Page 85 of The Shots You Take

“I understand. I’m leaving on Tuesday because I have appointments and kids.”

“Aw, are you?” Lindsay shot Riley a sympathetic look. “That’s too bad.”

Riley narrowed his eyes at her and said, “He can hardly stay here forever.”

Adam, to his surprise, looked a little wounded by this.

“All right,” Lindsay said, “these eggs are done. Let’s eat.”

Within minutes the table was loaded with scrambled eggs, bacon, ham, toast, baked beans (“Patty dropped those off”), coffee, and orange juice. Adam looked deliriously happy.

“Riley took me to the farmers market yesterday,” he said. “It might be my new favorite place.”

“He bought all the cookies,” Riley said.

“Notallof them. And I met some of Riley’s friends. Do you know Bea? She makes honey!”

“Bea is lovely,” Mom said. “Nell too.”

“I don’t think I know them,” Lindsay said.

“They’re a little older than me,” Riley said. “But they’re great.”

“Do you know Darren?” Adam asked Lindsay. “I met him too.”

“Oh, I know Darren,” Lindsay said with a smile. “Did he flirt with you?”

“I don’t think so,” Adam said with a nervous laugh. “Isn’t he married? We’re going to their house tonight.”

“Are you?” Lindsay asked with interest. She locked eyes with Riley. “Just the two of you going?”

“There are a few people. It’s a dinner party, or whatever,” Riley said.

“Couples, mostly?”

“I guess.”

Lindsay smiled, then took a triumphant bite of toast.

Since everyone at the table, excluding Riley, was naturally chatty, the rest of the meal passed with a lot of upbeatconversation and gentle teasing. Riley quietly enjoyed it, loving how normal it felt. Not that having Adam at his parents’ kitchen table was normal, but it still felt like a Tuck family meal.

He also quietly enjoyed how handsome Adam looked, especially when he smiled. Riley was obsessed with the creases that appeared beside his sparkling eyes now when he laughed. He’d been admiring them on the beach too, when Adam had been flushed and sweaty from the run. Well, he’d been admiring most of Adam on the beach.

He was undeniably attracted to Adam, but he still wasn’t sure if anything beyond simple friendship was a good idea for them. But he also wasn’t sure if it mattered what he thought about that, because his idiot heart didn’t seem to care if falling for Adam all over again was a bad idea.

“There’s more bacon, Adam,” Mom said as she held out a small blob of scrambled egg to Lucky.

“Oh, I couldn’t,” Adam said, then eyed the platter that still had at least ten strips of bacon left on it. “Well. Maybe.”

Riley bit the inside of his cheek as he watched Adam happily transfer three strips to his empty plate. He wondered if there was any chance that, this time, falling for Adam might not be a terrible idea.

“Well,” Lindsay said as she pushed her chair back. “I should hit the road.”

Riley couldn’t blame his sister for being eager to leave, but he’d miss having her around. “You planning on coming back anytime soon?”

“I’m sure I will, but you could always visit me in Halifax, you know.”

“I will,” Riley said, feeling guilty. The last time he’d gone to Halifax he hadn’t told her he was in town because he’d been there for purely selfish, single-minded reasons related to having as much sex as possible in a three-day window.

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