Aidan had already done his share, when he’d apparently warned Dawson before anything had ever happened between them.
“That’s cute,” Levi declared.
“Levi,” Aidan warned, but he was grinning over at his boyfriend.
“What? Itiscute.”
“He’s just been practicing so hard,” Cam said. He hadn’t even needed Dawson to tell him that he was buckling down and focusing on football this week. Cam had been working hard too, but nobody had been working as hard as Dawson. He’d done the ladder twice, and he might have even done it a third time, but Marty had stopped him, telling Daws they didn’t need him to wear him and his leg out.
Any time Dawson had when he wasn’t at practice, he was looking for another lawyer with Alex’s help and then also having several long conversations with the prosecutor as they worked together on the official response to the deal Ackerman’s lawyer had sent over.
“Yeah, he’s been real dedicated this week,” Aidan agreed.
They’d managed to snatch a few moments together. Shared meals over the kitchen counter as Dawson scrolled through emails from Alex about the different lawyers he’d talked to. One night he’d sweet-talked Dawson into another bath and joined him.
And they had, without fail, no matter how busy Dawson was, spent every night in the same bed. Sometimes it was Cam’s, sometimes it was Dawson’s, but it genuinely felt, at least to Cam, that it didn’t matter whose it was, as long as they were in it together.
“You should absolutely reward all that dedication with a hot date,” Levi said slyly.
“That’s the plan,” Cam said, trying not to flush bright red.
“So, where should he take Daws?” Levi said, looking over at Aidan, who just shrugged.
“Oh come on, you’re always taking me to cute places,” Levi teased. “What about that cute bistro down by the water? In the Distillery District? That place was adorable. Super romantic.” He turned to Cam. “I’ll text you the address. Order a nice bottle of wine. There’s candlelight. And you can walk around the littlestores after, and there’s even these outdoor firepits. Order some hot chocolate. Cuddle up with him.” Levi’s expression turned smug.
“I don’t know why you’re even asking me,” Aidan said, flashing his boyfriend a smile. “Levi’s got you all covered.”
“Next time, I’ll just ask him where you’ve taken him recently,” Cam said dryly.
“Ahhhh, the rookie’s got jokes!” Levi crowed. “I fucking love it.”
“Especially when they’re at my expense,” Aidan said.
“Exactly.” Levi leaned in and pressed a brief kiss to Aidan’s temple. “Finish getting dressed, I’m starved.”
Aidan looked over at Cam, who was still standing there. “You good now, rook?”
“Yeah,” Cam said, noticing that Levi had already texted the address.
“If they don’t want to give you a table on short notice,” Aidan said, smirking, “just drop my name again, okay?”
“I—” Cam hesitated.
“No, seriously,” Aidan said, clapping Cam on the shoulder. “Daws deserves a good night out. He’s been going through it, and you know what? You’re a good guy, to let him.”
Cam wondered now if this was the talk. The one he’d been hoping to avoid from Aidan.
“Yeah,” he agreed. “It’s not hard to be patient.” It was sometimes, but only because there was so much that he wanted and often it felt like Dawson wanted it too, just as much, and yet he was the only one stopping them from having it.
Camgotit, but that didn’t mean it was easy.
Aidan smiled, a slow bloom across his face. “You’re good for him,” was all he said, though. No lecture, no warning, no threats whatsoever.
That made it so easy to smile back. “Trying anyway,” Cam said.
“Doing better than that,” Aidan said. “I know him, so I know how stubborn and infuriating he can be. Plus, I know how heavy his baggage can be.” He stood and patted Cam on the shoulder. “He’s gonna come around.”
And Cam was pretty sure too but it felt good to hear Aidan say that.
