“Hey, big brother.” Blake smiled, guilt clouding his eyes.

“Hey, little brother. You know, you don’t have to stay gone all night.” It was pretty shitty that Blake thought he couldn’t have a couple beers with friends and then come home out of fear of being a temptation to Trevor. His gut twisted at that, the thought that he didn’t think Trevor was strong enough to handle it.

“Shit,” Blake mumbled and then ran a hand through his hair the same way Trevor did. “We were watching the race. It was only a couple of beers.”

“You could have had more, you know. My shit isn’t your problem. We all know you have your head too put together to follow down my path.” That truth hurt, but it was, in fact, a truth.

“It’s an asshole thing to do...coming home after drinking. Feels that way, at least, but now I’m feeling like just as big an asshole for not coming home. I don’t...” Blake shook his head.

Yeah. Trevor didn’t know how to do this, either, so he changed the subject. “Where’d you stay?”

“Jason’s.”

Trevor didn’t try to hold back his grin. “You two getting back together? It’s only a matter of time.” Imagine their mom’s surprise to find out not one, but both of her sons were gay. She didn’t flinch when she found out. It never bothered her. She just smiled and said, “It makes sense that it’s both of you. Neither of you ever wanted to do anything without the other. Just don’t let any boys come between you.”

Then they’d all laughed and that was that.

And Trevor had gone on to do a shit ton of things without his brother, things he was glad Blake never participated in.

“We’re not getting back together. We’re not sleeping with each other, either. We’re friends. Trying to make it more would be a mistake. We both know that.” He crossed his arms and leaned against the back of the couch.

“Okay.” Trevor nodded. “Then get your ass home instead of staying with him. If you’re not getting your dick sucked out of the deal, you should at least get to stay in your own bed. No matter what, okay?” He wanted to make sure his brother got that. This was Blake’s home. Blake’s life. He shouldn’t have to censor it for Trevor. “I can handle it.”

“Yeah...yeah, sure.” He walked over and playfully shoved Trevor, and Trevor knew that despite the okay, he wouldn’t listen. “So where the hell did you go when you stormed out of here yesterday? I’m not going to have to kick your ass, am I?”

Trevor smiled. “You can kiss my ass is what you can do. I got us a second chance. Come on.” He pointed to the kitchen table. “We have work to do, like getting a proposal written up for Simon.”

The pride in Blake’s face made some of the weight lift off Trevor’s shoulders.

***

It was close to four when there was a knock on Simon’s door. He minimized the screen on his computer, not as though anything he’d been searching would do him any good anyway. Obsessively looking up information on his hand wouldn’t change anything. Surgery was usually a good option...but for Simon it hadn’t worked. Part of him accepted that, but the compulsion to look was always there.

Frustration burned at his insides. He’d expected Trevor to come before this. If the man wanted the job that badly, a person would assume he’d come first thing. It’s what Simon would have done.

He opened the door. “Found the time to make it, did you?”

Trevor’s dark brows pulled together. “Did I miss something? I said I would come today and I did. It’s only three fifty. We wanted to be as thorough as possible.”

Which made perfect sense, and Simon was well aware he was being an asshole. “You’re right. I apologize. It’s been a long day.” A long day of doing nothing. He still wasn’t used to it. Simon had always worked and worked hard: college, medical school, residency, getting board certified for cardiology, and general surgery. He’d been at the top of his class, yearning for more knowledge every step of the way. He worked overtime and studied his craft, always trying to learn more. Wanting to perform miracles. It had been his life. Heather could attest to that. And now he had nothing to do with his time, and that was killing him.

“Come in.” He stepped out of Trevor’s way. Trevor lingered for a second before coming in. He crossed the small living room and went for the table, folders and papers in his hands.

“It’s only been a day. Take that into consideration. Anything can be changed. We drew up a few ideas for you, wrote up what you told us and got some prices together. My co-owner had to go off my notes. Hurt like a bitch to try and write. I think you’ll find we’re comparable to anyone around here. Probably a little less.”