Total pages in book: 31
Estimated words: 29464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 29464 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 147(@200wpm)___ 118(@250wpm)___ 98(@300wpm)
But is it Teague? Or is this what Liam’s really like deep down?
“There I go,” he sighs to himself. “Trying to blame everyone else for my bad mood and worse behavior, instead of just …”
Instead of just taking responsibility for himself.
But the words don’t come.
“Waiting on an Uber?”
Liam looks up, startled by the voice.
It’s Teague.
Instantly, all of Liam’s worst instincts are back like a plague. “Go away,” he snaps, then glares down at his phone.
He doesn’t. Teague slowly crosses the lawn, then stops at the sidewalk a couple paces from him. “I’m sorry for using that stupid name. I won’t call you by it ever again. Promise. Birthday present officially returned. Swear it on every trophy I ever won. Not even as a joke … and no matter how cute and endearing I think it is.”
Of course he’d point out all his trophies even in an apology. Liam sighs. “It isn’t about the stupid name.”
“Then what is it?”
“You’re just … so …” He lowers his phone. “You presume so much, Teague. About yourself. About others. You act like everyone should love you without question. Praise you. Bow down to you. Laugh at your jokes. Compliment your costume.”
“To be fair, this was a pretty clever thing to pull off in just under an hour on a tight budget …” he points out.
“I’m so sick of it,” Liam carries on. “And then you somehow convince Mr. Michelson to hire you, despite the fact that we were fully staffed for the summer. And you know what? A tiny part of me wondered if maybe you have changed since the last time I saw you. Maybe the pompous, self-important Teague I knew back in school has finally found his humility, his grace, his … self-control. But no. You’re … depressingly the same.”
Teague goes to put his hands in his pockets, until he realizes he has no pockets in his skintight shorts. So he awkwardly stuffs his hands halfway into the shallow pockets of his vest. Then he realizes that isn’t a comfortable option either and drops his arms to his side with a frown.
Liam checks his phone one last time—still no reply—then finally pockets it for good. “Screw this. I’m just gonna walk home.” He pushes away from the mailbox.
“Wait. Can we talk some more?”
“What about? Your big Satyr phallus?”
Teague is in front of him at once.
Startled, Liam takes a step back—only to trip over his own foot. Utterly incapable of avoiding his clumsy nature even in times of need, Liam stumbles backward until his heel hits the tire of a truck parked on the curb. His back slams against the side of it.
“Uh … you alright?” asks Teague carefully, perhaps astonished that Liam was capable of such a seemingly choreographed move.
Liam decides to lean against the truck like he meant to do that all along. “What do you care?”
“Please, can we talk? Just five minutes.”
“I’m not sure I can even stomach five seconds.”
“This isn’t how I was hoping tonight would go. This isn’t how I was hoping the summer would go. I meant it when I said I wanted you to like me, Liam … but not because I felt, uh … entitled to your feelings. If you really hate me so much, I …” He drops his gaze to the ground. “I guess I just need to accept that. Somehow.”
Liam looks down at the broken old sidewalk, too. Something about the change in Teague’s tone of voice rewrites the emotional landscape of his mind. Now all he can think about is how softly Teague spoke to him while they were in the house. The way his whole body tensed under Teague’s challenging, determined stare.
The way his heart galloped as they sat on that couch, staring into each other’s eyes.
He’d be a downright liar if he didn’t admit he wanted to play that game, too. He wanted a chance to look at Teague without having to sneak a glance all the time. He wanted to pour every last drop of himself into those syrupy brown eyes.
He wanted to see what everyone else sees.
And if Liam was strong enough to admit it, he might even say he could have stared into Teague’s eyes for a whole hour. He could imagine them touching each other, too. He could imagine himself caught in Teague’s strong arms, like the day he fell down from the stepladder.
He could imagine their lips …
“Can we just start over? Please?”
Liam looks up. Teague has taken a step closer, standing right in front of him now.
“Please?” he tries again. “Can you give me a chance?”
Liam considers it. Not for long. “There’s no need. You have two guys in that house who think you’re amazing. Both Gracie and Deena obviously want you, too, so … just take your pick of whose spotlight you want to be in today.”