Something Like Rain (Something Like... Book 8) (26 page)

“Yeah! I’m just surprised you remembered.”

William shrugged. “We can make a double date of it. Grab something to eat afterwards. Sound good?”

Jason shook his head, but his answer contradicted this. “Sounds perfect!”

They dressed in silence, William not having time for his usual shower if he wanted to get to school. They smiled sheepishly at each other when ready to go, not really talking as they left the building.

“Where’s your car?” Jason asked.

“Right there,” William said, pointing to his bike.

Jason stared. “Man, you’re hardcore! See you at the recital thing. Text me the details. Or call! I don’t mind.”

“I will.”

“I Jason,” came the response, accompanied by a weird face that might have been meant to resemble a caveman.

William finally got the joke and laughed. “I think you swallowed too much chlorine.”

“Maybe.” Jason beamed at him.

“Don’t you have to be at work?” William said helpfully.

“Oh. Right. See you around.”

Jason hustled into the parking lot, not looking back. William watched him go, then started unlocking his bike. He had enjoyed talking about old dreams, even if he was only kidding himself. He couldn’t enlist in the Coast Guard. Even if it wasn’t too late to apply, he couldn’t leave Kelly behind. William had made a promise, and no previous aspirations—and definitely no guy with an intense stare and messy hair—was going to make him break it.

* * * * *

The evening of Bonnie’s recital had started well enough, if a little oddly. Jason had pulled up to the Bates Recital Hall in a freaking Bentley, like he was a millionaire. He wasn’t the driver though. No, that was a ridiculously handsome guy named Tim. William wasn’t insecure. He understood that sometimes people got lucky. Kelly was exceedingly attractive. William was just okay. As hot as he found Jason, he wasn’t part of the beautiful elite either. Tim definitely was and that, along with him being older and seemingly rich, set his teeth on edge. Then again, why did it matter? William had a hot boyfriend too, one who loved him, so what did he care if Jason had landed himself the perfect guy?

William tried to put any jealous feelings out of mind as they prepared to enjoy an evening of music. They had front row seats, due to Kelly’s disability. He took his boyfriend’s hand, enraptured when the first performance began. Most of these were short musical pieces, students demonstrating what they had learned. While few of the performances were perfect, he still admired them for having the dedication to learn such a skill and the guts to play in front of an audience. He wasn’t sure if he’d be able to handle that.

Bonnie did great. Kelly’s hand clenched his tighter while she was on stage, nervous for his friend, only letting go to applaud. He was the first to clap and the last to stop, which made William smile. Bonnie tended to bring out the best in Kelly. William envied this ability, wishing he could say the same. By the time the recital came to an end and they joined in a standing ovation, jealous thoughts were the furthest thing from his mind. Mostly.

“Not bad,” Tim said as they slowly shuffled toward the lobby. “I know a guy who can out-sing them all though.”

“They’re students,” William shot back, feeling defensive. “I thought they did a great job.”

“So did I!” Jason said eagerly.

“There’s nothing wrong with being honest,” Kelly murmured. “If he’s heard better, he’s heard better.”

“I didn’t mean to offend,” Tim said. When the crowd stopped moving, he turned to face William. He had a natural tan, or maybe Latino heritage. This, along with the jet black hair, made his silver eyes pop that much more. “I guess you had a lot of friends on stage tonight. You’re still in high school, right?”

“Yeah,” William said, not liking how this made him feel. Just one more department where he couldn’t stack up. Tim was old enough that school probably seemed like an embarrassing part of childhood to him. He had the looks, the money, and the muscles. But could he swim? William was tempted to ask how many laps he could do in an hour, but with his luck, the guy had probably set records swimming the English Channel. “I just don’t think it’s nice to criticize.”

Tim looked him over, then ended the conversation by turning around again.

William grimaced. Why did he care exactly? He should be happy that he and Jason were both paired up, since it would prevent complications.

