Page 74 of Backward Motion

Sam pressed at the slight smudges beneath his eyes. “It wouldn’t hurt. Especially with these pores.”

“You look gorgeous.” Connor leaned in to kiss his anxious pout. “Please allow me to present my gorgeous, just-rolled-out-of-bed boyfriend to Mom and Dad.”

“As long as you don’t tell them it was your bed I rolled out of.”

“I wouldn’t dare.”

Sam made a face. “Sex and parents will never not be weird.”

“Tell me about it.”

They walked up to the house, and Connor gave a polite knock before heading inside. His mom was making coffee in the kitchen while his dad sat at the counter, reading the newspaper.

“Sam, this is a surprise!” his mother exclaimed. “Can I get you some coffee?”

“No, thank you, Mrs. Finnegan,” Sam said, all smiles.

“We’re actually about to get on the road. I just wanted to drop this off first.” Connor handed her the bag from the drugstore. “Sorry for the delay.”

“That’s right. You’re heading to Austin, aren’t you?”

Sam nodded. “Just for the weekend. Connor’s helping me pick up my stuff.”

Connor cleared his throat and barreled ahead before he could lose his nerve. “So, I wanted you both to know that Sam and I are... together. He’s my, uh, boyfriend, and I’d like him to feel welcome here.”

His mother’s eyes misted over, and she gave a series of rapid nods. “Of course. I’d love for you to feel like part of the family, Sam.” She put down the medication and pulled a surprised-looking Sam into a hug.

At the counter, his father folded the newspaper closed without a word. Despite their brief conversation at the hospital, Connor bristled with trepidation. But this time, he was ready. If his dad saidanything cruel to Sam, he wasn’t about to sit back and let him. He was done letting his father’s opinions dictate his life. If his dad had a problem with Connor, it was his problem alone.

His dad took his time getting to his feet and turned to Sam. He held out his hand. Sam took it, and they shook hands soberly. “I guess we’ll be seeing more of you, then.”

“Hope that’s not a bad thing,” Sam quipped. His tone was light, but Connor could tell he was nervous.

His father gave a noncommittal grunt. “I’d say, by the looks of it, that’s a good thing.”

Connor stared down at the floor, fighting the swell of love mixed with relief. He knew if he caught Sam’s eye now, he’d be in danger of losing it altogether.

Nebraska and then Kansas passed in a blur. They stopped for lunch at a diner in Oklahoma City then got back on I-35 and continued south. The drive didn’t feel as long as Sam had anticipated. There was an easiness to being with Connor that made the time fly. He’d first noticed it when they started working together and even the most boring task took on an element of fun.

Sam made Connor give him a blow-by-blow account of what he’d missed in his ten years away from Oakdale—which turned out to include not one but two shotgun weddings and the arrival of a man who was convinced he was the living reincarnation of Thomas Jefferson.

When they weren’t talking, they listened to the playlist Connor had somehow found time to compile for the trip, which proved an entertaining backdrop to the drive. Connor knew plenty of stories about his favorite artists and gave Sam a heads-up when they were approaching a gnarly guitar solo. Sam felt like he’d stumbled uponyet another hidden side of Connor—the gushing fanboy. It was cute and nerdy and right up Sam’s alley, just like Connor’s unabashed love of trivia.

Shortly after crossing the border into Texas, Sam reached over to rest a palm on Connor’s thigh. Connor dropped one hand from the steering wheel and placed it on top of Sam’s, threading their fingers. Sam gave him a sidelong look and slid his hand farther up so it rested just below Connor’s crotch.

“Easy, tiger,” Connor said with a grin. “We’ve got a ways to go yet.”

Sam snickered. It was hard to be around someone he wanted to touch all the time. “So,” he said as they navigated the maze of highways heading into Dallas. “This is your first time in Austin. Anything you want to see while you’re there?”

Connor appeared to ponder the question. “I’m not sure. I don’t know much about the city. Is there anywhere you loved that you want to show me?”

Sam wondered if he’d enjoy visiting the capitol building or checking out the homespun character of SoCo. But Connor wasn’t super into shopping. Maybe a cruise on the Colorado River or hiking the Greenbelt...

“Let me think about it. There’s a ton of fun stuff to do.”

Connor shot him a hesitant look. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”