Love & Lattes - Songs for a Fox Ep. 08

If this is your first visit to the L&L series, STOP go read the first one 'Love & Lattes: A bunny's bounty' to get the best experience. This is a direct sequel and I STRONGLY recommend reading the first one so you're not lost.

Take your time, I'll wait for you to catch up. :3

And with that out of the way...

Welcome to the finale, my lovely reader!

Things will move quickly in this one, but it's also a big episode, clocking in at nearly 14k words!

Perhaps the writing was on the wall, perhaps not. I hope I surprise you with a few twists and turns before this one is finished, but regardless, I do hope you ultimately enjoyed your time in Joseph and Ivory's little world. Pardon me; Joseph, Ivory, Isaac, and Karen's little world.

I always get a little emotional when I finish one of these... I fall in love with all my characters so easily.

Well, that's enough rambling from me, let's jump right in!

"I warned you about moving in, didn't I? Now she has you hooked," The wolf growled the words with a toothy grin, sitting across from the fox at a small cafe.

Joseph sipped on his cup of coffee, his handpaws cradling the mug, a silver band resting on his padded-finger. "It's not an engagement ring, it's just a promise ring, you know, something to show we are serious."

Isaac barked out a laugh and leaned back in his chair, holding his one paw up showing off the rings. "Yeah, they have a name for that, Joe. It's an engagement ring."

"Give me a break, we've not even talked about marriage!" The young fox barked, his cheeks warming as his eyes looked away.

"Neither did me and Karen after it happened... then the next thing I know, I'm speaking vows again." The wolf grinned wide but decided to give the younger dog a break and shift the topic.

Isaac set the coffee mug down and folded his handpaws on the table. "So, why did you want to meet me alone? Usually, the girls are with us, if this is a confession?"

"Blow me." The fox growled before taking another gulp of coffee.

"Not the most romantic confession, but I applaud how succinct it was." The wolf spoke with a wide grin.

Joseph grumbled to himself looking down at the table. The wolf recognizes his tension and smiled before shaking his head. "Relax, what's got you so high strung today, man?"

The fox huffed over the top of his coffee mug then set it down before looking the wolf straight on. He had been seeing Isaac every few weeks with Karen and Ivory, for the better part of six months now. "I want to ask you a favor. I don't even know if it's possible but I want to try."

He blinked at the fox, seeing the serious look on his face, and rolled his neck a few times before seeming to shift into a business mindset. "Alright, let's hear it."

"Your job, well I guess... both of your jobs now. Anyway you know people, you have connections. I mean, I assume you have to if you want to succeed in that field?" The fox asked curiously.

Isaac wasn't a fan of talking about his connections, it was poor form to do so. However, he knew the fox wasn't being malicious so answered him honestly. "Well, yes. If you don't know people you can't make it as a P.I, or as a bondsman." The wolf hesitated before following up, "These are touchy subjects I don't normally talk about outside of Karen, who is my business partner. I hope you understand that."

The fox grunted and looked away, his cheeks growing hot as he nodded. "Sorry, I wasn't trying to be tactless... Just I-"

The wolf's attitude shifted back to a more jovial mindset as he smiled at Joseph. "No need to worry. Out with it, Joe, we're friends here, I will hear you out."

He sighed and gave the wolf a strong gaze. "Would you know anyone that might know a guy or something in the media sector?"

"That... is a very, very broad statement. Can we narrow it down? Why don't you tell me straight up what you're wanting and I will tell you if it's possible." The dog rubbed his chin, his mind already at work with thoughts of the fox's intentions.

"Fine! Ugh... you're going to think I'm stupid for this..." Joseph huffed and seemed to gather himself before speaking once again, "Ivory has an amazing voice, she sings like a goddess, she just-"

"You want me to see if one of my guys knows someone that might be able to give her a look." The wolf nodded, connecting the dots at last.

"Y-yes..." He confirmed the statement with a nod.

Isaac rubbed at his chin in contemplation, his large red tail lazily wagging as he thought to himself. "I mean, it wouldn't hurt to prod them... I could call in some favors I'm owed... But, you gotta understand something, Joe. This is information, and it's one of the most expensive commodities people deal with in this line of work. Are you willing to pay for it?"

"Of course! I've been setting money aside for a while now before I brought this up to you!" He spoke in a confident tone, looking determined.

