Page 25 of The Shots You Take

“Not next to yours,” Adam said before he could stop himself. “I mean, I remember when I signed it for them. Do you?”

Riley smiled slightly. “Yeah. I remember. We’d been out on the boat all day, totally sunburned. Got a couple of pints of the worst beer on the North Shore.”

“Then you suggested the bonfire on the beach,” Adam added. He managed to avoid blurting out that it had been the best day of his life, possibly. Riley had taken him to a small beach that wasn’t as popular as the others nearby. They’d been alone, stretched out on the sand with the fire burning in front of them. Adam had been amazed by the stars above, more than he’d ever seen before, and he’d been enchanted by the man next to him. They’d slowly inched closer until their shoulders were pressed together, then their legs tangled, and then they’d been kissing. Then Riley had been pressing Adam into the sand as his hand slid inside Adam’s shorts.

Adam had been sure they’d both known the day would end that way, though they’d never kissed in Avery River before. After that night, they kissed alotin Avery River, stealing privacywhenever and wherever they could get it. It had been like an intense summer fling inside of their weird few years of sporadic “just friends” sex. Adam had gone back to Ontario more confused than ever. A few months later, Riley had told Adam he was in love with him. And then Adam had fucked it all up.

“Did we have a bonfire that night?” Riley asked lightly. “Hard to remember. It was a long time ago.”

That was a spear to the fucking stomach. “Maybe I’m wrong.”

For a long moment, Riley held his gaze. He was as sure of that bonfire as Adam was.

“Anyway,” Riley said. “The jerseys are still there, because nothing ever changes at the Dropped Anchor.”

It seemed the conversation had ended, so Adam pointed to a box and said, “Want me to put away whatever’s in there?”

“You’ve done enough.” Riley sighed. “And, um, thank you. For your help.”

Adam eyed the general upheaval of the shop skeptically. “I can do more.”

“I’ve got it. Don’t worry about it.”

Adam tried to give him a hard stare so he’d know he was being stupid, but he was distracted by how lost Riley looked.

“Riles,” he said, then corrected himself, “Riley, I mean. You don’t have to do this alone.”

“Yeah, well. You don’t have to do it at all, so…” He walked past Adam, toward the counter.

Adam grabbed his wrist. “You’re being stubborn.”

Riley spun back around. “I’m stubborn? You’re the one who showed up in my shop afterI told you not to.”

“Fine, we’re both stubborn.” Adam was still holding his wrist. “I’m not letting you do this alone.”

Riley stared at him, then shook his head. “I don’t get you.”

Adam shrugged instead of saying,“You get me more than anyone ever has.”

Riley’s gaze kept dropping to Adam’s lips, then away, then back again. He jerked the arm Adam was holding, yanking Adam closer.

“Why?” Riley asked.

Adam gave the same answer as before, but this time it was barely a whisper, “You know why.”

Lucky began whimpering by the door.

Riley took a giant step back, his eyes wide with what looked like horror. “I know,” he said to Lucky. Then, to Adam, he said, “I need to take Lucky out for a bit. You should go.”

“Are you sure?”

Riley was already at the door. “I’m sure. Come on. I need to lock up.”

“I could come tomorrow,” Adam said as he grabbed his coat.

“Don’t.”

Riley exited the shop with Lucky, and Adam had no choice but to follow. Outside, Riley walked away without a word. As Adam watched him leave, he said to himself, “Milk. No sugar,” and began making plans for tomorrow.

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