Page 52 of Ethan

"Fuck, Owen," I muttered. "You know better."

"I thought it was all good. The pictures have been great."

"Have you been reading all the comments?"

Owen furrowed his brow. "Briefly."

"A lot of people don't like him," Brody said. "They say cruel things."

"Give me a heads-up next time," Owen replied.

"Your head should always be up when it comes to Liam."

Noah wandered back outside and sat in his chair. "He'll be all right. Just give him a second."

It was almost twenty minutes later when Liam emerged. His food was cold. Not that he would've eaten any more of it anyway. He pushed his beer aside in preference to his water bottle.

When he opened the lid, it made a loud pop as if under pressure.

Liam looked at Owen. "My social media could be doing better."

Owen took Liam's hand and squeezed it. "I'm sorry to hear that."

I had wanted to share details about my photoshoot with Carlos with the guys tonight, but it would strike too close to home for Liam this week. My nude photos could wait.

Brody rose to his feet. "Noah and I have to go now."

"We have a home inspection tomorrow morning," Noah added. "Brody is concerned there is some glaring error we have made with our home that will make us ineligible to foster."

"I just want to check everything again." Brody reached for Noah's hand once Noah joined him by the path that led down the side of Owen's house, through a gate, and to the street.

"Good luck," we called in unison as they disappeared.

"They'll be fine," Owen said.

"They're going to be good parents," Liam added. "Those kids are lucky."

I finished my beer.

Talk about lucky. The universe had brought me Daniel. All the experiences in the years he'd lived longer than me had created the most incredible, caring, and beautiful man.

Parts of me couldn't believe he was real.

Or that I deserved him.

Maybe I didn't.

I picked at my beer label and put that thinking out of my head.

Chapter Ten | Daniel

Ethan had told me to come to the back door of the coffee shop. Last night, during our date, he'd invited me to run an errand with him today. I didn't mind giving up my Sunday morning for him.

I found him in an impeccably clean kitchen with small paper bags open in front of him on a stainless-steel table, and trays of baked goods that he was picking through.

He spotted me, made his way over, held my face, and kissed me. Never in a million years would I grow weary of his lips on mine. I tugged him into a hug and clung to him.

"Good morning, gorgeous," Ethan said as he stroked my face.

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