The movie droned on, some mystery that Gavin was only giving half his attention. He rarely sat still for an entire movie anyway, and the only thing keeping him still today was Jace. He calmed the racing side of Gavin’s brain, helped steady him when he was likely to act a little nuts. He couldn’t explain it, but he liked it. And if having it meant keeping their relationship a secret for now, he’d deal.
An out-of-place smell caught his attention. Gavin sniffed the air, inhaling hard a few times to try and place it—onions. The hell? He had to be imagining it this time. There was no reason he should smell onions in the trailer.
Jace’s ass began playing a few chords to a popular rock ballad. He lifted up and pulled out his phone. Gavin was nosy enough to glance at the screen: Dad’s Cell.
“Hey,” Jace said into the phone. Keith’s voice on the other end was an unintelligible rumble. “No, I’m fine, and I can’t believe he called you.”
Jace’s knee, had to be.
“Okay, yes, Dad, I’ll be home for dinner. Six. Bye.” Jace dropped his phone onto the floor then pressed back against Gavin’s chest with a deep sigh.
Gavin glanced at the clock on the microwave. Quarter until five. “Dinner date?” he asked.
“Mom’s making pot roast.”
“Sounds tasty.”
“She also invited Rey and Samuel over to thank Rey for not running me over with his car today, hence the insistence I attend.”
Gavin snorted laughter. “Your mother is…”
“Strange?”
“Forgiving.”
Jace shrugged, attempting casual, but his body was tense. “Well, it was my fault, and Rey gave me a ride so I didn’t have to walk and make it worse.”
It clicked for Gavin. “You’re worried that your parents are going to notice.”
“Notice what?”
Having Jace facing away from him was awkward for the conversation, so Gavin twisted them both around enough to look him in the eyes. “Jace, if your parents haven’t looked at you and thought ‘hey, my kid’s queer’ yet, they won’t suddenly do it because a gay couple is having dinner at their house.”
Jace’s face colored. “I know it’s stupid, but what if they do?”
“They won’t. Just lock Rachel in the attic for the duration of dinner, and you’re all set.”
He groaned and pressed his face into Gavin’s shoulder. “This sucks.”
“It’s one night.”
“Wish you could come.”
Muffled though the words were, their meaning wasn’t lost on Gavin. “That would be a little obvious, wouldn’t it?”
“Yeah. Nice thought, though.”
“Great thought, actually.” He nearly added that he hoped for a rain check on that but didn’t want to push his luck. “Come on. I’ll give you a ride home.”
They sat together for a few minutes longer, neither quite ready to break the spell they’d cast over themselves. Gavin knew that Jace would have to face his parents sooner or later, both about school and his sexuality. And he hoped Jace knew that he’d be there to support him no matter what or when.
Yeah, Gavin was falling hard and fast for the metaphorical boy next door.
God help him.
Mom’s car was already in the driveway when they arrived, so Jace resisted the strong urge to kiss Gavin goodbye before he climbed out of the Jeep. He walked up to the porch where he waited until Gavin pulled back out and onto the street. Every time they separated, he felt cold, like the thing that kept him warm despite all of the other things inside trying to crush him down was taken away.
He let himself inside to a house scented with roasting beef and spices. His mouth watered even as his stomach twisted up angrily. He followed the smell into the kitchen, where his mom was adding cut vegetables to a salad bowl.
“Hey, honey,” she said with a warm smile. “How’s your knee?”
“It’s fine, just a little sore,” he replied. “I’ve been putting ice on it.”
“You really should have let Rey take you to the hospital for an x-ray. What if it’s broken?”
“It’s not even sprained, Mom. I ran track for four years, I’d know if it was worse than it is, okay?”
She blinked at him over slices of cucumber, and he realized how sharp his tone had been. She was trying so hard, and he was practically needling her into meddling.
“Where are Rachel and Lauren?” he asked.
“Rachel is eating at Molly’s, and Lauren is out with that boy Alex she met at church on Sunday.”
“They aren’t eating here?”
“No.” Her tone dared him to make an issue out of it, so he shut up. They didn’t have to stay here and make nice with houseguests, because they hadn’t been dumb enough to run out into the road and into the side of a car. “Can you set the table for me, please?”