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Fucking Liam. Why was he Nick’s best friend anyway?
“He did offer, but I don’t want to stay there. Plus, his couch is really small.” That last part made him sound petty. It made him feel petty. Fuck.
“Dude.” Liam was shaking his head again. “I’m gonna say this in the nicest way possible, okay?”
A bit apprehensively, Nick nodded.
“Quit being an asshole.”
Nick opened his mouth to protest, but Liam held up his hand to stop him from speaking.
“Quit beingthatguywho won’t accept a glass of water if he’s thirsty. Let some people in, people other than me,” Liam clarified. “I know you don’t believe it, but there are good people in Cooper Springs. People who—if you’d just let them—want to be your friend.” Liam paused and one eye narrowed. “Okay, maybe not right away because you’re a prickly asshole, but eventually they’ll want to be your friend. And rescuing a kitten does give you points, but the cat probably has the same attitude as you do.”
“I think there’s more to that water metaphor you used,” Nick said bitterly. “A desert or something.” Completely ignoring the truths Liam was pointing out.
“It’s okay to accept help.”
“He didn’t offer help. He basically ordered me to accept it.”
Liam glanced up at the ceiling for a second and then back at Nick. “Purdy isoffering.Probably because he feels bad about the tree and is nearly as shook up as you are. I’m pretty sure he’s glad you weren’t squished. Maybe quit focusing on negatives? I know it’s hard when life keeps knocking you down. Can you think of something that made you happy, see if you can expand it to the rest of your life? I know you, Nick. I know who you are under all this bitterness. What was the last thing that made you feel good?”
Trust Liam not to let Nick get away with being pissed off and mad—even though he had every right to be. Also trust him to remember Nick’s rant about the therapist.
Thankfully, Nick was not the sort who blushed. But he still couldn’t look Liam in the eye as the memory of Martin making him tea in his kitchen surged back. It had been such a normal,nicegesture, one any normal person would have done. It had literally made his heart clench. His parents hadn’t physically abused him, but they had put a price on their affection.
And yeah, he knew that what they thought was parental love was in fact something so fucked up he didn’t know what to call it. They’d locked him out of the house because they “loved” him enough to teach him a lesson. Probably they’d say the tree falling last night was another “love” lesson.
Grabbing his shoulders, Liam pulled Nick close and wrapped his arms around him in a bear hug, squeezing the air out of Nick’s lungs. Liam was the only person Nick allowed this sort of behavior from. After what seemed like an excessive period of time, Liam released him and stepped away.
“What was that for?” Nick complained.
“Because you needed it.”
Nick was saved from having to search for a caustic reply by a knock on Liam’s front door.
“Come on in,” Liam called out.
The door opened and Silas Murphy stepped inside. He had a duffle bag over one shoulder and was carrying a cardboard box.
A thought struck Nick. “Don’t you liveoverthe auto shop?” he asked.
Silas nodded. “Not anymore. Not until I can get the roof fixed.”
“Fuck.” Nick glanced at Liam, who was definitely giving him a side-eye. Oh, right, Silas needed sympathy too. “Er. That sucks. Hopefully, it’ll get taken care of soon. I have a feeling carpenters are going to be in high demand around here.”
“Yeah,” Silas said quietly, setting the box down on the coffee table and the duffle bag on the floor.
Nick thought Silas was a few years older than Liam and he were, but he was one of those guys where it was hard to tell his age. He was tall and wiry, with dark hair that showed a bit of gray at the temples. It also looked as if Silas possibly cut it himself. Liam had told him that Silas had inherited the auto shop when his dad passed away a few years ago.
“A tree fell on Nick’s place last night,” Liam informed him.
Silas’s gaze swung to Nick for just a second. “Oh, no, that’s terrible.”
“It didn’t fall on me, just close enough to do some damage.”
“I’m glad you weren’t hurt.” Silas glanced over at Liam and then back at Nick. “Do you need a place to stay? I could probably crash somewhere else.”
That was the second longest set of sentences Silas had ever spoken to Nick. And damn if he didn’t feel guilty for really wishing Silas would give up the couch even though he knew Liam wouldn’t allow it. Liam’s green gaze was focused on Nick with unpleasant intensity.
