Pawsitively in Love (17 page)

“Me and
Ev
,” Mary Beth joked. She rolled her eyes and headed over to the snack table. “If you and Ev want to grab your snacks and drinks, we’ll get right to it. None of us were the late ones.”

“Cool.”

The game was hilarious, as usual. There wasn’t any blatant cheating. At least not much. Everyone laughed and bet outrageously, bluffed, and tried to steal cards from behind each other’s backs. Austin felt like he was in the middle of this little ball of glowing happiness. He never wanted it to end.

EVAN HAD
to admit it felt damn good. He’d never been the type for PDA, for cuddles, for kisses. All of that had felt fake to him before, like something he was expected to do that had no real meaning to him. He’d never been proud of that, or happy that he couldn’t connect to the people in his life, but it was the way things had been. He didn’t know
what
was different about Austin—was it the time and place, the person, the moment when he’d decided to let the world in and Austin was standing there? He didn’t know. But every day he was growing more used to it. And every day, he liked it more and more.

The group had decided to go on a walk after their game, burn off a bit of the beer and snacks before everyone sat down to talk. Cole and Peter’s condo was at the end of a long walking path along the waterfront. Evan’s first trip down there had been to the park in the middle where they’d played volleyball. He was starting to feel like he knew it. They kept to the newest section, right along the water in front of Cole and Peter’s building. He hadn’t known it was new, but the locals had been quick to inform him. They walked along in happy pairs, Cole and Peter, him and Austin, and Mary Beth and Colleen arm in arm. The night was warm, and the air was salty but soft without a hint of chill.

“Feels nice out here tonight,” Mary Beth said.

“I hope I don’t get eaten alive,” Colleen muttered.

“Way to ruin the moment,” Mary Beth laughed. “There aren’t even very many bugs.”

“There only has to be one in a fifty-mile radius, and it’ll find me, I swear. They like my blood. It’s a curse.”

Evan listened to their familiar ribbing and rubbed his thumb on Austin’s wrist. He tried to communicate with touch how much he liked being right where he was. Evan wasn’t at the point yet where he’d want to say it aloud. It had taken nearly everything he had to tell Austin how he felt—and it had taken the fear of losing him to make himself do it at all.

Austin squeezed back. He got it.

“Hey, Austin, you bringing Evan to family dinner tomorrow night?”

Evan felt Austin tense. “Really, Sis? Did you really have to do that?”

“What?” Mary Beth sounded innocent. She had to know it was too early for that kind of thing. It was always too early for that kind of thing. Evan’s throat tightened.

“We’ve only been seeing each other for a few days. You only found out about it tonight. You really think it’s time for meet the parents already?”

“Yeah, but Mom wants to meet Evan.”

Evan shot a panicked look at Austin, who in turn glared at his sister. “What did you say to her?”

“Just that there was a new guy in our group and he was a professor… and gay.”

“She’s going to want to set me and Evan up. Mom meddles. I’m not making Evan deal with that.”

“Well, she doesn’t exactly need to set us up,” Evan said. He’d been worried that Austin had told his family about how he’d gone back and forth, toyed with Austin’s feelings. He didn’t want to walk into something where he wasn’t liked or even wanted. “It doesn’t sound so bad.”

“Wait.” Austin stopped and pulled Evan around to look right at him. “You’re willing to meet my family? After a couple of dates? Really?”

Evan shrugged. “Sure.”

Even if he was nervous about it, Austin’s shocked reaction was worth it.

“Yay!” Mary Beth bounced over and hugged them both. “Mom will love you. Dad’s quiet, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t like you. He’s just like that.”

Austin looked a little nauseated. “Can we please not predissect the meeting? I’d like to enjoy the rest of the night.”

“Oooh, that’s right. Austin hasn’t ever brought a guy home before.”

“And thank you very much.” Austin used his free hand to shove at his sister. “You officially suck ass.”

“Technically, I think that’s you.” She and Colleen snickered.

“I can’t believe that just came out of my sister’s mouth. Do you talk to patients with that kind of language?”

“Yes. Of course. You have two cavities to get filled, little Joey. Did you suck any ass last night?” Colleen laughed again. Evan couldn’t help snorting along with them.

