is?”
“They all need some work.”
“Lucky you know a guy who did a carpentry apprenticeship and has a lot of free time,” Cameron teased.
“You said you're a retired hockey player.” Jackson repeated, twisting in his seat to make eye contact.
Cameron swallowed but nodded firmly. “I already made up my mind at the restaurant when we decided to do this.” He avoided the emotional moment by switching right back to the subject of the house tour. “Did you guys like the first two? Neither of you were sold on the third one.”
“I liked the first one, and I think you liked the second, hey, Thomas?”
Thomas nodded. “And you were sold on the third from the moment we walked in.”
Cam couldn't deny it. “Yeah. I didn't know anywhere here had that kind of architecture.”
“It did suit you,” Jackson admitted. “I suppose you'll want me to custom-make some railings, huh?”
Oh, shit, that would be cool. Cam's jaw dropped as he stared at Jackson, already imagining the possibilities.
“Don't strain his heart,” Thomas teased. The joke was cautious and even Jackson glanced at Cameron to make sure he laughed before chuckling.
“Fuck off,” Cam told Thomas, slapping his shoulder and leaning back in his seat again. “Anyway, I'm sold.”
“Do we wanna risk losing it? Offer lower?”
Thomas cleared his throat. “Well, I was doing some research and it's been on the market for a while. She even said the owner's willing to negotiate. I'm guessing a three-house package is harder to move than they expected.”
Man. We can actually do this. I can actually do this.
Cameron was a little worried about the mortgage, but it would be way cheaper than Toronto rent. He'd find a way to make it work – by manual labor, if he had to. It wouldn't be the same kind of stress that triggered his heart problems. Carpentry, beekeeping, teaching kids to skate – anything low-stress... He'd do whatever he had to.
“So, when are we gonna put in the offer?” Cam asked.
“Today?” Jackson asked, glancing in the rearview mirror.
Cam met his gaze and nodded firmly. “Today.”
“Today,” Thomas repeated in a murmur. Silence fell until they pulled up to the curb outside Jackson's cramped house – which, if all went well, would soon be up for sale.
Jackson shook his head before Cam climbed out of the car. “Don't drop us off. Let's go tell Mom and Dad.”
***
Their parents were ecstatic, and the brothers' offer was filed with only a few hours' worth of phone calls and paperwork. Jessica had told them it would likely be a few days. They'd had to sign an irrevocable clause to leave their offer on the table for two days so the seller could receive other offers.
Once they left the stuffy real estate office, Thomas headed to their parents' home while Jackson and Cameron headed to Jackson's house for a quiet supper. Celebrations would come after the offer was accepted... if it was accepted.
While Jackson flitted around looking at his furniture and muttering about boxes, Cameron's phone went off. He didn't even have to reach in his pocket to know who it was. Cameron had been expecting this call all weekend.
“Be back in a bit.”
When he sat on the picnic bench, Cameron pressed “answer” on the incoming call. “Hey, Coach.”
“Hey, kid. Haven't heard from you in a while. I thought I know what that means, but I wanted to make sure.”
Cameron swallowed. That was Coach Walker reprimanding him for not having the guts to call first and admit that he was deserting the team. “Yeah. Uh, I've been doing some thinking.”
“Don't hold back.”
“I'm moving back home. I'm quitting. At least... until I get my heart fixed. Maybe later, if I'm still... anywhere near the skill level I'd need to be to get back on the team...” Cameron trailed off.
There was silence for a long minute – near-silence, anyway. Spring birdsong was loud here. He lay back on the bench, staring up at the bright clouds as the sun tried to
“They all need some work.”
“Lucky you know a guy who did a carpentry apprenticeship and has a lot of free time,” Cameron teased.
“You said you're a retired hockey player.” Jackson repeated, twisting in his seat to make eye contact.
Cameron swallowed but nodded firmly. “I already made up my mind at the restaurant when we decided to do this.” He avoided the emotional moment by switching right back to the subject of the house tour. “Did you guys like the first two? Neither of you were sold on the third one.”
“I liked the first one, and I think you liked the second, hey, Thomas?”
Thomas nodded. “And you were sold on the third from the moment we walked in.”
Cam couldn't deny it. “Yeah. I didn't know anywhere here had that kind of architecture.”
“It did suit you,” Jackson admitted. “I suppose you'll want me to custom-make some railings, huh?”
Oh, shit, that would be cool. Cam's jaw dropped as he stared at Jackson, already imagining the possibilities.
“Don't strain his heart,” Thomas teased. The joke was cautious and even Jackson glanced at Cameron to make sure he laughed before chuckling.
“Fuck off,” Cam told Thomas, slapping his shoulder and leaning back in his seat again. “Anyway, I'm sold.”
“Do we wanna risk losing it? Offer lower?”
Thomas cleared his throat. “Well, I was doing some research and it's been on the market for a while. She even said the owner's willing to negotiate. I'm guessing a three-house package is harder to move than they expected.”
Man. We can actually do this. I can actually do this.
Cameron was a little worried about the mortgage, but it would be way cheaper than Toronto rent. He'd find a way to make it work – by manual labor, if he had to. It wouldn't be the same kind of stress that triggered his heart problems. Carpentry, beekeeping, teaching kids to skate – anything low-stress... He'd do whatever he had to.
“So, when are we gonna put in the offer?” Cam asked.
“Today?” Jackson asked, glancing in the rearview mirror.
Cam met his gaze and nodded firmly. “Today.”
“Today,” Thomas repeated in a murmur. Silence fell until they pulled up to the curb outside Jackson's cramped house – which, if all went well, would soon be up for sale.
Jackson shook his head before Cam climbed out of the car. “Don't drop us off. Let's go tell Mom and Dad.”
***
Their parents were ecstatic, and the brothers' offer was filed with only a few hours' worth of phone calls and paperwork. Jessica had told them it would likely be a few days. They'd had to sign an irrevocable clause to leave their offer on the table for two days so the seller could receive other offers.
Once they left the stuffy real estate office, Thomas headed to their parents' home while Jackson and Cameron headed to Jackson's house for a quiet supper. Celebrations would come after the offer was accepted... if it was accepted.
While Jackson flitted around looking at his furniture and muttering about boxes, Cameron's phone went off. He didn't even have to reach in his pocket to know who it was. Cameron had been expecting this call all weekend.
“Be back in a bit.”
When he sat on the picnic bench, Cameron pressed “answer” on the incoming call. “Hey, Coach.”
“Hey, kid. Haven't heard from you in a while. I thought I know what that means, but I wanted to make sure.”
Cameron swallowed. That was Coach Walker reprimanding him for not having the guts to call first and admit that he was deserting the team. “Yeah. Uh, I've been doing some thinking.”
“Don't hold back.”
“I'm moving back home. I'm quitting. At least... until I get my heart fixed. Maybe later, if I'm still... anywhere near the skill level I'd need to be to get back on the team...” Cameron trailed off.
There was silence for a long minute – near-silence, anyway. Spring birdsong was loud here. He lay back on the bench, staring up at the bright clouds as the sun tried to
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