Page 37 of Heartbreak Honey

Now

Skyler is in the middle of watering his plants, talking to them cheerfully as he does it, when he hears Trevor walking into the room. As he turns around, his breath catches in his throat, because he’s greeted by the sight of the man standing there with only a towel wrapped around his waist, wet hair dripping fat water droplets onto his shoulders.

He licks his lips reflexively, then smirks. “Did you forget where your clothes are? Or are you hoping for a round before we go? Because we don’t have time, but I wouldn’t mind being fashionably late.”

Trevor rolls his eyes, one hand clutching the knot in the towel to keep it up. “I realized I have nothing to wear to a party. Pretty much all I brought with me are sweats, T-shirts, and hoodies.”

“Hmm. I say you look perfect like this.” Skyler can’t help the way his eyes rove over Trevor’s body.

“I don’t think a towel could be considered proper attire,” Trevor says, coming forward to kiss him.

Skyler takes the opportunity to snake an arm around his waist, slipping his tongue into Trevor’s mouth as a distraction before he deftly rips the towel from his body.

Trevor gasps, laughing as he tries to snatch it back. Skyler throws it to the floor and grabs his bare ass, squeezing until Trevor lets out a quiet moan.

“You said we don’t have time for this,” Trevor reminds him a little breathlessly. “And I need help finding something to wear.”

“Fine,” he says, pouting a little for dramatic effect before reluctantly letting him go. “Come on, babe.”

He picks up the towel but doesn’t give it back as he leads a naked Trevor into the bedroom. Trevor quickly steps into a pair of tight maroon boxer-briefs that hug his muscular thighs (and other parts) deliciously. For a moment, Skyler considers them skipping Jermaine’s party altogether before he gets himself under control.

He’s excited to see Jermaine and celebrate him dropping the first single off his upcoming album on a live TV appearance tonight in the city. When Jermaine called him and found out he and Trevor are back together, he demanded Skyler bring Trevor with him.

Trevor surprisingly agreed with almost no fuss. They can’t go publicly as a couple, so Mike’s dropping them off separately at the club Jermaine rented out. But still. Trevor’s going. And since he and Trevor haven’t been seen publicly in the same place at the same time since the band broke up five years ago, this is a big deal, even if they’re trying to pretend it’s not.

So there’s no way Skyler’s letting them skip this, no matter how tempting Trevor looks in his underwear.

He wanders into his closet where Trevor’s moved the small amount of clothes he packed to come here. He picks out a pair of Trevor’s fitted, light-blue jeans, and then searches through his own shirts for something that might work.

Trevor steps up behind him and places a hand on his back. “I’m not wearing one of your floral, see-through monstrosities. Or anything that sparkles.”

He laughs. “Don’t pretend you don’t like my outfits.”

“I like them very much on you.” Trevor says, scratching his nails lightly up Skyler’s spine and distracting him from his task. “Trust me. Very much. But they’d look ridiculous on me.”

“Trust me.” Skyler leans into his touch. “I’m sure I can find you something simple.” He forces himself to step away so he can keep looking, and eventually he pulls down a white, long-sleeved Henley. “Aha!”

When he holds it out, Trevor looks unsure. “You don’t think that’s too simple for a party like this? I don’t want to look like I don’t belong there.”

Skyler makes him take the shirt. “Jermaine invited you and he’s excited to see you, so you absolutely belong there.” You belong anywhere I am.

Trevor pulls the Henley over his head and smooths it down his body. Skyler’s taller, so the shirt’s a tiny bit long on him, but it’s perfectly tight around his chest and arms, and clings to his abs. “You sure?” he asks, glancing down at himself self-consciously.

“Definitely,” Skyler insists. Then he pushes Trevor into the bathroom, where he finishes getting ready.

This is all so domestic. Wearing each other’s clothes, watching each other get ready. It reminds Skyler so much of the way they used to be. All those years of being in the band together, of living together and traveling together. Of being partners.

No matter how much he loves his solo career, those years in the band were the best ones of his life. Because of Trevor.

He can’t help but wonder if now the rest of his life could be like that too. Like this.

Skyler’s been at the party by himself for thirty minutes now, mingling. The place is packed already, a DJ playing music that’s not too loud to hold a conversation, but loud enough that he almost misses his phone ringing. Seeing Trevor’s name, he excuses himself from the indie film star he’s been talking to.

He finds a semi-private corner of the large room as he answers. “Hey, babe, are you here?”

“I don’t know if I can do this, Sky.”

He leans one hip against the wall and frowns at how nervous Trevor sounds. “I told you nobody here will think anything of us both coming out to support Jermaine. It’s a private party, no paparazzi allowed in. And you know we won’t do anything that’ll look more than friendly with each other.”

