“No problem,” Jude said. “I love you, you know? You’re the baby brother I always wanted.”
“I thought three years wasn’t much of a gap?” Charlie raised an eyebrow.
“It’s not. You’re still my baby brother. I don’t make the rules.”
Charlie laughed at that, drying his cup off and setting it aside. At least he knew he had family to fall back on if Scott broke his heart.
Chapter Sixteen
“Hey, umm…” Scott made his way up to Charlie’s desk, having waited until the coast was clear. It was five minutes to closing time, but the last few people in the library were just starting to leave.
Nervousness made his stomach tight, but it was now or never. Scott knew he’d lose his nerve if he didn’t take the opportunity to explore his feelings for Charlie soon. He’d sweep them under the rug and pretend they weren’t happening.
That seemed like a big opportunity to miss. He had the chance now to learn something important about himself, and he wanted to take it. He didn’t need to let fear get in the way of that.
Charlie smiled up at him, the same bright, helpful smile he always wore.
“How can I help?”
“Well, uh…” Scott scratched the back of his neck. He should have rehearsed this. “I have a ton of work left to do on this assignment and it’s not due until tomorrow, but I was thinking… if you were interested, I could maybe… buy you dinner? You did a great job of proofreading the last one and I think it really helped my grade.”
Really, this was an excuse to get some time alone with Charlie. But if Scott got to finish an assignment that was hanging over his head a day early, that was an added bonus.
Charlie’s whole face lit up. “I have a hard time saying no to offers of food. I’m about to close up, but you can stay wherever you’re set up and I’ll come sit with you in a few minutes. If that’s okay?”
Scott nodded eagerly, breathing a sigh of relief. Charlie was agreeing. All hope wasn’t lost.
“Awesome.” Scott grinned at him. “I’ll order. Assuming pizza is okay?”
“Pizza is always okay. Please order something without onions.”
“Really?” Scott raised an eyebrow.
“I hate them. I mean, I can eat them if they’ve basically dissolved into something, but I hate eating big pieces of onion.” Charlie shrugged. “Maybe that’s weird.”
“I don’t have any particular feelings either way, so it doesn’t make a difference to me,” Scott said. “Just not one of the food preferences I’m used to hearing.”
“Well, it’s not like I’m allergic. I just… hate them.”
“Hey, I got it. No onions. I’m sitting at the same desk as last time, when you’re done. Unless I can help?”
Charlie shook his head. “I have a whole routine and it only takes me a few minutes to get through. You go back to work. I’ll be there soon.”
Scott beamed, giving Charlie a tiny wave and getting his phone out of his pocket to order. Clearly, he and Charlie were okay.
Maybe, once they were alone, he’d summon the courage to talk to him about how he felt.
Maybe they’d even kiss again. Scott liked the idea of that a lot.
It was weird to suddenly be attracted to a guy, but it was getting less weird the more Scott thought about it. Lots of people were attracted to men. Like half the world’s population. That many people were probably onto something.
The fact that many of them were women didn’t mean they weren’t right. Scott was just… seeing what a huge number of other people saw, for the first time.
That was how he was explaining it to himself, anyway.
Charlie clearly saw something in him. If Charlie could see something in him…
He could see something in Charlie. Something he wanted more of.
