Page 98 of Perfect Storm
“Not really.”
“Sucks, dude,” Levi said, though it wasn’t like he was going to play again. Coach Zane had made a few offhand comments about running him again at left tackle for a few plays next week, but Levi wasn’t sure if he had a decent week of practice if those reps would even materialize. Especially if they wanted to spend the field time figuring which backups would be making the final fifty-three-man roster.
“I just wanna play,” Logan complained.
“You’re gonna get there,” Levi soothed. Sometimes Logan could be so bitchy. “Week one isn’t that far off.”
“Fair,” Logan agreed. There was a sound on his side of the call. “Hey, I gotta go. Dylan’s home.”
“Can’t keep your man waiting,” Levi joked. Even though Aidan would be home soon, too. Aidan wasn’t his man. Not in the same way Dylan and Logan belonged to each other, but he still wanted to be off the phone by then.
“Yeah, yeah,” Logan said. But he sounded distracted already, and that was par for the course whenever Dylan was involved.
“Talk to you later, bro,” Levi said and hung up.
He groaned and slid out of bed after plugging his phone in to charge and got into the shower.
By the time he was done, pulling on only a pair of shorts, he headed into the main living area, and sure enough, Aidan was back, putting stuff into the fridge.
“Oh hey,” Aidan said, straightening up, the beginnings of a pleased smile emerging on his face. “I brought you some food. Put it in the fridge ’cause I didn’t know when you’d want it.”
“Now. Obviously now,” Levi said, detouring towards the kitchen. Aidan had pulled the takeout container out, setting it on the counter, and Levi popped the top.
Wherever Aidan had gone to brunch looked incredible. That had to be brisket, sliced thick, with a decent-looking smoke ring, nestled under two poached eggs, on top of biscuits, with a little cup of sauce on the side. And alongside, an enormous pile of delicious-looking breakfast potatoes, full of crispy crags.
“Damn,” Levi said, unable to resist popping a potato in his mouth. “I think I love you.”
He said it without thinking, and he told himself not to freeze when Aidan flushed red. “Just thought you’d enjoy it. Hope it’s good. I know you’ve got feelings about brisket and biscuits, being from Texas.”
“Hard to find good barbeque outside of it,” Levi agreed. “But this looks great. Thanks.”
He slid the whole mess on top of a plate for reheating, even though he’d already had a protein shake this morning.
“Just don’t tell the nutritionist,” Aidan said, flushing.
“Please tell me you had something that was at least this good,” Levi said as the food spun in the microwave.
Aidan winced. “Avocado toast and egg whites?”
“Dude.Dude.” Levi pulled a fork out of the drawer. “That’s so fucking disappointing.”
“I did splurge a little. Got a mimosa. Felt like celebrating.”
“Oh yeah, why?” The microwave beeped and Levi pulled his food out. Didn’t even bother moving to one of the barstools—just leaned over the counter and dug in. The brisket wasn’t quite as good as his favorite from Austin, but this was still pretty damn good, especially considering they were inCanada.
“Told my agent I was . . .well, that I wassomething,” Aidan said. He sounded so matter-of-fact Levi had to look up and try to read his face.
“That you’re queer?” Levi questioned between bites of biscuits and brisket.
“Yeah,” Aidan said. “I didn’t give him a label, because I’m not sure Iknowthe right one.”
“Makes sense,” Levi said.
Aidan looked surprised. “You’re not . . .you really think that?”
Sometimes Aidan was an idiot. Acuteidiot, sure, but an idiot all the same. “I said it, didn’t I?”
“I mean . . .shouldn’t I know?”
