Page 67 of Homecoming for Beginners

On the other hand, he could see Ty’s face as he hopefully offered to host. He’d say something about bringing in a petting zoo and mention his dad had never let him rent a bouncy castle, and then on Theo’s birthday somehow there would be balloon animals and face painting and possibly some kind of carnival ride.

He had to be devastated Theo wasn’t talking to him, even if he’d put on a brave face about it. People who loved like that didn’t take rejection easily.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Cassie said quietly from his elbow after he finished hanging the piñata.

Ollie inhaled sharply and then made himself hold his breath for a count of four and let it out slowly again, sending the panic with it. He knew she’d only startled him because he’d let his guard down, and that was good—that he felt like hecouldlet his guard down somewhere outside his house. It was just… funny, maybe. Ty never sneaked up on him like that.

Sneaking wasn’t really his strong suit.

“Ollie?”

Oh. He was smiling now.

“That’s a good look on you.” Cassie bumped his shoulder. “You want to tell me who put it there?”

Little sisters were so nosy. “I think you’d have more fun guessing.”

She laughed and teased, “I don’t know, I mean, aside from Theo, there’s only one person you spend your time with—”

Despite more than a decade in the military, Ollie was helpless to stop the flush.

Cassie stopped. “Holy shit, really?”

Which, well…. One side effect of Ollie not dating very much was that he hadn’t bothered telling his family he wasn’t exactly straight. He figured he’d tell them if it ever had any bearing on his life.

He hadn’t intended to do this today, but it would be weird to walk it back now.

“Ollie!” Cassie smacked his shoulder. “What the hell! You never told me you were… bi?”

He wrinkled his nose. “I don’t really label it. I don’t know, it’s more like… I’m not attracted to a lot of people, so when I am, gender is kind of a nonissue.” He’d mostly dated cis women, but whenmostlycould be counted on the fingers of one hand, that didn’t mean a lot. “I’ve never dated a man.”

“You like Ty a lot, huh?”

“Enough to come out to my sister.”

She squeezed his bicep. “I’m glad you did. And for what it’s worth, anyone who puts that look on your face is worth keeping around.”

“Thanks, Cass.”

“That does explain why he was so frantic trying to get hold of you yesterday. Talk about going above and beyond. I thought maybe that was, like, the school pushing that, but he was with Theo the whole time? No wonder you like him. He must like you a lot too.” Ollie didn’t know how to interrupt that no, that was just Ty, that Ty would’ve done that for anyone because that was who he was. He didn’t think he could do it without coming across as lovestruck. Plus that would invite follow-up questions. Fortunately, before the moment could feel awkward, she added, “And that butt. Seriously. Who could blame you?”

Well now Ollie was blushing for a whole new reason. “Cass!”

“Tell me I’m wrong.”

She wasn’t wrong. Ty had an amazing ass. But Ollie only wanted to touch it because it was his.

Miraculously, she let him get away with not answering out loud, even if they both knew his silence was damning. “So how long have you been seeing each other?”

Shit. “Um. We’re not. Exactly. Officially.”

Her eyes widened. “Please don’t tell me you’re dumb enough to try friends with benefits with someone who makes you smile like that.”

“We didn’t even kiss until yesterday.”

She took one look at him and immediately figured it out. “Nothing like having your kid in the hospital to remind you what’s important?”

“Something like that.”

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