"Huh... you know it might not go anywhere... It's not my expertise but even I know that's a tough racket to get into. Are you okay with that risk?" Isaac prodded the fox to see if he realized the gravity of the situation.

"T-that's fine... I know I'm asking a lot, but if it gives her a chance to be happy... it's worth it." He snarled and looked down at his half drank cup of coffee.

Isaac gave the fox a wide grin and shook his head, "You're already so far gone kid... she's got you hook, line, and sinker."

"Screw you, you guys were married by now!" The fox barked with a grin and holds his handpaw up. "She only has me by the hook so far."

Isaac laughed out at the reply and grinned. "You've got me there." He hummed and folded his handpaws, giving Joseph a smile. "If I do this, I've got a condition or two."

"Let's hear them then." The fox sat up straight and huffed.

"First one. You don't have any hard feelings if this doesn't pan out. I don't want it souring our friendship if I can't find anything." The fox nodded in response.

"Second, we don't speak about this to either of the girls, it's between us." Again the fox nodded in response.

"Third and finally, you pay my hourly fee. Not because I need the money, but more because this is your goal, not mine. If this works out, I want it being her fiance that pulled it off, not me doing you a favor out of the goodness of my heart, Understand?"

The fox hesitated and nodded, "R-right. Of course... how much are we talking?"

"Fifty an hour, plus any expenses I incur such as travel." The wolf huffed in an all-business tone.

'Damn, that's triple what I make, I'm in the wrong field...' Joseph thought to himself before nodding. "O-okay, no problem."

The wolf gave him a grin. In truth, he normally charged over one hundred an hour for his services, but no need to let the fox know that. He figured he could count on one paw the hours this would take. "Great, we have a deal then. Once I've got some information I will be in touch."

"Thanks for humoring me with this." Joseph sighed, looking away once more. "I know it's not your expertise but..."

"Don't think twice on it, Ivory is my friend too, Joe. If this improves her lot in life I'm happy to help." Isaac grinned wide and waved a handpaw. "Speaking of... when are we meeting up with you guys again"

"Good question, it's been a few weeks, I know the girls start to miss one another if it gets too long. Let me ask Ivory about it." The fox thought for a moment about the situation and then cut his eyes back over at the dog sitting across from him.

Isaac smiled and perked his ears, tilting his head to the side curiously at the look. "Something on your mind, Joe?"

"Just wondering when it was I stopped hating you, and started thinking of you as a friend." The fox spoke calmly.

Isaac flinched and drooped his ears. "Yikes... you hated me?"

"Damn right I did!" The fox huffed and shook his head, "I mean you took the rabbit I loved, I mean I never had her but... in my mind, at the time it was warranted, well it probably wasn't, but to me it was."

"I get that, and I'm glad we've become friends. If you were anyone else I would have told you to go fuck yourself after that statement." The dog shrugged and snatched up his coffee to sip on it.

"W-well I'm just saying it now because I was wrong and you're a great guy. I can see why Karen is so happy with you." The fox barked out while blushing under his fur.

"So... this was all a confession after all." The wolf hummed playfully from behind his coffee mug.

"Eat. My. Ass." The fox snapped out with a snarl.

"Ha! Depends on how many drinks you get in me!" The wolf fired back and showed his large sharp teeth to the fox. "Are you a bottom or top?"

"W-what?!" Joseph huffed in a panic, not sure what to think of the question before processing it. "I-I'm... I'm definitely a top!"

"You sure about that?" The wolf quirked a brow with a grin. "Do you even know what a top and bottom are?"

"Yes, asshole!" He huffed out, his cheeks hot and jerked his head away with a growl. "What a stupid fucking question."

Isaac gave a laugh and sipped his coffee. "So you're one of those kinds of guys... Interesting..."

"The fuck is that supposed to mean?!" Joseph snapped, showing his teeth.

Isaac showed his own teeth, feeling the tension at the table building, both in a vy for dominance and the sexual awkwardness that was building up between them. Hell, it had been for months now. "Ha... it means a little fox like you acts alpha until I shove you down, bend you over, and remind you who the pack leader is!"

Several emotions hit Joseph all at once with that statement, first shock, then embarrassment, after that curiosity, then finally anger. The fox snarled and shoved his palms to the table, glaring at the wolf now, his tail fluffing up. "I would like to see you try!"

