AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Where’d you go?”
“Out.” Demanding to know where Liam had gone didn’t deserve courtesy. Not after how Beckett had acted the night before.
“Where?”
“None of your business.” The machine seemed to be taking twice as long as normal.
“What if I’m making it my business?”
That pushed one button too many. Liam faced him. “Then you’re going to be a very disappointed Beckett when you leave without an answer.”
“What crawled up your ass?”
Liam snorted and turned back to the machine, which mercifully had finished.
“And that’s enough from both of you.” Pop swept into his kitchen and pinned them both with a look. “Beckett, he doesn’t have to tell you where he goes.”
“I know where he went.”
“Then why did you ask?” Liam said with an extra side of snark.
“Liam.” Pop’s warning did nothing to cool Liam’s anger.
“Sorry, not sorry, Pop. He drops in, creates chaos, and then thinks he’s entitled to answers that don’t concern him.”
“Like hell they don’t. He’s my best friend.”
“Really? Was that someone else who told him to get the fuck out? Cause I’m pretty sure that ended your friendship.”
“Whatever. Me and C-man have been through worse.”
Liam swallowed his hurt. “Gotcha. You and Coury. Nothing changes, does it?”
“Not with us. We’ll make up.”
“Of course you will.” Just like always.
“Listen, I told you not to get involved with him.”
“You don’t get to tell me what to do. I make my own choices.”
“Someone needs to stop you from doing stupid shit. I told you this would happen.”
“You have no idea what happened. And I certainly don’t need you galloping into my life to tell me what to do.” Liam set his coffee down. “Do you know what happened? Do you?”
“Coury hurt you.”
“No Beckett, that’s not what happened. Coury did what you told him. Not because you said so, but because he didn’t want to hurt me. He likes me, Beckett. Me. Not your little brother, but Liam.” His voice nearly cracked as he heard Coury calling him Lionheart. “I told him if I was going to get hurt either way, I at least wanted to know what it felt like to be his boyfriend. And yesterday, I realized he was going to do something stupid. I could see he was thinking about giving up his dream. So I let him go, so he could chase it as far as he could. That’s what happened.”
The tears started before he could blink them back. He hated crying in front of Beckett, but it hurt too much.
“If you really give a shit about me, stop lecturing me about being stupid. I’m not. And I don’t regret anything.” Other than the fact he couldn’t chase that dream with Coury. “For the last seven years I’ve looked up to him, admired who he was and how he treated people. I wanted to know what it felt like for him to care about me like that. And he did. He gave me my dream, so I’m giving him back his. So just . . . stop, okay? I’m going to lose him, Beckett. I’d rather not lose you, too.”
Liam swallowed and left a speechless Beckett behind. This wasn’t something Beckett could big brother away. He couldn’t fix things because nothing was broken.
The way Coury pitched, there was no point in going back after today. Stretching things out would make Coury question his decision, and Liam didn’t want to be the reason he quit on his dream.
He climbed the stairs and shut the door when he reached his bedroom. Flopping on the bed, he reminded himself that as much as it hurt, he’d done the right thing. Eventually his heart would accept what his brain understood.
Just not any day soon.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Coury
His hand stopped just short of knocking. Should he wait until later? Probably, but when he decided something, Coury had trouble waiting to act. Plus, it had been ten days.
He rapped twice on the wooden door.
“Come in.”
He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans and turned the knob. Professor Glover looked up from his computer and smiled.
“Mr. Henderson. Well done recovering from that misstep.”
A jolt of pride zinged through him. “Thank you, sir. I took your advice to heart.”
“I noticed.” Glover nodded. “Was there something you missed or needed help with?”
“No, sir.” He swallowed and forced the words. “I came to speak to Liam, if that’s okay.”
Glover’s expression turned neutral. “He stopped to get coffee on the way in. He should be here any minute.”
“Coury?”
Make that any second.
Liam stood frozen, holding two coffees. At least he didn’t seem angry. “Hi.”
“What are you doing here?” Not the friendliest, but not unfriendly.
Aware Glover was still watching, Coury backed away to allow Liam to enter. “I came to talk to you, but if I’m interrupting, I can come back.” Liam’s expression told Coury he’d fucked up. “Call me when you’re done?”
Liam set a coffee on a small desk near the door and handed the other one and a Starbucks card to Glover.
