discern their meaning. "Is this how you feel?"

Mason was embarrassed and turned to look out the window for a moment. Turning back, but only far enough to count the stitches on the back of the seat in front of him, Mason answered. "Yeah. Sometimes. But that's not really what it's about. I wanted to write a song to Aiden. Sometimes I don't feel like I'm a very good friend to him. He has a dark side that he tries to hide from everyone. Things get into his head, and he has trouble shutting them out and they get to him sometimes. Sometimes really badly. When it happens, he pushes people away so he can have the space he needs to work through it. I want to be there to help him, but I do as he says. This song is a way for me to let him know I know how he feels because I feel that way too, sometimes."

Michael hugged Mason. He was surprised at the depth of what Mason wanted to communicate through his music and wanted to help Mason make the song a reality. "He's really lucky to have a friend like you, Mason."

It was hard for Mason to believe. He always felt he was lucky that Aiden and the other guys would let him tag along. Mason didn't really believe that Aiden and the other Yard Goats benefited from his friendship.

Their attention turned back to the lyrics. "See this phrase here. You're talking about hitting something and this phrase here, 'I see someone but not somebody' could be referring to a mirror. So, what if you're hitting a mirror, these phases go together, and you have part of a verse."

"Okay." Mason's tongue peaked from the corner of his lips as he scratched out the lyrics on a new sheet. Then he thought about what to add in between. "If I hit a mirror, it's gonna break and have all those cracks all over."

"Remember, you don't have to be so literal. If you talk about hitting something and then describe the cracks in the mirror, it is obvious you hit the mirror." Mason made a note to come back to that.

Michael pointed to another part. "This looks like the chorus, but this part here looks like it could be a pre-chorus. You know, that part of a song that is used to lead into the chorus or connect each verse to the chorus."

Mason rearranged the phrase on the fresh page. "What if I repeat this line and end it like this."

"Yeah," said Michael enthusiastically, "exactly like that."

By the time they arrived at the studio, they had worked out a rough sketch of the lyrics and melody of Mason's first song writing attempt.

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Matthew sat down at the grand piano and adjusted the bench. A smile cracked the stoic look on his face when he had a "what the hell am I doing" moment. He adjusted the microphone and the murmur from the audience quieted. Matthew knew he wasn't the piano player Michael was. Not even the keyboard player Lukas, Mason, Zach, or even Simon, for that matter. But it wasn't like he didn't know how to play. Now, here he was committed to doing this. He was here more to honor his teammates who got him the audition than a need to win the competition.

He glanced into the audience and gave a nod to his teammates. They sat together nervously. The last time he'd seen those guys so anxious, it was extra innings, and the Force was at bat down a run with two outs.

His eyes flicked over to the judges' chairs, each turned away. Adam, Pharrell, Gwen, and Blake. Part of him hoped they wouldn't turn around and this experience would end here. He wanted school to start and to get back to a normal life...whatever that means these days. But deep down, Matthew was competitive. Very competitive. He was going to give 100% every performance and would be disappointed if he didn't win.

The piano arrangement for Nothing But Thieves "Particles" was simple chords mostly between the vocals, not during. But he picked his song to show off his vocals, particularly his clear, strong falsetto and his ability to seamlessly transition between it and his natural voice.

Behind him, off the stage in the waiting area, watched his family. Carol, Lars, Zach, his brothers, and Mason awaited on pins and needles.

D, D, Bm, began the opening chords to the song. Mason took Michael's hand. The younger boy was actually vibrating with pride and excitement.

Been like a year since I've been home
Flirting with an addiction, I can't shake off
My mouth is dry, I self-medicate
This comedown won't cure itself

Out of eyeshot of Matthew or the gang, the judges were giving each other looks, hands over buzzers.

"Oh, my gawd!" mouthed Gwen to Adam.

Adam silently replied, "I know."

Pharrell had his eyes closed enjoying the performance and Blake simply shook his head. He knew this contestant might be a challenger to win it all and as a country singer, there was nearly a zero probability that he would choose Blake as his vocal coach.

It's driving you away
It's driving you away
Piece by piece
Day by day

The moment the judges were waiting for had arrived. The chorus began with a high A, A#, B, then a high D.

Baby
Tell me if I'm being strange

The moment Matthew sang 'Tell' nailing the high D, the four judges smashed their buttons and turned their chairs. Both Mason and Michael bounced in place with excitement, covering their mouths to ensure they didn't make a noise. Carol wiped tears from her eyes.

The song ended and the crowd and judges gave Matthew a standing ovation. The Force players yelled the loudest, but Matthew heard his little brother's voice above them all. Michael cheered as tears of pride streamed down his face. Mason hugged Michael but didn't stop cheering for his idol.

Matthew modestly thanked the audience and moved to the microphone downstage to speak to the judges.

"Dude," began Adam. "Your falsetto is insane! I couldn't detect where your range changes were. Where do you switch?"

Matthew smiled a cheeky grin. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

The other judges razzed Adam and the audience laughed.

Blake interjected himself. "Now I know you are probably going to pick Adam as your coach. I mean, your voice and your singing styles are so similar, it only makes sense. But anyone who can pull a zinger on Adam like that is welcome on my team any day."

More laughter.

"Matthew," said Pharrell, "you truly have a gift. What genre of music do you usually perform?"

"Alt rock, mostly. I've written a couple ballads, but we mostly play rock songs."

"We?" asked Gwen.

