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“It’s okay to not have found the person you want to make a family with yet,” Grady said softly. “Sometimes it takes longer than we’d like, but when it’s right, you’ll know.”

“I would never have pegged you for such a romantic.”

“Don’t tell anyone. And stop trying to dodge.”

Lake sighed. He knew, logically, that Grady was right.And hehaddated a few people over those years that he’d thoughtmaybe,but nothing had ever panned out. “It just feels big when I’m there by myself. Even with the TV on, the silence gets to me. I like your house.” He shrugged. “It’s small, and cosy, and it has you in it.” He didn’t know if that admission was allowed or what it even meant, when it felt like so much more than he could find the words for.

“Lake…”

“I know we haven’t known each other long, but friendships are like that sometimes, aren’t they? I like being around you.”

Grady didn’t respond, and Lake awkwardly fiddled with the beaded and leather bracelets around his wrist.

“Do you have food at your house?” Grady asked eventually. That hadn’t been what Lake had expected him to say. He’d been bracing himself for rejection. Lake had gotten too clingy, wanted to spend too much time with him, and it was time to part ways. Lake would have understood. He knew that he was a lot to handle, and sometimes he figured the only reason Felix and Zach had stuck around so long was that they’d had so long to get used to it.

“I guess it depends on what you mean by food?” Lake replied. “Why?”

“Because I like your house, Lake,” Grady said patiently. “And you shouldn’t have to feel like you can’t be there.”

“I—what? You like my house?”

“Well, yeah. It’s big, and it’s inviting, and it has you in it.” He paused and then turned to Lake with a grin that had Lake’s mouth going dry. “And it has more than one bed. Just in case.”

“All of my spare beds are being fumigated,” Lake said, hoping he didn’t sound as desperate as he felt. He didn’t give a fuck if it was weird; he liked waking up next to Grady, liked how big Grady was and how much space he took up on the mattress, the heat that radiated off him in waves. There was no mistaking he wasn’t alone when Grady was with him.

Grady just smirked as he shook his head. But he didn’t protest, so Lake took it as a win.

Lakeidlyswunghislegs in the water as he sat on the edge of his pool. He took a big bite out of the burger that he’d helped Grady put together—buttering the buns and putting in the tomato and lettuce was helping and safer for everyone involved.

He smiled at Grady as the big guy carefully lowered himself beside Lake, cradling his burger on a napkin as he slipped his calves into the water, his pants rolled to his knees.

“Best Valentine’s ever,” Lake said, nudging Grady lightly in the shoulder.

“Getting in a car accident is your best Valentine’s?” Grady asked. He took a careful bite, way more dignified than the way Lake had just shovelled his into his mouth. It was too good to not get a good mouthful. If his cheeks weren’t bulging, he was doing it wrong. “You either have a really low bar or terrible luck.”

“Probably a bit of both?” Lake said with a shrug.

“You’ve got…” Grady trailed off as he pointed at the corner of his own mouth.

“Got what?”

“Some sauce. Here.” Grady shifted his burger to his other hand and then used his napkin to wipe gently at Lake’s mouth. Lake’s eyes met Grady’s dark-olive gaze, and they stayed in a strange standoff as Lake’s heart rate went haywire.

Grady cleared his throat and pulled away. “Do you need a bib?”

Lake bit his lower lip as he studied Grady’s profile. He wondered if Grady ever thought about their New Year’s Eve kiss. If he replayed it in his mind the way Lake sometimes did when he found himself daydreaming at work. “Got one handy?” he asked, bringing himself back to the conversation and trying to sound casual and not at all like everything inside him was shifting.

“No, I left mine inside,” Grady deadpanned.

“I guess both of us dropped the ball,” Lake said lightly.

“I guess so.”

Lake’s swinging slowed, and his ankle rested against Grady’s. He didn’t move away, and neither did Grady as they finished their food in silence. Some birds in a nearby tree were having their late afternoon meeting, serenading them as they ate.

“It sounds like things are going well with your brother and your friends,” Grady said as he sucked his thumb into his mouth.

Lake felt captivated watching it. Grady had big hands, bigger than Lake’s. He was bigger than Lake overall, so it made sense. “What? Oh. Yeah, it’s fine, I guess? They’re doing something tonight.” Something romantic, he was sure, and that would end in all of them naked. Which he was not going to think about becausenoon so many levels.