Page 7 of Sandcastles & Sunburns (DKAG Summer Shorts #6)

Liam

It had been two days since Liam had last seen his neighbor. Liam stood at his sliding glass door, debating. If he stayed inside, he wouldn’t have to possibly run into Jude. He could keep living in limbo, which was not a bad place to be.

Until Liam talked to Jude, he could pretend that Jude didn’t know Liam’s secret.

No matter what Nicky had tried to convince Liam of over the weekend, Liam still wasn’t certain that Jude’s intentions were Daddy-like. Nicky had pushed Liam to make a move. Liam could only think of everything that could go wrong.

This was Liam’s new house. He’d bought it. Liam couldn’t run away and hide if Jude turned him down. Worse, what if he and Jude tried and failed? Then they would be living next to each other for, like, forever and it would be nearly impossible to avoid each other.

And Liam was having the same argument he’d had with himself when he’d wanted to go out and drink his morning coffee.

It had become tradition for Liam to enjoy his first cup while watching the waves roll in and checking out his neighbor.

Nicky had even joined him for the two mornings of the weekend he’d been there.

They’d called out a greeting and Jude had nodded back but he hadn’t stopped to talk.

Now Nicky had gone back to work and Liam was in his big house all alone.

He hadn’t managed to make it outside that morning. Liam had debated and debated until Jude had finished his swim and gone inside his own house. Liam had ended up taking his coffee to his office to check his emails.

But now it was time to play!

The beach was fairly busy so Jude might not even see him.

If Liam was super sneaky, he might get to an empty spot close to the water to build the perfect sandcastle. Okay, Liam was sure that his sandcastle wouldn’t be perfect. But practice was needed if he ever wanted to build the perfect sandcastle. And he needed to be outside for that.

Just for a couple of hours, Liam told himself.

Jude probably wouldn’t even notice that Liam was outside.

If Liam was out among the crowd, he was totally safe. Oh! He should take a bottle of water. Yes! If Jude did spot him then Liam needed a to be hydrating so his neighbor wasn’t obligated to check on him.

He’d already slathered the thick yucky sunscreen on his face and arms. Liam wished he knew what brand Jude used, but he wasn’t going to go ask so he’d suffered with what he had bought.

Racing to the fridge, Liam grabbed a bottle of water before he took determined steps back to his sliding glass door.

He gave Hades a scratch under the chin, just to be totally ignored.

His cat had gotten all the loving and pets that he could handle with Nicky there for the weekend apparently.

Liam carefully opened his sliding glass door before exiting and closing it quietly behind him. Okay, he could do this.

He grabbed his bucket and the broken shovel as he passed the table on his way to the gate. Liam glanced over at the neighboring house but didn’t see anyone.

Hurrying, Liam took his chance and darted toward the water.

Nicky would be calling him a coward.

Liam just didn’t plan on telling his bestie anything.

It wasn’t a lie if Liam didn’t offer the information. Yeah! He was going to go with that logic.

Liam found the perfect spot and sank to his knees. Now about this building of sandcastles. He could do this!

It took several trips to the ocean to collect water but soon Liam was sinking into the feeling of being little and happy.

* * * * *

Jude

He was starting to think that he scared his little neighbor away. Little being the key word.

Jude had maybe fibbed a little with the whole pizza delivery.

It was easy enough to hear every conversation that Liam had with his best friend Nicky when the two had been putting together the playroom. They’d called it a playroom and Jude knew exactly what they were talking about.

A rocking chair, changing table, toys, and diapers.

The boys had discussed it all.

Jude had stopped himself from marching next door half a dozen times.

Eventually he was going to have to confess to Liam that he could hear him clearly when both their windows were open.

Liam hadn’t caught on but then it wasn’t like Jude had many conversations in his house to be overheard.

And nothing as interesting as what the two boys had been talking about.

Jude had started making the cookies when the boys were nearly finished with the room. They’d worked hard for several hours and deserved a little treat. When he’d heard that they ordered a pizza, Jude had found his way in.

He might have been outside and pretended the order was his and accepted delivery. Liam had been shocked. Adorably shocked. Looking cute as a button in his little shorts and shirt. Jude had wanted to gather Liam into his arms and praise him for being such a good boy.

He hadn’t, of course.

Now Jude regretted it.

Liam was avoiding him.

Jude had even extended his morning swim when he hadn’t spotted Liam outside, waiting while drinking his morning coffee.

It was now late afternoon. Jude hadn’t seen or heard anything from his neighbor. Not a peep.

Nicky’s car that had been parked all weekend in front of Liam’s house was gone. Liam hadn’t made any phone calls. Maybe he was busy writing. That had to take a lot of dedication. If so, the boy wasn’t even stopping to eat. Jude didn’t like this.

He stepped out onto his back deck and lifted his face to the sun.

It had warmed back up over the weekend. The sun was shining down bright. Jude peered over at the crowd in front of him, wishing not for the first time that he had enough money to live on a private beach.

The crowd was thick that day but as Jude peered across the beach, he spotted just who he’d been looking for. Jude didn’t know how he’d missed Liam’s escape, but the boy was back on the beach. Swim trunks, a light T-shirt, and still no hat or sunglasses.

Liam was lost in his play.

This sandcastle looked a little better than the first but already one side had begun to cave in.

He raced inside to grab the bottle of lemonade that he’d placed in the freezer earlier.

Jude had washed out a water bottle and filled it with lemonade.

The bottle had a sports cap on it that might feel like a baby bottle or sippy cup for Liam.

Jude had learned over the years that small reminders like using the correct top of a bottle helped the little but was socially acceptable.

Squeezing the bottle, Jude was pleased with the slushiness inside. Perfect. Not quite frozen but this would last longer in the sun.

He ignored the pang in his heart as he headed back out.

Jude wasn’t doing anything wrong.

Just because Liam was a little didn’t mean that he was looking for a Daddy. Okay, from what Jude had overheard, Liam was looking for a Daddy. And Liam thought Jude was attractive.

They had some sort of connection.

Jude paused at the sliding glass door.

Turning his head, Jude looked at one of the many pictures of him and Sam on display.

Ten years.

Ten very long lonely years.

Was Jude making a mistake? Maybe. He couldn’t get Liam’s adorable embarrassment out of his head from the night Jude had delivered his cookies.

There was so much that could go wrong. Liam didn’t know enough about him. Had no idea that Jude had once had his perfect boy. But Liam had done something that no one else had managed since Sam had left him. Liam made Jude want to…live his life again.

He shook his head before sliding the door open. Beside the door, he slipped on his sandals and grabbed the present that he had ordered online for Liam. Because yes, Jude was already buying the boy toys. He had no idea how he’d gotten in this situation.

Even just seeing Liam’s side profile, Jude was pleased by the lopsided smile on Liam’s face. Liam lifted a water bottle and drained it before setting it back down by his knee. Good boy.

His shadow fell across the sandcastle.

Liam sighed before looking up.

Jude waited to see how the boy would react.

“Hi,” Liam said shyly.

“Hey.” Jude crouched down. He was sure that he was right, and Liam had been avoiding him. The boy hadn’t been this shy previously. “Here.” He passed Liam the frozen lemonade bottle.

Liam took it and grinned. He squeezed the middle of the bottle. “Slushie!”

“I also got you this,” Jude said.

The boy set the bottle down before reaching for the sandcastle kit that Jude had ordered. “What is it?”

“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’t allowed 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.