"My brothers and I have a band." Matthew turned and motioned towards his family. The camera caught them waving to Matthew. Michael, however, took that as an invitation to join his big bro on stage. In a full-on sprint, Michael ran out on stage and grabbed Matthew into a huge hug.

"Aww," said Gwen, "who's this?"

Michael let go with one arm and faced the judges, wiping his face.

"This is my little brother, Michael."

"Bring the rest of your brothers out here," said Adam, waving for them to join. Lukas and Simon walked out on stage. "You too," ordered Adam, pointing to Mason. Mason raised his hands to protest, but Lars gave him a gentle shove. Mason joined his friends downstage. He couldn't believe he was standing there in front of music royalty.

"I knew it!" cried out Gwen. Then she started singing and the other judges and crowd joined in. "You found me buried in my fears. So, you wiped away my tears. You found me cold and all alone. You took me into your home. I was living life in black and white. Then you brought color to my life. When you found me! When you found me!"

Michael smiled with pride in himself as they sang his song. The song he wrote.

When they finished the chorus to "Lost and Found," Gwen addressed everyone. "I love that song and my kids love you guys."

Pharrell was catching on. "You guys are At the Majestic?"

The boys nodded their heads. Matthew lifted the mic. "Yeah, you've met Michael. This is Lukas, Simon, Zach is over there with our dad, and this is Mason Johnson. He's kind of a new, part-time member of the band."

That introduction surprised Mason, but he too smiled with pride being introduced as a sometimes member of the band. This day was blowing his mind, and it was about to get even better.

"Nice to meet you boys," said Blake. "It sounds like you have some fans in the audience." The fans of the boys cheered to let Blake know he was correct.

Pharrell looked over at Gwen. "And on the judges panel."

"You know what?" said Adam. "Before you pick a team to join. Why don't you and your brothers play a song for us. Show us what you can do vocally on a rock song."

Michael pulled on Matthew's arm until Matthew leaned down. Michael whispered something in his ear and Matthew nodded in agreement. Michael turned to Mason and his brothers to fill them in, and they waved Zach onto stage. Mason was frozen in his tracks and when he didn't follow the band members to the back of the stage to borrow instruments from the show's band, Michael returned and grabbed him by the hand and pulled him along.

Michael picked out the right guitars for the song, equipping Mason with a Fender similar to what the blond had been practicing on back in East Harbor. "You've played this song with us dozens of time by now. This will be just like playing on the stage at the theater." The sound tech helped them with ear monitors before they found places on stage with Lukas behind the drum kit down in the orchestra pit with the show's band. He counted off and the band played "Wake Up Call," another Nothing But Thieves song. After a few bars in, Mason was comfortable and having a good time. He joined his friends in moving around the stage and rocking out on the song. They put as much into this performance as they had in London at the O2. They put on quite a show for the judges, the studio audience, and maybe even the 14 million television viewers if this song made the cut for one of the blind audition episodes.

The song was a great selection. It showed off Matthew's vocal range even better. Where "Particles" hits D5, "Wake Up Call" took him up to an E5, while allowing him to show the power in his voice opposed to the gentle ballad of the first song.

Again, the judges rose to their feet to show their appreciation as the crowd made loads of noise.

Matthew returned to the spot on the stage marked for contestants to stand as the boys returned their instruments to the band members.

"You NEED to be on my team!" pled Gwen. "I know we can win this together."

"You're just trying to make Blake jealous by working with a hot, young guy," laughed Adam. "If you wanna win," he explained, "you need to be on my team." Pharrell just rolled his eyes and let the battle of the judges begin. "I know how to work with a voice like yours...a voice like mine. Com'on, we were made to work together."

Blake coughed to draw Matthew's attention. "I know this is a long shot, but I think we need to set some facts straight. The judge on this stage with the most wins is yours truly. So, if you really wanna win, it's with this guy." He pointed to himself to make sure there was no mistake who he was referring to.

"It's time, Matthew," announced Adam. "Which judge are you gonna pick?"

Matthew looked apprehensive looking at each of the judges. "I choose..." He paused like the producers asked him to. "...Adam."

Meeting his family backstage, Matthew simply smiled and shared hugs with everyone as they waited for the producer to join them.

"Well done, Matthew," the man said, handing Matthew the documents he would have to review and sign before the live shows.

Mason spoke up. "When will Matthew's audition air?"

The producer turned to Mason and checked the dates on his schedule. "Well, his audition will air September 21st. You and the rest of the band should tune in because I can almost guarantee that number you played will be part of the episode." Mason smiled at that news. "Then it looks like the live shows will start in October with the Battles. Those will be October 12th, 13th, 19th, and the 20th. The coaches will decide the Battles and then we'll decide who is on which show. Be certain to read over everything, especially the schedules to come in and work with the coaches and prepare for your battle. Good luck."

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 11

"Welcome back to New Music Tuesday with me, Rick Cox, your drive time voice on 94.9 KBZT. I've been telling you to tune in for today's show because we have a special guest here to drop a new tune on you. We're livestreaming on our Facebook Live channel so you can see our guest artist performing live -- not one, not two, but three songs for us. Before they drop a new song on us, they're first going to start off with their single that's been on Billboard's Hot 100 all summer. Here is, At the Majestic with 'Lost and Found.'"