The wolf showed his teeth again and leaned back in his seat not looking the slightest bit intimidated, "You're so easy to fuck with, Joe. That's what I love about you."

The dog blinked a few times and looked around, seeing several patrons staring at him now as they were on the outside deck. He quickly flopped back into his seat, blushing furiously and snarling under his breath, "Asshole..."

Isaac gave a smile and shook his head, "Let's be real though. The interest is there, but the focus was on business, not pleasure."

Joseph huffed out and tried to calm his heart rate. "T-then stop saying weird shit!"

The larger dog grinned and flicked his ears up, "Is it that weird? Does it bother you?"

Joseph growled and looked down at his coffee, thinking for a long moment before looking back at the wolf. He still had that cocky little grin on his muzzle he had grown used to these last several months. "Let me ask you something."

"Sure, Joe. I'm an open book." Isaac huffed, his voice sounded full of confidence.

"Do you like me and Ivory? Is that why you're teasing me like this all the time? Or are you just teasing me up to get to her?" The fox growled the last of the words, a bit of an edge in his voice.

The older dog hummed, not expecting the direct route. "Hmm... how should I say it..." Isaac rubbed his chin thoughtfully, taking a few moments to choose his words. "I like both of you, I don't love either of you, I only love Karen. I'm not trying to get either of you."

"Yeah?" The fox quirked a brow, as if not satisfied with the answer.

Isaac felt a bit of heat in his own cheeks as he looked away, the first time he had seemed awkward around the fox. "Look... I think you're cute, okay? I mean, I've not been interested in a guy in a very, very long time. Not since college." The wolf growled and shrugged a shoulder. "Yes, I like you, Joe. I like you both, but even if that kitty wasn't in the picture. I could say with certainty that I think you're a good guy and I like you."

"T-thanks..." The fox barked out and looked away awkwardly. "I think you're pretty cool you know... so strong and stoic. You're one of the reasons I started training, one of the reasons I work so hard to be a strong dog for Ivory."

"Really?" The wolf's tail wagged about behind the chair as he grinned, "That's sweet, and... I'm flattered. Honestly, Karen and I have talked about the two of you plenty over the last few months. We both find you two interesting and have considered talking to you about it."

"Really? Aren't you worried that would mess things up in your marriage?" Joseph asked the question directly. "I mean... you know I love Karen, you know Ivory lovers her too."

The wolf smiled and shook his head. "I think me and Karen are rock solid. No matter what happens I will stand by my rabbit. Can you say the same for Ivory?"

"I can. I think we have our relationships footpaws firmly on the ground. I love her so very much..." He blushed and smiled as he spoke of the cat fondly.

"Could you stand seeing me mate her?" The wolf fired the question off flat and to the point.

Joseph snapped back with his own question, "Could you stand watching me plow your wife?"

The two of them sat there for a long moment looking at one another in silence. Neither of their eyes left the others. Finally, Isaac pushed his padded-palms on the table and stood from his chair, leaning forward. "I dunno, could you stand me taking you while you took her?"

Joseph choked at the statement and shook his head, imagining the whole thing. "I-I... good question. I've never... I've not had someone do... that... to me."

"I can tell." The wolf growled and moved a handpaw to ruffle the fox's hair and ears. His locks had gotten much longer in the last half a year, still, nothing on the length the wolf's hair was though.

He blushed harder under his fur and grunted as he was petted, his ears flicking wildly but not jerking from his touch. He clenched his teeth, huffing and after a few moments he snarled out, "You didn't answer my question..."

"You know... there is a saying about this situation," The wolf spoke as he withdrew his handpaw to reach into his wallet, plucking out a twenty to put on the table for the drinks and snacks they had.

The fox growled seeing he still wasn't answering the question. "Yeah? What's that?"

Isaac jerked his head, motioning him to follow as the two of them walked from the cafe to Joseph's parked car. Once out on the sidewalk, the wolf continued, "A threesome is a good time, but a foursome is just two couples having sex. That's the saying."

"Are you speaking from experience?" The fox asked curiously.

Isaac barked out with a grin and gave the fox a shake of his head. "Oh Joe, fuck man who do you think I am?" He huffed and put a paw on his own hip and gave the fox a smile. "I've never been past third base with a guy. Counting Karen, I've been with three girls my whole life. I'm no stallion roaming the world laying males and females at every turn."

