“I felt like I did. I didn’t want to screw it up—you liked Tom so much, and he was so good for you—and the last thing I wanted to do was to come to you and say, you know that guy I’ve been crushing on from afar? Turns out that he’s Tom’s son. And at that point,” Lane said wryly, “it didn’t matter anyway, because he didn’t seem into guys like that.”
“Wasn’t really intoanyonelike that, not until you,” Trevor confessed, his brown eyes so soft as he gazed over at Lane.
“Wow,wow,” Delia said. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it before now, but I see it now.”
Tom just chuckled under his breath.
Lane wasn’t sure what else he could say to his mom, who might not be pissed, but did seem shocked. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before.”
“Honey, no. I’m just . . . trying to recalibrate to this new situation. It’s not bad. Not at all.” She glanced over at Tom. “Right? Not bad?”
“Not at all. I think it’s pretty freaking awesome, myself,” Tom said softly. “Just as long as we all agree we’re still a family. That’s the most important thing.”
“Agreed,” Trevor said, and Lane nodded too.
Lane could only laugh, tension leaking out of him. His hand wasn’t even shaking as he picked up his glass with the one that wasn’t still tangled up with Trevor’s. But there was an undeniable relief coursing through him. “God, I was so afraid you’d be weirded out by it.”
“Not at all!” Delia exclaimed. “You two haveneverbeen brothers. For a long time, I figured the best we could hope for was that you’d be friends. When Trevor got drafted by the Thunder, we were so excited. Felt like finally you might have a chance to make that happen.”
“Funny, for long I thought that was the worst day of my life,” Lane said wryly.
Trevor made a wounded noise. “Babe, really?”
But Lane could only shrug. “I liked you so much, and I didn’t think anything was ever going to happen, and it could suck sometimes. And instead of me just having to deal with it once in awhile, you were going to be aroundall the time. But now? I’m so grateful. Funny I look back, and it’s like, all that feels worth it now, like it’s slowly just less and less bad, the happier I am now.”
“God,” Delia said and she was crying now, tears dripping down her cheeks. “Honey. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t have to be sorry now,” Lane said, and Trevor squeezed his hand.
Nobody had to be, and that was the most beautiful thing he’d ever experienced.
Chapter 15
Ittooktwodays,but Lane had a feeling his mom was going to corner him at some point, after she’d had some time to really think through everything he’d said, and sure enough, he’d just finished showering after practice when he got a text from her.
I know you’re super busy, honey, getting ready for the playoffs, but I’d love to grab a coffee tomorrow. Just the two of us!
Lane cornered Trevor when he got back from the showers and tilted his phone towards him. “Told you she’d want to talk.”
Trevor reached out, fingers curling around Lane’s forearm. “It’s going to be okay. I promise. She wasn’t upset. She wasn’t weirded out. She just needed some processing time.”
“I know, but—”
Trevor squeezed. “No buts. I promise. It’s gonna be fine. You love her. She loves you. There’s just a lot of shit to untangle.”
“I’m trying,” Lane said. “I feel bad it took me so long.”
“No. Don’t. You were young and freaked out and it was a complicated situation,” Trevor said. He tucked himself in closer.Tilted his head towards Lane. Not kissing him, or embracing him, but if anyone looked over at them, Lane had a feeling they’d guess exactly what was going on.
Now that their parents knew, it was probably only a matter of time before they started telling the rest of the team.
Probably it was a miracle Lane hadn’t pulled Trevor right in during the aftermath of Sunday’s win and kissed him no matter who was watching. Definitely a miracle he hadn’t leaned in and told Trevor the truth about just how much he loved him.
“Alright. I’ll let her know tomorrow morning before practice I’m free. And tomorrow night? You’re all mine.”
Trevor’s eyes lit up. “Yeah?”
“About time I take you out,” Lane said with a firm nod.
