I’m busy. Won’t be home tonight.
Wood didn’t know how long he stared at the screen before he slowly tucked it back into his pocket. When he glanced up to see how far down the street he had to go to get to the bus stop, he noticed an alcohol and beverages store on his way.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Trent
“Trent, you know you’re like the tenth most important person to me in the whole world, right?” Summer smiled at him through her vanity mirror as he lay sprawled across her king-sized bed. “But sweetie, you have got to go. Lakeisha will be home any minute, and I have a surprise waiting for her.”
Trent propped his head in his hand and watched as his best friend continued to put a ton of spiral curls in her long blonde hair with some weird-looking iron. He shook his head. “I thought you said you were staying in tonight.”
“I am.” She grinned, primping each strand. “I want to look perfect for our stay-in date. My baby has worked forty-eight hours straight at that damn fire station, and when she gets home, I’m gonna make sure she relaxes and gets a double serving of everything she loves. Lobster, key lime pie, and me.”
“Whatever. If you cared anything for me at all, you’d take mercy on me and let me crash in the guest room,” Trent muttered. “I’ll be as quiet as a mouse; Lakeisha won’t even know I’m here. When she falls asleep, you can come in there and keep me company since I’m in such a bad mood.”
Summer whirled around, gaping at him. “Are you suicidal? You want me to hide a man in the other bedroom, fuck my woman into a coma, then sneak away and come to your room?”
“Yeah.”
“Should I take a quick whore’s bath before I do?” Summer laughed.
Trent rolled onto his back. “Well, when you put it like that it sounds wrong. Summer, don’t make me go home. Bishop has an exam at the end of the week, so he and Edison are studying all night.”
Summer got up after triple-checking her makeup and adjusted her robe. “Trent.”
He ignored her and pulled his phone out again to see if Wood was ever going to respond to his text. He hadn’t even cared to ask what Trent was busy doing all night. He probably didn’t care since he had plans with some Brody guy.
“Trent!”
Who the fuck was Brody anyway? Some seventy-year-old man Wood was pen pals with while he was locked up and had promised him a good, experienced time when he got out?
“Trent!” Summer hollered.
“What!” He sat up and glared into Summer’s immaculately made-up eyes.
“Well?” She propped both hands on her hips.
“Well what?” Trent barked. “Okay, okay, I’m leaving.” He scooted to the end of the bed and began to put his Timberlands back on.
“Oh my gosh. Are you kidding me?” Summer rolled her eyes, then went and stood directly in front of him. “My robe has been open for five minutes, I’m wearing a black leather and lace teddy, and you haven’t even glanced at me. I was asking you how do I look?”
Trent had a hard time meeting Summer’s knowing expression or staring at that sarcastic smirk. “You look real nice,” he muttered, then continued tying his laces. “And I saw you were half-naked—I was being respectful since we’re only friends. I don’t look at you like that.”
“Don’t bullshit me, Trent. I could make a priest take a second look at me wearing this skimpy thing. It’s because you don’t see me as the one with the sexy body. Stop avoiding your roommate, and go home and get in his face and ask him what the fucking deal is. Tell him you demand to know who this Brody guy is, that’s all you have to do. Besides, I have a feeling Wood’s crazy about you.”
“Sure,” Trent mumbled. “That’s why there’s probably some other guy in my damn house right now, sitting on my couch, watching my television and drinking my beer.”
“Awwww,” Summer cooed. “And he’s probably eating all your porridge too. Geez, why do gay men have to make shit so complicated?” She scoffed. “You can’t stay here, T. I won’t be your enabler.”
Trent sighed. “Maybe I do like him… a lot—”
“Yes! I knew it! Finally,” Summer shouted and threw her hands in the air, making her ample breasts almost pop out of her lingerie.
Trent ran his fingers through his short hair. Well, shit. Summer was a gorgeous, voluptuous blonde with a body built from hard work and he hadn’t even noticed she was practically naked in front of him. But the moment Wood entered a room, every one of Trent’s senses came alive.
Trent stalled as long as he possibly could. After he left Summer’s, he rode around the city of Virginia Beach for a while, before he took the longest route home. It was after ten o’clock, and he couldn’t wait another minute to eat some food. He pulled into the driveway, unsure if Wood would be home or not, or… fuck. Trent gritted his teeth. What if Wood’s company had decided to stay the night? Technically there wasn’t shit Trent could do about it if he did but go in his bedroom and drown himself in music.