Page 45 of Simply Perfection
“Do you have an idea as to the general category?”
“What do you mean?”
“You know electronics, clothing, housewares, or are you looking for something off the beaten path?”
Trevor felt heat infuse his cheeks. “Well, I was maybe thinking of something for the condo. It appears Matt may win the bet, and I thought it would be nice to get them something to show I want to live with them.”
“So how about you get an item that will be meaningful to the three of you. Something you can share,” Ethan interjected.
Trevor couldn’t help the little devil from dancing on his shoulder, “I don’t think they have sex shops on Newbury.”
Logan rolled his eyes. “Perv. He meant something for your home. An item that says you’re ready to take things to the next level.”
“You caught all that?”
Logan nodded with a big smile.
Trevor returned Logan’s smile. Trevor knew how much it meant to Logan to be able to participate in conversations again. When Logan successfully accomplished small, everyday tasks people with normal hearing took for granted, it was a huge victory. “So educate me, O domesticated ones.”
“Dishes,” Ryan said.
“No, we’ll already be combining the contents of Matt and Niall’s kitchens, though I don’t really have one to speak of.”
Logan snorted, “You have one plate, one bowl, two cups, maybe two sets of utensils and three pots.”
“So, Julia Child I’m not. Sue me.”
“Monogrammed towels?” Ethan threw out.
Trevor shook his head. “Too het.”
“Hey, we have those!” Ryan argued
“Fine, too dorky then.”
“Picture frames?” Logan suggested.
Trevor stared at Logan. “You realize who I will be living with, right?”
“Right. Sorry, forgot one-third of you is a famous photographer.”
“Matching jewelry?” Ryan proposed.
“I don’t wear it, and I can’t picture Matt or Niall sporting the bling. The monogrammed idea isn’t bad, it’s the towel part I don’t like.”
“So why don’t you get each man something that he would actually use, then have the monogram engraved? That way the gift is individualized but still a symbol of your commitment,” Logan said.
Trevor thought it over. It was a good idea. Unfortunately, it didn’t bring him any closer to deciding on the actual item to purchase. There could only be so many things you can engrave, right? Trevor peered between the two front seats and saw they had reached their destination. By some miracle, Ethan pulled into the parking lot at the exact moment another shopper was leaving. They all cheered and scrambled out of the car.
Trevor walked toward the sidewalk when someone snagged the back of his coat bringing him to a sudden stop. He spun around, and his eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of Ryan’s holster beneath his jacket. He really was carrying. Ryan's gaze met his, and the man nodded.
Ethan slapped his gloved hands together. “Let’s do this!”
They took off as a group, and Trevor felt as though he had an entourage. Ryan stood on his right, Logan on his left and Ethan at the rear. Trevor suspected the latter was so Ethan could watch his husband’s ass as they walked down the street. Some shops were nice to look in but completely out of Trevor’s budget. None of them had any items that called to Trevor. He was ready to give up when they turned a corner to check out some shops just off Newbury. Something reflected in a window, catching Trevor’s attention. He headed over to the window and saw that the shop specialized in personalized gifts.
“Look Trevor! This should be perfect,” Ethan exclaimed.
They infiltrated the shop and immediately swarmed the corners. Trevor headed straight for the desk sets. He visited Matt's office once and knew there was a big executive desk. He discounted the paperweights and crystal clocks. Then his eyes landed on a piece in the back corner of the display shelf. The box sat on a slant and housed a built-in photo frame, business card holder, pen stand and when he picked the item up the lid flipped up to reveal a hidey for sticky notes. He could put a picture of him, Matt and Niall in the frame, and the display showed a silver engraved bar at the base for the proposed monogram.
