“A proper sandcastle kit. One every boy should have,” Jude told him.
Liam’s face flushed red. “You…you know.”
Jude wasn’t sure what to say to reassure the boy. “I understand,” he decided to go with.
Liam glanced at him.
He knew he needed to give Liam something. A piece of information. “I’m not unaware of the lifestyle.”
“Okay.” Liam bent the top of the kit. Playing with the packages. “Will you open it for me?”
“I will.” Sitting beside Liam, Jude showed Liam the package again. “This has a bucket, shovel, rake, and several molds. You can stack the molds and build the biggest castle ever.”
Liam clapped. “As big as me?”
Jude chuckled. “You are a little on the short side, so probably.”
Pushing out his lower lip, Liam huffed.
He got the package open and started to pass out the plastic pieces. Liam grew excited and it was contagious. Jude hadn’tallowed himself this sense of peace in such a long time that it felt foreign to him now.
Liam got to work immediately. He filled the molds with sand, using the bucket to add a small amount of water. Jude helped Liam turn the molds over and press them into the already built hills.
The boy was a quiet little. Humming and making happy sounds but didn’t really talk unless asking for Jude’s help. Jude had already noticed this the first time making the sandcastles, but this time Liam was more in little mode. He sucked on the top of the frozen lemonade bottle and built his castle.
It was soothing to sit there and watch over Liam.
Maybe this wasn’t so bad. Jude didn’t have to stress. Liam wasn’t making demands of him. This was also much different than being with Sam when he would play.
Sam had been very talkative, chaotic, and demanding.
Jude had enjoyed the kind of play that Sam had engaged in, but this scene fit Jude better now. He needed the calmness that Liam exhibited.
Jude changed over the past ten years. Matured. Life had beaten him up. It would have been weird for him if Liam had been exactly like Sam. This was new. Exciting. Just what Jude needed.
Chapter Eight
Liam
The best thing about having Jude by his side for the afternoon was that he didn’t have to clean up after himself. Not that Liam would have left a mess on the beach, but once the sun had started to drain some of his energy, Jude had declared it was time to find some shade.
Liam had stood there as Jude had gathered up Liam’s new toys.
Toys!
Jude had bought Liam a collection of sand toys.
That was just awesome.
But where did that leave the two of them?
Jude knew that Liam was a little and had catered to him. During the few hours that Liam had played on the beach, there had been no pressure or anything. It had been such a relaxing day. Liam already knew that he would be adding a scene in his current work in progress to work out his feelings for his neighbor.
Jude held Liam’s gate open.
Liam slid in front of Jude to step onto his back deck.
“Where would you like me to put your stuff?” Jude asked.
