Page 6 of Orlando
She shook her head.“Men knew what to do about that kind of thing when I was younger.Do you need me to help you ask him out?”
Who was this woman?Why did she want Orlando to ask out Liam?She wasn’t Liam’s mother or grandmother, was she?Orlando wasn’t sure what he’d do if Liam’s mother had caught him drooling at her son.“I don’t think I caught your name,” he said.
“That’s because I didn’t tell you my name.”She cocked her head.“But I think you’d be good for Liam, which means you’re going to be around.I’m Martha.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Martha.”Orlando wasn’t sure that was true, but he didn’t say it.“And you’re Liam’s grandmother?”
She barked out a laugh.“Good Lord, no.We’re not related.”She narrowed her eyes.“But that doesn’t mean I would take it well if someone were to hurt him.”
Why was this woman already giving Orlando the shovel talk when he hadn’t even spoken to Liam yet?
* * * *
LIAM HAD EYES.THEREwas no way he wouldn’t have noticed the man talking with Martha.It wasn’t only that he didn’t know him and didn’t want anyone to bother his friend.It was also that the guy was exactly Liam’s type.
He looked a bit uncomfortable, but since he was talking to Martha, it was normal.She made pretty much everyone uncomfortable.
The man was shorter than Liam, but then, most people were shorter than Liam.The man’s dark hair was a bit shaggy, and he was slim.Liam couldn’t see the color of the man’s eyes, but looking at him made Liam want to walk over and introduce himself.
He didn’t.He stayed where he was and continued pulling Martha’s weeds.It was the only way he’d been able to convince her to stop doing it herself.She’d complained that someone had to do it, and of course, he’d offered.Better him than her, considering her age and that it was still fairly warm.He would never forgive himself if something happened to Martha.
As he worked and tried not to stare, he thought again about what his mother had said.She wanted him to meet people and find a boyfriend.He hadn’t thought it possible to meet someone at the community garden, but maybe he’d been wrong.This guy was new because Liam had never seen him around, and he spent a lot of time in the garden.He’d know if this guy had been coming regularly.
Maybe the man had just moved to town.Liam would have to ask Martha.She was the kind of person who could get answers from anyone while acting completely innocent.In the next ten minutes, she’d no doubt find out the guy’s name, his age, whether or not he was single, what he did for a living, and probably what shoe size he wore, too.He wouldn’t know what hit him.
Liam was aware of the fact that he was being watched, but he didn’t modify his behavior.He continued working, even when he heard more voices.He glanced up, not surprised to see that Miriam had joined Martha and her new friend.Maybe he should be worried because those two women together were terrors, but if the guy was going to come around the garden regularly, he needed to get to know people and learn how to deal with them.Hopefully, he wasn’t afraid of Martha.She’d smell it on him if he was, and she’d delight in making him even more afraid.
As much as Liam wanted to save the man, he shouldn’t.He didn’t have a place in his life for a boyfriend, or rather, he didn’t have a place in his life for dating and getting to know each other.If he could go straight to the part where he and his boyfriend were in love and lived together and built a life as a couple, he would.Some people might think he was crazy for that, but he just wanted certainty and not to have to put himself out there again and again.He’d already done too much of that.
He hadn’t told his mother, but like pretty much everyone, he’d tried dating apps.He’d texted and had gone on dates in coffee shops and restaurants, but things never seemed to work out.Even the guys who wanted to give it a try eventually changed their minds when they realized they weren’t the center of Liam’s universe.He had so many more things to focus on, and a lot of people didn’t like that.
By the time he was done pulling all the weeds and looked up again, Martha was sitting on her bench alone.There were no signs of the guy she’d been talking to, and Liam wondered if she’d run him off.He wouldn’t be surprised.
“What happened to your new friend?”he asked when he got near her.He reached for the bottle of water he’d left by the bench.
“He’s not my new friend,” Martha said.
“No?Who is he, then?Someone bothering you?”
Martha snorted.“He could try bothering me, but you know how that would go.”
“So what happened?Why was he here?”
“He’s your new boyfriend.”
Of course Martha had waited to say that until Liam was drinking from his bottle of water.He spluttered and spat out half of his mouthful, dripping it down his chin.He was lucky he didn’t drown himself.“What are you talking about?”
“What, you don’t find him cute?”
“I find him very cute.It doesn’t mean I want to date him.”
Martha shrugged.“You should think about it.”
“I don’t even know his name.”
“Orlando.He worked for that big facility on the edge of town, but he decided he needed a change.He has an apartment in town, and he’s looking for a job.He’s some kind of shifter, something feline, I think.”
“Jesus, Martha.Did you also ask him what kind of underwear he wears?”
