Page 18 of The Shots You Take

Adam knew how much it cost Riley to say that. “Thank you.”

“I made a mess of the shop.”

“It can be fixed.”

“I don’t want anyone to see it. I don’t want—” Riley’s voice was breaking. “I wrecked Dad’s shop.”

Adam took a chance and placed a hand on Riley’s knee. “Let me help. I’ve got two hands and one functional shoulder.”

Riley’s gaze dropped to Adam’s hand on his knee, then back up to Adam’s face. “Still bothering you? The shoulder?”

“It’s better than it was before my last surgery, but it’s still a bastard most days.”

Riley looked like he wanted to say something about Adam being a bastard himself, but he managed to hold his tongue.

“Honestly, I forget what it’s like to live without pain,” Adam said, probably too cheerfully. It really wasn’t a joke.

“Sorry.” Riley’s gray-blue eyes were so sad, and Adam was overcome with the desire to take his hand, pull him onto the bed, and wrap himself around him. Adam suddenly becamevery aware of how little he was wearing compared to Riley: a snug white T-shirt, loose-fitting black sleep pants, and bare feet. That he was sitting on a bed, and that Riley was alone with him in a hotel room, like so many times before.

Adam pulled his hand away. “Did you eat your lunch?”

“Some of it.” Riley exhaled hard. “Thanks for bringing that.”

“I went to Paula’s for some scallops.”

Riley’s lips curved up slightly. “Must have caused a commotion.”

Adam smiled. “I signed some things. Was in a few selfies.”

“Normal day in the life of Adam Sheppard.”

Adam couldn’t deny it. He got recognized a lot pretty much everywhere in Canada. “I don’t mind. I like meeting people.”

Riley grunted, folded his hands between his legs, and stared at the floor. “I can’t deal with this right now.”

“With what?”

Riley moved a hand in the space between them, back and forth. “This. Us.”

“I’m not asking you to. I just want to help.”

Riley shook his head. “No thanks. I’ll be fine.”

“Riles—”

“I’ll befine.” Riley stood up. “And don’t call me that.”

“All right, I won’t. But I don’t want you to be alone.”

Riley stared at him. “I have friends, you know.”

Adam’s stomach dropped. He was such an idiot. “Right. Of course.”

“Anyway,” Riley said. He sounded so tired. “Like I said, Dad would’ve liked you being here. So thanks, I guess. But I think we’re done here.”

Adam nodded miserably. “Got it.”

Riley stared down at him, and for a moment, his eyebrows pinched together and Adam thought he saw regret in his eyes.Or maybe he was only shocked by how pathetic Adam looked, sitting on a shitty motel bed, trying not to cry.

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