You’d think it’d be easier to just ask him again, but I couldn’t. Just as he couldn’t seem to bring it up. It was like a bubble that neither of us wanted to address, lest it pop.
That was the thing with bubbles though. They didn’t last forever. Even the biggest and brightest ones would eventually pop. Evaporating into nothing and leaving no trace that they’d ever existed in the first place.
“Eat up,” Mum said, putting another cup of tea in front of me. “You can’t sit your final exam on an empty stomach.”
I shoved the cereal around with my spoon. “I’m too stressed.”
Dominic’s foot came to rest against mine under the table. “You’ve got this, Shadow. Think of all the revising you’ve been doing.”
I waited for Max to make a comment about how I had golden balls or similar. Maybe he could read my stress levels though, because he didn’t. Just kept eating his cereal while tapping at his phone.
Giving up, I pushed my bowl away. “Doubt it’s going to help. I need to ace this if I’m going to get onto a business course.”
Dom nudged my cuppa closer. “Maybe that’s a sign that you should be doing art instead.”
“Oh, that’d make me so happy.” Mum sighed, her hand resting on my shoulder. “You’ve got a talent, Ryan. You shouldn’t waste it.”
Like everyone else, Mum had no idea that Dom and I were together. She was, however, thrilled that he was encouraging me to pursue art. “Maybe.”
Dad closed his paper and stood. “Right. I’m off.”
Mum frowned as he strode for the door. “Aren’t you going to wish the boys luck?”
Max had his final exam today too. Mum didn’t dare make the same fuss over him though, not with the shit fit he’d thrown last time she’d attempted it.
Dad sent a confused look back at her. “For what?”
“For their exams,” she said. If it weren’t for how tightly her hand was now gripping my shoulder, I’d have had no idea she was upset. “It’s their final one today, Darren.”
“Oh.” He was already heading for the door again. “Good luck, I suppose.”
A heavy silence lingered in his wake. I found myself meeting Max’s gaze and finding the same concern there. A worry that had been steadily growing over the past few years. A worry that maybe we were going to be having two sets of bedrooms. Two Christmases. Two separate family lives.
Dominic stood abruptly, giving Mum a gentle smile. “How about I put the kettle on? You look like you could use another cup before you get the bus.”
“Right,” Mum said distractedly, patting Dom’s arm as he drew near. “You’re a good boy, Dominic. I’m so glad my boys have you.”
My heart swelled. He was good, and we were lucky to have him.
Fuck, I just hoped I’d get to keep him.
23
Ryan
“We did it!” I winced as Josh whooped in my ear. “Can you believe it?”
“Nope.” I chuckled, shoving at his chest lightly. “You’re throttling me, man.”
He howled ecstatically, not lessening his stranglehold on my neck one bit. I couldn’t help but laugh. His giddiness at the exams being done was infectious.
Suddenly a shadow loomed over us. The next thing I knew, Josh’s arms were being peeled away, his weight disappearing.
“Hey.” Josh glared at Dominic, who was casually moving between us, forcing Josh back a step. “Talk about being a buzzkill. We were just fucking around.”
“Nice. Now go fuck around with someone else. I need a word with Ry.”
“It’s fine,” I protested weakly, but Josh was already stalking away to jump on Craig’s back. “He didn’t mean any harm, Dom.”
