Page 9 of Snowballing

Lane watched me with a smile. “I’m guessing he did with a reaction like that.”

I recovered enough to say, “I told you those sweatpants were mine.”

Trey ignored me. “He comes in from his bedroom, all flushed in the face, and I find a pair of pants on the floor in the kitchen.”

“What did he do? Try them on?”

Trey nodded. “They didn’t fit him. They looked like spandex.”

“You weren’t supposed to be home. I had a meeting.”

“So, it did happen?” Lane asked.

“What happened?” his wife Raquel asked, coming back into the kitchen.

“Uncle Eli finally got some,” Ben answered. Apparently, even on his smartphone, he had heard the conversation.

“I did not.”

God, I sounded like a teenager.

I looked at my brother, who was staring at me, and stared back.

“Nah, I don’t think he did. He’d be more relaxed.”

“Maybe he bolted when I came home and that’s why his pants were in the kitchen?” Trey speculated.

“Poor sap. Pantsless in December,” Lane lamented.

“Sounds like one of those Hallmark movies,” Raquel said.

“Can we talk about something else, please? Are we still on for Christmas Eve?”

Everyone in the room had another laugh at my expense, but Raquel humored my pivot, so I mouthed a thank you in her direction. “Yup. Still on for Christmas Eve. Just like every year since forever.”

“So what was he like? Twink or jock?”

I knew Lane wouldn’t let it go that easily.

A few hours later, with my belly full, Lane and I were in the living room watching postseason college football. Raquel had gone to pick up Grace, and the boys were upstairs in Ben’s room playing video games, I hoped.

“You know you can tell me if you’re seeing someone,” Lane said.

“I’m aware of that.” I sighed. “But yeah, Trey came home earlier than I thought and the guy had to make a run for it.”

“Is it serious?” I could hear Lane holding back his excitement.

I shook my head. “Was just going to be a fuck.”

“That’s something.” He seemed to consider my response. “Was, huh? Didn’t get to the good stuff?”

“Fuck, no.” I leaned back. “And it was such good stuff.”

I conjured the image of Jayden, ass up, back arched on top of my bed, in my imagination. By the time I realized Lane was saying something, he stopped.

“That good, huh? You gonna see him again?”

I shrugged and took another swig. “Gettin’ warm.” I made a grimace and stood up. “Want a fresh one?”