Lucky Number Four (27 page)

Or maybe it’s being too close to a hot guy?
I’m going out there to see if it happens when I sit next to Colin.
I did have butterflies before.

Arriving back at the table, I lean over and
whisper in Liam’s ear and I move back as he gets up and lets me
slide in next to Colin. Jeff raises an eyebrow and Drew looks
puzzled.

“I want to look at your handsome faces.”

Jeff looks skeptical and Drew flashes an
Earth-shattering smile. What the heck … Earth-shattering? What am I
thinking?

“I’m too ugly for you to look at?” Liam asks
with a straight face.

“Well, you aren’t all that handsome when you
frown all the time, so yes, it’s hard to look at you,” I quip and
then giggle when he turns to gives me the most beautiful smile.

Me? Giggle? Go figure. Wonders never cease.
These three have really done a number on me.

“So I’m ugly too?” Colin’s proper English
accent makes the butterflies flutter in the old stomach, or maybe
it’s gas, but I’ll go with butterflies.

“No, you’re too handsome for me to stare at
for any length of time.”

Before I can finish, he reaches for my left
hand that is resting on the table and kisses the back of it. I can
feel my face turning beet red, and I hope none of them can see it
in this light? I have to act normal and not like some awkward
teenager.

“Why, thank you, kind sir. You’re definitely
the only gentleman of this group.” Yep, the laughter stops and I
feel so smug. “Jeff, would you be a love and pass me my drink?”

He does, and Colin reaches over to grab it in
order to place it in front of me. His arm and thigh are glued to
mine, and I begin to feel overheated. Hot guys do funny things to
me. Maybe I should call it lust. I just need a normal guy to give
me WOW, that’s all.

“Care for a dance, sweet thing?”

What the F? Oh, lord, I almost said it, but
it’s Liam who’s asking for a dance. I nod my head and he pulls me
out of the booth and out onto the dance floor. It’s a slow song, so
we move close together and even though my heels are high, he still
towers over me.

He bends down and whispers in my ear. “Is
something wrong?”

“Well, first of all I feel like dwarf
compared to you, even in my heels. And second, I’m kind of trying
to figure out how I’m supposed help you.”

“Help me?” He pulls back, looking at me
intently.

“Yeah. My mom says I’m supposed to help you.
Well, really Henry told her and then she told me,” I ramble, not
wanting to start this conversation, but when I talked to my mom
this morning, she told me Liam needed my help sooner than
later.

“Maybe we should go outside for a
minute.”

I nod my head. He grabs my arm and we head
out the nearest exit. The cold stings me in the face like a dozen
icicles, and I start to shiver. Liam guides me to a little alcove,
which keeps most of the frigid wind away from us. He stands in
front of me, blocking the rest.

“So, what exactly do I need help with?” he
asks.

I look up at his face. It’s semi-illuminated
by a weak yellow light attached the building above us. “I know
about your secret, and I know it must be so hard for you to conceal
it from everybody you love.”

He runs his right hand through his hair and
sighs. “How did you find out?”

“I’m what they call an empath, which means I
feel people’s emotions. You don’t give off the signals, but I felt
your sadness, which most people view as being aloof. There were
other signs too, like for instance the way you always look at
Jeff.”

He looks at me with a sad smile, which makes
me want to hug him, but I need to wait for him to reply.

“Yes, it’s hard,” he admits. “I think Drew
and Colin know, but they just don’t know what to say. It’s not easy
being me. I know that sounds trite, but it’s true. I’m from a small
town, and being gay isn’t an accepted lifestyle there, no matter
who you are. God that sounded good to finally say it out loud.”
Gone is his sad smile. He actually looks part happy and part
amazed.

“Henry wants me to help you, and my gut
feeling tells me that you’re supposed to tell your family when you
go home tomorrow. No, wait …” I take his hands in mine when he
starts to object, and then look deep into his eyes. “I don’t say
this lightly. I feel it will turn out that some of them already
know. They’re just waiting for you to say something. Trust me,
Liam. Everything will be good. Now, we better get back inside
before we catch pneumonia. My family will kill me if I’m sick over
Christmas.”

“Thank you, Dora. I’m so glad you’re our
lucky number four. Thank your mom and Henry too.” He leans down and
wraps his arms around me, pulling me in close for a hug.

“One thing you definitely have to do is to
call me after you talk to them, and let me know how it goes.”

He beams at me again and puts his arm around
my shoulder before pulling out a key card and sliding it into a
slot near the door.

Entering the warmth of the club feels like a
million bucks, and I realize I had suddenly forgotten how cold I
was outside. We bypass the dance floor and make a beeline for the
booth, with me holding Liam’s hand the whole way. Now I only have
to help Drew. But with what? I need to pump Henry for more
info.

“Where have you two been? We looked for you
on the dance floor, but guess what? You weren’t out there.” Jeff
looks at us with eyes that say he has many questions. It’s kind of
cool to be so in tune with someone.

“Wouldn’t you like to know? Sorry, it’s our
little secret. Right, Liam?” He looks at me, and yes, I feel so
much joy as he gives me the most stunning smile. I know Liam will
be just fine.

“Okay, spill it,” Jeff spits out as soon as
he closes the door to my room.

“Spill what?” I ask innocently.

“The two of you go missing for a few?
And?”

“Okay, Mr. I Need to Know Everything, we were
talking about him coming out to his family over the holidays.”

He looks at me with worry in his eyes. “Wow,
that’s really deep. Are you sure they’re going to be
accepting?”

“I think someone has a crush.”

“Maybe, but I’m concerned. It’s a big step.”
Jeff takes off his coat and sits on the edge of the bed to pull off
his boots.

“Henry is always right, and I think—no, I
know
everything will be fine for Liam.” I kiss the top of
Jeff’s head and enter my closet, stripping down as I go.

Tonight was different. Dora was different. How long
do I have to wait until she notices how much I want her in my life?
What will I do if she doesn’t want me? Do I wait longer? Will it
make a difference? Oh, what the hell? I have to be patient. Yeah,
patient. I can’t lose her.

Christmas is easily one of my favorite times
of the year, especially when my mom tells me she has threatened the
senior women to behave again. Way to go, Mom! Jeff and I have all
of our presents wrapped and placed in huge bags that I found for a
buck each at a nearby dollar store.