"O-oh, I just always thought..." The fox thought back to his own experience, he had some light make-out sessions with a few guys and girls but had never laid with anyone but Ivory.

"Actually, I've known a few horses and the statement is unfair to them, I've never met one that was some crazed sexual deviant that banged lovers all over the place." The wolf huffed the words with a grin.

Joseph looked away rubbing the back of his head. "I'm not even sure where this is going or what I want it to be..."

Isaac grinned and slapped the fox on the shoulder gently. "Don't overthink it, man, just see what happens. Time will tell. I promise no matter what may come, I will always respect you and Ivory for what you guys are, so long as you always respect what I and Karen are."

Joseph smiled and gave a nod, glancing back up at the larger dog. "Thanks, yeah. Even if nothing came of it, I'm glad you're my friend now, Isaac."

The wolf snorted and showed his teeth in a grin, "Damn, this is getting mushy. I'm glad you're my friend too, Joe." The dog hesitated to move his handpaw before pulling away and giving the fox another smile. "Talk to Ivory about our next meet-up, I've got some business to take care of."

Joseph nodded and climbed into his car, turning the engine over and pulling from the curb. Isaac took a steadying breath and shook his head. "The fuck are you doing with yourself, man... Is this really what you or Karen need right now?" Isaac huffed aloud to himself as he snatched his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed out a number by memory.

The phone rang two and half times like it always did before connecting. There was the sound of typing filling the line right away and the answer was simply, "You're now officially on the clock, let's hear it, Isaac." The voice came out smooth and all business like it always did, no indication of gender in it at all.

"Oh, things are great, thanks for asking, Keys. How are you doing?" The wolf cooed cheerfully into the phone in response.

More typing and silence for several moments before a sigh, "I'm fine. I've got nothing lined up yet for you and Karen, as soon as I do-"

"Nah, I'm calling for something else." Isaac interrupted his contact with a grin.

More typing then finally a response, "Yeah? You know my fee, let's hear it."

Isaac gave a rundown of the request, making sure to give as many details as he could. Keys typed a little more intently at their keyboard while taking the information in. Finally, they spoke up, "That's an interesting request... Especially coming from you. I deal in criminal shit, not Star Search, Isaac."

"C'mon Keys that show was dead in the nineties..." The wolf growled playfully.

Some typing filled the speaker once more before Key's responded, "One Joseph Renault. Hmm... father is deceased, mother is, Josephine Ren-... What?!"

Isaac's ears jerked up sharply, he had never heard Keys caught off guard before. "W-what's up?"

Silence, not even typing filled the line, finally Keys spoke again, "You're better off not knowing. Suffice to say I wouldn't make enemies with his mother, let's leave it at that."

Isaac grew silent and thought about the words, a faint hint of deja-vu creeping up his spine. Keys chimed in a few moments later after more typing, "Works at... huh, the same shop Karen did. Well, that's interesting. I can see by his bank card records here, he frequents time with one Ivory Callihan, since her transactions seem to appear with his."

"You know, I could have literally just given you their names, Keys." Isaac huffed with a grin.

"Shut up," Keys snapped into the receiver, Isaac growled but grew silent, he made it a policy not to argue with people that could literally tear his whole identity and financial records apart.

A few more moments of typing ensued as Isaac climbed into his car to wait in the driver's seat, cranking the vehicle up and starting the AC going.

"Got it. I can send out some feelers and see if I can find someone in my network. I need a few more details so I will contact him myself," Keys spoke in all business.

"Sounds good, I would ask if you wanted his number but you already have it I'm sure." Isaac smiled as he snapped the seatbelt into place.

"This kid can't have any money, what's the deal here, do you owe him something?" Keys prodded the wolf for an answer.

"Would you laugh at me if I said he and Ivory were good friends and I was doing them a solid?"

Keys snorted through the phone, "That's poor business, Isaac. You start helping friends you will be broke in no time."

The wolf rolled his eyes, "Yeah because you didn't totally throw me several bones, with that whole thing with Karen a year or so back?"

"That was an investment!" Keys snapped back sharply, "And a good one I might add. You two are my most reliable team and have made me a lot of money."