Page 118 of The Long Game

“Do not defile the kitchen!” Colton wailed. “It’s bad enough you terrorize me, but poor, innocent Sam also has to live with your goo-goo eyes and kissy-kissy faces.”

Sam frowned at Colton. “I’m sorry, poor, innocentwho?”

Colton ignored him. “The rule is no kissing within six feet of the sacred coffeemaker. Or me, actually.AndSam.”

“Poor, innocent Sam would like to decide for himself, thank you very much,” Sam muttered with an elbow to Colton’s ribs. “I think they’re sweet, and it was just a kiss.”

Jack grinned at Colton. “See! Sam’s a sensible person. I bet he even roots for the Yankees and the Habs.”

Sam’s eyes went wide. “Wow. This just took an ugly turn.”

Grady shook his head. “Jack, Sam and I grew up in the same household. He’s no turncoat.”

“Uh…” Sam bit his lip guiltily.

Jack chuckled. “Are you sure about that, big brother? Because Sam looks like a man with a secret. It’s okay, Sam, you can admit it. The Habs are the best.”

“Sorry, Jack, but that’s just delusional,” Sam said with a grimace. “Everyone knows the Leafs will dominate.”

“In yourdreams,” Jack countered. “At least tell me you’re not a Jays fan, too.”

“I’m not,” Sam agreed.

“Ha! Finally someone who understands!”

“I’m a Red Sox fan.”

Jack’s face was priceless. He spent the next ten minutes trash-talking and angrily chopping vegetables. Grady helped with dinner and cuddled Jack as much as he could, particularly after finding Jack’s blender on his counter.

As soon as dinner was done, Jack announced they were expected downstairs. An apartment tour had always been on the agenda, but Grady had forgotten with everything else going on.

As soon as he started down the stairs, he saw who was waiting for them and laughed. “No way!”

Mike Erdo and Alexei Belov grinned up at them. When Jack said he knew the owners, Grady should have asked more questions.

“Belvedoro Management, huh?” he asked with a shake of his head. Now that he knew, it was obvious—it was an anagram of their last names.

Colton whooped when he saw their landlords and they both high-fived him and Sam while leading the way to the door. Grady waited for Jack as everyone filed in, threading their fingers together once Jack caught up.

It had been a week since Jack had first kissed him and Grady was determined to be patient. To let things unfold, no matter what his gut was telling him. But he also wanted Jack to be comfortable wherever they ended up.

As soon as they stepped through the door, Grady jerked to a halt.

Mike and Alexei moved around the room, throwing back curtains, opening blinds, and letting in the afternoon sunlight. It slanted into the room, making the wide-plank oak floors glow.

“How has this space been empty for so long?” Grady wondered, noting Jack looked equally amazed.

Mike shrugged. “It hasn’t been that long. We bought the house for a great price from the woman who lived in here, and in exchange she stayed as our tenant at a fixed rent. When she passed away a few years ago, we took our time doing the work down here ourselves. You’ll see one bathroom isn’t done yet. Once it is, we’ll put it on the rental market.”

As with the other two units, the main living areas were all open to each other. Unlike the smaller apartments above, a good-sized dining room table would fit in the bowed windows that overlooked the front lawn and still leave room for a couch beneath the other windows. The rest of the living room cut through the middle of the old house until an island delineated the bright white kitchen. More light came through the windows at the back of the house overlooking the small parking area. A hallway ran beneath the main staircase up to their current apartment, and Grady knew there was more space on the other side that only existed on the first floor. Like a lot of old Victorians, the house was built like a wedding cake, with additions and porches on the ground level that hadn’t been added to the floors above.

He gestured that way. “How many bedrooms?”

“On that side? Two. Three total.”

Sam and Colton, who had already surveyed every corner and cabinet, disappeared down the hall with a whoop from Colton.

Jack scanned what he could see of the apartment. “Where’s the third bedroom?”

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