Trevor takes a bridesmaid’s hand to escort her, but he can’t help but peek back at Skyler before they start walking. Skyler brings two fingers up to rub his neck, right below the corner of his jaw. It instantly unearths memories from their past, and Trevor mimics the motion back at him.I love you.
Skyler flashes him a full-dimpled smile. And you know what? Trevor’s so glad they’re here.
During the reception, Trevorloses track of Skyler. Which is fine, because they can’t act like a couple right now, and Skyler’s a damn social butterfly. He’s been running around charming the pants off people and telling embarrassing Oli stories to anyone who’ll listen. Trevor’s glad he’s having fun.
He’s sort of surprised himself by having fun too. It’s not like he’s a hermit, but it’s been quite a while since he’s attended a large group function like this, with the exception of Jermaine’s party.
He’s busy eating his second piece of wedding cake and flipping through an album of Oli and Megan’s childhood photos on a display table, when Noah steps up beside him. Trevor was relieved that things went okay last night at thedinner, but he and Noah still haven’t really talked. And he’s not sure anymore if that’s on Noah or him. But Noah doesn’t look like he approached him to start a very public fight, so.
“Hey,” Trevor says casually.
“Hey.” Noah glances at the photo album and chuckles. “We didn’t know him as a kid, but none of these pictures are surprising, are they?”
“Nope.”
Noah looks at him now, both hands sliding into his pockets, and rocks back onto his heels. Already run out of small talk.
“It’s pretty cool we’re all here for this,” Trevor tries.
“Yeah, it is,” Noah agrees.
In the semi-uncomfortable silence that follows, Trevor decides to be mature about this situation, the way Skyler was last night, and own up to his crap. “I, uh.” He scratches his hand through his hair. “I don’t think I ever said I’m sorry for hitting you.”
Noah shrugs. “Don’t think I gave you a chance.”
“Well I am. Sorry. Even though everything happened so fast, and I was kind of falling apart and not thinking straight, it’s no excuse. That was never the person I wanted to be, and it’s not who I am now.”
“Look,” Noah says, “I think we all said or did things we aren’t entirely proud of in those days. Let’s move on, okay?”
He suspects Noah won’t ever be able to completely forgive him or Skyler for the way things went down, but if he’s offering the chance not to dwell on the past, Trevor will take it. It’s the same as what Trevor asked of Skyler.
He’s done enough dwelling over the last five years. Now he’s ready to live in this moment and the next one. To take each day with Skyler as a win, and not take for granted this wonderful life they’ve rebuilt together.
As he and Noah wander back to their shared table, Noah says, “So Oli told me about your idea for starting your own record label.”
“Oh. Yeah. I’m still working out the details.”
“Well, I was thinking…” Sitting down and clasping his hands together on top of the table, Noah looks distinctly unsure of himself. “Is there any possibility of us working together?”
What the—
“You want me to sign you?”
Noah shakes his head. “No, no. I’m getting a bit burnt out with performing, if I’m being honest. I could use a break.”
“What are you saying?” Trevor asks, having no clue where this is going.
“I want to help run the label with you. You don’t have to make me a partner or anything, but yeah.”
“Oh.”
Oh.
He angles his chair to get a better look at Noah, a man he knew so well five years ago who has become a mystery to him since then. Out of all the things Noah might have said to him today, this is not something Trevor ever imagined.
“You’d seriously want to do this with me?” he asks.
Noah smiles. The first real smile he’s given Trevor in five years. “Yeah, I would. I know you’ll be awesome at it, and it’s something I could see myself really enjoying too. And we used to work pretty damn well together, didn’t we?”
