Chapter Six

“This is my room,” Gabrielle proclaimed loudly from somewhere upstairs.

Trevor was coordinating the movers, some of whom had gone upstairs with Gabrielle’s bed and boxes. She was no doubt telling the movers where to put things. Nick was nowhere to be found, though Trevor could hear the rumble of his voice upstairs.

Moving was always a pain in the ass, and Trevor had better things to do than making sure his furniture and belongings were in the right place, but it was something that had to be done. Finding the right house had been a relief, even more so when both Nick and Gabrielle had given their approval. There was enough of a break in the schedule for Trevor to find time to make the move, though he had a game the next day.

“I can always come down,” his mom had said the week before when Trevor’s moving date had finally been granted. “We could help you move.”

“We’ll be fine,” Trevor had said, watching Gabrielle regaling Nick of all the things she and Trevor had done that day.

He was regretting not taking her up on it now, the idea of having to put everything away was making him slightly nauseous. He couldn’t imagine anything worse than the next few months being a mess of unpacking and finding places for things he’d forgotten he’d owned.

“Next time I’m buying a furnished home,” Trevor said.

“There’ll be a next time?” Nick said, sounding vaguely horrified, as he followed an excited Gabrielle down the stairs. “Gabrielle’s settled in, I’m sure she doesn’t want to have to move again.”

“No, Daddy,” Gabrielle shrieked, throwing herself at him.

Trevor snorted and caught her, lifting her up into the air and then down to his side. “I’m kidding, Princess. We’re not moving again.”

The house itself was large, but not ridiculously so. Jetty had smirked, telling Trevor it was definitely fifty rooms less than he’d been expecting for a single-guy pad, and Trevor had socked him in the arm. The truth was that Trevor hadn’t wanted a massive house. Despite the cramped apartment, he had liked the small space, Gabrielle not being too far away, her not having him too far away, and wanted something similar but with a garden. Nick had been impressed with the four bedrooms, though he’d looked faint at the final price when Trevor had shown him the house, Trevor was getting used to that. Sometimes it still struck him when he considered how much money he had and was even more evident when someone else was shocked at a purchase.

Nick led the way into the new kitchen, everything brand new, and dug through the boxes until he found the coffee machine and the toaster, two of the essential appliances in their life.

“I was thinking we should order pizza,” Trevor said.

Gabrielle sucked in a breath. “Daddy, won’t Q be mad?”

As coach of the Dragons, Q had become a mythical figure in the Raines household, Gabrielle always talking about him with awed fascination. Trevor grinned. “He might be, but I think he can forgive me.”

“Can he?” Nick said, with a smirk.

“I know you’re teaching my daughter excellent habits,” Trevor said, “but I think you can cut her a break just this once?”

Trevor tried his best pleading look, something that no longer worked on his family, but he was counting on Nick not having an immunity to it. Thankfully, his daughter was on his side, and said, “please,” dragging out the word and making an almost identical face.

Nick rolled his eyes, though there was a grin on his face. “I suppose one day wouldn’t hurt any of us.”

Trevor cheered alongside his daughter, who hugged him hard.

“Mr. Nick, you’re the best.”

“Indeed he is, Gabby.” Trevor grabbed his phone from his back pocket. “Preferences?”

“Whatever,” Nick said with a shrug. “As long as there’s greenery in there somewhere.”

“Only if you brought some with you,” Trevor said, making a face. There wasn’t anything green going near his pizza. If he was going to ruin his meal plan, he was doing it to totality.

Nick snorted and actually produced some bagged salad from one of the boxes.

“I wouldn’t have taken you for a bagged salad kind of guy,” Trevor said, bringing up the number for his new local pizzeria.

There was a short silence, and then Nick shrugged, looking apprehensive. “I guess I’m not used to my salary yet. I keep forgetting I can probably buy from a farmer’s market.”

Salary had been the biggest point of contention in their contract. Nick had been stunned by the amount and almost refused to sign, but Trevor knew his schedule was a mess and that Nick would be working ridiculous hours. Compensation in monetary form was all Trevor had to offer, and he made it clear that anyone he hired would get the same amount. Eventually, Nick had acquiesced and signed, but it was still clearly a shock.

“Well, I’m sure you can find the local ones and expand your greenery. For you and my daughter.”

Nick barked out a laugh. “I’m sure I’ll convince you to eat it somehow.”

“My nutritionist would love you,” Trevor said, with a pointed grin.

Gabrielle chose that moment to demand to be let down, and Trevor complied, letting her grab a stool and push it over to the island. Nick raised his eyebrows as she smiled at him. “I want to help put stuff away.”

“I think maybe the living room is safer to unpack first,” Nick said, saving Trevor from a heart attack. There was precious little in the kitchen he would trust her around. Gabrielle took Nick’s hand and tugged him from the room, Nick leaning down to talk to her in serious tones.

It took Trevor a minute before he could call through for the pizza. It startled him how easily he and Nick had fallen into a camaraderie, and how well Gabrielle had taken to Nick. He had been worried for a long time that she would never get used to this new life of hers, which made leaving harder. Now that he had Nick, and the three of them had grown accustomed to each other, he hoped she found some stability from it. 

When the pizza was eaten and Gabrielle was tiring, though adamant she wasn’t going to fall asleep, Trevor carried her up to her new bedroom. Nick had set up her bed – which Trevor would have to thank him for when he went downstairs – and Gabrielle remained asleep as he put her down. Smoothing back her hair, he kissed her temple gently and backed out of the room.

The house still felt strange, it probably would for a few days, but it was warm and spacious and would suit Gabrielle as she grew. The staircase was a grand affair, a winding staircase with a decorative banister and Trevor thought of his father’s face when he eventually saw it in person, the raised eyebrows and the derision. Fancy stuff wasn’t his father’s preference, and it wasn’t generally Trevor’s, but having money enough to have what he wanted was still a surprise, and if fancy stuff made Gabrielle happy, he would keep filling their house with it. If crappy, tacky stuff made her happy, he’d fill his house with that too.

The TV was still on in the living room, still playing the DVD Gabrielle had been watching, and Trevor’s lips quirked up. Nick was lounging on one of the couches, avidly watching the animated frog and swan discussing something Trevor had no hope of following.

“Deep conversation, huh?”

Nick startled at Trevor’s voice. “This house makes it too easy to be snuck up on,” he groused and rubbed at his eyes. “I couldn’t be bothered to change it.”

“Uh-huh,” Trevor said, dropping into one of the chairs, kicking his feet up on one of the boxes. “Hanging around Gabrielle is already rubbing off on you.”

“It’s educational,” Nick protested weakly, shrugging a shoulder. “It’s hard not to get invested.”

Trevor fought down the urge to keep mocking him. He knew better than anyone what it was like when you spent every day watching cartoons. Eventually, you’d get invested in the shows against your better judgment. Not that he particularly wanted to watch it when she wasn’t around. “I don’t think I’ve ever watched so many animated princesses.”

“There’s a lot more in our future,” Nick informed him, with a stricken expression.

Trevor tipped his head back against the chair, laughing, trying to ignore the way his heart picked up the pace at the way Nick said, ‘our future’.