“I think I’m officially ready to go home,” Austin said. “I’ve had enough of this.”

“Noooo,” Cole said. He let go of Peter and came over to cling to Austin like an overgrown koala. “It’s too early for you guys to go home. Unless, you know….”

“Oh my
God.
Can we discuss Colleen’s romantic relationships for a while please?”

“Unless you count Netflix and gelato, I’m pretty much out.”

“I’ll date you, babe,” Mary Beth said.

“Hey, don’t tempt me. We might be practically sisters, but I’ve been single for a long time. You’re starting to look pretty hot.”

Mary Beth simply put her arm around Colleen’s shoulders and giggled.

THE NEXT
evening, they pulled up in front of the house Austin grew up in. It was super weird to bring Evan into his old life, even if he told himself a million times that it was no big deal—like he’d tried to convince himself all day long. Hadn’t worked. It was a big deal for him, and it was a bigger deal for Evan. He reached over and twined his fingers through Evan’s.

“You good?” he asked.

Evan made this halfway laughing snort sound that told Austin he was anything but okay. “I’m fine,” he said. Which… lie. “That’s total bullshit, but I’m the one who told Mary Beth I’d come.”

“We can leave. We can leave now,” Austin said. “All it takes is one phone call to Mom saying I don’t feel well and you’re off the hook.”

Evan shook his head. He looked all determined, as if he were going into battle. Austin supposed he’d feel the same way if he had to meet Evan’s family. He doubted that would happen any time soon, since they lived out of state and Evan barely even talked about them.

“I’m ready to do this,” Evan finally said. “I just got myself psyched out for a second there.”

“Okay, so let’s go over it again. Mom’s a teacher. She’s gonna love you.” Austin grinned. “My dad’s a real estate agent. And you know Mary Beth. Her boyfriend’s name is Chad. I’m sure you’ve heard about him plenty. I’m hoping he’s on his way out the door, but he’ll probably be here.”

“What makes you think that he is?” Evan asked.

“Here? Because he always is. He’s like a goddamn cockroach.”

“No, what makes you think they’re going to break up soon?”

It was always hard to explain the twin thing to outsiders. Part of it was just that Austin was good with people in general, but with Mary Beth it was like he knew what she was thinking half the time. And he for sure knew when she was starting to get tired of one of her parade of assholes.

He shrugged. “I guess I just know Mary Beth’s… cycles, I suppose. I’ve learned to recognize the signs of when she’s sick of a guy. Unlike me, she brings them around all the time. I’ve had practice.”

“You really haven’t brought a guy home before?”

“Nope.” And that was probably one of the reasons he was sitting out in his car in the growing twilight staring ahead at the park instead of already inside stealing bites from whatever his mom was making. Austin was a hell of a lot more nervous than he was letting himself recognize.

“I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that this is a first for me, do I?” Evan’s lips quirked up in an ironic smile.

Definitely not
. “I assumed it was. Something about how you didn’t do relationships and weren’t into boyfriends told me you probably hadn’t spent lots of time hanging out with families.”

“You would be correct in that theory.”

“Well”—Austin smiled at Evan’s little quip—“you can obviously thank Mary Beth for this. I plan to thank her. Thoroughly.”

“I’ll be sure to do that as well.” Evan grinned.

Yes.
He’d never thought about having a partner in crime when he found the guy he’d want to be with. He’d thought about cuddles and dinners and romantic movie dates, but torturing Mary Beth together? That was better than anything Austin could’ve even come up with on his own. It was perfect.

“So, are we going to go in before I chicken out and ask you to tell your mom you’re sick?” Evan asked.

“Yup. Let’s go in.”

Austin thought it was adorable that Evan was nervous. Of course. He didn’t think it was as adorable how scared he was. They were his own family, after all.

But he’d have rather waited until he and Evan were more stable. Not so new, before he nailed him with this. Mary Beth had always been quick to bring home her boyfriends, sure that the newest one was the one and that everyone would agree with her and automatically love him. Austin had always been the opposite. He hadn’t had very many boyfriends to start off with, and he was a genius at getting out of bringing them around. But he had a feeling about Evan. He didn’t want to jinx it, but… he had a feeling. And he’d leave it at that.

“This is a gorgeous neighborhood.”

