Free Crash: M/M Straight to Gay First Time Romance by Jerry Cole

that.
     
                  No matter how many years pass between that day and this one, I will never forget that night. If I knew then that it would be our last one together, I would have held him tighter and lingered longer. I would have told him how grateful I was to have him as my dad. But there are some things we can never know, and some words that will have to remain unsaid. But I am so grateful that the last ones he said to me were those.

Chapter 8
    Reid
                  “I don’t like it,” Darlene says, hopping up on my counter and sticking a celery stalk in her mouth.
    ”You don’t like what exactly?”
    “Him. He seems creepy and mean for no reason,” Darlene argues.
    “You can’t dislike a guy because he seems creepy. And he is a little mean, but I can handle it,” I explain, washing the vegetables before pulling out my cutting board.
    “Are you cooking?”
    “I don’t think making a salad counts as cooking.”
    “And I don’t think being a good Samaritan makes you a whipping boy for a spoiled stranger,” Darlene fired back at me.
    “I am nobody’s whipping boy. Trust me; I can handle this,” I assure her.
    She simply rolls her eyes and slides down from her perch.
    “Are you eating with us?” I ask, fully expecting her to say yes. To my surprise she shakes her head. “Where is Buster? Has he crossed over to the dark side as well?”
    “The dark side?”
    “I bet that stupid mutt thinks Liam is a great guy too,” she says, her face scrunched up into a comical frown.
    “He does indeed. They spent all day together and, other than needing a long walk, it seems like they are both in good shape.”
    “Who needs a walk, the mutt or the bitch in the wheelchair?”
    I toss the lettuce in my hand at her.
    “Shh, he can hear you,” I whisper, stifling my chuckle.
    “Good,” she whispers back, sticking her tongue out at me.
    “Nobody would ever guess that you are the older sibling by the way you act.”
    “I’m just lucky I guess,” she says, straightening out her clothes and retrieving Buster’s leash. “I’ll let Buster stretch his legs for a minute while you finish dinner and then I’m out!”
    The door bangs as she escapes, Buster pulling her along the pavement. I keep my hands busy preparing the chicken as Liam’s voice rumbles in the background. It’s none of my business, but I can’t help myself from trying to make out the words he is saying. He sounds agitated, his voice high and strained as he laughs at whatever the other person is saying. It’s a laugh designed to mock the person hearing it and protect the person delivering it.
    My feet move in the direction of that horrible sound, and I stand outside the door, leaning in so that I can make out the words better.
    “Don’t tell me you are disappointed?”
    “…”
    “I will be there, don’t worry.”
    “…”
    “Don’t worry; your spies are doing their job. There just isn’t anything to report.”
    “…”
    “Don’t trouble yourself. I have paid enough people to pretend they care about me without being forced to endure your acting skills as well.”
    “…”
    “Have a good evening,” he says, sounding tired.
    I wait for a few moments outside the door before knocking gently.
    “What?”
    I ignore his tone and open the door. “Are you hungry?”
    “Does it matter? I need my meds, and I have to eat something before I can take them, so just fix me a plate,” he says. The muscle in his jaw jumps slightly as he grits his teeth and his nostrils flare, but his eyes look sad. I see that look on a lot of the older boys at my center. It seems like anger, but it’s really hurt and sadness.
    “It matters to me,” I say. He looks away and shrugs. I resist the urge to hug him and walk out. It was obvious that whoever he was talking to was family. Only your family can make you that upset with just a few words. I’m not sure why he said he didn’t have any family, but it’s clear they