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Liam blinked again.
“And before you ask, yes, I have given this speech to Bridget and Neve at different points,” Dad said. “Apart from the dick thing. How did I phrase it? I can’t remember. I probably said heart. But anyway, the point is, you’re young, and you’ve met someone attractive. He is attractive, right?”
“I know you’re straight, Dad, but you still have eyes.”
“Yes, but I don’t know what you’re into, do I?” Dad asked. “Frankly, I like a woman with a bit of meat on her bones. A bit of heft. I like to know she won’t snap in half. All these boys in their skinny jeans? I don’t see the appeal at all.” He narrowed his eyes. “And don’t tell your mother I called her hefty.”
“I’m not going to tell anyone a single thing about this entire conversation,” Liam said. “I swear to God.”
“Good thinking,” Dad said. “Anyway, my point is that you don’t have to think about the future right now, do you?” He looked suddenly worried. “You’re not thinking about the future, are you?”
“Um, not exactly,” Liam said, relieved Dad was giving him an out. “I mean, Ambrose is fun, and he’s cute, but no, it’s not serious or anything.”
“Oh, thank God,” Dad said, and gripped the side of the sink. He breathed in a few deep breaths and straightened up. “Good. That’s good, Li. We never had this conversation.”
“We never had this conversation,” Liam echoed thankfully.
Dad held up a teaspoon from the sink. “There is no spoon.”
“What?”
Dad sighed. “I never thought I’d say this, son, but you need to put your textbooks away sometimes and watch a damn movie.” He dropped the spoon into the sink with a clatter. “Come here.”
Liam stepped into his hug, and Dad held him for a moment then slapped his hands on his back a few times. Liam suspected he couldn’t find a tea towel and was trying to sneakily wipe his hands. He let him get away with it, then Liam headed back into the living room to see what havoc Ambrose was wreaking now. Whatever it was, from the sounds of his laughter, Grandad Billy was a fan.
“Neve and Marcus are running late!” Mum exclaimed unhappily when Liam went back into the sitting room. “Marcus got delayed at work, and now they won’t be up until tomorrow. Oh, I hope the traffic won’t be too bad for them then!”
Mum thought more than two cars on the road at once meant the traffic was bad. There was a reason Dad drove whenever they went down to Sydney.
“At least the rain’s eased off for a bit,” Grandad Billy said. “Liam, why don’t you take your young fella for a tour and show him over to your room?”
Liam was confused. “Why would he need a tour to show him to my room?”
His room was just upstairs. It wasn’t like Ambrose would need a cut lunch and a water bottle. It was right there. As a bonus, his childhood bed had an old trundle bed underneath it. Nobody would ever have to know that he and Ambrose hadn’t shared.
“You’re not staying in your old room. Remember last time you were up, we were doing up the cabins for guests?” Grandad Billy asked. “We finally finished the honeymoon cabin!”
Liam’s heart dropped into his stomach. “The honeymoon…?”
“Well, it’s almost finished,” Granddad Billy said. “Just needs a few little touches here and there. But it’s got a lovely view of the vineyard. Why don’t you take your bags over there now?”
“I…okay,” Liam said.
“Sounds great!” Ambrose exclaimed, and Granddad Billy pressed an old brass key into his hand.
Did it really sound great to him, or was he just pretending? Oh God. The honeymoon cabin wasn’t going to have a trundle bed, was it? No, it wasn’t.
“Dinner’s at seven,” Mum said. “We’re doing pizzas, if your dad ever gets the pizza oven started.”
“I’m doing it now!” Dad said and hurried away.
Ambrose stood up, twirling the key on the end of his finger. He looked at Liam, his eyebrows raised in a question.
“Yeah,” Liam said. “Let’s, um, take our bags over to the cabin and check it out.”
“We’ll be back for pizza at seven!” Ambrose announced.
Mum waved him off, looking slightly relieved to be rid of him.
