Skyler’s smile widens into a grin. So those weren’t the right words, but they weren’t the wrong ones either. “Not officially. But I’m thinking Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr?”
Trevor laughs. “That’s a mouthful.” He almost adds,Though I know you can handle a mouthful,but decides they’re not safely in dirty joke territory right now. Instead he sidles up to Skyler at the stove and watches as Skyler resumes cooking their breakfast. “Do you know where you’ll put them when we get back to L.A.?”
There’s room in Skyler’s mansion for a hundred plants, but Trevor thinks they look nicer here than they could look anywhere in Skyler’s house. This apartment is luxurious too, but somehow it has more of a cozy vibe.
“I haven’t considered that,” Skyler answers. “I’ve actually been thinking I’d like to stay here in New York a while.”
“Oh.”
This isn’t what he expected. He thought they’d be making plans to go home today. But, of course, thisisone of Skyler’s homes. So apparently, it’s only Trevor that needs to go.
“The change of scenery and routine might be good for my songwriting,” Skyler goes on like nothing is wrong as he plates up the food. “And I have that radio gig here coming up anyway.”
“Right. Yeah, I get that.” Disappointment seeps into Trevor’s chest, but he tries not to let it show on his face when he takes the plate that’s offered to him. “So I guess I can… I’ll look into getting myself a flight home then.”
Skyler wrinkles his forehead. “Or you could stay.”
“But I…” Trevor isn’t sure how to navigate this. Any of it, really. He thinks he has it figured out, and then Skyler throws him and he’s lost again. “I wouldn’t want to be in the way if you’re planning to work on your album.”
“I want you to stay.”
Oh.
They’re just standing here now. Facing each other in the kitchen, holding plates of food that are getting cold.
I want you to stay.
He’s dreamed about hearing those words from Skyler’s mouth for the last five years. Dreamed of himself saying them in time, before everything slipped away from them, and they were suddenly over without either of them really making a conscious decision about it.
When Skyler frowns, Trevor realizes he’s been stunned into silence for too long.
“But only if you want to,” Skyler says. “Only if you cantell methat you want to stay.”
And maybe it doesn’t take a long explanation. A lot of well-organized, pretty words. Maybe all it takes is two.
“I do.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Now
TREVOR
It’s been a fewdays and they’ve settled into a domestic routine. One of them walks Stella in the morning, sometimes picking up bagels, and if not, the other one cooks breakfast. A little after they eat, they do yoga together (Trevor hasn’t admitted he’s started to like it, but he’s sure his lack of complaining has given him away), and then Skyler spends time in the afternoon working on music. Later one of them will go out to grab takeout for dinner or Skyler will cook. Then they’ll spend time together at night, either watching TV or playing a game, but they go to sleep in separate bedrooms because it’s still a bit uncertain where they stand on that front.
Trevor can tell how happy Skyler is that he decided to stay with him, though it’s not enough. Skyler’s clearly still waiting for him to make the move. And he wants to.Boy. Does. He. Fucking. Want. To.But if he kisses Skyler, then that’s it. This starts again. Which means it could end again.
Damn, he’d give anything to have the same confidence and courage he had when he first met Skyler. It was a little scary then—the first time he wanted to be with a guy—but that didn’t stop him from showing Skyler how he felt.
Although, if he’s being honest, even back then Skyler had to urge Trevor to kiss him for the first time.
Fucking hell.
He’s hopeless.
But he doesn’t need to worry about kissing Skyler tonight, at least, because they’re going downstairs to hang out with Layla.
As the elevator opens and Trevor steps into the penthouse with Stella after their evening walk, he finds Skyler bent over peering into the oven. The sight short-circuits his brain for a second. Then Stella runs to greet Skyler as if she hadn’t seen him twenty minutes ago, and Skyler pets her before straightening up, mercifully allowing Trevor to function again.
