The Road That Leads to Us (Us 1)

“Then why are you so grumpy?” I paused. “Wait, let me guess. You’re on your man-period.”

He snorted. “Man period?” He raised a single brow.

“Yeah. It’s a legit thing.”

“Explain,” he chuckled.

“It’s where guys get all moody and broody and shit,” I explained. Wrinkling my nose, I added, “And guys tend to say ‘yeah’ a lot when I don’t think they mean to say it. And it’s more of a ‘yah’ instead of ‘yeah.’”

Liam chuckled beside me, shaking his head. “You should write a book about all your weird observations.”

“It’s fact, not a mere observation.”

He laughed and shook his head some more.

“I hate to inform you, but I’m not on my man-period.” He clasped his hands together and leaned forward, staring towards the front of the boat.

“What’s your problem then?” I was relentless.

He took a deep breath and let it out. “Don’t know, Willie. I guess I’m just me.”

“You’re impossible,” I groaned.

He smiled at this—an actual full smile. “We can’t all be sunshine like you.”

“True,” I agreed reluctantly.

“Ooh! Ooh! I know what Liam’s problem is!” Ollie yelled from the opposite side of the boat, raising his hand in the air like a school kid. He sat on the floor of the boat with Talia between his legs. Her back rested against his chest and she leaned up to kiss his chin.

“Please, enlighten us,” Liam chuckled.

Ollie snapped his fingers together, pausing for dramatic effect. “He needs to get laid!”

Liam rolled his eyes. “I don’t have time for a relationship.”

“I’m not talking about a relationship,” Ollie explained. “All I’m saying is you need a sweaty roll in the hay. That’ll put you in a better mood. Mark my words.” Ollie nodded at this. “All that stored up sperm is going to your head and it’s hazardous to your health.”

Liam reached up and adjusted the backwards baseball cap on his head. “Remind me, how did I ever become friends with you?”

Ollie opened his mouth to explain and Liam held up a hand.

“It was a rhetorical question, Ollie.”

Ollie sagged at this. “You don’t want them to hear our love story? That’s tragic. My heart is breaking.”

“I’m sure it is.” Liam stretched out his legs.

Liam turned to me then with an apologetic smile. “For what it’s worth I’m glad you guys are here.”

Dean snorted beside me.

“Shocking, I know,” Liam laughed. To me, he added, “I’ll work on my attitude. Promise.”

“Liam, you are who you are. Just loosen up a bit. I’ve missed you and I know you didn’t expect us to show up at your house, and were surprised by the fact that we were a couple, but I want to have fun while we’re here. Okay?”

Growing up, Liam had been my partner in crime. He was the one that when I said I wanted to climb the tallest tree in the yard, he climbed it first to make sure I wouldn’t hurt myself. It’d been a year since we saw each other, and while a lot could change in a year, I didn’t want to lose my relationship with him. He was my unofficial big brother. I didn’t want us to drift apart because we lived so far away.

He ruffled my hair and I swatted his hand away.