The can crumpled under Lake’s grip and beer spilled out the top. Lake tossed it into the recycling bin. “Really? Weird.”
“You were hurrying to get dressed, trying to tell me it wasn’t what it looked like.”
“I had a dream last night too. You weren’t in it. Neither was your dad. It was boring. A reminder how vanilla my life is. How much I play by the rules.” All said while Lake was replaying that sneaky forbidden kiss he and Knight had shared a few weeks ago.
Wow, he was a sucky friend.
“You? Vanilla?” Taylor snickered. “Certainly not in my dream. I tell ya, it was enough to scar me for life. Why aren’t you laughing?”
“Oh, hahahaha. I totally am. It’s . . . hilarious.”
Frowning, Taylor looked behind him and back at Lake. “Okay, now I get it.” He shook his head. “I’ll never understand that weird one-sided animosity thing you have toward Josh.”
“No idea what you’re talking about.”
“C’mon, anyone can see it. Dad sees it, too.”
Lake snapped his attention to Taylor.
Taylor grinned. “He said it’s because Josh is gifted the way you’d like to be gifted.”
That hit Lake with an ache. “I do not wish I were gifted like him.”
Except, the words came out like his conscience had stamped them with “lie.”
Sure, Josh was smart and universally liked, but that didn’t mean Lake wished he were the one entertaining Knight under the apple tree right now . . .
“Hey, I need another beer, can I get you one?”
Taylor started to stand, and Lake stopped him, tossing him the master Karaoke song list.
“Choose one.”
Lake grabbed two chilled beers and meandered toward the gazebo by way of the apple tree. “Oh, there you guys are.”
Knight and Josh looked up at Lake as he ducked around a low branch. “How are you doing?”
Josh’s smile was bright, with a sincerity that made Lake feel bad about his own fake one. Lake shifted from foot to foot, restless under Knight’s shrewd appraisal.
“We were talking about how many New Zealanders are living abroad,” Josh said.
Lake had zero to contribute. Oh, wait—“Taylor’s old friend West lived in London? Did you ever meet him?”
Josh stuttered briefly, “I-I might have. West . . . now I remember, yes.”
What was Knight deducing? Did his attention have to be so narrowed on Lake?
Lake hoped he wouldn’t crack the beer cans. “So you can confirm? West’s real?”
“He’s very real.”
“Good, I was starting to think everyone was making him up and I was texting Taylor the whole time as some kind of grand joke.”
“Probably not.”
“So, tell me. What’s he like in person? Charming? Hot?”
Knight made a deep, throaty sound. He shoved off the tree trunk and excused himself to get drinks.
Air stirred around Lake, scented with Knight, and it took great effort not to watch him go.
Josh folded his arms and shrugged. “West is, um, fine.”
“Just fine?”
“Yep.”
Josh might have a fancy degree, but he was stingy with details. Knight returned two excruciating minutes later, passing Josh a drink. Josh thanked him, and Knight smiled.
Harry’s singing stopped. “I think it’s time”—he snagged Knight’s gaze—“for my traditional song.”
Chin up, he headed back to Taylor, passed him both their beers, and took over the Karaoke machine. He tried to lose himself in the rhythm of the song, tried to work his voice as best he could. Josh might be gifted and smart and read lots of books, but Lake knew how to belt out a tune.
Knight rested against the tree, watching him with his usual patient fondness. Lake liked it, but it wasn’t enough.
He wanted Knight to . . . to take back what he’d said. About Lake not being as gifted.
He finished singing with a bow, and Taylor and Knight clapped the loudest. That was something, at least.
Feeling marginally better, he set the microphone down and scooped up the beer Taylor held out for him. “Thanks.”
“Couldn’t stop staring at Josh, could you? If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were into him.”
Lake laughed—hopefully not too shrilly—and really went to work on his beer. He pulled the can free with a slurp and pointed to Taylor. “Your turn.”
Taylor gave an apologetic grin. “Amy snuck away from her girlfriends. She’s waiting upstairs . . .”
Lake waved him away. “Go be a husband then.”
He finished his beer, helping Harry pick out songs for later. “You’re an amazing singer,” Harry said, cheeks bunched in a glittery smile. “I loved your voice, your enthusiasm. You stole Knight’s attention too.”
“You think?”
“Uh huh.”
Lake excused himself from Harry and fought the nervous rolling in his belly as he headed back to the apple tree.
Josh was gesturing around the garden, but Knight watched him approach.
Each step riddled him with electricity. God, if it felt like this, he wasn’t sure he could do five-hundred miles. He’d combust before that. Hell, a dozen steps, and his palms were sweating.