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He shook his head. “People don’t always know how to take me. Some think I’m an asshole. Others don’t say much, afraid of what I’ll say in return.” His eyes met mine, and this close I could see they were blue but a softer shade, more toned down than vibrant, but no less appealing. Why was I staring at his eyes like this? I focused back on the conversation.
“When did being honest become a bad thing?” he asked.
“It’s not. People don’t want to hear the truth. They’d rather live in a land of lies. You can tell me the truth any day. I won’t get mad or offended.” I had a feeling this was important to Val. He needed me to hear him. To listen.
“Thank you,” he whispered. His eyes dropped to my lips briefly before he turned away.
I liked the way Val looked at me. It wasn’t with pity or sadness. He didn’t know about my entire past; however, I thought if he did, he still wouldn’t look at me like my parents did.
There was a knock on the front door. Val pushed off from the counter to answer it. I wondered who it was, considering everyone either walked right inside or went around back. What was nice was not worrying about someone coming in here and going after my brother or anyone else I cared about. The mystery of who had broken into Dexen’s home had been solved and completely dealt with. I just wished I could have been there to see the end result.
“Hey, Doc, I didn’t know you’d be here.” Doc? Was he talking about JJ’s friend, Corbin?
“JJ invited me. I wasn’t sure if I should go to the back where I heard voices or come inside.” There was a hint of nervousness in his voice.
“You’re fine. Xaiden and I are in the kitchen. He’s cooking something healthy and I’m watching. Hey, do you know what a jackfruit is?”
They were talking when they entered the kitchen. Corbin stood only a couple of inches taller than Val, who was probably the second shortest here to my mom.
“It’s a fruit that comes from a tree in the same family as the fig.”
“I didn’t know that. Today was the first time I’ve seen one.”
Corbin’s gaze drifted to me where I was stirring the fruit in a pan with seasoning and onions. “Hi, how are you?”
“Good. I’m making my own dinner. You can head outside if you like.”
He looked to the door and back to me, seeming torn.
“Or you can stay in here and watch Xaiden cook. Although, I’m sure his mom would like to meet you.”
“I’m surprised she didn’t smother you yet, Val,” I said.
“I haven’t given her the chance. Plus, she doesn’t know my story. I think I’m safe for now.”
Corbin placed a bottle of wine on the counter. “Your story?”
“Nothing fun. I’ll share it with you another day, if you really want to know. It’ll bring the mood down and we’re supposed to be enjoying ourselves.”
“Okay.”
The back door opened. JJ came in with a smile. He slung his arms over Val’s and Corbin’s shoulders, standing between them. “All my favorite people in one place. Life is good.”
I looked at them, noticing the way Val’s jeans were tighter to his legs than the last time I saw him and how his shirt fit him better. He wasn’t dressed for working under a car. Then there was Corbin in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, who kept darting his gaze between Val and me. I wondered if he had feelings for Val. Would he want two partners like the other men here or would one do for him? Hell, I didn’t know much about him, let alone if he was interested in men. Why was I thinking about this? My thoughts had been on a runaway track since I got here.
Focusing on the food again, I decided it wasn’t my business. If he wanted to tell me, he would. If not, that was fine too.
4
CORBIN
A glass of wine did enough to take away my nervousness. If I had more, my tongue would get loose and I’d say things I’d rather not. At least not to all the people here, which had grown closer to twenty. There were people from PJS, JJ’s shop, Dexen’s club. It wasn’t out of control, but they were a rowdy bunch. For the most part, I people watched as the afternoon wore on.
I ended up sitting under a tree in the backyard on a swing. The kind that stood on the ground, not hung from the tree. It was something I wouldn’t expect the three of them to have. I also wondered what the weight limit on it was because Greer alone was stacked with muscles. Add JJ and Dexen into the mix and it was some serious weight.
The breeze was nice out here. I held my empty wineglass, enjoying the sounds of those around me. I wasn’t shy by nature, more unsure when it came to certain things, like men. Flirting with men. Hitting on men. Asking a man out.
Xaiden broke away from the crowd and walked toward me. “Mind if I sit?”
