Hayden glanced back. Liam had his head turned, but saw the smirk on the guy’s face. No way he could hear them. The music might’ve been turned down, but there was still plenty of chatter to drown out their conversation. Plus, they were a good thirty feet away.
“So, what’re we gonna do?” Hayden asked when he turned back to Teagan. “Stay here, let Liam drive us home, or insist Aiden follow him for a ride back?”
“There’s a lot of people here.” Teagan dug his fingers into Hayden’s bicep as his gaze darted around the yard. “If it’s okay with you, I’d rather go home.”
Two decades of friendship had taught Hayden when not to push. As tempting as Liam’s offer was, Hayden wouldn’t sacrifice Teagan’s well-being, knowing his boyfriend was already at his limit.
If Liam was genuinely interested in them, he’d respect their pace.
“I’ll let him know we’re taking a raincheck.” He gently pried Teagan’s fingers from his arm.
“You’re disappointed, aren’t you?” Teagan’s voice was small.
“Not even a little bit.” Hayden softly smiled. “Actually, I’m proud of you.”
Teagan scoffed, the toe of his shoe rolling around a small pebble. “For what? Being a wet noodle?”
“Wet blanket is the expression.” Hayden chuckled as he stepped closer, his hands finding Teagan’s waist.
“And no. You came to the cookout. After everything that happened last year, you still showed up. That matters.”
Teagan caught Hayden’s sleeve as he started to pull away. “Wait.” His chest rose with a deep breath. “Liam can...” He cleared his throat. “Let him drive us.”
“You sure about that?” Hayden searched his face for any indication this wasn’t really what he wanted. It hadn’t even been a full year since his attack. He’d been honest when he said he was proud of Teagan for agreeing to even come here. If Teagan needed to retreat and process today’s events, Hayden was okay with that.
“Not remotely,” Teagan admitted, shoulders squaring despite the tremor in his voice. “But I can’t keep hiding behind what happened. This box I’ve built, we’ve built… I can feel it suffocating us. For the first time in ages, I felt normal today. Like I wasn’t hiding but actually thriving.”
Hayden kissed him then, right there in the open, not caring who saw. He was done pretending they were just roommates, done concealing what they meant to each other.
This was their chance at something new. A step they both needed to take, out of their comfortable isolation and toward something they could embrace together.
And if that something included Liam, they would embrace him too.
Chapter Six
Liam had heard it all. Every last word, though he hadn’t been trying to eavesdrop. But his shifter hearing wasn’t something he could turn off.
And just like Hayden, Liam was so damn proud of Teagan. Now more than ever, Liam wanted to know what had happened to his smaller mate. Who had hurt him, and were they a past threat or an active one?
When Hayden headed toward him, Liam started cleaning up the spilled plate, keeping his features carefully neutral as he fought the urge to cross the yard and pull Teagan into his arms. He needed to let the smaller human know he was safe, that no one would ever hurt him again.
“Hey,” Hayden said when he stopped in front of Liam. “I should be the one cleaning that up since I’m the one who dropped it.”
Right there on his knees, Liam looked up at Hayden, amazed at this beautiful man. Not only because he was gorgeous but the healthy and supportive way he’d handled Teagan’s uncertainty with patience, support, and the celebration of progress instead of pushing for more. Most would’ve dismissed their partner’s needs in favor of what they wanted. Like Jackson. Liam shuddered just thinking about the prick.
“Nah. I already got it.” Liam walked the trash to the can then returned to Hayden in three strides, resisting the urge to kiss those soft-looking lips. Liam had been so concerned with making Teagan feel wanted and desired, knowing he was the hesitant of the two, that he’d yet to show Hayden proper attention. Hayden needed affirmation too. The guy might be the confident, outgoing one but he still needed to feel seen and wanted. “You guys make a decision?”
The sky had darkened completely, billions of stars sparkling like diamonds overhead. Too bad they couldn’t stay. Liam would’ve loved to light the firepit and sit under a blanket with his mates.
“We’re gonna let you drive us home. For safety reasons.”
Hayden was the open and charming one, but Liam smiled when his mate’s cheeks flushed pink. When he’d initially made the offer, he’d had sex in mind. Of claiming his mates, but after overhearing how overwhelmed they were, he was content just to sleep under the same roof as Hayden and Teagan.
“Got a spare toothbrush?” Liam’s grin widened as Hayden’s blush deepened. “I’ve got Godzilla breath in the morning. It’ll level your house with one spoken word.”
“Cabinet under the sink,” Hayden said, lips quirking. “We keep hazmat gear right next to it, Zilla breath.”
“Zeppelin,” Liam called out to his alpha. “I’m taking my mat—friends home.”
