The Current Between Us (14 page)

“
We can, if you’re good and there’s no fighting,” he said, his eyes trained on Gage who stood a few feet away on the sidewalk by the front door. Gage’s watched them approach, his smile spread as the kids bounded toward him and that smile cost Trent. Gage seemed genuinely pleased to be here with his children and Trent had to force his heart not to connect with the thought.

“
I wanted to wait to enter my first McDonald’s so you two could show me around,” Gage said to the kids.

“
Is this really your first time here?” Trent asked, keeping his eyes averted while getting the kids inside.

“
I think I might have had McDonald’s in Indonesia, but I can’t be absolutely certain. It may not have been a hamburger. It’s always hard to tell what you’re really eating on that side of the world,” Gage said, following them inside. His wonderful, brilliant children took over and grabbed Gage’s hand, guiding him to the indoor play area. If he could have high fived them for occupying Gage, he would have, and Trent followed along behind them as they guided him through the maze of tables.

“
Come on, this playground is the best!” Em called out, already kicking off her shoes.

“
They have real video games, too,” Hunter said, dragging Gage along with him.

“
Well, then, how can we wait another minute,” Gage said. A grin spread across Trent’s lips watching his children’s excitement. The sun hovered over the horizon, beginning to set. The overhead lights popped on inside the playroom. The play area swarmed with kids jumping, playing, having fun, but as they got closer Trent could see quite a few parents corralling their children as though preparing to leave. It wouldn’t take long before the room thinned out.

“
Would you like something to eat?” Trent asked, trailing behind them.

“
Just a soda,” Gage said over his shoulder, his crooked grin in place. The smile always seemed to settle squarely in his pants, bringing on the full hard-on he’d been trying to avoid. Gage was sexy as hell on his own, but watching him play with his kids became almost too much. And then his heart strings stirred, oh dear, that couldn’t be good… Shoving his hands in his jean pockets, he discreetly adjusted himself and stared after them. It took a moment for him to realize he stood looking at nothing but the swinging playroom door. The kids had Gage inside, showing him everything they could do.

Trent went to the counter and ordered food, getting a couple of sodas for him and Gage. He carried the tray to the playroom where several families still sat, eating or waiting for their children. He could see some of the adults eyeing Gage, maybe a bit of recognition, but none spoke to him. Gage stood off to the side watching Hunter as he climbed to the top of elaborate indoor play yard, disappearing in one of the multiple tubes connecting everything together. The novelty of a captive audience, having Gage there to show off in front of, had begun to fade as Em and Hunter made friends inside the enormous play set. It never took long.

“You don’t really have to stay,” Trent said, walking past Gage to an isolated table in the far corner of the room.

“
No, this is all very exciting. I may have to bring my nieces and nephews here at some point. It’s amazing how a set of cubbies for children’s shoes are just fascinating to this younger crowd,” Gage said, following behind Trent to take a seat at the small table.

“
I know, right? They pick those cubbies with critical care, don’t they?” Trent asked, pulling the happy meals from the tray, getting the kids juice boxes ready.

“
Yes, absolutely, and Emalynn dared to pick the wrong cubby. Good thing Hunter’s an expert cubby picker,” Gage said, taking the offered soda as Trent moved the tray from the table.

“
Yeah, Hunter tries hard to make sure he takes care of Em, no matter how loudly she rejects his help,” he said, chuckling while opening his straw. So far, the first five minutes seemed to be going fine. Trent found enough to occupy Gage in conversation while opening the kid’s food. He was also able to keep his eyes averted, focused on other things, without making it look obvious. High five to him for the first five minutes!

“
Taking care of his sister is the sign of a true gentleman in the making,” Gage said. Trent couldn’t help but laugh straight out loud at that one.

“
Yeah, except he can’t stand to let her win at anything she does,” Trent said, finally sitting down, taking a seat across from Gage.

“
Well, I think that just makes him a man,” Gage said, turning fully to Trent at the table. The full force of his gaze had Trent fumbling a little with the simple task of opening the kids’ food.

“
You’re probably right,” Trent said, turning away toward the tubes, scanning the playground, listening and looking for both heads darting around. Silence ensued between them, but it wasn’t bad and he still avoided purposeful eye contact. He thought over the list of questions he’d come up with on the way over, trying to decide where best to start.

“
Listen, Trent, I only barged in on your family time tonight to apologize,” Gage said. Hunter chose that moment to barrel up to the table.

“
Daddy, where’s my drink?”

“
Right here, Hunt… Hey, man, slow down, some.” Hunter gulped half his apple juice before turning to leave. Hunter stopped though and pivoted back around as quickly as he’d come.

“
I have a new friend,” Hunter said, his little chest heaving.

“
That’s good, buddy. Go play,” Trent said. It’s all it took to have Hunter dashing off, back into the playground.

“
I’m sorry, what were you saying?” Trent asked, keeping his eyes on Hunter until he disappeared into one of the giant tubes.

“
I was just apologizing,” Gage said, but not saying anything more.

“
What could you possibly have to apologize for?” Trent asked, glancing over to Gage. His confusion caused him to lose focus, throw him off his game, and he didn’t guard his expression or the location of his gaze. He looked Gage straight in the eyes and… it wasn’t terrible.

“
The other day, when I met you… We got off on the wrong foot. I misread some… things. I shouldn’t have hit on you like I did. I’m not sure what I was thinking. I guess I wasn’t thinking,” Gage said and took a drink of his soda. A grin formed as Gage kept his stare trained on Trent’s. Trent felt his cheeks heat in a small blush. After a minute, he looked around to see who might by close by or may have overheard, but they were alone on this side of the playground.

