Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 35498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 177(@200wpm)___ 142(@250wpm)___ 118(@300wpm)
“Kate’s complicated, Billy. It’s not your fault.”
Matthew had been blind when it came to Oliver. He knew William was telling the truth, but he’d been too involved to see it clearly. Oliver was running himself ragged trying to make everyone happy. His family, his dance company and Matthew.
He was giving everything to the people who loved him, except the ability to prove they loved him back. To take care of him for a change. To think about his happiness.
Had Matthew been so greedy for time with him, and so focused on what he wanted that he’d missed that?
He leaned his head back against the gym wall. “Do you remember that time I came home bloodied up and wouldn’t tell you why?”
William scowled. “Vividly. I thought someone was sending me a message until Calamity swore it was a schoolyard thing. She said you’d handled it. Was that a lie?”
“Not a lie.” Matthew closed his eyes, seeing it fresh in his mind. “A boy.”
“A boy?” He could feel William’s confusion. “I thought you were into girls until Oliver.”
“I was. I wasn’t trying to date him or anything, I was only ten. He came from another school for one semester of an accelerated computer class, and we got to talking. I liked him, so when he invited me back to his to check out his new game system, I agreed. It was a crack, until his older brothers came home and found out what my last name was. That I was one of those Finns from that part of town.”
His brother cracked his knuckles beside him and swore. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You kidding?” Matthew chuckled. “Even then, I knew what you did for a living. I didn’t want you going to jail for killing some stuck up sixteen-year-olds.”
“You could give me their names now. I’ll text them to Tanaka. He won’t mind.”
They shared a smile before Matthew’s faded. “That’s not why I’m bringing it up. That kid I was best friends with for an afternoon? He never talked to me again. He’d liked me, but because of his brothers’ opinions, he started believing I wasn’t good enough to be in the same classroom. To breathe the same air. Just like that.” He snapped his fingers.
“They were assholes, Matty. The world is full of them. Tell me you know that.”
“I do,” Matthew assured him quietly. “But sometimes I think I haven’t pushed with Oliver because I’m afraid of that happening again, when it matters. If his family doesn’t approve of me, if they make him choose, then I’m fucked, aren’t I? I’m just that bad seed again. Not good enough.”
“Ah, Matty.” William sounded pained.
“Don’t hug me or anything. We’re in public.”
“Fuck off,” William said as he wrapped his arms around him, ignoring the cooling sweat on his bare chest and squeezing him tight enough to steal his breath.
“Get a hold of yourself, man. Think of your reputation.”
William’s laugh was choked with emotion. “What I’m thinking is that I wish you hadn’t had to go through half the things you did growing up. I wish I’d gotten you away sooner. But most of all, Matthew Finn, I wish you knew how full of shit you are.”
“What the hell?” Matthew untangled himself and leaned back in disbelief. “This is why I didn’t ask you for a pep talk.”
“You’re getting it anyway.” William’s lashes were wet, but his expression was hard. “You are brilliant, you bloody idiot. Clever and kind and more than worthy of being loved for exactly who you are. If his family can’t see that, too bad for them, because you’ve got a bigger family and we could take them in a fight. And if your opinionated, strong-willed, stubborn Oliver lets any of them make his decisions for him? Then he’ll be the one not good enough for you and I’ll admit that I’ve been wrong about him. Do you hear me?”
“I hear you.” He felt better. Fuck. How had he done that? “I stand corrected. I think Brady could take a few lessons from you, brother.”
“Yeah?” He liked the sound of that. “It wouldn’t hurt him to get in the ring a bit more either, now that you mention it. He’s still too slow to land a proper punch.” He hesitated. “Are you good now?”
“I think so.”
“Ready to deal with Oliver?”
“I hope so.”
William pursed his lips. “Think Kate would let me in the house to talk things out if I brought pizza?”
“Hell no. Not this week, anyway. Complicated, remember? We’re not at the gifts and groveling stage yet. There’s a process.”
“Enough said.”
Chapter Three
Matthew was still in bed the next morning when Rory called.
“It’s almost noon. Half the day is gone, my little shillelagh. Are you sick?”
It was entirely possible. When he’d gotten home, ready to talk, only to have Kate tell him Oliver had gotten a phone call and left, he’d been disappointed. Later, when Oliver still hadn’t answered any of his text messages, he’d moved from frustration to full-on depression.