“It’s not that,” Trevor says. “It’s that I’m not a part of this world anymore. I’ve been so far removed from it. I don’t fit in with all the stars and industry people.”

“Yes, you do,” Skyler assures him. “You were always great at schmoozing industry people when you wanted to. And you just gave a TV interview. You’re more famous than most of the people here, regardless of how long it’s been since you were in the spotlight.”

Trevor chuckles over the line. “I don’t know about that.”

Adjusting his stance, Skyler double-checks no one’s close enough to overhear his conversation. “You can do this, babe. I promise. And while you’re here, maybe you could talk to some producers about your ideas for a new album, see if anyone would be a good fit to work with.”

Surprisingly, Trevor agrees. And he already sounds more confident when he says he’ll be there in five minutes. Maybe having a goal in mind makes this easier for him.

When Skyler goes back to wandering through the mass of people, he tries not to fixate on the entrance of the club. Trevor will be fine, and Skyler’s going to let him do his own thing. They’ll find each other when it’s natural.

He’s minding his own business, laughing at a story someone’s telling, when a hand slaps him hard on the back, making him slosh a bit of his Cosmo onto the floor.

“Skyler fucking James!”

Grinning, he turns to find Jermaine behind him looking handsome in a burgundy suit, with his hair grown out natural and free. Every time they meet up now, it’s refreshing to see Jermaine happier and less reserved, more like his true self than he was able to be for most of the time they were in the band.

They greet each other with a long hug, and then Skyler tells him, “Congrats, man! I watched the performance, you killed it!”

“Naturally,” Jermaine replies, with an arrogance that Skyler knows is completely fake. Jermaine stayed as humble as ever when his solo RB music took off. But he did become a lot more confident in his talent once he was singing the kind of music he wanted to sing. He gestures to Skyler’s mostly full glass. “I see you’re good, but want to come to the bar with me anyway?”

Skyler nods and follows him. It takes a bit longer than necessary, since people keep stopping them to chat, but once Jermaine has a whiskey sour in his hand, they make their way purposefully over to a giant, red leather couch on the far side of the room.

Jermaine fills him in on everything that’s been happening with his career and personal life, and Skyler fills him in on his own personal life. He gushes about how great it’s been going since he and Trevor decided to try again. And admits how scared he is about messing it up like last time.

“You didn’t mess it up last time,” Jermaine argues. “You both tried so hard even though the circumstances were shit. There was so much going on with the band and the garbage management put you guys through. What they put us all through. The constant pressure to keep working ourselves to death, the subtle racism and homophobia. We were too young to have to fight against all that.” He takes a long pull of his drink, then adds, “Honestly, I’m surprised we didn’t end up more fucked up from it.”

“Tell that to my therapist,” Skyler jokes. But like. Seriously.

Jermaine laughs. “I said more fucked up. Anyway, the happiest I’ve ever seen either of you is when you were together. Just being together, without all the other shit.”

“Right, but how do we stop that other shit from getting in the way again?” He drains the last of his drink and sets the empty glass on the small table in front of them. “I’m still in the industry and Trevor’s working his way back into it. And we’re still hiding our relationship, and I’m telling myself I can be okay with that, but I’m worried I won’t be. I thought I was done hiding who I am.”

Jermaine scoots closer and throws a friendly arm around his shoulder. “You shouldn’t be forced into something you’re not okay with in order to make someone else happy. But I think Trevor’s happiness and yours have always been linked, so you’ll find a way to make it work. You guys may not be able to go out in public as a couple, but you don’t have to pretend to date other people anymore. It’ll be different this time. You’re different. You’ve grown so much as a person in the time you two have been apart. I think you’ve realized now that you don’t need Trevor, but you still want him. And that’s worth a hell of a lot more.”

“All right, you sound like my dad,” Skyler says, shoving him away playfully, even though the closeness is nice. “And you’re barely a year older than me.”

“Now son,” Jermaine says, adopting an authoritative voice, “don’t talk to your father like that, or I might have to give you a spanking.” Then he smirks and adds, “Although I’m pretty sure you like that.”

Skyler squawks indignantly. “How would you know that?”

Jermaine gives him a pointed look, and says gravely, “Hotel walls are not that thick. Even five-star ones.”

“Oh god!” He throws his hands over his face in embarrassment as his shoulders shake with laughter. He tries to think of something to say to steer the conversation away from his sex life, but then a familiar pair of jean-clad legs appears in his sight line, and he’s sure Jermaine is smirking again at Trevor’s timing.

Jermaine jumps up and rushes forward with his arms outstretched. “Hey, man!” he says, hugging Trevor. “It’s been too damn long.”

