Steam (Homecoming Hearts #4)(44)

Raiden grinned, finally sorting his first cufflink, then moving to the second one. “No, the opposite apparently. Levi said he was a great guy who kept defending you and your straightness.”

Trent’s panic lessened. What had he really been worrying about? That Ashby was lying, pretending there was something more about them? Or that he was so heartbroken he had made their fake relationship sound real to indulge himself for a minute?

Trent ground his teeth. “Why are you calling him my boyfriend then?” he asked, going back to his shirt buttons.

“I said not-boyfriend,” Raiden corrected. “Wasn’t that who Joey was trying to talk to you about last night, too?”

Damn. Trent had hoped he’d kept that from the others. “We’re just friends,” he said, sick of repeating himself. “Just leave it.”

Raiden cocked an eyebrow. “Like you ‘left it’ with Levi and me?”

He had a point. Trent had sensed that eye fucking from a mile off. “That was different,” he pointed out. He had just been helping Raiden to help himself. He and Levi had already slept together a couple of time by then. It wasn’t like that with Ashby.

But Raiden’s expression turned sincere. He leaned in and looked at Trent with those beautiful dark eyes of his. “Take it from someone who knows,” he murmured. “It’s okay to take a chance. Life’s too short to live in a box.”

Before Trent could say anything, Raiden moved aside and the conversation turned to plans for the rest of the day. Elion had taken care of most of it, but Blake was starting to show signs of nerves. He had to stand up and go through with everything in front of everyone. Worse, in front of the cameras.

Trent was reminded that this day wasn’t about him and Ashby. It was about Blake and Elion.

The first chance he got, he pulled Blake to one side. “Are you okay, man?” he asked. Someone had to ask. Getting married was a big fucking deal. “You still want to go through with this?”

Blake looked startled. “Oh, sure,” he said a little breathlessly. “No, I’m not having second thoughts,” he added earnestly. “I just want this to be absolutely perfect for Elion.”

Trent smiled, relieved, then wrapped his arms around his friend. “It’s going to be fucking awesome,” he promised.

Blake nodded into his neck, then pulled back to look at him and the other guys. His mom was hovering, admiring her handiwork. “Let’s do this,” Blake said.





19





Trent





Trent lost the bet.

As soon as he looked out into the crowd of people and saw Ashby seated with Gabe and Levi, he had no doubt.

Ashby looked fucking gorgeous.

His suit was a shade of grey that suited his teal eyes and blond hair perfectly. Even more striking was the perfect shade of pink on his tie that he’d picked to match the wedding’s color scheme immaculately. Even from where they were standing by the gazebo, Trent could see he had done some kind of clever, elaborate knot on the tie. His thick hair was tousled just right and he was smiling and chatting with whoever turned his way. He was like a people magnet, charming men and women alike.

Trent’s chest tightened. If he wanted, Ashby could go back to the room of anyone who was interested. He didn’t owe Trent anything. He was beautiful and single and any one of these guys here today would be lucky to get to know him better.

Trent tried telling himself that would be a bad idea on camera, just in case their little ruse was blown open. But who was he kidding? He just didn’t like the idea of someone taking Ashby away from him.

What kind of asshole was he? He didn’t want Ashby, but no one else could have him?

It’s okay to take a chance.

Raiden’s words rolled around in his head all throughout the ceremony. But Trent wasn’t just taking a chance for himself. He would be playing with Ashby’s heart. He couldn’t do that to him.

Like Blake hadn’t wanted to hurt Elion? How did Trent know this wasn’t the start of a real relationship that he was too afraid to take the first step with? What if he liked being with Ashby? They were already friends despite the odds. What if the physical intimacy was just as good? Not for the first time Trent reminded himself that he had done almost everything he could imagine with the various women he had been with. Why wouldn’t he find pleasure from Ashby’s touch?

He shivered and turned back to Blake and Elion taking their vows. Elion was a grinning, weeping mess who kept making the audience laugh with his comedic timing on the vows. When the time came to ask if anyone objected to the union, he glowered to the audience earning his biggest laugh yet. Trent noticed Blake’s homophobic dad was the only one scowling.

Trent bit his lip. Was he so afraid of his sexuality he was going to let an amazing guy like Ashby pass him by? Did that make him just as bad as Mr. Jackson?

The remainder of the ceremony passed in something of a blur, as did the rest of the afternoon. Everyone cheered as Blake and Elion were declared husbands. The photographer took a million pictures of the wedding party under Mrs. Jackson’s strict supervision and with the reporters roaming like buzzards. Trent eyed them suspiciously. He was rather proud of himself for not punching a single one of them.

Elion’s mom, Mrs. Rodriguez, spent the entire shoot moving effortlessly between all the guests making sure none of them went a single minute without a full glass or tray of canapés within reach. “My beautiful boy,” she kept declaring, wiping her eyes and drinking her own fair share of Champagne.