Love Is Always Write Volume 4

repeatedly knocked down stacks of canned goods could have grown into such a strong, confident man.
    With a deep sigh, he ventured outside and approached the hunk in the red plaid shirt. He didn't have the vest on today and his hair was tied back under the helmet. Hesitating for a second, Kevin reached up and tapped Liam between his shoulder blades. Liam startled with a jerk and spun around.
    " You ," he said with a narrowed eyes. "Surprised you're still here. Expected you'd be back in L.A. by now."
    Kevin took a step back and stuffed his hands in his back pockets. "I, uhm, I'm sorry about yesterday. I fell asleep."
    "Oh you fell asleep ?" asked Liam, voice dripping with sarcasm, eyebrow raised high.
    "Yeah, it's your fault. I'd just gotten two hours of sleep before you woke me up yesterday. No need to get pissy."
    "Pissy?" said Liam, squaring his jaws before continuing. "You wouldn't be upset if you were stood up after waiting two hours in a restaurant where everyone knew you?"
    Kevin couldn't find a clever reply. He had stood Liam up and people were probably gossiping. Although it hadn't been a date -date, the townsfolk didn't know that and had watched the town's gay guy being stood up at the restaurant.
    "Oh, I see. You've never been stood up," said Liam, laying down the jackhammer and crossing his arms in front of him.
    "Well, no, but I can understand why you're upset. I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to fall asleep, but I did. Can't I take you out for lunch instead?"
    Liam regarded him for the longest time, eyes sweeping over Kevin, nostrils flaring, jaws squaring.
    "Lunch. No. I need more than that."
    "More?"
    "Yes, you owe me a hell of a lot more," said Liam, an angry crease forming between his eyebrows. Then he laughed coldly, presumably at the surprised look on Kevin's face. "You really don't remember, do you?"
    Kevin shook his head, genuinely baffled by Liam's behavior. It's not like he'd thought about Castor Springs a lot in the past twelve years. In fact, he'd done his best to smother every single memory of the place. What was it he was supposed to remember?
    Liam squared up, shoulders looking even broader. "All those empty promises you made to me?"
    "Promises?"
    "Yes, promises. Remember when the carnival came to town and I was grounded for accidentally breaking all the ceramic jars? I was upset because I couldn't go, but you calmed me down by saying you'd take me. Well you never did, but you did that a lot. Movies you talked about that I hadn't seen, a trip to a mall in San Antonio, a road trip to Leon Valley, the race tracks, the arcade. You kept talking about these things while working and always said 'I'll have to take you sometime' , but you never did."
    Kevin opened his mouth to talk, but nothing came out. Had he really said that? He couldn't remember, though the carnival thing did sound familiar. The other stuff was just something you'd say, but not do. Had Liam really taken that as promises?
    "I was looking forward to all of it, and kept hoping you'd take me next time . Then you bailed town before you took me anywhere. I had a huge crush on you, you know? For the longest time."
    "C-crush?" stuttered Kevin, head still reeling with the info that seemed to come out of nowhere.
    "Yeah, you were my first crush," said Liam. He moved closer in what felt like a threatening manner, so Kevin took a step back. "I was also crushed when you left. Even announced to my dad a couple of years later that I was gay and was going to find you. Of course, that didn't work out because I didn't know where you were, as my dad calmly pointed out."
    "I-I really had no idea," said Kevin, taking a step back. To think this gorgeous man … no … little boy. He was Little Liam back then, someone Kevin hadn't even noticed as a guy. Liam was now a big, strong man with flashes of hurt crossing his face as he spoke. It made Kevin's heart twinge.
    Liam's face and shoulders relaxed as he watched Kevin's startled expression. "No, of course you didn't. I was just scrawny Little Liam to you."
    "Um …" Kevin swallowed and glanced back to the van. What did he want? Some sort of closure? Did he maybe still have lingering feelings for Kevin?
    Liam chuckled and let his hands drop. "I totally threw a hissy fit just now, didn't I?"
    Kevin looked back at him, taking in the familiar shy smile and blue eyes. "Maybe just a little," he said with a weak smile of his own. "I am sorry, though. I didn't realize I was making promises back then."
    Liam