Once we disembark at the top of the lift, Liam picks another run and tells me to stop halfway down because he wants another picture.
“Will you send these to me?” I ask after he snaps the first photo on the slope. I take terrible pictures—probably because smiling doesn’t come naturally to me—but I’m starting to enjoy them. Capturing any moment in Liam’s presence is worth celebrating. And while I never took that for granted before, it feels so much different now.
I’ve been hiding myself for so long, I hadn’t realized how much I needed to have someone know this part of me. I can’t believe I was ever dumb enough to think Liam would treat me any differently.
After taking a few more photos: goggles on, goggles off, smiles, no smiles, me smashing him with a face full of snow, etc., he tucks his phone away and pushes off, yelling, “Last one to the bottom buys the beer tonight!”
I count to a full five Mississippi just to make sure I’m last.
I’ll admit,the time trials of the professional athletes were pretty fun to watch. I can’t imagine being that good at a physical sport. The men and women were literal blurs as they flew down the slope. The slalom was incredible, the tricks were mind-blowing, and the speed was unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed in real life.
But the best part was watching Liam watch the racers. He missed his calling. Li could’ve totally been a professional athlete. The grace and ease with which he moves his body is indescribable, and the passion in his eyes as he watched every event made my heart ache. I want that for him. I want him to find what makes him that excited every day.
After the trials, we head back to the room to freshen up before heading to Meltdown for the beers I owe Li, since, you know, I ‘lost.’
I’m ready to play wingman, and hell, maybe even I’ll shoot my shot with someone tonight. No need to play coy anymore. I’m not looking to fall in love—since I’m already there—but my experiences with other men are limited to a few hookups during undergrad that no one knows about, and anonymous messageson hookup apps. Since I live in the same town as my entire nosy-ass family, dating is sort of a no-go until I spill the beans.
“Holy shit!” Liam exclaims upon entering the bar, tapping my chest with the back of his hand. “Vox Montgomery is here!” Liam’s enthusiasm is endearing, but I can’t say I love it when it’s for another man. “Do you think he’d give me his autograph?” he asks, staring at the snowboarder we watched haul ass down the mountain earlier today.
“Probably. Why don’t you go ask him?”
“Okay, but come with me. You know I say dumb shit around cool people,” he whines, grabbing the open edge of my sport coat to drag me along behind him.
I dig my heels in, coming to a halt.
“Did you just insinuate that I’m not cool?” I ask, feigning offense. Fucking with him feels like the most normal thing I’ve done recently.
Liam’s hand slips from my clothes, and he whips around to face me.
“What?No! God, no, D. You’re thecoolest.You know, Vox is just like…hot.”
“Hot, huh?” I ask, trying to rein in my jealousy because…fuck that guy.
Liam looks mortified. “Yeah. I mean, no. I just…see what I’m talking about? Dumb shit. Just comeon.Can we go say hello before he leaves?”
Vox is surrounded by people and has a half-empty beer in his hand. I don’t think he’s leaving anytime soon, but the faster we get this over with, the faster I can have Liam’s attention.
I wave my hand toward the man who is my make-believe competition in a make-believe world where Liam is into guys. “I’m right behind you.”
Unfortunately, the flock of people around Vox is made up mostly of women in their mid-twenties with gigantic breasts.
I can’t fucking win.
It gets worse when Liam and I approach the table. Vox sits up a little straighter and flashes Liam an award-winning smile. I’m familiar with the look in his eyes.
He thinks Liam’s hot.
“H-hi,” Liam stammers.
Christ, why does he have to be so cute and sexy at the same fucking time?
“Hey, man,” Vox replies coolly, with a nod before extending his hand. “Vox Montgomery. You a fan of the games?”
“Liam Miller. And, yeah. I love all that stuff.” Liam lies out his ass. Sure, he’s caught the games on TV before, but it was because he was flipping through channels. It’s not like he had their starting date circled on his calendar or anything.
When Liam doesn’t follow that comment up with a question of his own or a simplejust wanted to say hello,Vox looks at me with a raised brow, waiting for me to fill in the blank.
I’m standing back with my hands in my pockets, trying to decide how long I’m going to let Liam flounder before jumping in.
