Page 50 of The Tryout

I smile, knowing it’s been exactly six and a half days since he got me dinner from some Greek restaurant Novak had told him about.

Then I look at my watch and realize I must have misunderstood the situation – it’s nearly six already.

“Uh, sure. You good to order for me or should I look up the menu?”

The corner of his mouth lifts.

“I’ll handle it. See you soon?”

I nod and head out, bag over my shoulder.

The weather’s not bad, so rather than asking Novak for a lift, I walk the three quarters of a mile back to our apartment. Once there, I unload my bag, sticking a bunch of stuff in the washer but waiting to run it until Avery gets home. After a quick shower, I catch up on a few chores around the house; wiping down the surfaces in the kitchen, giving my bathroom a quick once-over.

We have the next day off, but then leave on Saturday for an extended road trip. Best to have the apartment in good shape before we head out.

Avery’s home even earlier than planned, walking through the door at 7:45 with bags of food in tow. He opens up the various takeout containers, which appear to contain a variety of different sushi rolls. He puts half of each on each plate, clearly intending for us both to have a variety.

I grab a Diet Coke from the fridge and my plate, heading to the couch where we eat most of our meals. We have a dining room table, but it feels kind of weird for just the two of us to sit at it.

“So, uh, what were you up to tonight?”

The blush rises again in Avery’s cheeks and I wonder if maybe I didn’t have it wrong after all.

“I was just, uh, meeting up with a guy. You know, from an app.”

I can feel my face scrunch up in confusion.

“An app?”

“Yeah, a hookup app.” He clears his throat, looking at the ground.

For as outspoken as he was about his hookups before we lived together, he’s been very circumspect about them ever since.

“Oh. That wasn’t very…long.”

He laughs at that, breaking up the awkwardness.

“Sometimes it’s better that way,” he says, shoving a piece of eel roll in his mouth.

Yes, eel. When he’d given me the roll initially, I’d asked what it was, and he’d paused before responding.

“Look, Finn, I’m gonna say one thing. Sometimes, when you’re eating a new cuisine, it’s better not to ask too many questions. But also, that’s really best if you trust the person ordering for you and we may not be there yet. It’s up to you.”

I bite my lip. Trust is a hard concept for me, but when it comes to food? Sure, I trust Avery.

“Well, you haven’t steered me wrong yet.”

As it turned out, barbecue makes everything delicious, even – especially? – eel.

Licking the sauce from my fingers, I ask Avery something that’s been floating through my mind since he moved in.

“How did you…how did you know you were…pan?”

He shrugs, shoving another piece of sushi in his mouth. As he chews, I wonder if he’ll say anything more. He swallows, and I’m in luck.

“I mean, my experience isn’t super typical. You might be better off asking Ethan or Jamie. I grew up with two dads and all of their friends in and out of our house. So I knew there were a lot of…options, I guess?”

I’ve overheard a few of Avery’s chats with his dads, and I’ve been surprised by how…normal their family dynamic is.