Nonverbal - Aria Grace Page 0,10

he was gay, much less that he’d be interested in me. But on the other hand, it never really made any sense for me to be there in the first place.

And if I was meant to be some kind of eye candy for Liam, what was the endgame?

Eight

After my morning shift, Avery caught up with me on the way to my apartment. “Hey, Wyatt. Got a sec?”

“Hey, Avery.” I leaned against the corner of the garage and pressed one foot on the wall for balance. “How’s it going?”

“Good.” She was just coming in from a bike ride and positioned herself in the shade of a cherry tree. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Yeah, I guess we keep missing each other.” I’d quit working at the deli after my first week with the Brenners. It didn’t make sense for me to try to squeeze in short shifts there when I didn’t need to. “Things are good with me. Liam is starting to really open up to me.” I ducked my chin and avoided eye contact, afraid she would notice the blush in my cheeks. “What about you?”

“Oh my god.” She leaned down and peeked up at my face. “Are you into him?”

“What?” I visibly flinched at her words. “No. God, Avery. What are you talking about?”

Her jaw dropped and she pulled back, readjusting herself on the seat of her bike. “You totally are!” Avery’s laugh came from deep within her, and if I weren’t so terrified by what she was saying, I would have smiled.

But this wasn’t funny. “Avery, shh.” I looked around to make sure no one could hear us. “Are you trying to get me fired or something?”

She held in her laughter as she looked around for her parents. Then she cocked her head to the side and studied me. “You’re not gonna get fired, ya know. They want you guys to like each other.”

I scoffed. “Uh, not like that.”

Avery opened her mouth as if she were about to refute what I’d just said, but then she took a deep breath and put her foot on the pedal of her bike. “It’s fine, Wyatt. I’m glad you and Liam are getting along so well. You’re good for him.”

“I am?” I wanted to know what she meant but she just nodded and pushed down on the pedal to take off toward the backyard. “What does—”

She didn’t look back before disappearing behind the house. Strangely, I felt lighter knowing that Avery was okay with the friendship building between Liam and me. I guess I was afraid she’d think I was taking advantage of him or coercing him into feeling things he couldn’t comprehend. But knowing she didn’t have a problem with my interest in her brother was almost like having her blessing.

It wasn’t quite the same as hearing it from her parents but I wasn’t at the point of needing to have that conversation yet. If ever there was a time when it was necessary or appropriate, I’d deal with it then. But for now, Liam and I were just friends and he was still suffering from a brain injury that affected his cognitive abilities.

That wasn’t going to change anytime soon.

And then later that day, it did.

The Brenners ordered two pizzas for dinner, but there was an error and the order was duplicated. Instead of two pizzas, four were delivered for just four people. Liam lit up like a firework when he saw two large cheese pizzas sitting on the kitchen counter. Avery wasn’t home so he probably knew there wouldn’t be much competition for it. Cheese pizza was his favorite food, and since the rest of us were eating the meat and veggie versions, Liam was free to indulge to his heart’s content.

Unfortunately, his heart wasn’t content until he’d eaten an entire pizza by himself.

Then he was just miserable.

“Oh, sweetheart.” Mrs. Brenner patted his shoulder when she walked behind him at the table. “You really overdid it, didn’t you?”

Liam took a deep breath and cringed as if he didn’t even have room in his torso to fully expand his lungs.

“Maybe you and Wyatt should go for a walk. That might help get you digesting.”

I was pretty full myself, so a walk sounded great. “Good idea. I could stretch my legs.” I looked Liam in the eyes, wondering if he’d agree or not. He had been more agreeable in general lately, but I still never knew exactly what to expect with him.

Funny enough, I really liked that about him. He