It was home to Austin, had been his whole life, but it was always fun to see it through a new person’s eyes.

“I had my first kiss on that big toy over there.” Austin pointed at the park across the street. “And I nearly broke my arm falling off the swing set that used to be there. Of course they pulled those out and put in lame swings.” Austin rolled his eyes. “Safety. Pshh.”

Evan laughed. “Safety sucks.”

He looked a tiny bit more relaxed, which was what Austin was going for.

Austin’s parents were more than happy to meet Evan. It was like he was some sort of unicorn—heard of but never seen. Apparently Mary Beth had talked him up, and that was before she’d even known for sure they were more than friends.

“It’s so nice to finally meet one of Austin’s boyfriends,” his mother said. “And you’re gorgeous, aren’t you?”

“Jesus, Ma.” Austin groaned. “We haven’t even been in here thirty seconds.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Lloyd.”

“Oh, please call me Rebecca,” she said.

“And I’m Brad,” Austin’s dad added, sticking out his hand.

Austin watched his parents for those faces… the ones they always made after a few moments in the company of The Chad or any one of Mary Beth’s lame-ass boyfriends. He didn’t see it. Instead, he saw real smiles and happy eyes. The tightness in his chest loosened a tiny bit. Evan was great. They had to like him.

“Mom, I don’t know if Mary Beth told you, but Evan works at UPS. He’s a professor.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful, dear. Can I get you a drink?”

Evan looked at Austin who gave him an encouraging smile. “Sure,” he said, and followed Austin’s mom into the kitchen.

“What do you think, Dad?” Austin asked.

His dad chuckled. “He’s only been in here two minutes, Son. Give me until the end of dinner at least.”

“Where’s Sis?” he asked.

“She’s on her way. I guess she’s solo this time.” Austin’s father looked relieved.

“Like
solo
solo or just Chad-free for the evening.”

His dad shrugged. “I think it might be the first one. I hate to ask.”

Austin did a tiny victory dance. “
Sweet
.”

“Austin….”

“What, Dad? You don’t like him either.”

“I know. I just want your sister to be happy. Just like I want you to be happy.”

“Well, The Chad wasn’t ever going to be the way to make that happen. Let’s go get some wine and hope that we’ll be celebrating the demise of The Chad.”

His dad simply rolled his eyes and followed Austin out to the kitchen.

EVAN HAD
never been so charmed in his entire life. Austin’s family was like this little halo of warmth that reached out and pulled people into its circumference. His cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing, his belly was full of good food, and he was currently reclined in one of the prettiest backyards he’d ever been to, listening to the Lloyds bicker lovingly in the background.

Rebecca was warm and inviting, the definition of sunlight and home. Brad was steady and soft-spoken. He’d put Evan at ease right away. Mary Beth, although her eyes seemed a bit red-rimmed and her skin was pale under the summer gold, was her usual brand of lightly acerbic. She picked at Austin and then turned around and made sure he knew how much she loved him. They weren’t sappy or annoyingly perfect. They were just… real. And everything that was the exact opposite of what Evan knew. He wanted to stay wrapped up in them forever.

By the time he and Austin left, he was ready to be adopted. Good thing he wasn’t planning on going anywhere any time soon. He thought he might be falling for Austin’s family just as much as he was falling for Austin. He told Austin that when they got into the car. It just slipped out, something that definitely wouldn’t have happened in other relationships. Or ever.

“So you’re falling for me?” Austin asked with a smug little smirk.

“That’s really what you got out of that?”

Austin chuckled. “You want to be my parents’ second son? Think that would make this a bit awkward.” He leaned forward and plopped a short but lusty kiss onto Evan’s mouth. “Don’t you agree?”

“True. Maybe they can just adopt me as a charming stray.”

“Pretty sure that already happened, babe.” Austin started his car and then twined their hands together.

Evan grinned into the darkness and squeezed Austin’s hand as a reply. He kissed Austin good night for a long time when Austin dropped him off. He was tempted, like he’d been so many times already, to pull Austin into his house and his bed. Take his clothes off. See if he was the same in bed as he was everywhere else—real and sexy and open. Evan could barely wait.

“I don’t want to go home,” Austin murmured against Evan’s lips.