“Okay, so what are we having?” Trevor asks once he’s calmed down.
“Coq au vin.”
He steps farther into the kitchen, surveying the room some more. “I’ll be honest, I have no idea what that is, but somehow I doubt it involves strawberries.” He gestures to the bowl of them on the counter.
“I’m making strawberry shortcake for dessert.”
“I said I’d come over for dinner. I don’t remember agreeing to dessert,” he teases. Because fuck, this man is perfect. But Skyler’s face falls, so he adds, “I’m kidding. This is amazing, but you didn’t have to.”
“I wanted to,” Skyler assures him.
“Can I help?”
The question earns him a skeptical look.
“Hey! I’m not that bad!” he protests. “Don’t forget who taughtyouhow to cook, you little shit.”
Skyler chuckles. “Yes, but the student has totally surpassed the master. It’s going to be a little while longer. Why don’t you go for a swim?”
“In the ocean?”
That one earns him an eyeroll.
“In the pool.”
“I didn’t bring—” he starts.
“You can borrow something from me.”
Now he’s the skeptical one, because he’s seen Skyler swim plenty of times in the past, and it was often in the tightest, tiniest swim trunks known to man. But when Trevor agrees and Skyler disappears to find him something, he comes back and presents Trevor with a regular pair of swim trunks that will probably fit him, if a bit snugly.
“Thanks,” Trevor says, taking them. “But are you sure you don’t want me to stay and help you?”
“I want you to relax and enjoy the pool.”
There’s no point in arguing with Skyler when he’s got an idea in his head, so Trevor lets him show him to a bathroom where he changes into the suit. Then Skyler leads him out a back door to the pool area and tells him to have fun before disappearing back inside.
Trevor stands there in awe. The pool has no edge on one side, and the property is on top of a cliff with an ocean view, so it almost looks like the pool drops right off into the ocean. How is this real life?
Theoretically, he could have had this. Not a property as insanely large, but he could’ve bought himself a house in Malibu overlooking the ocean. Except that would have required him to continue making money, and he’d rather just not anymore. So he’s been conservative with his spending, making sure he remains set up for life.
He jumps in the pool and does a few laps before resting on one of the built-in underwater ledges, basking in the sun. Eventually, after he’s not sure how much time has passed, he climbs out and goes back inside to get dressed.
Music is playing as he heads toward the kitchen. And once more, he finds himself frozen in the doorway. Because it’shismusic that’s playing, while Skyler sings along softly.
I know I let you down
Took the easy way out
Let them convince me
Our love wasn’t enough
But I see things more clearly now
And I’ll never stop being sorry
I’ll never stop hating myself
