Both Matthew and Athena side-eyed him.
His best friend shook his head. “That’s not why you’re holding back.”
“You’re protecting yourself,” Athena elaborated. “Not her. You can—and should—explain your feelings without pressuring her to return them.”
This time, he flipped them both the bird, because...
Well, justbecause. They’d earned it. They knew why.
“More importantly, I don’t think holding back will get you far with Molly. Not as far as you want to go, anyway.” Matthew kissed his wife’s hair, then raised his head to meet Karl’s eyes. “As I said, it’s difficult to trust someone you don’t know. And you are highly, highly reluctant to let yourself be known.”
“Youknow me.” Karl directed his best glower their way. “Both of you.”
“That’s true,” Matthew conceded. “But understanding how you think and how you show what you feel took meyears, Karl. Years you don’t have with Molly, because she’s leaving in eight days.”
Athena leaned against her husband. “As for me... Matthew is kind of my Karl Cheat Sheet.”
“Doesn’t matter how it happened. You know me.” Karl stabbed an accusing finger in their direction. “Besides, you two don’t need words to communicate.”
“Sometimes we don’t,” Matthew admitted. “But that’s only because we’ve talked so much this past year and still talk so much now.”
Karl’s murderous scowl should’ve sent them both scurrying. Didn’t, though, because fuck. His. Life. “You’re good at words. I’m not.”
“No shit, Special K.” Athena’s wrist flick dismissed that line of argument. “Were you great at making bread the first few times you did it?”
Of course not. Getting good took practice. Wouldn’t admit that out loud, though, because he knew where this was going.
In short: not his way.
“Just try. Please.” All the patience and affection in Matthew’s voice? Would’ve melted the stoniest heart, much less one made of Cadbury goddamn Creme. “For your own sake, because you deserve happiness and love. But also for Molly’s. Everything I know about her says she deserves a good partner too. One who respects her and treats her well.”
“And who clearly adores her. Someone honest and reliable”—leaning to the side, Athena poked Karl’s upper arm—“whose shoulders fill out a henley really impressively.”
“It’s true,” Matthew said gravely. “Your shoulders are exceptional.”
“Not to mention those thick thighs.” Apparently Athena could wolf-whistle. Which she did, loudly, while Karl’s ears burned. “Hubba-hubba.”
“Okay, assholes, that’s—” Karl began.
“Hubba-hubba indeed.” Matthew might’ve been narrating a BBC documentary, his voice was so dry. “Molly couldn’t have a better partner than you, Karl.”
“That would be true even if your ass gave up easily. But it won’t.” Athena offered Karl an innocent blink-blink of the eyes. “It just won’t quit.”
Holy fuck. Shoulders shaking, Karl buried his face in his hands.
“All right, I think that’s enough objectification of my best friend, sweetheart. He’s trying to suffocate himself with his own palms.” Wryly, Matthew added, “Plus, I’m getting jealous. We both know my butt isn’t nearly as dutiful as Karl’s.”
“I love it anyway.” The smack of a hard kiss was far too recognizable. “Don’t worry. Your thighs may only earn a single hubba, but that hubba is heartfelt, baby.”
Matthew said something in return, but Karl couldn’t hear it over the sound of his soul dying.
“Fine. I’ll think about your stupid suggestion,” he told his hands, loudly enough for his friends to hear. “Just stop whatever obnoxious bit you’ve got happening, you dicks, before I shove you both in front of oncoming traffic, scrape up your remains, and make smartass pancakes tomorrow’s daily goddamn special.”
“Made you laugh,” Athena noted, equally loudly. “Hard enough that you had to hide inside those meaty mitts.”
“Wasn’t laughter. More like spasms of fucking disgust.” Oncehe could keep a straight face, he dropped his arms. “Look. I get what you’re both saying.”
“Excellent.” Even through her smudged lenses, Athena’s eyes were sharp on him. “So you’re going to tell her what she needs to know?”
