“I’m sorry, but you want to do what?”

Ashby blinked at Trent across the table. Trent had been unusually quiet during their snowboarding session that afternoon, even for him. Then he’d suggested they grab a hot drink to warm themselves up again, where he’d casually asked Ashby to be his date at a wedding.

Well, not really. He’d explained about running into Kiefer again and how the lie had gotten out of hand. But Ashby couldn’t help but think it would have been easier to come up with another solution.

Trent shifted his bulk in the slightly too-small chair. “I know, it’s crazy,” he mumbled, twisting his coffee cup around. “You don’t have to.”

The thing was, it was nothing for Ashby to buy plane tickets at the last minute. He could pick up a new suit and afford a hotel room. It was more the implication that Trent was willing to lie, not just to Kiefer, but the world at large.

“You want to pretend to your friends?” he said.

Trent quickly shook his head. “No,” he said. “I was going to say that we were friends. That’s, um, true. Right?”

It was adorable to see a normally big, confident hunk look at Ashby like he was at his mercy. His trust and respect after such a short amount of time put Gordon and Ashby’s other exes to shame.

“Of course we’re friends,” Ashby said, laying a hand on Trent’s hand for a second. “But it’s a big deal to even flirt with the idea of coming out of the closet. You won’t be able to undo this if people get wind of it.”

Trent shrugged. “So?” he said. “I don’t see anything shameful in being bi. If people want to flip their fucking minds over it, I don’t care. I’m the dumb idiot who pretended to be your boyfriend. If we have to keep that up to keep you safe, I’d love to have you be my plus one.” He gave Ashby a tight smile. “Besides, this way you get to meet my best buds. If we’re going to be friends, that would be cool, right?”

Ashby was dumbstruck. Trent wanted to be friends for real? Not just for the next week or two? And he wanted him to meet his friends? More to the point, he didn’t care if people called him gay or bi?

Well, he wasn’t. He could ride out the rumors, then go back to his real life. He wouldn’t really be coming out of the closet.

Ashby wasn’t sure how he felt about being a part of such a large fib. He couldn’t help but feel it would make a mockery of him and other queer people. However, Trent was only doing it to try and keep him safe from that repulsive creep.

“So,” he said slowly. “We’d just be going as friends? Well…that could be fun, couldn’t it?” He smiled, warming to the idea. Because Trent wasn’t asking him as a cruel joke or anything after all. “I do love weddings.”

“Yeah?” said Trent, brightening. “So, you’ll consider it?”

“Sure,” said Ashby. “Why not? You only live once, right? But won’t your friends be put out by a last minute extra guest?”

For some reason, Trent laughed. “They’ve been desperate for me to bring a date, so there’s a place for you,” he said. “But, to be honest, the idea of bringing a friend is so much better. We can dance and eat cake and drink Champagne.”

An unhelpful thought crept into Ashby’s mind that maybe…just maybe…if Trent was willing to go further with this fallacy, there could be a grain of truth to it. After all, if he was repulsed by the idea of holding hands and cuddling with a guy, he wouldn’t do it. Right?

Ashby decided to be as honest as the situation allowed. He smiled and took a sip of weak tea. “If you really don’t care about people gossiping, I’ll be honored to come along as your friend. I actually think it’s pretty admirable that you wouldn’t care what people think of your sexuality.”

Trent gave him one of those rare kilowatt smiles he kept hidden away. “You know what? Fake boyfriends or not, I’m happy you’re coming along. You’re fun to hang out with, man.” He clapped Ashby on the knee, sending sparks through Ashby’s body where his hand touched him. “Besides, it’s a gay fucking wedding. If anyone has issues with that in this day and age, they can eat my ass.”

Ashby was momentarily completely sidetracked with the idea of eating out Trent’s delicious ass. It was a filthy thought and something he hardly ever did. But the image burrowed into his brain and he had to shift in his seat before his cock got too excited.

Then he realized what Trent had said. A gay wedding?

“Hang on,” Ashby said. “Whose wedding is it we’re going to?”

Trent smiled again, but this time it was pure wickedness. “Who do you think?” He winked. “I hope your inner fanboy is ready.”

* * *

It turned out that Ashby’s inner fanboy was in no way prepared for the prospect of going to a Below Zero wedding. Now, if he had bumped into Blake Jackson on the street, Ashby would have known right away. His dance school reality TV show was a guilty pleasure of Ashby’s. He’d been so moved to see Blake’s relationship with Elion Rodriguez unfolding on his screen, and Blake’s passionate speech about coming out as bi at the Nickelodeon awards had actually made Ashby cry.

Now here he was, flying out to attend their wedding. Ashby went to enough A-lister parties back in London to admit he’d met plenty of celebrities over the past few years. But Blake and Elion meant something to him. As did Joey Sullivan and Raiden Jones. For a time, Below Zero had made young Ashby feel less alone. There had always been something inherently queer about the band to Ashby’s mind.

“Are you okay?” Trent asked as they sat in their seats on the flight from Chicago to Cincinnati. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a direct route from Jackson, Wyoming.

“Yes, fine,” Ashby said. He sat on his hands so he would stop scratching at the armrests. “I meet my teenage heroes all the time.”

Trent leaned a bit closer and waggled his eyebrows. “Come on,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “You met me, and I’m nothing to get flustered over, am I?”

Ashby managed a sort of squeak, then looked back toward the small TV in the back of the seat in front of him. The miniature airplane was tracking their progress in the air across the screen. Luckily, he had his jumper folded over his lap, so he didn’t have to squirm to hide just how flustered Trent was capable of making him.

He sipped his gin and tonic that he’d ordered from the in-flight service and tried to relax. But he was going to be meeting mega-successful people and what would Ashby tell them he did for a living when they asked? That he was essentially an it-boy? That he went to parties and put photos on Instagram? It was almost too cringe-worthy to bear.

“Um,” he said, swirling the drink around. “I guess I’m nervous that they might not like me,” he said.

Trent frowned, the playfulness gone from his face. “You’re one of the nicest people I think I’ve ever met,” he said, as if that was obvious. “Why wouldn’t they like you?”

Ashby sighed and placed his drink down on the little tray. Then he turned to look Trent in the eye. “Because you guys all earned your fortunes,” he said. “You’re talented. My parents did all the hard work and I…I’ve never strived to do anything much with my time. It’s embarrassing.”

Trent’s frown deepened. “I know labels can be important,” he said eventually. “But you’re more than just a job title. You’re kind and funny and really stylish. The guys aren’t dicks. They’ll like you for you. I promise.”

Ashby momentarily forgot how to breathe. Trent thought he was kind and funny and really stylish? That was…a lot to take in. “Um, thank you,” he said bashfully.

Trent tilted his head, his gaze questioning. “You just haven’t discovered what you’re really good at yet,” he said. Then he lay back in his seat and closed his eyes. “That sounds like a challenge. Before you fly back to England, we’re gonna work out what makes you tick.”

“We are?” Ashby said. He hadn’t managed to discover his true passion in twenty-four years. He doubted Trent was going to come up with anything in a little over two weeks.

But Trent smiled, his eyes still closed. He folded his large hands over his stomach and snuggled down a bit further. He looked like he was going to take a nap. “Yup,” he said. “But first, we’ll have wedding fun. Then we can fix your life.”

“Just like that,” Ashby said with a disbelieving laugh.

Trent cracked an eyelid and looked at him. His gaze sent tingles over Ashby’s skin. “Just like that,” he agreed.