The boys were in the studio ready to go. Lukas clicked off the beat and they jumped right into the song. The joy they felt every time they played this song shone in the smiles on their faces and was broadcast to the thousands of listeners in the San Diego market and whoever else was watching the stream. Mason also had grown to love the song. He stood beside Michael singing backup vocals with the rest of the band.

The song ended and Rick engaged with the band. "Welcome to the show boys. You sound fantastic and I absolutely love that song. I can't believe everything that's happened since you were here in March."

"Yeah, thanks Rick. It has been crazy," said Lukas, speaking for the band.

"Crazy is an understatement, Lukas. For listeners who don't remember, At the Majestic joined us on our local talent show. Since then, they've opened for Green Day and Weezer at Dodger Stadium and opened for Panic! At the Disco on the final leg of the European Tour. They've charted a single that's still increasing radio airplay and has maintained its position on the Billboard charts for months. Now they're back with us today, only five months later, to share their new single, dropping today, and to announce their new album. That would be quite a list of accomplishments for a band that's been at it for years. But your one year anniversary is next month! Congratulations on all that hard work and the success you've earned. Now, before we get to the music, I have to know something. Rumor has it, you even met the Queen. Is that true?"

The boys laughed and deferred to Michael to tell the story.

Mason was all ears. This was one of the At the Majestic stories he wanted to know more about but hadn't asked. It occurred to him that he was with the band, not just listening to this on the radio. His heart fluttered. He looked over at Mr. Richards who'd tagged along to see Mason perform before heading back to Mayfield. The man could see the excitement on his student's face and gave Mason a reassuring smile. Mason turned back to Michael with rapt attention.

"Yeah," said Michael with a huge smile, "we did meet Her Majesty. She was super nice, too. We actually had tea with Queen Elizabeth. It was planned that she was going to simply meet with us to apologize for the...uh...incident, but when she found out we were friends with Alejandro Diaz, she is friends of his grandmother, she had us come for tea."

Mason practically had to pick his jaw up off the floor. His boyfriend's family were friends of the Queen of England. Royalty. He knew Alejandro was rich, but never even thought about the implications like knowing world leaders. This was almost too much for Mason to comprehend.

Michael continued, "Her favorite sandwiches are cream cheese and smoked salmon. She also really likes mini scones with a dab of clotted cream and strawberry preserves."

"Wow! That is some story. In addition to playing London, which other cities did you perform in?"

Simon answered, "Let's see, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Paris, and then London. It was really awesome to see so many European cities in such a short trip."

"Now it appears you have a new band member?"

"Rick," said Matthew stepping forward and putting his arm around Mason, "this is Mason Johnson. He's one of the new Majestic Records recording artists."

"Are you also from East Harbor?" asked Rick.

"No, sir. I'm from Mayfield, Washington. Home of the Yard Goats!"

Rick looked puzzled. "What's a Yard Goat?"

"Google it!" said the boys in unison, then laughed.

Michael turned their attention back to the matter at hand. "Mason was all over our social media and we found he was posting videos of himself singing. We just had to meet him in person."

"Do you have some new music coming, Mason?"

"Yes, I have a single coming out today, just like the band does."

Lukas was antsy to get to playing again. "That's why we brought Mason with us. We wanted to drop two new singles for your listeners today. The first one is Mason's first single from his album. You want us to play it now?" Still with his drumstick in hand, Mason gave Rick a big smile and thumbs up to encourage the DJ.

"We'll hear the new single by Mason Johnson, right after this commercial break."

The "ON AIR" sign went dark. "Okay boys, we've got a three-minute break, and we'll have you lead in with the song. No introduction."

"Thanks, Rick," replied Zach as the boys changed their gear to prepare for the next song.

Mason, however, pulled out his phone to send some text messages.

The first was to his Yard Goats group text.

Mason: Just gave the YG a shoutout on KBZT radio
Mason: Gonna sing now
Mason: Wish me luck

Next he texted Alejandro.

Mason: Abuela is friends with the queen? Rly
Mason: Time to sing

Mason took the final minute to warm up his vocal chords again and connect with the band. Instead of the typical keyboard intro, the boys had changed the song to be more guitar focused. The "On Air" sign lit and Michael played intro to "Never Can Say Goodbye" on his guitar.

The band knew Mason sang the song better and better every time they performed it. The radio performance continued the streak. Mason thought about his first love, Alejandro, and found a depth in his emotions he didn't know he had. He poured it all into his vocals. Mr. Richards smiled as his little star had his moment. But in the back of his mind, Mr. Richards realized that he had his work cut out for him. It was his foremost obligation to continue to grow Mason's skills as a singer. To do that, Mr. Richards was going to need to up his own game. He began to make mental notes of colleagues to contact for feedback and advice for how to work with Mason and how to be a better coach for a boy with this talent, and now growing professional career. Mr. Richards' greatest fear was letting Mason down.

Rick didn't care that the song didn't fit the typical platform his listeners typically preferred. Mason was another young talent that he was getting to "introduce" to the world. He grimaced at the flashback to the unkind words he'd originally spouted about his producer bringing Hanson into his studio.

Mason, taking a note from Michael's playbook, looked into the streaming camera and sang the most powerful part of the song. Stomping his foot and singing with his whole body, he drew the streaming audience into his performance. He took the silver chain between his fingers (he hadn't removed it since Alejandro had given it to him at the Hollywood Bowl) and flashed it at the camera. It was his secret sign to Alejandro that he loved him.

