Trenton drummed his fingers on his desk as he stared at the computer screen in front of him. He really needed to finish entering the inventory numbers that he’d been putting off for the past couple of days, but his mind was so scattered that it just wasn’t happening.
Which was almost one hundred percent Scottie’s fault.
Well, maybe fifty-fifty between himself and Scottie.
Maybe sixty-forty.
And maybe fault wasn’t the right word, since Trenton had enjoyed every single minute of the time he’d spent with Scottie.
But that didn’t change the fact that Scottie was literally the only thing he could think about right now, when he needed to focus on so many other things.
Like running his business, for instance.
It was getting harder and harder to make ends meet, with sales slipping just a little more each month. Trenton kept thinking things would turn around, that this holiday or that special promotion would do the trick to bring back some of the customers who had been steadily falling away over the past couple of years, but nothing seemed to work anymore.
Maybe he should try to get Scottie to ask Jack and Calvin about that photoshoot, after all. It had certainly seemed to work for every other business on Main Street the first time around.
But Trenton was afraid those bridges had probably already been burned—and he knew that he had been the one to torch them.
Scottie had seemed optimistic when he’d mentioned it the first time, but even he had to know that getting Jack and Calvin—not to mention the other business owners—onboard with letting Trenton in on their group promotion.
And if Trenton was being perfectly honest, his pride wasn’t going to allow him to beg. Or even to ask, most likely.
He rolled his eyes and looked up at the clock on the wall. It was nearly time for lunch. Maybe he would call Scottie and they could eat together. That would at least take Trenton’s mind off business for a while.
Except Scottie’s lunch rush tended to last quite a lot longer than the one at Trenton’s shop, so that probably wouldn’t work, either. And just because Trenton was too distracted to work didn’t mean he should go and interrupt one of the busiest times of Scottie’s day.
Was Trenton being ridiculous?
Probably.
Should he get over his feelings and his pride and do what was best for his business?
Probably.
But if they included him in their advertising, would they expect him to be on their side when the city council voted in a couple of weeks on the business ordinance?
Yeah, probably so.
And was Trenton prepared to compromise what he believed to be right just for the possibility to make some quick cash?
No, he was probably not going to do that.
Did that make him an idiot?
Or at least too stubborn for his own good?
Yeah… probably.
Trenton’s mood hadn’t improved by the end of the day, but at least he would be able to go home soon. And he’d also been able to get a little bit of work done, in spite of the fact that he still couldn’t really focus on anything without either thinking of Scottie, or the increasingly desperate state of his business.
It had meant being on an emotional roller coaster for most of the day—for most of the last couple of weeks, really—and it was exhausting.
Still, there wasn’t much he could do.
Not seeing Scottie or talking to him again became more unthinkable with each passing day, and there seemed to be very little Trenton could do about his business, either.
So he was probably going to be stuck on the roller coaster for quite some time, whether he wanted to be or not. That was assuming that Scottie didn’t get tired of him, of course.
And assuming that his business didn’t just completely fold in the coming weeks.
Both things were within the realm of possibility, if Trenton was being honest. He only hoped that they didn’t both happen at the same time.
Or that neither happened. That would be ideal.
He leaned back in his office chair and looked up at the clock, ready to start counting down the minutes until he could actually go home for the day when his office phone rang.
Good.
Perfect.
Trenton might not actually feel like talking on the phone, but it would at least make the last few minutes go by quickly.
He picked up the phone and did his best impersonation of someone who wasn’t actually watching the clock to go home. “It’s a great day at Topped Up,” he said, the cheesy greeting feeling like a total lie. “How may I help you?”
“Hey!” Scottie’s unmistakably cheerful voice answered him. “I was hoping you’d still be around. Are you busy?”
“Nope,” Trenton said, instantly relaxing back into his chair as the sound of Scottie on the phone returned the inevitable smile to his face. “Just finishing up a few things before I call it a day. What’s up? How are you?”
“Pretty good,” Scottie said. “Better now, for sure. I was just, um…” He paused, and Trenton waited, his smile dimming slightly at the hint of uncertainty in Scottie’s voice. Please no bad news. Please? Not today. “Honestly? I was just thinking about you and couldn’t resist calling. I know that probably sounds so corny, but—”
“No,” Trenton said, his smile returning in full force, even bigger than it had been before. “It doesn’t sound corny at all, because I was just doing the same thing. Unless, of course, we’re both corny…”
Scottie laughed, the sound making Trenton breathe a sigh of relief. Hearing that Scottie had been thinking of him, that he hadn’t been able to resist picking up the phone and calling?
Yeah, Trenton would gladly take more news like that.
All day, every day.
“I’m okay with both of us being corny,” Scottie said. “It’s seemed to work out okay so far.”
“Better than okay, as far as I’m concerned,” Trenton replied. “Every time I’m around you, I feel like time goes by too quickly, like I want the night to just keep going. Does that even make sense?”
“Makes perfect sense to me,” Scottie said. “And I’m glad. I mean, I’m not trying to get too deep here, but I’m too old to do things that don’t feel right, you know? If it’s not fun and easy for both of us, I don’t want to be a part of it.”
“Agreed, one hundred percent.” Trenton loved that they always seemed to be on the same page, that it was always so easy to talk to Scottie, no matter what the subject was. “And speaking of fun, I was hoping you might want to come over sometime this week. You’ve had me over to your house three times now, and I haven’t had a chance to return the hospitality.”
Even as he spoke, Trenton’s mind went to the last time he was over at Scottie’s house, when the hospitality in question ended with both of their dicks out.
Trenton definitely wanted the chance to try that again. But he didn’t like to wonder if he was imposing on Scottie by being over there every time, and he obviously wasn’t going to invite himself over there.
So having Scottie over made sense on several levels.
“I’d love to,” Scottie said. “Just let me know a day and time, and I’ll make it happen. I’m free pretty much every evening this week.”
“Does Thursday night work for you?” Trenton asked. “Maybe around six-thirty? Seven?”
“That will be perfect,” Scottie answered. “And you’re sure you want to have me over to your place? I don’t mind if we hang out at my house. No big deal either way, really.”
“Absolutely sure,” Trenton said. “It’s my turn to treat you. I’ll even cook.”
“Oh, damn,” Scottie said, laughing. “I’m definitely not going to pass that up.”
It was Trenton’s turn to laugh. How was it that such a short, simple phone call could completely turn his mood around?
But that was what had happened, just like it did every time he talked to Scottie. He was pretty sure it was scientifically impossible to be in a bad mood or to be too hard on himself whenever Scottie was always so cheerful and optimistic and just… fun.
“I’ll see you later, then.” Trenton paused, not quite ready to get off the phone yet, but not wanting to keep Scottie tied up, either. “Thanks for calling. I needed a good conversation today.”
“You know I’m here anytime you need to talk about anything,” Scottie replied, sounding more serious than usual. “Right across the street or just a phone call away, day or night.”
“Thanks, Scottie. I think I’m pretty lucky to have a friend like you in my life. Especially now.”
“I think we’re both lucky,” Scottie said. “I’ll see you on Thursday. Have a good night.”
Trenton looked up at the clock again as he hung up the phone. Perfect timing. The day was finally over.
And no matter what Scottie said, Trenton knew he was definitely the lucky one. He didn’t deserve a friend—boyfriend? Date? Friend with benefits?—like Scottie, but he had somehow found him anyway.
Thank God.
Trenton almost couldn’t remember what his life had been like just a couple of weeks ago, but he knew without a doubt this was better.
Much better.
And it was all thanks to Scottie.