Chapter 3 #2
He nodded and took another sip of his coffee. She had given him a lot to think about. Right now, Liam probably needed a friend. Someone close by, who was just there to support him. That’s what Austin would focus on being for him.
“What are you doing here?” asked Gerard, giving Austin a hug.
“Can’t I pop in and visit a friend without having to book an appointment?”
“Of course. Let’s go upstairs. The lunch rush is done, so it’s quiet. They can survive without me for a while.”
“I’m sure they’ll struggle to cope,” said Austin, looking at the fact that only six tables were occupied, with three staff working the floor.
“Do you want my advice or not?”
“Who said I came to you for advice?”
Gerard gave one of his really looks, which made Austin laugh.
He followed Gerard through the private entrance to their flat above the pub, which probably had a bigger square footage than his own cottage.
Their place had such a warm, lived-in feel to it, he couldn’t help but feel relaxed whenever he walked in here.
“Wine or beer?” asked Gerard.
“Er . . . a cup of tea.”
“God, you really are old, aren’t you?”
“You’re older than me.”
“By a month, sweetie. So don’t claim like you’re the baby of the group. Well, I’m having wine, so are you sure?”
“I’ll have one beer, but I need to pick Maisie up from school.”
Gerard hummed and went to the kitchen, and was back in a few seconds with a cold bottle of beer for Austin. He took a sip and felt more relaxed immediately.
“Is this about Liam?” asked Gerard.
“Who’s been gossiping?”
“Nobody. Well, nobody worth listening to. When you and Maisie came for dinner two nights ago, you didn’t stop talking about him. Bit of a giveaway.”
“Fuck! Do you think Maisie picked up on it?”
“She was too focused on eating Kevin’s delicious food to pick up on your crush.”
“Crush? I’m forty years old!”
“And? Never too old to get a crush.”
“Giselle spoke to me.”
“Warned you off, did she?”
“Pretty much.”
“Giselle and Henrietta will be uber-protective of Liam. They were very close to Sylvie. Won’t be wanting their boy getting his heart broken. Plus, even you have to admit, Austin, the timing is lousy. I mean, at least wait until after the funeral before you drag him back to your cave.”
He laughed. “People need to stop referring to him as a boy. He’s nearly thirty, and besides, that’s not what I want to do.”
“Really? You don’t want to pin him to your mattress and make him forget his own name?”
Austin felt a flare of heat rush through his body, and the thought of what Gerard had just described had his cock thickening, so he needed to make an adjustment to how he was sitting, which of course, his friend noticed.
“Say no more. But seriously, she has a point.”
“I wasn’t planning to do anything about it. I don’t even know if he’s interested.”
Gerard burst out laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“I think you forget how hot you are. And I’ve known Liam for a lot longer than you. I’ve heard him describe his ideal man, and I am looking at Exhibit A,” he said, gesturing up and down in Austin’s direction.
Not the first time someone had said that to Austin.
It was both exciting and terrifying. It was a lot of pressure to live up to someone’s fantasy, not that he saw himself as perfect.
Although he would love nothing more than to take Liam apart in bed, it was more than that.
Austin felt protective towards him, which had only grown over the last week of popping into Sylvie’s Slice every day and talking to him.
Liam always smiled whenever Austin walked in.
No matter how busy the bakery was, he would always find a few minutes to talk to Austin, which had only intensified his feelings.
“Fuck. You’ve got it bad,” said Gerard.
“What? I’m not . . . you know . . . fuck! Why can’t I stop thinking about him? It’s ridiculous. I feel like a teenager, and like it’s the whole George Hunter situation again.”
Gerard cracked up laughing. “I’d forgotten all about him.”
George Hunter was in high school with them and had been the first guy who’d made Austin realise he wasn’t a hundred per cent straight. Sadly, George was, but Austin had done nothing about his crush, just pined from afar.
“You know, I think he came out years later, and Tony fucked him.”
“Are you serious?” he asked, gobsmacked.
“No, but your face is hilarious.”
Austin couldn’t help laughing with him.
“Staying on Tony. Maybe don’t let him meet Liam.”
Austin involuntarily growled at the thought of his friend going anywhere near Liam.
“Wow!”
“Yeah. I don’t know where that came from,” said Austin, feeling embarrassed.
This wasn’t him. He didn’t go all caveman over anyone. This wasn’t good. Liam didn’t need some guy acting like this around him. He was grieving, and Austin was just thinking of himself.
“What are you thinking?” asked Gerard.
“I think I need to keep my distance for a while. Just let things calm down with my feelings. You’re right in that it’s probably just a crush. And he doesn’t need that right now.”
“Austin, it’s not just about him. You’re an intense guy, but in a good way. The last thing I want you to do is get hurt in all this, by pursuing something that has the odds stacked against you.”
It was difficult to hear, but his friend was right. With Liam Wells, the best thing Austin could do for him was to keep his distance.