#Rev (GearShark #2)(67)

Oddly, I wasn’t embarrassed by it. It was kind of flattering, I guess. Mostly, it kind of endeared the kid to me. (Yes, I know I’m supposed to think of him as a man, but it’s hard, okay? He’s kind of like the baby brother I never had.)

I felt this odd sort of kinship with him even though we were nothing alike. Well, at least I’d thought that before.

Now?

Now I was starting to think maybe he and I had more in common than either of us realized.

“Thanks,” Arrow said, gesturing to the Styrofoam cup, and took a sip. Then he gestured with his head to the door, and I followed him inside.

It smelled like oil and car parts. You know, that sort of metal tinge to the air.

“What are you doing here?” Arrow asked, blunt, as I glanced around, looking into the back of the hangar toward the bed he slept in. Clearly, I’d gotten him up. The sheets were still tangled and there was an indent in the pillow.

“Going to a football game this morning. Thought you might wanna come.”

“Why?” His eyes were suspicious.

I had a feeling Arrow was suspicious of people a lot, and it was because he’d been conditioned that way. I remembered Lorhaven saying something to the tune of Arrow always wanting to see the best in people, and I wondered how he balanced that with the wariness.

I shrugged. “Might be fun.”

“Trent gonna be there?” he asked.

I nodded. “My whole family will be there. You’ll like them.”

“I don’t think so,” he said.

I lifted an eyebrow. “You don’t strike me as the type to judge people before you meet them.”

“I meant I don’t think they’ll like me.”

I lowered my coffee away from my face. “They like me. They like Trent. They’re totally cool with our relationship.”

“So you are in a relationship with him.”

I nodded. “Your brother told you, didn’t he?”

“I thought he was making it up. Trying to keep me away from you.”

I laughed. “He would do something like that.”

Arrow grinned.

“Your brother is a lot of things, but I don’t think he would intentionally hurt you. He wants you to be happy.”

“I know.” He looked away, giving all his attention to the cup.

“My father kicked me out, too,” I said softly.

His head snapped up.

“That’s why you live here, right? You told your father you’re gay, and he kicked you out.”

“He hates me now.”

My stomach clenched. I knew exactly how that felt. I knew exactly what it was like to be suddenly unloved by people who said—no, who were supposed to—they always would.

It sucked real bad. But something whispered in my ear that as rough as I had it, Arrow had it ten times worse.

I at least had a family who loved me, a whole house full of people who cared. And I had Trent. With him, I would never, ever have to feel alone.

Who did Arrow have besides Lorhaven?

“I don’t think he hates you. I just think he doesn’t understand, and it scares him.”

“The result is still the same.” His tone was matter-of-fact.

Oh yes, Lorhaven was right. This kid was definitely beyond his years.

“You’re right.” I agreed. “And it doesn’t make it suck any less. But for every person who is narrow-minded, there’s one who isn’t.”

“Yeah? Where are they?”

I held out my arms. “Right here.”

He ran a hand through his blond hair, pushing it over to reveal the ultra-short side.

“What about Trent?”

“What about him?” I asked.

“He know you’re here?”

I smiled. “He will if you come with me.”

The look on his face made me smile. “I’m the possessive one, not him. Besides, he likes you.”

“I hit on you.”

I couldn’t help it; I laughed out loud. “Dude, you need to work on your game. I had no idea.”

“Way to crush a man’s ego,” he said and pressed a hand over his chest.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” I said. “Look, I’m all in with Trent. That’s not gonna change. But I got room in my life for friends.”

Arrow stared at me for a long minute. I saw the debate rage in his mind. He wanted to be friends, so badly. He was almost desperate, but it was that desperation that made him hesitate. He was asking himself if he could trust me. If this would only come back to bite him in the ass.

It made me ache for him.

“You can invite your brother if you want,” I offered, barely able to say the words without choking. Obviously, his brother was the closest person to him, and his loyalty went beyond the bonds of blood.

To trust.

Seemed like Lorhaven might be the only guy in Arrow’s life that actually cared and wouldn’t screw him over.

“Yeah.” Arrow nodded. “Okay.”

I grinned. “Get some clothes. Trent’s not possessive, but if I show up with a half-naked gay dude, he might learn to be.”

Arrow laughed, and I thought I saw the tinge of a blush across his cheeks.

Did I just kinda flirt with him?