“Hi, Trent,” Edison blurted loudly. “Hey, Wood.”
“Hi, Edison,” Wood answered. “I hope you guys are ready to eat. I had to skip lunch today.”
“Why?” Trent said as he was searching through the junk drawer for the takeout menus. “We have plenty of lunch meat.”
“I know. But you took all the ham.”
“Well, you’re the one that made my lunch today, so technically you took all the—” Trent caught himself, but it was too late. Bishop was too sharp to have missed that.
“Wait,” Bishop cut in. “Wood, you make Trent’s lunch?”
Edison chuckled.
“Not all the time, but if I’m making my lunch, then I’ll throw a sandwich together for him too.” Wood shrugged as he stared at Trent.
Trent wished he wasn’t as edgy as he was, but he knew he needed to man the fuck up and soon. If he wanted to be enough for a man as mature as Wood, then he needed to show it. Wood continued to eye him as they got the evening started, probably wondering when Trent was going to confess. They decided on pizza, and Trent tossed two menus on the living room table for them to choose from.
“Let’s go with Papa John’s,” Bishop said. “The sauce isn’t as salty.”
“I’m good with that.” He and Wood agreed.
“Make sure it has extra cheese and mushrooms,” Edison chimed in from the sofa as he perused through the DVDs.
“No mushrooms, remember. Trent hates them,” Bishop noted casually. “Even the thought of mushrooms makes him sick.”
“Is that so?” Wood asked curiously, his tone revealing his disbelief and disappointment. “I didn’t know that.”
“Oh yeah. He acts like an idiot anytime we see them growing wild when we’re cutting lawns. I think he’s a little scared of them.” Bishop laughed.
Trent closed his eyes, murmuring under his breath, “Bishop, you have a big fuckin’ mouth, man.”
“What? That’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Bishop shoulder-checked him when he walked by. “We all have foods that disgust us.”
Bishop left Trent standing in the kitchen with a confused and upset lover completely unaware of the mess he’d just made. Trent instinctually took a couple of steps toward Wood when he suddenly stumbled to a stop. Wood clenched his teeth, and Trent hurried to hold off whatever pissed comment he was about to make.
“I’m not a liar, and I’m not dishonest.” Trent gripped his neck and cursed in frustration. “See. This is what I meant. Bishop has a way of making me look like a jackass.”
“That’s not Bishop doing that, brat. You’re doing a good job all by yourself,” Wood said snidely, then turned and walked into the living room. “I don’t care what’s on my pizza, Edison.”
Trent stood there in the middle of the floor bristling at how much he was blowing this. This was his opportunity to show Wood that he really did want him no matter how uncomfortable, inconvenient, or hard his life would get. Edison was sitting on Bishop’s lap, helping him navigate the online app to make their food order, as Wood dropped down at the opposite end of the sofa.
Trent straightened his spine and walked into the living room, bypassing Bishop’s curious eyes, and settled onto Wood’s lap.
“Oh my god,” Edison gasped first.
“What the hell, Trent?”
Trent ignored Bishop’s shocked question and focused on the man in front of him, gazing at him with hope and a whole lot of pride.
“Listen to me.” Trent cupped Wood’s cheek, his fingers digging into his beard the way he liked. “When you made me that omelet with those nasty-ass mushrooms in it, yeah, I might have thrown up in my mouth a little bit. But you said it was your specialty, and I couldn’t seem to bring myself to say the dish was making me sick.”
“Trent! What are you—?”
“Shut up, Bishop!”
“Shut up, Bishop!”
“Shut up, Bishop!”
Perhaps since they were all in agreement, Bishop shut his mouth and didn’t interrupt again.
“Continue,” Wood said gruffly, linking both big arms around Trent’s waist, anchoring him in place.
Trent swallowed thickly. “You told me you used to make that omelet for someone you cared about, someone important… then you made it for me. So yes. I ate it and said it was delicious.”
Wood watched him intently as if he was dissecting his every word. As if he was searching for a hint of dishonesty. Trent released a shallow breath before he leaned in and gently pressed his lips against Wood’s. He heard an irritated groan in the room, but he didn’t let it distract him. Wood’s arms tightened around him, strong fingers splaying across his lower back as Trent allowed Wood to deepen the kiss. It only lasted a few seconds, and by the satisfied glaze shimmering in Wood’s eyes when he pulled away, Trent knew he’d made his point.
“Can I say something now?” Bishop asked.
“Sure,” Trent agreed, suddenly feeling lighter.
“Do you mind climbing off his goddamn lap first?” Bishop griped.
“I knew you’d have a problem,” Trent said angrily, sliding off Wood’s lap but not going far.
“What?” Bishop asked, pushing his big body to the edge of the recliner, nudging Edison off his lap. “Yeah, I got a big problem. I don’t want to watch my little brother hump on his boyfriend in front of me.”
Wood laughed loudly, but Trent didn’t find anything funny. He mimicked Bishop’s posture and returned his glare.
“Your grand gesture wasn’t necessary, Trent. I already knew about you and Wood. But Edison thought it’d be best if I let you tell me yourself.”
Trent turned toward a blushing Edison. “You promised.”
“I didn’t say a word, I swear. Bishop just figured it out like he does everything. He doesn’t even know I cut your hair for you guys’s first date.” Edison slapped his hand over his mouth. “Oops.”
“Well, he does now,” Trent muttered, rolling his eyes. “I was gonna tell you, B, you know that. I just wanted you to see that I was sure about this. It’s not something I jumped into without thinking.”
“I know that, Trent. You’re not the man you used to be. I don’t think any of us are for that matter. I knew you were serious when you stayed home from work for two days to take care of him. You wouldn’t do that for just anyone.”
“So you’re not surprised I like a man?” Trent raised his voice. “Forget that it’s Wood.”
Bishop made a noncommittal sound and shook his head. “Nope. Put that together a while ago.”
Trent dropped his head, digging his palms into his eyes. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“You were different when you came out of prison, T. I knew you’d maybe experienced something in there,” Bishop said more gently. “Not necessarily bad either. I prodded at the subject a couple times, but you’d always clam-up. So, I left you to it and just waited.”
“Did you know I’d like Wood also?” Trent asked sarcastically. “Since you know everything else.” He was only a little pissed that he’d never been able to deceive Bishop or Mike.