He waited in line inside the warm bustle of the restaurant, wondering if this was an olive branch, too: Gabriel giving him time to think.
And he needed time to think.
Nerves made him jittery. What if his brother walked away?
What if he said he wasn’t okay with it?
Creepy. Freak.
Nick ran a hand through his hair and told himself to calm down.
Maybe he should lead off with Adam. So . . . I’ve met someone. It’s new, and it’s special, but . . . it’s a guy.
Maybe not.
I know you’re worried about Quinn, but we’re not really together. No, not since she caught me kissing a guy.
Ugh. This was horrible.
I’ve been lying to you for years.
Sure.
The line inched along. An older couple came in and got in line behind him.
Nick took another slow breath. Maybe this would be like it had been with Michael. Maybe it would be okay. Awkward at first, but . . . okay.
No, Gabriel was nothing like Michael. Gabriel would have a reaction.
Who do you think the hottest person in the restaurant is?
Then Gabriel would pick some girl, and Nick could pick the busboy who looked a little like Adam.
Jesus, he sounded like a frigging moron. These were the best ideas his brain could come up with? No wonder he was failing physics.
Some girls came in, giggling and jostling each other as they moved to the end of the line. He could smell their perfume from here, bubblegum sweet. Nick ignored them, shifting forward one place when the line moved.
But then he caught the tail end of what one girl was saying. “. . .
out front look like they’re gonna fight.”
Fight. A word practically synonymous with Gabriel.
Nick turned. The lights inside made it difficult to make out what was going on behind the glass, but he could see his brother’s form. He looked like he was talking to someone.
Then Nick saw the shove, hard enough to make the other person fall back.
Nick swore and gave up his place in line. Had Tyler followed them here somehow?
But then he got close enough to the glass storefront to make out Gabriel’s opponent.
Adam.
Nick’s heart tripped and stalled in his chest. He couldn’t remember how to breathe. He couldn’t remember how to move.
How had this happened?
Adam had his hands up. He looked agitated, but he didn’t want to fight.