Tom nodded in agreement. “Kind of thought you two might not make it out of the season as roommates, but instead, you seem closer than ever.”
“What, you thought I’d move out?” Trevor was surprised, maybe even shocked.
“You two are grown men, and grown men need their space, and you don’thaveto live with Lane,” Delia said. “We just thought it would be nice at first, when you were still getting your feet under you, with your whole rookie season.”
“Delia kept telling me I should send you some of the apartment listings I found,” Tom admitted.
Trevor didn’t know what to say. He wasn’t leaving. In fact, in the last month, he’d burrowed even deeper into Lane’s life. Lane hadn’t just welcomed him in, he’d put his arms around him and held him there. Like he never wanted Trevor to leave.
Now he was going to have to figure out a way to tell his dad thatno, he had no intention of getting his own place.
“Bonus,” Delia said, “we could come visit more often. Because you’d have your guest room back.”
Trevor couldn’t help the glance over at Lane. He seemed equally shocked. AndGod, they really hadn’t had to find a placeto stay, because theycould’vestayed in the guest room. Since Trevor had one hundred percent moved into Lane’s room by this point.
“Um, yeah, that’s a thought,” Lane said noncommittally.
“I’m not sure what I’m doing.”
“But next year for sure,” Delia said with a firm nod of her head. “Now, what’s everyone’s plan for dinner? I know you two boys are getting steak. What about you, Tom?”
“Oh, this sea bass looks really good, yeah? We don’t get seafood like this in Arizona. Another good reason to get a place here, maybe?”
“Tom,” Delia teased playfully. “Wejustgot here, don’t scare them yet!”
“Well, if Trev isn’t going to get his own place . . .” Tom trailed off, shooting Trevor a big smile. Like it was cute and sweet, like they were endeared by the fact it turned out that Trevor and Lane actually enjoyed living together.
Trevor tried very hard not to squirm in his chair; instead, he changed the subject, hoping that this time it might stick. “I’m going to get the porterhouse pork chop with the applesauce, I think.”
Lane nudged him. “That’s what I’m getting,” he murmured.
“Oh, that’s so cute, you guys like the same things now!” Delia exclaimed.
“You wanna share some of the garlic broccolini?” Lane asked.
“Oh yeah. And the mashed sweet potatoes?” Trevor murmured back.
“Perfect,” Lane said, and it felt like it wasn’t just their side dish choices he was pronouncing total approval on.
Trevor told himself not to glow about it, but it washard.
He’d thought this would be tough, but he’d never imagined just how difficult it was. Especially the deeper they got into dinner, and he had to keep pretending-slash-ignoring how muchof a couple he and Lane had become. And the things that kept coming up didn’t even feel particularly recent. Some of the stuff they’d been doing went back to the fall or even the summer, when Trevor had first come to Toronto.
Lane’s takeout places that had becometheirfavorite takeout places. The games they played on Lane’s PS5. The puzzles Lane begrudgingly helped him with. The hockey they’d started watching more and more frequently, especially since they’d become friends with Ramsey.
Tom had just finished his crème brûlée, pushing the empty dish with a little groan and a rub to his mostly flat stomach, and said, tone morphing from amused to serious, “I really mean it. You two have become such a team. Didn’t think it was possible, but here you are, forming this bond we weren’t sure you’d make.”
“I mean it’s not always great,” Trevor tried to say, though it mostly always was. Even when they were arguing or disagreed on things like Lane’s video study, for example, they stilllikedeach other. Trevor was still crazy about the guy. Still wanted to go to bed next to him and wake up with his grumpy face on the pillow next to his.
“We do kinda bicker sometimes,” Lane admitted.
“Over what?” Delia asked, leaning forwards, interest clear in her face.
“Um, well.” Trevor shot an apologetic look at Lane, but he couldn’t be pissed off that Trevor was going to tell theirparentsabout how much film he watched and how good it was, because Delia and Tom weren’t exactly football players. “Like, I didn’t know how much video Lane studies until I came to Toronto? Because he keeps it a secret?”
Lane groaned in the back of his throat, but he didn’t look mad. Vaguely annoyed maybe, but the corner of his mouth quirked up, like he was trying to hold back a smile. “Not this again.”
“What, really?” Delia sounded surprised.
