“No.” Sadly, that was the most truthful thing Nathan had said since he got there. “It, uh, just reminds me of my parents. They both died. Cancer.”
“I’m so sorry.”
Shit. That was a big lie.Nathan had panicked. He worried if he said that just his mum died, it might be suspicious. He thought about his dad and what he was doing at that moment. Before he took off, Nathan shot him off a quick email, letting him know he was doing some traveling to visit friends and clear his head. His dad wrote backHave fun. That was all he had to say. He didn’t care where Nathan was going or how he was doing.
They stood in silence looking at the picture. Nathan worried that he made things too awkward with the parental death omission. Mark was going to ask him to leave. That usually happened when Nathan dared express any emotion.
“Fuck cancer,” Mark said, cutting through the quiet.
“Fuck cancer in the ass. Without any lube.” Nathan shot out. Mark let out a big, deep belly laugh and slapped Nathan on the back.
“You’re a real dag, mate.”
“Is that a good thing?”
Mark’s laugh let him know the answer was a resounding yes. “I’m knackered. I’m going to turn in. Make sure to set your alarm for four. You need to be at the farm by four-fifteen.”
“A.M.?”
“Correct.”
“I knew that. I thought because we were in the Southern Hemisphere, a.m. meant p.m., like how the water flushes in the opposite direction and June is considered winter. Just want to check.”
“Let me know if you need anything.” He left Nathan alone in his room. Nathan kept looking at the wedding picture. He took out the Polaroid of his mum and dad from his suitcase and compared them side-by-side. Yep, it was her. No doubt. She was gorgeous.
Nathan crept out of his room, with the wedding picture in hand. He thought about all the wonderful memories that took place in this house, memories he wasn’t a part of. He thought of his mum’s relationship with Mark and her life here. So many thoughts. So many revelations. It was too much noise in his head. Everything was feeling real, too real.
Mark had gone upstairs, leaving the first floor dark and quiet. Nathan had zero farming skills for his new job, but there was one life skill he had acquired over the past few years that had served him well.
Swiping travel-sized liquor bottles from the airplane drink cart.
Nathan reached into his carry-on messenger bag and took out three dollhouse-sized tequilas. He had never needed anything so badly in his life.
Chapter 6
Liam
Liam woke up at four and began his rounds checking on the sheep, refilling their food and water troughs. The sheep had calmed down after their encounter with his new “farmhand” last night. He used air quotes because he was far from sold on Nathan’s ability to do any type of manual labor, no matter how many tomatoes he grew and how many people he shoved out of the way to get a drink.
By four-forty-five, the sheep all had food and water and there was still no sign of Nathan. Liam wasn’t surprised. He had little faith in his new employ, but he still found it insulting. This wasn’t a fun experience for a movie role. This was Liam’s business.
Liam walked into Mark’s kitchen softly so that he didn’t wake his family upstairs. He opened the bedroom door and was greeted by Nathan’s ass.
Nathan was sprawled across the bed, completely passed out. His trousers were half off, exposing Calvin Klein oxblood red underwear. One shoe remained dangling from his foot. For a second, he thought the guy was dead, until he heard the sounds of peaceful snoring.
“Time to get up,” Liam said.
More snores. They sounded like he was slurping soup through his nose.
“All right now. Get up.” Liam couldn’t believe the state of the room. His suitcase vomited out clothes across the floor, right next to a tiny bottle of tequila that they hand out on airplanes.
“Nathan.”
Nathan reached into his underwear and scratched his bum.
“You were supposed to be at the farm by four-fifteen. It’s almost five.”
He emitted a long, droning snore and got more comfortable in bed. Or on bed in his case since he hadn’t gotten under the covers.
