Right Move (Clean Slate Ranch #6) - A.M. Arthur Page 0,29
up in the house right away.”
“Good point.” Robin pulled from his bottle, and Levi noticed the way his lips kept twitching.
“What?” Levi knew Robin’s tells. “You’re hiding something.”
“Just wanted to celebrate the good news with you in person.” He broke out into a full-on smile. “The seller finally accepted our offer on the house.”
“That’s fantastic.” He hauled Robin up into a hug, mindful of their sodas. “I’m thrilled for you and Shawn. I mean it.”
“Shawn is over the moon. From living in his car to a homeowner in a year’s time.”
“Things are working out for you both exactly as they’re supposed to.”
Robin gently clinked the lip of his cream soda to Levi’s. “For us both. I’m not sure if I’ve really said it this bluntly before, but having this past year with both Shawn and you in my life has been...a blessing. I never thought I’d be this happy again.”
“That’s all I want. And Xander would want it, too.”
“I know.” Robin’s eyes went briefly sad. “I’ll always miss him. But this is my life now and exactly where I want to be.”
“Same, brother.” Only now, a tiny piece of his heart was tugging back in the direction of San Francisco. How had George gotten under his skin in a week? Then again, he’d heard of folks who hooked up one night as perfect strangers and were living together days later. Stranger things had happened—just not to Levi.
Then again, he hadn’t been the guy who wanted to settle down. He’d fucked his way through his twenties, probably breaking hearts along the rodeo circuit, but he hadn’t cared. Not back then. Not until he lost his baby brother and nearly lost his own life. But George was so young and inexperienced, and Levi didn’t know if George was even into Levi, or if Levi was simply a convenient person to explore his sexuality with. Sometimes Levi wondered if George even knew what he wanted, deep down.
They settled in their chairs again, and Levi tried to enjoy his soda and the company of his best friend. Robin nattered on about Shawn’s plan for the house for a while before he caught on that Levi wasn’t completely paying attention. “How do you feel about a zebra print couch in the living room?” Robin asked.
“Sounds good.”
“Okay, man, what is it? You’re miles away right now.”
Levi tapped a fingernail against his glass bottle. “Truth?”
“Always.”
He didn’t have to ask Robin to keep this a secret and not tell Shawn, or anyone else. Truth always was their shorthand. “I think I’ve got feelings for George Thompson.”
Robin’s eyebrows crept up. “The shy twin who just babysat your cat for a week?”
“Yes.”
“Are you sure those feelings aren’t just a lot of gratitude for him rescuing Ginger and taking care of her for you?”
“I don’t know. I think that’s part of it, yes, but there something about him that I find appealing. Maybe it’s his vulnerability, maybe it’s his kindness. Both? I like how I feel when I’m around him, and I’ve really loved our lunch dates. I definitely want to see him again.”
“Lunch dates, huh?” Robin wiggled his eyebrows. “Does George know they were dates?”
“You know what I mean.”
“I know, sorry. Then hang out with him more. Get a better read on the guy. Is he gay? Bi?”
“Not my place to say.” George had confided in him and Levi wouldn’t crap on that trust by outing him. “There have been moments where I thought he was looking at my lips, and he let me hug him today. I’m probably the first new person he’s hugged in years. He’s been so sheltered, Robin.”
“You worried you’ve got too much experience, or something?”
“Maybe. I did some really questionable things at the tail end of my...spiral. Stuff I barely talked about in rehab. I can’t imagine openin’ up to someone like George about all that ugly.”
Robin thumped his knee. “Hey, I bet you and me have some similar ugly in our pasts. And for all intents and purposes, Shawn was pretty damned sheltered when we first got together. He listened when I talked. He accepted the stuff I’d done once, and he knew who I was in the present. If there’s something real between you and George? He’ll do the same thing.”
“Maybe.” Levi didn’t usually doubt himself like this but something about George made him want to be as gentle and kind as possible.
“You can tell me to fuck off, but man, did you catch something?”