Page 54 of Learning to Run

“He’s going to the gym a few mornings a week, so you’reprobably right.” Giving him another kiss as Gareth came bouncing out of thebedroom, now dressed again, I smiled. “We’ll sit down and make another familycalendar later or we can add it to the calendar you’ve got with Brady.”

That had Gareth letting out a romantic sigh. “We’re alreadycalendar family. I can’t wait to tell Brady’s mom.”

They were so cute…and just a little confusing because Iwasn’t sure what being calendar family meant.

But judging by past experience, it would take a while toexplain it, so I just smiled and nodded. Yep, it was definitely dinnerconversation and maybe while he was explaining that we could figure out whatCashel was actually so frustrated about.

Because it was not about his lack of a walk of shame.

Not even my cuties were that nuts.

Chapter 16

Gareth

Cash was so cute when he was grumpy, but I knew better thanto point it out. Bates was smart too, but I could see him fighting back a smileas Cash grumbled and couldn’t find anything on the menu. For him to be such apain in the butt, I knew he was worried about something, but I wasn’t sure ifBates knew that too.

Cash was dramatic a lot, but sometimes it actually meant heneeded to talk. This was definitely a need to talk kind of grumpy, but Icouldn’t actually point that out to Bates without making Cash grumpier.

It was a rock-and-a-hard-place relationship situation, so Iwent back to looking at the menu. It seemed like the best option until Ifigured out what to do next. “You know, the only bad thing about Italianrestaurants is that they don’t have good appetizers.”

Maybe I could text Bates?

Cash paused his grumbling, not wanting to agree with me butnot willing to tell me I was wrong. Bates was pressing his lips together andtrying to be patient without getting himself into trouble. It was hard, butafter a moment, Cash sighed. “Sorry.”

Thank God.

Now we could talk about it.

Looking up from the menu, I nodded at Bates and jerked myhead toward Cash so he’d know it was time to figure out why he was insane.

He smiled.

Yes, smart boyfriends were so amazing.

“It’s okay. We all get frustrated sometimes, but we’re hereif you’d like to talk about it.” Bates said it so nicely that it took me asecond to realize it was like when Brady’s mom said something very similar. Itmeant we were supposed to talk whether we wanted to or not.

Cash’s groan said he knew that too. “It’s going to soundridiculous.”

Probably.

“That doesn’t mean it’s not frustrating or important toyou.” People got worked up by stupid things all the time, so Bates’s responsewas smart.

“I…” Cash was saved by the waiter coming back to check onus, but Bates had to send him away again because none of us had actuallyfigured out what we wanted to eat. Cash had been kind of distracting.

When we were alone again, Cash took a drink of water andstretched out his explanation. I had a feeling Bates was proud of Cash’sability to be a drama queen of epic proportions. For someone so small, he had ahuge personality.

But Bates seemed to like that about him, so I wasn’tworried.

I was hungry, but not worried.

Cash never flipped out over real problems that we’d struggledwith. College? No problem. Money? All set. Parents forgot birthdays again? He’dalready had it planned out anyway.

Nope, this was about something he’d worked himself up overthat I wouldn’t understand anyway and he’d just pout and sigh until we huggedit out.

So it was time for Bates to take over that role because theinternet said it should be his job.

And sips of water weren’t cutting it anymore, but I waspatient and more patient, and eventually, Cash tried again. “I had a fewfrustrating moments today that all kind of caught up with me.”

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