“
Really, it’s fine, I was flattered. I just gave up the lifestyle when I got the kids. Plus, I never mix my personal life with business, not in my industry. Construction’s too packed with homophobes. I don’t hide, I’m happy with who I am, I just don’t flaunt it. I try to keep all the different parts of my life separated. I tried hard to not bring the kids tonight to work with me, but I couldn’t find anyone to watch them. I really try to keep everything separate from each other,” Trent said. He rambled a little as he spoke, but hoped enough pieces were there to cover it all.

“
So you are gay?” Gage asked. He looked confused, and again Trent looked around making sure they weren’t in hearing range.

“
Yeah, I am,” he said, but Gage still looked confused.

“
What lifestyle did you give up?” Gage asked.

“
The quickie… that meaningless moment. When my sister left me Em and Hunter, I decided I needed to be the best role model I could be. I’m gay. Totally gay, but I can still be responsible and morally sound, if that makes any sense. Back then, I thought I would turn it to relationships. You know, find someone to share all this with. I was so happy and still am, but I was naïve. I thought I could find someone who would want a monogamous relationship, someone to date… Yeah, I laugh about it now. Women are totally into the kids, but guys can’t hang so well. I get it. This is a whole lot to handle,” Trent said.

“
Daddy, where’s my drink?” Em came to the end of the table, interrupting their conversation.

“
Right here,” he said, handing her the ready juice box, and she drank it down quickly.

“
When do we get ice cream?” she asked, placing the empty juice box on the table.

“
After you eat, which needs to be soon,” he said.

“
Three more minutes?” she asked, with no concept of time. Three minutes could be three hours if he wasn’t careful.

“
Okay, three more minutes, and tell Hunter, too” Trent said, grinning down at her upturned, smiling face. She didn’t wait, but took off running back to the play tubes.

“
See? It never stops with them. It’s a lot, I get it,” Trent said, turning back to Gage. Amazed again, he sat there easily holding the guy’s gaze without going into panic mode. Yay, him! It was a small, but thorough, accomplishment after the last few days of hell.

“
Just a minute, I have so many questions. Are you saying you only date?” Gage asked, his brow narrowed like he tried to figure out some complicated math equation.

“
Yes, I guess so. I don’t do the random moments at all anymore,” Trent said.

“
Then go out with me,” Gage said. It wasn’t really a question, more an answer given to him and it effectively silenced Trent who only stared back at Gage. After a minute, Gage gave his charming grin and added, “I must say, I would have liked a solid yes, but silence is better than a no.”

“
I…” Trent moved his mouth, but nothing more came out. He hadn’t expected that turn of events and continued to stare at Gage, bewildered. But the slow steady pound of his heart picked up a beat, and the solid arousal hardened tighter in his jeans. Finally, he pushed his gaze up, away from Gage, focusing on the wall behind him, trying hard to regain his ability to think.

“
I can see I need to do better. I honestly don’t believe I’ve ever asked anyone out before, but it can’t be hard and I do understand the benefits. Let me start over. Trent, please do me the honor of allowing me to escort you to dinner. Dinner’s what you do on a date, right?” Gage asked. He lifted his finger to Trent’s chin and pushed his head down to where their eyes met again. “There you go. I’m right here… What do you say to dinner with me, Trent?”

“
I would say I don’t mix business with pleasure,” Trent said.

“
Well, then, you’re fired. Now have dinner with me,” Gage said with a chuckle. “No, really, have dinner with me. Say yes, it’s just dinner,” Gage said, his elbows were now on the table and he leaned in closer to Trent. “And before you say no, again, technically your business is with Layne Construction, not me, so there is no real mixing going on,” Gage added. Trent hesitated still, but Gage had a point. He did work for Layne, not Gage. After a long pause with Gage staring at him hard, he finally answered.

“
All right, I’ll go to dinner with you,” he muttered, still shocked to the very core.

“
Great. I’ll take that yes, and say, how about tomorrow night?” The grin spread easily across Gage’s lips, making Trent absolutely certain he sat looking at the most handsome man on the planet.

“
My nanny has class every night this week, I think.” He stayed transfixed on Gage.

“
I might be able to send my housekeeper over,” Gage suggested.

“
No, I’m sorry, I need to know the person who watches them. Let me check with Auntie Crazy, see what she’s doing, hang on.” He palmed his phone on Gage’s chuckle.

“
I heard about that name from the kids tonight. Is she a sister?” Gage asked.

“
No, my sister’s best friend, they grew up together,” Trent said, flipping through his contacts and sending Sophia a quick text message.

“
Hunter and Emalynn are your sister’s children, correct?” Gage asked.

“
Yes, my sister passed away when Emalynn was born. Their father died right about the time Lynn got pregnant with Em. He was military. My parents are gone, so they came to me. I legally adopted them. It’s why they call me Dad.” Trent’s phone rang with Sophia on the other end of caller ID. Of course she couldn’t have just texted back.

“
Hello,” he said.

“
Is this for a date for you? I can come right now?” The tension of sitting across from Gage, compounded with hearing the desperation in Sophia’s voice, caused Trent to laugh at her question. The volume on his phone was up high in order to hear in the playroom. With a glance up, his suspensions were confirmed, Gage heard it all.

“
No, not now, just one night this week,” he said.

“
Tomorrow! Trent, see if she’s free tomorrow night,” Gage said.

“
Is that him, are you with him now? Is it the gallery guy? Oh my god, he’s so freakin’ hot, Trent, you lucky boy!” Trent looked up, horrified, and Gage leaned in closer to the phone before he spoke.