"That was incredible, boys," said Rick, continuing his show at the end of the song. "Mason, are you planning to pursue a recording career beyond this first album?"

"Yes," replied Mason. He always took a more formal tone when speaking to people "in the industry." "I'd like to model my career after Brendon Urie. To have a music career in pop music and a stage career on Broadway."

"That's ambitious. Either career is hard to build. Do you think you have what it takes?"

"I don't know," said Mason, "but I sure am gonna do my best and work hard to make it come true."

"Mason, with Majestic Records behind you, I think you're on the right track. Now that was a pretty bold move for you to record the classic 'Never Can Say Goodbye' by the Jackson Five. I mean, taking on one of Michael Jackson's most famous songs as your first single...that takes some big kahunas."

The boys laughed, but let Mason continued to take center stage. "Well, to be honest, I don't think I'd ever heard the song before my producer suggested it. But when he suggested it and I heard it, well, what better way to make a splash than remaking a classic?"

'Good one, Mason!' thought Zach. He was really proud of the way Mason was handling the interview and thinking on his feet. So was the rest of the band, as well as Mason's mother who was watching the stream with some of her co-workers.

"Mason, I think you're right. Now, we're only going to have one more segment and that's when we'll hear this other song you guys were teasing before we went on the air. Set this song up before we have to go to another break."

Matthew took the lead. "Well, we originally thought this song would feature Lukas, but he liked the drum part too much to not play it when we play live, and he doesn't like singing lead and drumming on the same song. Then we thought we'd all take different parts of the lead vocals and sing it as a group, but after adjusting the vocals to everyone's range, the song just didn't have the same feel. Our producer then thought this would be a great song for Mason and Michael to sing as a duet, but that didn't work either."

"A duet between Michael and Mason would be great. Why didn't that work?" asked Rick.

Michael clarified, "The vocals kept going right into the notes between my full voice and falsetto and I just couldn't do it. But Matthew can." He looked to his brother to continue.

"That's how the song became a duet between me and Mason. Officially, it's At the Majestic featuring Mason Johnson and the song's called 'Do You Love Me Yet?'"

"The world premiere of 'Do You Love Me Yet?' by At the Majestic featuring Mason Johnson is coming up right after these messages."

The "On Air" sign darkened before Rick continued. "I'm really looking forward to this. You boys never disappoint."

Simon set up a new set of pedals and Zach checked out the settings on his keyboards. The song was heavy synthesizer and the most challenging song in the band's repertoire. That's why he wasn't opposed to using some backing tracks to make his job easier.

The boys were wrapping up when the producer announced they were back on in "10."

When the sign lit, Rick said, "Now for the world premiere of 'Do You Love Me Yet?' by At the Majestic featurung the uber talented Mason Johnson."

Zach started the song with the slow synth chords before Simon set the tempo. The song had much more of a dance flare than most of the band's music.

Mason was beyond excited about performing with the boy he considered to be the best singer he'd ever met. He and Matthew couldn't NOT dance to the song's intro before Mason started off the vocals.

Mason:
Another Zero to sell the earth
Negotiate with the universe
To gain some extra privilege
And make your God in my image

Matthew:
Hollywood chic, drink my pride
And I'll be flavour of the week, I'll get inside
Pick up the award for Best Rock Act
Apart from that
And that, and that, and that

Do you love me yet?

Mason: I'll make myself a fool for you

Do you love me yet?

Mason: Just tell me what I've gotta do

Do you love me yet?

Matthew:
Do you promise I'll be hitting it soon?
Oh, if I can stop fucking around, I'll be worth a fortune

Do you love me yet?

Mason:
Exploit a fan base and call it love
Be controversial but just enough (ah)
It sounds kinda like ELO
Get sued but you'll meet a hero, hey

Matthew:
Holding me up like I'm divine
Before the culture takes a turn, eats me alive
Pick up the award for Best Dropped Act
Apart from that
And that, and that, and that

Do you love me yet?

Mason: I'll make myself a fool for you

Do you love me yet?

Mason: Just tell me what I've gotta do

Do you love me yet?

Matthew: Do you promise I'll be hitting it soon?
Oh, if I can stop fucking around, I'll be worth a fortune
Yeah, if I stop fucking around, I'll be worth a fortune

Do you love me yet?

Mason: Oh oh...
Let me in the world above
If there's nothing of me, if there's nothing of me
What's left when I'm gone?
Yeah, life just isn't long enough
Don't stop, give it to me, don't stop, give it to me
I want it all, ah

[musical interlude]

Do you love me yet?

Mason: I'll make myself a fool for you

Do you love me yet?

Mason: Just tell me what I've gotta do

Do you love me yet?

Matthew: Do you promise I'll be hitting it soon?
Oh, if I can stop fucking around, I'll be worth a fortune
Yeah, if I stop fucking around, I'll be worth a fortune

Do you love me yet?

Matthew: Oh, yeah

Michael's guitar solo ended the song.

While the boys sang "Do You Love Me Yet?" up in Washington...

"I can't believe that was Mason," said one of Mrs. Johnson's co-workers. She didn't pay attention to who said it. She was nearly in tears from being filled to the brim with pride.

Another co-worker walked by and looked over her shoulder. "Wait. Is that Mason? Is he singing with that band...um...At the Majestic or something? My daughter loves that band. She even ordered some merchandise off their website."

Others joined to watch the performance and were excited to support Mason, and his mom, on their journey.

Back in the KBZT 94.9 studios...