“That was fun,” Tim said without much enthusiasm, eyeing the exit. “I guess dinner’s next. Ready?”

“We’re supposed to meet Bonnie here,” William said.

“Actually, I could use some fresh air.” Jason took hold of Tim’s arm. “Coming?”

Tim was looking elsewhere and shrugged him off heartlessly. “I need a drink.”

“You’re the designated driver,” Jason reminded him in hushed tones.

“Then I’ll have a very small drink,” Tim responded, not bothering to lower his voice before he shoved his way through the lobby crowd.

William watched him go. What a jerk! Jason deserved better than that! William would never... Yeah. That train of thought would run him over if he let it, so he turned his attention elsewhere, searching for Bonnie. When she appeared, she wasn’t alone. Emma was trailing behind her. She might have chosen to go without makeup during the gay youth group meeting, but now she was gussied up and stunning, dress the same hue as her rosy cheeks. And she was holding hands with Bonnie! William grinned, remembering how good the beginning of a relationship could feel.

This made him look to Jason. William expected him to be excited to see his friend there. Jason hadn’t noticed though, still staring in the direction Tim had disappeared, expression concerned. Maybe Tim had a drinking problem. William would bring it up during the next swimming lesson, just in case a sympathetic ear was needed. For now, he stepped forward to offer his congratulations. Bonnie was occupied by Kelly, so he began with Emma.

“You guys make a cute couple,” he said.

“Aw shucks,” Emma replied playfully, but her smile got a little bigger. “Did you see her up there on stage? She was amazing!”

“I agree,” William replied. “I’ve seen Bonnie play before, but something was different tonight. Maybe she’s found her muse.”

Emma laughed. “Oh, I like you!”

The feeling was mutual. He didn’t know her well, but similar to her friend Jason, she had an appealing vibe. Perhaps that’s what they had in common. He was about to ask how they had met when someone said her name, attracting Emma’s attention. Even odder is what she said in response.

“Uncle Tim?”

Uncle
? They sure didn’t look related!

“What are you doing here?” Emma and Tim said at the same time, like some sort of comedy routine, but their shocked expressions promised this was no joke.

Bonnie chimed in, addressing Tim. “Wait, you’re Emma’s uncle? The one who can sing?”

“No,” Emma said. “You’re thinking of Ben.”

“And does Ben know you’re here?” Tim asked, sounding stern. “Or your parents?”

“They think I’m staying at a friend’s house.”

“Which she is,” Bonnie said. “She’s staying with me tonight.”

“No,” Tim said. “She’s staying with us. I’ll call Ben and tell him to come pick you up. He’ll decide what to do.”

The conversation kept going, but William gave up trying to understand any of it. Instead he turned to Jason, and when he saw the shame on his face, and especially how he refused to meet his eye, that’s when he knew. Jason Grant was a liar. The way Tim kept talking about Ben—the guy who could sing, the one he had bragged about at the end of the show—felt a little too intimate. Tim wasn’t Jason’s boyfriend. He was just a friend.

Kelly seemed to have a better grasp on the situation and insisted they reconvene at a restaurant so he could dissect the whole horrid affair. Most of the details were lost on William. He couldn’t concentrate because he was too upset. At himself mostly, because he got it. Jason wanted to spend time with him. William wanted that too. How often had he looked at the line of customers while at work and hoped to see him there? What did that imply? Weren’t his own feelings a betrayal too? Or what about the way he pretended the accident had never happened, telling lofty stories about his future in the Coast Guard? Weren’t those lies too?

Self-deceptions maybe. Rebellious delusions in the face of cold hard facts that couldn’t be changed. Jason had taken it a step too far, enlisting the help of a performer—Tim, the fake boyfriend. The show was supposed to be on the stage tonight, not in the audience.

