Feel the Fire (Hotshots 3)

“Borrowing him too.” Tucker couldn’t keep the sadness that had plagued him the last twenty-four hours or so out of his voice. The inevitable was coming, and he remained sure that talking about it would only make things worse, ruin what little time they did have. However, living in the moment was also complicated by the very real emotions that kept bubbling to the surface. Like now.

“Aw. Tucker—”

“Don’t say it.” The last thing he needed was pity.

“I warned you.” She might be his best friend, but she wasn’t Tucker’s keeper, something she sometimes forgot. She’d warned him about other things too—coming out to his family sprang first to mind. But much as Tucker appreciated her in his life, he’d always had to go his own way, learn his own lessons.

“Since when has that ever stopped me?”

“Good point.” She sighed and leaned against the counter. “You could try listening to me.”

“I’m not looking for advice.”

“You’re more stubborn than Walker, you know that?”

“Guess he had to get it from somewhere.” Keeping his voice mild, he gave her a pointed look because she too had a tenacious streak.

“Did I hear my name?” Walker stumbled down the stairs, carrying his prep book. Tucker hoped he’d gotten at least some sleep. For someone determined to stay local, he sure was taking the test seriously, which again made Tucker wonder what was truly in the kid’s heart.

“Your mom brought you and Wade muffins because apparently cornflakes won’t cut it this morning.”

“Did...uh...she bake them?” Walker eyed the muffins warily.

Hand over her heart, Heidi sighed dramatically. “Isaac made them, and we all had to suffer a test batch on Thursday to make sure that the protein-packed recipe he found was actually tasty. So you get muffins version two-point-oh, and I swear I’m just the delivery lady. I figured I’d let Isaac sleep in, just like your dad is letting—”

“Okay, how about we save some muffins for Wade?” Tucker cut Heidi off before she could tease him more about Luis, who was indeed sleeping upstairs, although Tucker thought it was also highly possible he was hiding out reading on his phone rather than join the chaos down here.

“Okay, okay.” Muffin in each hand, Walker put one back. “I don’t know why you guys are making such a big deal over this either. Dad packed us snacks.”

“Actually, I suggested snacks, but Luis did the chopping.” Tucker tried to give credit where it was due. And it had been fun last night, making little baggies of veggies and a homemade dip for the boys together. They’d cooked a shrimp and rice dish for dinner that Tucker had remembered Luis’s mom making, one of her favorites from growing up in Baja, and Luis’s version was almost as good. The boys had certainly scarfed it down at least.

Far peppier than Walker, Wade bounded in wearing his lucky football jersey and immediately scooped up two muffins. “I’m all about the free food. I’ll take the stupid test again if it means more snacks. Then tonight, party! Mitch’s mom is making celebratory lasagna and then we’re marathoning all our favorite car chase movies.”

“I thought you had a boring time last time you hung out with them?” Tucker asked.

“And then I met his sister.” Wade gave a dreamy smile.

“She’s in college, doofus.” Walker jostled his shoulder. “She’s only visiting, and just because she’s willing to watch movies with you and Mitch means—”

“Everything. True love is built on compromises. Don’t you listen to Mom about anything?” Wade rolled his eyes.

Compromise. Tucker tested the word out in his brain. He still wasn’t asking Heidi for love life advice, nor was he going to take Wade’s crush-of-the-week as evidence either, but maybe his current avoidance tactics weren’t the only way of coping with the next week either.

And he kept thinking even after the boys—and Heidi—finally departed. Shutting the door behind them, he snagged the last two muffins and some coffee and headed upstairs to Luis, who somehow had managed to sleep through all that noise.

He set the food on the nightstand and stretched out next to Luis on the bed, watching him sleep. Geez. One would think he was the lovesick teen around here, but there was something compelling about how peaceful Luis looked. Tucker’s heart wasn’t entirely sure what to do with itself either. He’d given up hope of finding anything that made him feel like this, and now he had, and life simply wasn’t fair.

Compromise. Damn it. Maybe they were going to have to talk after all.

“Hey.” Luis blinked his eyes open, stretching into Tucker. “Did I miss the big send-off?”

“I’m not sure how you slept through it, honestly.” Tucker laughed.

“Enough travel and time trying to sleep in hotels, and toss in a few boyfriends whose snores almost rattled the house apart, and I could sleep through anything.” Luis nuzzled Tucker’s neck. “Is that coffee I smell?”