"Wow! I mean, wow! If you aren't watching the livestream, you are really missing out. That was Mason Johnson and Matthew Meijer singing the new At the Majestic single 'Do You Love Me Yet?' The single dropped today on all streaming services. Boys, those harmonies were tight. And Mason, Matthew, the two of you sound incredible together. You're telling me that wasn't planned from the beginning for this song?"

"Nah," replied Matthew. "I think I was the last band member to try the vocals. AJ, our producer, was right that this was a great vehicle to show off Mason's voice, but it was a last-minute thing to put me with Mason and it was like it was meant to be. Right, Mason?"

"Yeah. Since I discovered At the Majestic online, I've really looked up to Matthew and wanted to sing like him. I never imagined I'd get to sing with him. And when we did and played it back, I was like, WOW!" Mason blushed so hard it was picked up by the camera for the live feed. He felt like he stumbled over his words and sounded silly, and was embarrassed he admitted how much he idolized Matthew right in front of the teen.

Rick heard his producer chirping in his ear and gave the guys a look telling him he heard and can shut up now. "We're about out of time boys, any last word?"

"Yeah!" said Michael. "Mason's new single dropped today too. Go stream 'Never Can Say Goodbye' now and tell your friends!"

Lukas, of course, wouldn't let an opportunity like this pass him by, "For all you drummers out there, go out to my YouTube channel for tips, tricks, and some fun riffs from me and Tony, my drum tech, sponsored by SJC!"

Mason had memorized his promotion and added, "For all of you middle schoolers, we're going to be recording the music video for 'Never Can Say Goodbye' this Monday at the Majestic Theater in East Harbor. Contact Majestic Music for details."

Simon added, "And for all of our friends in East Harbor, after the video shoot Monday, we're going to have a 'Back-to-School' show, free for all East Harbor students. Just bring your student IDs!"

"That's it for today's show," said Rick. "Until tomorrow..."

----------------------     

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12

"That's totally awesome," said Mason, the first to react to AJ's playback of the latest At the Majestic recording. The band's producer finished the cut earlier that morning.

The band members were congratulating each other on another fine effort.

"Mom's going to love it," said Matthew giving Simon a hug.

"Thanks." Simon was a bit emotional. When Simon and Lukas dug through the attic to find clothes for Alejandro when he first entered their lives, they found a box of Stephen Novak's things. It took Simon a while before he dared dig into the box, but it turned out to be a goldmine. Recordings and demos of songs he'd written and several notebooks of lyrics and notes. The lyrics to a song titled "Million and One" were scribbled out in one of the books. Piecing together the few things that had dates, Lukas figured the lyrics were written about the time Stephen was giving up his rock'n'roll lifestyle, the drugs and partying, to be with Carol. They never found a demo of the song, so Simon finally decided to put the lyrics to music.

"When we are gonna let mom hear this?" asked Michael.

"She's coming up to LA Saturday. Maybe we can play it after the film's premiere?"

"YEAH!" cheered Mason agreement. He enjoyed playing the keyboard part and singing backup vocals on the song and knew he wouldn't have many more opportunities to perform it with the band.

"Mom will be so surprised," added Lukas, "she's going to love it."

"Well done boys," congratulated AJ through the intercom system. The boys turned to AJ and gave him a thumbs up through the window into the control room. "Now I hate to break up the party but Mason isn't going to be here much longer and he's been working on a song of his own that I think we should get recorded."

Mason was very nervous about sharing his lyrics with anyone other than Michael. "Well...um...I only have some lyrics. I don't have a melody or anything yet."

Michael bit his tongue and let Mason lead the way. AJ didn't. "Mason, instead of showing them the lyrics, sing the part you already have worked out. That chorus and interlude you were singing earlier."

"Alright," said Mason nervously. He closed his eyes and moved to get the feel of the song before he started singing.

I can't wait forever
'Cause I don't have the time left to spend
Wishing I was someone better
Wishing I could start all over again

I hear trouble coming
I hear trouble coming
I hear trouble coming
Over and over again

I hear trouble coming
I hear trouble coming
I hear trouble coming
Over and over again*

"Dude! That's intense," said Lukas. "I didn't expect that from you. I love it!"

"Are you thinking of something kinda dark and dirty?" asked Simon picking up his bass. He stepped on a couple pedals and adjusted the knobs before he played a riff. "That's what your lyrics made me feel."

Michael picked up a Fender and plugged it in. "Play that again." When Simon thumbed out the bass line he played before, Michael layered on a complimentary guitar part.

The music sent a shiver up Mason's spine. He rubbed away the goosebumps on his arms. "That sounds awesome. I always imagined I would write a ballad or something, but Michael told me to just write lyrics that told the story, and the music would come later."

"What are the rest of the lyrics?" asked Matthew. The band had moved on from their last recording and were now totally invested in bringing Mason's song to life.

----------------------     

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14

Two long days in the recording studio allowed the boys to wrap up their recording of Mason's song "Trouble's Coming" early on the third day, Friday. With an early start to their Saturday, the boys called it a day. That allowed the boys to have the late afternoon and evening off to themselves.

Matthew drove his brothers to San Marcos to hit the mall for some school shopping. Meanwhile, Alejandro had planned a date night for him and his beau, Mason.

They climbed in Jacob's new, East Harbor work vehicle, a Mauritius blue Range Rover Evoque, and headed up to the house at the end of Deeb Court.