At this point, he almost didn’t care because Kelly absolutely reveled in exposing Jason’s deception, putting on a show of his own during the meal, drawing out the truth and making it as painful as possible for everyone involved. Why did he have to be so mean? Being a sore loser was bad enough, but a tactless victor? William was done with the meal and everyone at the table. He crossed his arms over his chest and stayed silent. Only when they spilled out of the restaurant did he feel like he could breathe again.

Bonnie and Emma were still in high spirits, nestled close together and whispering. Jason was sticking close to Tim, his posture downtrodden. William stayed with Kelly, bringing up the rear. All he wanted to do was go home. Not to the Phillips household. He wanted to be shut in his old room, alone, so he could forget the entire evening.

Tim turned to face him, seeming more relaxed now that the ruse was over. “Need a lift to your car?”

“I don’t drive,” William replied. “Neither of us do.”

“Then a ride home,” Tim offered.

William instantly shook his head.

Kelly felt differently. “It’s better than the bus!”

He could either argue or go along with him, and William didn’t trust his self-control right now. Bonnie drove Emma in her car, leaving the four of them alone. Kelly took the front passenger seat since he needed more room for his crutches. Jason would drive. Good. That meant they didn’t have to sit next to each other. What he didn’t expect was for Tim to be so talkative.

“Jason tells me you like to swim,” he said, sprawled comfortably in the backseat.

William caught Jason’s eyes flicking away in the rearview mirror. No doubt he was tuning in. “I swim because it’s important to my career goals. For some people, swimming is part of a game. For me, it’s serious.” He hoped Jason was reading between the lines. Tim certainly didn’t, but then he’d had a few beers.

“I know exactly what you mean. Pools aren’t for splashing around in, and don’t get me started on people who float on inflatable rafts. They’re not even in the water, so get the hell out of the pool, am I right?”

“Yeah,” William said, grabbing the handle above the window and gripping it tightly as they rounded a corner. “Do you swim competitively?”

“I just like the exercise, especially in the summer when jogging in the heat feels like breathing fire. Perfect time to hop in the pool. I wanna have one installed soon.”

“You mean at home?”

“Yeah!” Tim flashed him a bright smile. “Why not?”

Because most people didn’t have the money or room. William tensed up when the car braked sharply. He tried to focus on the conversation instead. “What sort of pool?”

“I was going to ask you that. You’re the pro, right? From what Jason tells me, you’re practically ready for the Olympics. No, the Coast Guard. Isn’t that what you’re training for?”

In the passenger seat, Kelly’s head turned slightly, to better hear his answer.

“That was my original plan,” William said carefully.

“What’s your new one? There’s got to be a reason you swim every morning.”

“Why do you like jogging?” he countered.

“Because I like to stay in shape.” Tim stretched out even more, hogging the backseat. Their knees touched, not that he seemed to notice. “More than that, it takes the edge off, you know? Like if I go without, I have a bigger chance of losing my temper or letting stuff get to me.”

William nodded his understanding. “It’s almost like a price you pay in advance. You get all of the day’s tension out at the very beginning.”

“I actually prefer jogging at night. I feel like it carries me through the next day, but maybe I should try it your way instead.”

“Time to go,” Kelly said.

William looked up, surprised to find the car had stopped. Outside the window was Kelly’s home. His stomach turned at the idea of staying there, of running into disapproving parents, or having to listen to Kelly gloat. “I’m staying at my place tonight. I’m tired.”

“You can be tired here,” Kelly said.

William remained seated. “I want to be in my own bed. Besides, my mom misses me.”

“Fine.” Kelly opened the passenger door and struggled to get out, his crutches catching on something. This made William feel guilty. He didn’t think Kelly was doing it on purpose. Those crutches got in the way constantly. William had seen that happen plenty of times, and he was partially responsible.

“I’ll be right back,” he murmured, hurrying to get out of the car and assist him.

Not that his efforts seemed appreciated. “I’m okay,” Kelly said, waving him away. “Just go.”

He wouldn’t. Not like this. He walked Kelly to the door, his boyfriend’s tone accusing when they faced each other on the porch. “He’s a liar.”