“You leave that to me.”Going to a tourist trap. What a way to spend a Sunday.But when he saw Rafe’s face light up, and he felt that light deep in his heart, he knew he’d made the rightdecision.
* * *
They tookthe train to Guildford, and as they walked to Eamonn’s house, he gave Rafe a guided walking tour of hishometown.
“That Tesco on the corner used to be this massive arcade. I would go there with mates everyday after school. My mum was pretty pissed when I’d spend half my newspaper route money there. They had this game where you could pretend to play football with Beckham and all these great players. You would stand in this booth and wear this boot, and it was just like being on the pitch with thesegreats.”
“Sounds just likethat.”
“Sod off.” Eamonn gave him a playful shove. “It felt real when I waseight.”
Leaves blew in their path. Eamonn kicked them aside. They walked down the middle of the street through the main strip. Most stores were closed on Sundays, so the town was theirs. Eamonn had been down this street a million times, but Rafe soaked it all in with wide-eyedwonder.
“It’s just stores,” Eamonnsaid.
“But these buildings!” Rafe pointed to a two-story building with a barbershop on the bottom. “This one could’ve been the home of a Redcoat. He could’ve hugged his family goodbye when he was sent overseas to fight some obnoxious colonists. And that little cottage right next to it could’ve been where guilds met in the MiddleAges.”
“That’s where this girl Lisa Book lived. She had a fondness for kicking boys in thestones.”
“We don’t have this in America. It’s just strip malls and maybe something from the Civil War that isn’t shrouded in a ConfederateFlag.”
Eamonn wouldn’t mind living in a city where buildings were modern and updated. Those only seemed to exist in London, and only for loads ofmoney.
He had them turn down a side street that reminded Rafe of Privet Lane in HarryPotter.
“I knew you were going to say that,” Eamonn said, a smile crossing hislips.
“No, youdidn’t.”
“A Harry Potter reference. Veryoriginal.”
Rafe went to push Eamonn, but Eamonn stopped hishand.
And heldit.
Rafe’s warm palm fit perfectly in his. He didn’t try to pull away. As much as Eamonn’s heart wanted to leap out of his chest, he remained outwardlycalm.
“I’ll bet you haven’t even seen a single Harry Potter movie,” Rafesaid.
“Yes I did! Daniel Radcliffe is a good-lookingmate.”
They walked the rest of the way to his house hand-in-hand, as if it were the most natural thing in theworld.
Rafe
Rafe took back his hand when they reached Eamonn’s house. Not that he didn’t love the contact. Oh, he did. Rafe could’ve floated down Privet Lane, but he didn’t want Eamonn’s family asking anyquestions.
A teenage girl with bright pink hair answered the door. “Eamonn!” She ran into his arms. He squeezed hertight.
“Well, this is a surprise.” The girl’s twin, whose hair was as reserved as her sister’s was wild, came outside. They each had the same squinty blue eyes as theirbrother.
Eamonn hugged one sister in each arm. He was officially the best big brother Rafe had ever met, and it made him regret being an onlychild.
“Who are you?” The pink-haired sisterasked.
“Liv! You’re not interrogating him,” Eamonnsaid.
“I’m Rafe. I’m a friend of yourbrother’s.”
