Page 73 of Outside Looking In

“You’re bisexual, Uncle Liam.”

“I…you know what that is?”

Walt rolled his eyes. “Of course I do. Some kids in my class are bi. Are you sure you’re bisexual, or are you pansexual or polysexual?”

“I…” Liam had no idea what those were. He felt ninety years old. “I think I’m just bi.”

“Cool.”

“Well, this was an easy conversation. And if you ever need to discuss feelings you may be having for someone in your class, I’m here.”

“Sweet as.”

Liam didn’t stop Walt from going back on his phone. It allowed him to breathe and get over any lingering awkwardness.

“Nathan really likes you,” Liam said, thinking of how great Nathan is with the kids.

Walt nodded, but Liam noticed how he squirmed in his seat. There was something off, something that raised an alarm inside Liam.

“What is it?” Liam asked.

“Nothing.”

“You can tell me.”

Walt opened his mouth to say anything, but reconsidered. “It’s nothing.”

“Are you sure, pal? You can tell me.” Liam was two seconds away from pulling over and using his patented tickle torture moves he used on him and Franny when they were toddlers.

Liam white knuckled the steering wheel. He thought of the buzzing phone during shower sex and all of Kelly’s web of lies she spun right around him.

“C’mon, Walt.” Liam took a calming breath. “Whatever it is…”

Walt gave a heavy nod, like he was ready to lift a weight off his shoulders. “I’d gotten a ride home from school from my friend’s mum, and when I got home, I heard a noise coming from the basement…”

Nathan

After filling the feeding troughs for the sheep, Nathan stumbled back to the shed. His muscles were sore from the extra work he did, work used to forget that tense conversation with his evil grandfather and his dad. Knowing his father, he probably shrugged off the phone call minutes after being hung up on and set out to plan his next vacation with the step-missus. To his father, Nathan was merely an inconvenience that he’d deal with later if he chose. He didn’t know if the same could be said for his grandfather.

His heart flooded with relief when he saw Liam. He was hunched over his computer working on a graphic design project.

“Am I fucking glad to see you?” Nathan rubbed Liam’s shoulders, then ran his hands down the farmer’s chest, taking in the musky scent of his hair. But he felt Liam tense under his touch. “Did you get what you needed from the supply store?”

“Yeah.” Liam didn’t turn around from his computer, no matter where Nathan’s hands went.

“That’s good.” Nathan took his hands back. Liam seemed miles away, and nerves took over Nathan. Had Pastor Fry gotten to him? “What do you want for dinner? I’m cooking.”

Nathan had become quite the cook during his time on the farm. He tried to whip up his favorite restaurant meals from memory, and each time, he got a little bit closer. All of his food was edible, which was more than he could say in his spare cooking attempts back in England.

“Or maybe we could do take away. Eat dinner in bed.”

Liam spun around in his chair. His eyes were hot interrogation lights. “What were you doing in Mark’s basement the other day?”

“Excuse me?”

“What were you looking for?”

Walt.Nathan knew that secret was never going to last, and a residual wave of guilt for making Walt try crashed inside him.