Page 70 of The Science of Attraction

“Perfect.” Zach rubbed his hands together. “That’s settled then. We also figured you both may as well bunk down for the night with us so you can have a few beers. Liam can take the guest room, and you, my bro, can sleep on the couch.” With his back to the others, he waggled his eyebrows at me like I should be impressed with his subterfuge. I wanted to slap him and kiss him at the same time.

Standing behind my brother, Luke eyed me with such abject apology for his boyfriend I almost laughed.

I responded to Zach’s eyebrow dance with a narrowing of my gaze in a what-the-hell-do-you-think-you’re-doing look. He ignored me and turned to Liam. “Come early and Holden will give you a tour of the place.”

Liam glanced to Paddy. “I don’t finish on Friday until around four, and I work Saturday mornings, so?—”

“Take Friday afternoon off,” Norma piped up. “You do more than the agreed upon hours most weeks as it is. Paddy will be perfectly okay with me. If you’re back by around nine-thirty on Saturday, that’ll do just fine. It’s been a while since we had a sleep-in, right, Paddy?”

My father initially bristled, then he apparently saw an opportunity to make up some ground with my mother and quickly nodded. “S’fine.”

“Great.” Zach clapped me on the back. “Now you can walk us out and we’ll talk about this pup.” And with that, he and Luke said their goodbyes and headed out.

I tried to convey some kind of apology to Liam via my parting look, but all he did was smile and say he’d see me at the airstrip at two. I hoofed it out the door and across the lawn to where my smirking little brother stood leaning against his ute, waiting.

Luke spoke before I even got there, “Just so you know, I tried to put him off the idea, but you know what he’s like.”

I did.

Zach folded his arms and grinned. “A thank you will suffice.”

My brows popped. “A thank you? You’re lucky Mum and Dad have no clue or you could’ve landed us both in a shitload of trouble.”

“Come on, it’s a brilliant plan,” he countered smugly. “And it sounds perfectly legitimate. Now you get to spend a whole afternoonandnight with your boyfriend in queer-friendly country. You can do anything you like with and to each other and not worry about being caught.”

The idea certainly had its appeal, except—“But we’re inyourcottage. The two of you will be sleeping just across the lounge. A little off-putting wouldn’t you say?”

Zach shrugged. “Hey, I never said it was aperfectplan, just a damned good one. But you’ll be pleased to know Holden suggested we sleep at Tussock Cottage, so we’ll be leaving you lovebirds alone. Oh, and bring your guitar.”

A dozen very sensible arguments still teetered on the tip of my tongue, but it actually sounded super fucking nice. “In that case, thank you. So, I’m guessing that means Holden and Gil know about us?”

Zach winced. “Yeah, about that. You know what Gil’s like. Guantanamo has nothing on him. The other day he sidled up and asked about the two of you way too casually, aaaand I might’ve hesitated long enough for him to pounce. I didn’t tell him, I swear, but you know I can’t lie for shit. He worked it out for himself. Sorry.”

I sighed. “Fuck me. Between you guys and Ten and Brent, half the damn Mackenzie knows.”

Zach’s eyes widened. “Ten and Brent know?”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t ask.” Then I grabbed him for a hug. “Thanks. I mean it.”

“You’re welcome.” He eyed me warily. “So, how’s it going with you two?”

I pulled a face. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?” He stabbed a finger to my chest. “Tell me you’re not being an arsehole and running scared.”

“Of course not,” I protested, stabbing him back. “What the hell kind of question is that?”

Luke rolled his eyes and said something about idiot brothers and the pot calling the kettle black.

Zach blushed and stomped on his boyfriend’s foot. “Hey, I saw the error of my ways... eventually.”

Luke snorted, noogied his boyfriend on the head, and made his way to the passenger seat leaving Zach and I alone.

“I like him, Zee,” I admitted. “And he likes me. But it’s so fucking complicated.”

My brother sighed. “I know. And I’m sorry for pushing. Anyway, at least now you can come visit, relax, and just be two men who have the hots for each other rather than all this other shit. Eat. Laugh. Fuck. Just like the movie.”

Luke leaned over the console and said, “Pretty sure that’s not how it went, baby.”

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