"I still can't believe this is your house," reiterated Mason.

Alejandro almost laughed. Mason had said the same thing other times he'd seen the house. But he understood. Before he hid in the Meijer's van and stowed away to East Harbor, he would have said the same thing about Mason's modest home. Alejandro smiled even bigger when he thought about what Mason's reaction would be when he visits the Diaz family home in Segovia.

Mason's brow furrowed. He looked around at the other vehicles parked outside the home. None looked fancy enough for abuela to be here for a visit. He expected the three of them to be here alone for the evening. "Who's here?"

"Emanuel and Chef Juan," stated Jacob. He parked the SUV and the boys exited and headed into the house to see the Diaz staff members. They found Emanuel helping Chef Juan in the kitchen.

"Masters Alejandro and Mason," said Emanuel. He dropped the knife he was using and wiped his hands as he walked over to greet the boys properly. "You are home early."

"Mason finished early at the studio," explained Alejandro. He handed Mason's suitcase to Emanuel before the man took the bag Mason carried.

"I will take these up to your room. Dinner will be served on schedule."

"Thank you, Emanuel," said Alejandro. He turned to Mason and noticed his discomfort. "I know. I'm still not used to it. But it's okay. It's his job. And abuela says that being uncomfortable with having staff means you'll treat them friendly and not as servants. She says that's the way it should be."

"I like your abuela." Mason's bright smile returned to his face.

"Don't let her hear you say that," joked Alejandro. "She's OUR abuela."

That made Mason feel warm inside. That morning he'd been speaking to Michael as they packed his bags to go stay with Alejandro for the rest of this trip. Michael pointed out that Mason had been in California for nearly the entire time since the Yard Goats arrived for the SoCal BaseBrawl in July. Nearly three weeks had passed. Mason was surprised he wasn't homesick. Between the two boys, they figured keeping busy with recording and performing and finding a boyfriend were terrific remedies to prevent homesickness.

Mason knew it was more than that. It wasn't that long ago the only people he could count on were adults--and even some of them weren't trustworthy. Mason had his mother and a few trusted adults. Then Aiden Miller moved to Mayfield and turned his world upside down and inside out. Now Mason had friends, played sports, and most importantly, Mason had other families that treated him as one of their own. Phil and Larry treat him like a son. So do Lars, Zach, and Carol. And now the Diaz family had taken to him, too. Well, at least Elena and Alejandro had. Everyone else he'd met so far was an employee of the family, but they treated him wonderfully and he loved them all for it.

Despite all the love and recent successes he'd found in his life, the voices telling him he was a fraud and worthless were getting louder. That's why writing "Trouble's Coming" came easier than he expected. Day by day he understood Aiden's dilemma more intimately.

What he hadn't told anyone, not even Alejandro, was his fear of returning home. He missed his mother and Aiden and everyone. He missed them terribly. But returning to Mayfield he was going to be leaving behind the safety of the little bubble he'd been living in. He understood from his conversations with Dr. Meijer and Zach that the bullies he faced in the past would probably be very jealous of his success. They may want to put Mason in his place just because others value him and his talents. The bullies would fear being left behind in their miserable lives and don't want anyone to succeed where they may fail.

"Success won't make your life easier, Mason," warned Lars. "You may be better off financially, but it also sets you up as a bigger target. You'll have people who want to be your friend because they want something from you--money, career connections, publicity. Others will want to take you down. They will be jealous of your talents, your career success, your financial success, your personal successes. They will want to take it away from you to make you feel as miserable as they feel. When you return home, be careful. Stay close to your friends. Talk about how you are feeling and what people are doing. You've got your mom. You've got Coach Sanders and Coach Miller. And you can always call me, or Zach, or Carol."

What Mason knew for sure was he had Aiden and Alejandro in his corner. He smiled at his boyfriend and took the offered hand. The boys headed up the stairs to Alejandro's suite. They passed Emanuel who was heading back to the kitchen to lend a hand to Chef Juan.

"I think you'd like Aiden's bedroom, but I think even Aiden would think you had the coolest bedroom in the world."

The compliment made Alejandro embarrassed of his wealth. But he also agreed. He never imagined having a cool bedroom, let alone a huge bedroom, massive master bathroom, and a bonus room all to himself. Jacob was a major reason why the bedroom was so cool. Jacob encouraged (strongly) Alejandro to spend his money and deck out the room with everything he could imagine. That was something Alejandro was very hesitant to do.

Alejandro took Mason by the hand through the bonus room out onto the balcony overlooking the backyard. They could see the Pacific in the distance. "Did Emanuel and Chef Juan move here to take care of you?" asked Mason.

"No," said Alejandro. He wrapped his arms around Mason and held the boy tightly as they gazed at the view to the west. "I invited them down to help make a special evening for us. I thought we'd swim and enjoy the sun until dinner. Emanuel will set the table down there and we'll have a nice dinner outside." Mason looked to where Alejandro pointed and saw a table being prepared where the sidewalk turned towards the pool and hot tub.

"That sounds nice," cooed Mason. Alejadro went to release his hold so the boys could go back inside and get into some swimwear, but Mason held his arms in place. He wasn't ready to let this moment go.

----------------------     

Emanuel cleared his throat. "Masters Alejandro and Mason, dinner is served."

The boys pulled their lips apart and looked up from the hot tub to see Emanuel looking away to preserve the boys' privacy.

"Thank you, Emanuel. We'll be right there," said Alejandro.

