“He was my lifesaver when I needed to move off campus.”
She grimaced. “Yes, he told me about that. How awful. But you seem to have put it behind you. And I must say you two make such a cute couple.”
Coury’s eyebrow shot up before he could stop himself. Pop noticed but didn’t correct her.
“Um . . .” Liam glanced at Coury; he seemed unsure how to politely tell her she got it wrong.
“Thanks,” Coury supplied, and gently bumped Liam’s shoulder with his.
She laughed softly and winked at Pop. “Do you remember what it was to be that young and in love?”
Pop flustered. “It was a long time ago I was that young.”
Coury sank into his chair, taking another look at Liam. Were they giving off a couple-like vibe? Liam shifted in his seat. He looked good in his blue shirt, hair styled back. He was a damn cute guy. Coury had just . . . never let himself consider Liam as dateable.
He was Beckett’s little brother. They’d only really become friends in the last few weeks. Liam always made him smile. And he liked teasing Liam into a dimpled grin, too. But I can’t date him. What about Beckett? And Pop had called him family.
“How long have you known each other?” Helen asked.
“Since Liam was three,” Pop answered before either of them could. “Coury and Liam’s older brother met in kindergarten.”
“Oh really?” She grabbed Pop’s arm. “But you are not allowed to share embarrassing stories about them, Al. That’s not fair.”
“I was not going to mention how Liam peed in the plastic kiddie pool when he, Beckett, and Coury were playing in it. Or how Coury and Beckett ran crying from the pool.”
Liam’s face reddened, deeply. “Which is the same as telling her that.”
“It was only once,” Coury said. “And it’s nothing compared to what Beckett and I did. Remember when we did the Mentos and Diet Coke ‘experiment’ and one of the bottles smashed the back window of Beck’s house? I think you were the first one to come out.”
Pop laughed. “I don’t remember ever laughing so hard. The two of them were what? Ten?”
“Eleven.” Liam’s smile, the one Coury loved to see, soothed his embarrassment. “It was the family party to celebrate Beckett’s birthday.”
“Right.” Pop briefly put his hand over Helen’s. “I came out to see what had happened and the two little Einsteins had these stunned, ‘oh shit’ expressions and were covered in soda fizz. My son came storming out and must have thought I was crazy the way I was laughing. Then he saw them and joined me. It was impossible to be mad.”
“That didn’t last long. Mr. Wright called my parents, and I got in trouble. Beckett and I spent most of the summer doing yard work to pay off that stupid window. Which,” he waved a finger at Pop, “could not possibly have cost what Mr. Wright charged us.”
Pop laughed louder. “You just realized that?”
“I was eleven and my parents threatened to forbid me from hanging out with Beckett if we didn’t pay it off in full.”
“That’s so cute,” Helen said, laying her hand on Pop’s. “They must have been a great source of joy and gray hairs.”
Pop laughed. It was nervous, almost giddy. “They were wonderful. All of them. But they were good sports, so I won’t embarrass them anymore.”
Liam fist-bumped Coury’s leg. The hidden contact might have been just a quiet thank you, but electricity rushed through him. Liam liked touching him. It wasn’t intimate, but it was more than just friendly.
Or was he imagining it?
Coury laid his hand over Liam’s and squeezed it before taking his back. He wanted to leave it there and see what Liam did, but Pop’s date wasn’t the place to find out what Liam was thinking.
* * *
Liam
Liam: I got the job!
Coury: Hot Damn! Told you. Now it’s time to celebrate!
Liam: Coffee shop?
Coury: When?
Liam put a hand on his leg to stop it from bouncing. He’d been planning what to say ever since dinner with Helen. Why had Coury not corrected her? Why had he covered his hand after diverting everyone away from that embarrassing story?
He’d written and deleted several dozen text messages to ask, but he wanted to talk in person. Their not-dates were more like dates than any Liam had had before. Coury treated him better than any previous boyfriend. He’d assumed it was just who he was.
Until Saturday night.
He needed to know what Coury was thinking.
“Hey!” Coury had snuck in when Liam was lost in thought, white Harrison baseball hat glistening with little bits of snow. He held out his hand for a loud high five, and then shocked Liam by pulling him up and into a brief hug. “I’m really proud of you. This is awesome.”
He spun a chair around and sat facing Liam. Could Coury be more of a jock if he tried?