“I know.” Trevor pats him on the back. “I missed you.”

“We were just talking about you,” Jermaine informs him with an evil grin.

Skyler shoots Jermaine a dirty look as he stands.

Trevor turns to him, unfazed, and casually sticks his hand out in greeting. “It’s good to see you,” he says, a playful twinkle in his eye.

Skyler shakes his hand. “You too.”

They’ve got the illusion of privacy at the moment, tucked away in their little bubble, but they’d be foolish not to assume there are some curious eyes on them. As far as the people in this room know, they haven’t seen each other in five years, so this is what they need to do. The pretending isn’t ideal. But Trevor is here, acknowledging Skyler in public and seemingly not freaking out about it, so it’s a start.

Jermaine points to the almost empty beer in Trevor’s hand. “We should get you another drink.”

As they all make their way back to the bar, Skyler realizes he’s put his hand on Trevor’s midback, gently guiding him the way Trevor used to always do for him in crowds. He contemplates moving it, but instead sticks with his instincts and curls his fingers loosely into the material of Trevor’s shirt. Screw it.

Trevor doesn’t seem to mind. His posture is relaxed as he sidles up to the bar and orders another beer. When he turns to ask Skyler if he wants something, Skyler shakes his head. It could be a long night, so he’ll pace himself.

A couple of Jermaine’s friends approach them, and Jermaine makes introductions all around. Their new group gathers around a high table, conversation flowing easily.

He catches Trevor at one point staring at him like he wants to eat him, so he clears his throat to get his attention, and Trevor’s eyes dart up to his face guiltily before he looks away, cheeks tinged pink. Skyler tugs at his outfit to make sure his nipples are covered, and even though Trevor’s not looking directly at him now, he swears Trevor’s trying not to laugh.

He opted to wear black skinny jeans with silver ankle boots, and an open, green-fringed vest with no undershirt, leaving his chest and stomach on display. So he can’t blame Trevor for staring—he doesn’t wear an outfit like this for it not to get noticed. But Trevor did see him before he left the apartment, so he should be immune to it already. Skyler’s secretly pleased that he’s not.

Trevor turns farther away from him and starts talking to a brunette girl in a shimmery gold jumpsuit that Skyler wonders if he could pull off. As Skyler gets brought into a conversation with Jermaine and his friend about skydiving, he keeps one ear trained on Trevor and the girl. She’s telling Trevor about how she’s been trying to get signed with her music, but she keeps getting told it doesn’t fit well enough into any specific genre, which means it won’t sell. Trevor declares that bullshit and goes into a mini rant about the music industry, which has Skyler smiling to himself because he loves when Trevor gets passionate about things.

He doesn’t even realize what he’s doing until Jermaine elbows him in the side and says, “What’s with the dreamy look?”

“Huh?” He shakes his head, focusing back in on his friend.

Jermaine cuts his eyes sneakily over to Trevor then back before saying quietly, “I’m really happy for you, you know.”

Skyler ducks his head to hide the blush creeping up his cheeks. “Thanks. Sorry. I’m paying attention to you, I swear.”

“Uh-huh,” Jermaine says with an indulgent smile.

The rest of the night passes by in a blur of drinking, dancing, laughing, and secret touches. Right before Trevor’s about to head out—they already planned for Mike to pick him up first—Kassi King, a former member of a girl group who Skyler and the rest of the guys were friendly with back in the band days, asks to take a picture with him, Jermaine, and Skyler.

“I can’t believe I’m reunited with three-fifths of Boys Will Be Boys!” she yells excitedly over the music. “I’ve got to send this to the rest of Girl Talk. They’ll get such a kick out of it!”

Skyler’s mind races, trying to come up with a reasonable excuse to get them out of this, but then he feels Trevor’s arm around his waist, tugging him in. Jermaine throws an arm over Skyler’s shoulder, Kassi squishes in on Trevor’s other side, and they all smile for whoever’s holding up Kassi’s phone.

“I’ve got to get going,” Trevor announces after the group separates. “My ride will be here in a minute. But congrats again, J! So proud of you!”

Jermaine gives him a hug and a slap on the back, and then Trevor leans in to hug Skyler. Skyler rubs a hand briefly between Trevor’s shoulder blades and watches his face carefully when Trevor pulls back. He doesn’t look worried about the fact that someone took a picture of them together. He looks like he genuinely enjoyed himself tonight. He looks happy.

Skyler tries not to grin when he says goodbye as if he won’t be seeing Trevor at home in just a little bit. As if the first thing he’s going to do won’t be stripping his own shirt off Trevor’s chest.

He’s so glad the night went well.