Emanuel retreated to the house quickly and the boys giggled at his embarrassment. They suspected it wouldn't be the last time staff caught them making out or more. Especially after being caught by Elena. Mason got up off Alejandro's lap before they climbed from the hot tub and dried off. Wrapping towels around their waists, the boys took their seats for dinner. Emanuel brought out a pitcher of iced water and poured a glass for each boy, then poured a flute of sparkling white grape juice placing the bottle on ice. He returned with a folding stand on which a trailing Chef Juan placed a large silver platter. Dramatically lifting the lid, the Chef's reveal caused both boys to gasp.

"This evening, Master Alejandro, I have prepared for you and Master Mason a special culinary experience. For you sides tonight, I have made Master Mason's favorite mashed potatoes and a special spinach and asparagus sauté with peppers, onions, bacon, and garlic. I also baked a fresh batch of Master Alejandro's favorite dinner rolls. For your entrees, I made a special surf and turf. We have filet mignon and crab legs."

The men served the boys before conducting a class on how to crack and eat crab legs, a new and fun experience for the boys. The boys laughed as they made a mess learning this new skill. However, once they tasted the fruits of their labor, they took the lesson more seriously and quickly became proficient at extracting the delicious morsels.

When the men were satisfied the boys had things under controlled, they retreated to the house to make dessert and allow the young couple to enjoy their dinner.

"How are they doing?" asked Jacob when the men returned to the kitchen. The large Irishman was enjoying his own surf and turf dinner at the breakfast bar.

"The crab legs were a great idea," said Chef Juan giving Jacob credit where credit was deserved.

"Preparing a meal of foods neither boy had experienced before was a great choice," added Emanuel. "They are having a great time."

Just then, more laughter from the backyard echoed through the house.

When Chef Juan returned to the backyard, Emanuel had cleared the boy's dinner plates and prepared the table for dessert. "Master Alejandro, I hope dessert lives up to what you are served back in Segovia. For you and Master Mason, I've made crema Catalana."

Alejandro's eyes lit up. "No way! Thank you!" He almost went in for a spoonful before the dish landed on the table. "Mason! Crema Catalana is the dessert I was telling you about. All the restaurants in Segovia make it."

Mason looked at the dish suspiciously. It reminded him of flan, which he thought was disgusting, or Crème Brulé, which he remembered liking okay. Alejandro noticed Mason's enthusiasm fell far short of his own. He decided to use the strategy the boys employed on the flight down and added, "I hope Chef Juan did a good job. Let's take a bite together and compare thoughts."

The pressure to like the dessert faded. A smile broke on Mason's face now that he'd been given an out if he didn't like it. He checked to see how big a bite Alejandro scooped onto his spoon and Mason matched it.

Alejandro counted, "One...two...three!" They shoved the spoons into their mouths and pulled them out clean. Alejandro instantly knew he should have never doubted Chef Juan's skill. It was one of the best crema Catalana he'd ever eaten.

Mason expected the worst and steeled a look on his face to hide his displeasure. However, the look melted away as his taste buds signaled their overwhelming approval. "Mmmmmm..." groaned Mason with a full mouth. He didn't bother saying anything else before eating another spoonful. Neither boy offered any critique of the dessert beyond a clean bowl and a request for seconds.

After the table was cleared, Alejandro and Mason moved their seats closer together and rested while gazing to the west. The view was breathtaking, and Mason wanted to memorize every pixel. He laid his head on Alejandro's shoulder and held his boyfriend's hand in both of his own.

"Mason," said Alejandro without moving his cheek from the mop of wavy blonde hair he was using as a pillow, "I love you with all my heart. I'm so happy you are here to share this with me."

"I love you too, Alejandro. I don't think there is anyplace in the world I'd rather be than right here with you." And he meant every word of it.

Eventually, they decided it was time to get back in the hot tub and pool. Mason particularly enjoyed switching between the hot, bubbling water and soothing jets of the spa, then jumping into the cool, invigorating water of the pool.

On one of their rotations into the hot tub, Mason and Alejandro were playfully splashing each other and didn't hear anyone approaching.

"Hey! You should have invited us!" proclaimed Connor as he pulled his shirt off and kicked off his sliders.

"Yeah!" agreed Cooper following his twin brother's lead.

Before either Mason or Alejandro could react, two naked tweens joined them in their hot tub horseplay. The volume rose exponentially as the rambunctious twins shouted and laughed. The fun spilled over into the pool giving the boys more room to romp around.

"Connor! Cooper!" The voice didn't sound terribly happy.

All four boys stopped and turned towards the voice.

"Mason's here!" cheered Connor.

"Join us!" requested Cooper.

Craig and Oliver approached but stopped at the top of the steps that led down to the pool deck. "Dad told you to leave Alejandro alone," stated Craig. "We're sorry they're interrupting your evening." Oliver nodded in agreement.

Alejandro moved to the edge of the pool. "You're Craig, and you're Oliver, right?"

"Yeah," confirmed Oliver. He walked to the edge of the pool to greet Alejandro, offering his hand to shake. Craig followed. Both teens knew Alejandro was a Diaz and mega rich. They weren't certain how to act. They also gave Mason a wave, surprised he was visiting.

Craig asked, "How do you two know each other?"

"We told you!" whined Connor.

"Alejandro's friends with Michael," finished Cooper with a similar level of irritation.

