Page 22 of Perfect Storm
Aidan hadn’t bothered to check his phone this morning, because he’d been stupidly working under the assumption thatthe most important people in his life were currently under his roof, just down the hall.
“Uh,” Aidan said. Pulled his phone out of his pocket. And sure enough, there wasn’t just a text from Levi, but three.
Hey,the first one read,I gotta dip early. My agent wants me to get to LA and meet with some people. Thanks for having me at the house. We’re gonna have to do this again.
The second:Really mean that, actually. Next year, I’m there.
And the third:Thought for a hot second about waking you up at four AM, when I left, but I thought if I did that, I’d miss my flight.
Aidan’s mouth went dry.
“See?” Riley grinned at him when Aidan glanced up, suddenly afraid that the messages—and the hot, liquid pulse of desire at the base of his stomach—were written all over his face. “Told you he’d texted you.” Riley’s expression was very fond. “Idiot.”
“He doesn’t think so now, but getting out of Seattle would be good for him. The best thing for him,” Landry said, flicking the stove off.
Aidan tried to get his brain together. He was still reeling from the fact that Levi wasn’t here. Then there were the messages in his text thread with Levi. Then apparently that he wasn’t going back to Seattle, after all.
“Really,” Riley agreed. He nudged Landry with a foot as his boyfriend detoured to the fridge, pulling out a carton of eggs. “You’re a hell of a lot happier in Charleston than you were in Buffalo.”
“And that’s got nothing to do with you?” Landry teased back, eyes sparkling as they gazed at Riley.
God, Levi had really left. And left him alone with these two, a situation designed to make him feel like the most third wheel of all time.
He knew Riley and Landry understood what that felt like, because they did try to go out of their way to usually bring others with them. Case in point: they’d dragged Levi along this time, and up until the point where Levi had to leave early, it had worked out great.
Could’ve worked out even better,Aidan’s uncooperative mind supplied.
“Oh, it’s got everything to do with me,” Riley retorted, pressing a quick kiss to Landry’s mouth.
“You guys are gross,” Aidan said. He took a long drink of coffee and wondered, stupidly, again, if it was too early to add a slug of something stronger to it.
“We know,” Riley declared happily. Proudly.
Gah.
“Who do you think’s interested in Levi?” Landry wondered as he cracked eggs into a bowl.
For a split second, Aidan nearly dropped his mug. Then he realized what Landry was asking. Notwhowas interested in Levi, as in what guys wanted to fuck him—Aidan was definitely not going to raise his hand and volunteer himself—butwhat teams.
“Condors would be great,” Riley said wistfully. “But I don’t know if we’ve got the cap space.”
“And you’ve got Ferguson already on that side. He’s solid. You don’t need a superstar in your right tackle slot, baby.”
Aidan cleared his throat and tried to get his mind together enough to join in the conversation. “You know Logan would push for Levi to play with him.”
“Not sure the Piranhas have the cap space either,” Landry said. “But it would be cool, for them to play together.”
“You wouldn’t feel left out?” Riley asked Landry.
“Nah. I’ve got lots of good guys. And you.” Landry kissed him again.
Aidan held back his groan of disgust.
His brother and his best friend were hard enough to deal with when there was another person present to exchange suffering looks with, but when it was just him? It really fucking blew.
“What about the Thunder?” Riley asked.
“What about us?” Aidan asked.
