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For all of them.
He’d been hanging out with the Finn family for a long time now, but he was first, last and always a Wayne. Waynes did not shy away from their feelings, no matter how uncomfortable they were or how inconvenient they might be.
That meant he couldn’t ignore the big, bisexual elephant in the room, but that didn’t mean he had to press the issue. Right now, Thoreau just needed to get them all back on track. Back on the plan.
Still, there was something between them, and Thoreau knew he wasn’t the only one feeling it. What he wasn’t sure about was whether or not Wyatt would figure it out on his own.
The man was a lot smarter than he thought he was, and there was more to him than most people knew. Fiona saw it and so did he. Wyatt was just starting to explore who he was and what he wanted, just leaving his insulated bubble to look around after a life-altering event.
He needed time.
Thoreau got it. In a way, he actually had more in common with Wyatt than he did with Fiona. They were both the younger middle siblings, blessed or cursed with that veil of invisibility that allowed them to get away with more than the others could, but also left them basically to their own devices.
It could be a lonely slot to be in. You either chose to be louder, to be the squeakier wheel, or you went with the flow and lived in the shadows, playing the part of supportive cast instead of the lead.
Fiona lived louder than either of them combined, and they’d both fallen in love with that part of her. Drawn to her light. Drawn to each other because of her.
Don’t push him now. You just got to phase two.
But the closer they got to the next phase, the harder it was to be patient.
He followed the sounds of rummaging in the kitchen and found Wyatt staring out of the window, a bacon-wrapped scallop in his hand.
“Any left?”
Wyatt froze before reaching for the box on the counter and moving it closer to Thoreau without a word.
“Thanks.”
They ate in silence, and Thoreau smiled at the mental snapshot of the moment, two men in their boxers dealing with that awkward post-threesome question, Am I a little gay?
“So, you good?” he asked as casually as he could.
“Sure. Sure. You?”
Thoreau reached for a napkin to wipe the bacon grease off his fingers, hiding his smile. “Best way to wake up, in my opinion.”
Wyatt smirked out the window. “You would say that, since it was your turn.”
“Hey, I shared, didn’t I?”
His smile disappeared. “You did.” Wyatt glanced over at him. “I feel a little creepy for spying on your moment. Not gonna lie.”
“It’s all good.” Thoreau met his gaze head on. “If it makes you feel any better, I’ve gotten off on watching you two together. I thought I’d be a little jealous, but it never happened.”
Wyatt was already nodding. “Same. What’s that about? I was an asshole when I found out she slept with you the last time, but this weekend…?”
“You liked it.”
His expression said he couldn’t deny it. “I think it was that teamwork speech you gave. Or maybe my brush with death. Even now, right afterward, it’s hard to believe it happened, you know?”
“Right.” Thoreau laughed. “About as hard to believe as either one of us finding a woman like Fiona?”
“As unlikely, anyway,” he agreed, frowning down at the empty container. “I shouldn’t have rushed out like that. It was just…”
“Too experimental,” Thoreau supplied quietly. “Was it me watching you jerk off or you accidentally touching my hammer?”
Wyatt snorted. “Both, and thank you for adding inadequacy to my list of issues.”
“Give me a break, inadequacy is not your problem. But I would like to hear what else is on that list.”
“Because you’re a nerd who likes lists or because you want to know what my issues are for blackmail purposes?”
“Both.”
“Fine.” Wyatt started washing the container in the sink. “Fine. I’m worried about work. Going back. Still having the balls, that sort of thing. I’m worried that my brother isn’t going to bounce back or get his head out of his ass and talk to me again. Not sure what to do about that, since putting things into perspective was always his job. Ask any of our cousins.”
He’s avoiding the sex issue. “What else?”
Wyatt turned around, leaning against the sink and gesturing between them. “Obviously I’m worried about what this thing means.”
“This thing?”
“The plan. You, me and Fiona. I’m trying to go with the damn flow, but I’m worried that now that I’m better, now that we’ve done this, she might decide to leave anyway. I swear, if I knew what the California college has that this one doesn’t, I’d—”
“I wasn’t at the college.”