"Sorry we haven't been over to meet you," apologized Oliver.

Alejandro's mind flashed back to the scene he witnessed in the teens' shower when the twins dragged him to their house to meet the older boys. "That's alright," he said, pretending that he'd never seen them before. "I've been busy with Mason and getting settled in. Do you guys want to join us?"

"Yeah," said Mason. He put his arms around Alejandro. "Stay and come swimming. We can hang out and you can get to know Alejandro."

The teens looked at each other. Craig suggested, "We could go back and get our swim trunks."

"We didn't have trunks either!" called Connor.

"Skinny dip!" yelled Cooper. The twins were bouncing in the shallow end to show off their nude pecker.

"Yeah," agreed Mason. He reached under the water then tossed his trunks on the pool deck. "Skinny dip!" Then the little blond screeched when Alejandro's hand grabbed him by the balls.

"What the hell," said Oliver, pulling his shirt off revealing his fit, cut torso.

Craig pulled out his phone and sent a text home to let the 'rents know they were going to hang out at Alejandro's before joining the other nude boys in the pool.

----------------------     

After the sun had set, the twins headed home leaving the two couples lounging next to the pool. Mason was cuddled up to Alejandro while Oliver had himself wrapped around Craig.

"You two are a really cute couple," admitted Craig.

"Thanks," the two younger boys said at the same time.

Oliver asked, "When do you head back to Mayfield?"

"Wednesday or Thursday. I'll be here for a few more days at least."

"When you get back, be sure to tell the Aiden, Nolan, and the rest of the Yard Goats we said, 'Hi!'"

"I will. And guess what," challenged Mason.

"What?"

"We're going to see Aiden and Nolan tomorrow! They arrive in LA tonight and will hang out with a bunch of us Saturday and Sunday before they head home."

"Dang," said Oliver, "you Mayfield boys sure do get around a lot."

Mason laughed. 'If they only knew how little I've traveled,' he thought.

Craig asked, "Are you going to be an eighth grader this year, Alejandro?"

"Yeah, but I'll be going to Pacific Ridge instead of East Harbor. I have to admit, it's gonna be weird to be back here and not going to East Harbor. I have so many friends that are Sabers and I don't know anyone at Pacific Ridge."

"That's okay, you've got us living right next door," offered Craig. "And you know the twins won't give you a moment to get lonely."

Oliver pointed out, "And Michael and your other friends will invite you to everything, even if you are a traitor and going to a different school!" The boys laughed and Alejandro pretended his feelings were hurt.

When the laughter settled, Oliver asked, "So, why are you going to Pacific Ridge instead of East Harbor?"

Alejandro started to explain his family's expectations but thought better of it. Then his goal to go to an Ivy League school to live up to his father's legacy. Instead, he simply said, "I want to go to East Harbor, but I chose to go to Pacific Ridge because it's the right thing for me to do for myself."

The conversation died after that response, so Mason decided to change the subject. "How do your parents deal with two horndogs like the twins?"

Craig laughed and Oliver simply shook his head. "I think my parents were in denial about the twins being gay until the twins asked to get rid of their bunk beds so they would have more room when they sleep together."

"I thought your mom was gonna stroke out when they asked," added Oliver.

"The kicker was when mom went into the twin's bathroom to put some clean towels away and walked in on Cooper bent over the vanity and Connor pounding away from behind."

"NO WAY!" said Alejandro and Mason almost in unison. Craig and Oliver were laughing and could only nod their heads in affirmation.

Craig caught his breath and finished the story. "The best part was, they just said, 'Hi, mom' and Connor kept going!"

The friendship between the four boys grew as the evening wore on. They grew so comfortable with one another; they enjoyed each other's company long after the conversation died, listening to the nocturnal music provided by the desert creatures.

----------------------     

April tired as the evening turned to night. She cleaned up her brushes then crossed their art studio to join Matthew as he worked his clay. Evenings when Matthew was quiet and working diligently usually coincided with the teen boy's mind going places he preferred it didn't. Sure enough, it looked more like he was punishing the clay than creating art. April placed her cheek in the mass of curls on the back of Matthew's head and wrapped her arms around him. She felt the tension in his body melt away.

"How do you do that?" he asked.

She squeezed for a moment. "I don't think how it works matters as much as that it works. What's on your mind?"

"The same old shit," sighed Matthew. "I think I've put it all behind me and then it just seems to come out of nowhere."

"I understand," she said. She did. She'd had some long talks with Dr. Meijer and was beginning to understand Matthew's demons and how they impact his mental health. "I'm hear to listen if you want to tell me."

Matthew turned in her embrace. He put his head on her shoulder and returned the hug. "I'm sorry I can be such a wet rag."

"Just don't ever shut me out. Together, we can overcome those demons. Remember, each time you feel this way, the pain is a little less and you are a little stronger."

Matthew leaned back and gave her a smile. "How did you get so smart?"

"Talking to your little brother." They both laughed.

"How did I find someone as sexy and as smart as you?"

"Oh...by being smart enough to not go for all those bimbos...and you being hot as hell." April straddled Matthew's lap and initiated a passionate kiss.

"I'm still a little sketchy about spending the night in the backroom. You wanna spend the night at my house tonight?" asked Matthew.

"Since we are leaving early for LA, I was already planning on it."

"Good," said Matthew moving April off his lap so he could clean up his workstation. "I really need you tonight."

"I know, baby," she replied. "We shall overcome just like we always do."