“Not with us. We’ll make up.”
“Of course you will.”Just like always.
“Listen, I told you not to get involved with him.”
“You don’t get to tell me what to do. I make my own choices.”
“Someone needs to stop you from doing stupid shit. I told you this would happen.”
“You have no ideawhat happened.And I certainly don’t need you galloping into my life to tell me what to do.” Liam set his coffee down. “Do you know what happened? Do you?”
“Coury hurt you.”
“No Beckett, that’snotwhat happened. Coury did what you told him. Not because you said so, but because he didn’t want to hurt me. He likes me, Beckett. Me. Not your little brother, but Liam.” His voice nearly cracked as he heard Coury calling him Lionheart. “I told him if I was going to get hurt either way, I at least wanted to know what it felt like to be his boyfriend. And yesterday, I realized he was going to do something stupid. I could see he was thinking about giving up his dream. So I let him go, so he could chase it as far as he could. That’s what happened.”
The tears started before he could blink them back. He hated crying in front of Beckett, but it hurt too much.
“If you really give a shit about me, stop lecturing me about being stupid. I’m not. And I don’t regret anything.” Other than the fact he couldn’t chase that dream with Coury. “For the last seven years I’ve looked up to him, admired who he was and how he treated people. I wanted to know what it felt like for him to care about me like that. And he did. He gave me my dream, so I’m giving him back his. So just . . . stop, okay? I’m going to lose him, Beckett. I’d rather not lose you, too.”
Liam swallowed and left a speechless Beckett behind. This wasn’t something Beckett could big brother away. He couldn’t fix things because nothing was broken.
The way Coury pitched, there was no point in going back after today. Stretching things out would make Coury question his decision, and Liam didn’t want to be the reason he quit on his dream.
He climbed the stairs and shut the door when he reached his bedroom. Flopping on the bed, he reminded himself that as much as it hurt, he’d done the right thing. Eventually his heart would accept what his brain understood.
Just not any day soon.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Coury
His hand stopped just short of knocking. Should he wait until later? Probably, but when he decided something, Coury had trouble waiting to act. Plus, it had been ten days.
He rapped twice on the wooden door.
“Come in.”
He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans and turned the knob. Professor Glover looked up from his computer and smiled.
“Mr. Henderson. Well done recovering from that misstep.”
A jolt of pride zinged through him. “Thank you, sir. I took your advice to heart.”
“I noticed.” Glover nodded. “Was there something you missed or needed help with?”
“No, sir.” He swallowed and forced the words. “I came to speak to Liam, if that’s okay.”
Glover’s expression turned neutral. “He stopped to get coffee on the way in. He should be here any minute.”
“Coury?”
Make that any second.
Liam stood frozen, holding two coffees. At least he didn’t seem angry. “Hi.”
“What are you doing here?” Not the friendliest, but not unfriendly.
Aware Glover was still watching, Coury backed away to allow Liam to enter. “I came to talk to you, but if I’m interrupting, I can come back.” Liam’s expression told Coury he’d fucked up. “Call me when you’re done?”
