Page 27 of Grounding the Baker
Austin groaned and took another swig of his beer before he ended up telling his friend to get fucked again.
“What happened between you two that night?” asked Gerard.
“He got upset, which was understandable given the day it was, so I gave him a hug.”
“Hmmm.”
“What does that mean?”
“I think he’s probably got a crush on you, and now he’s embarrassed you’ve guessed.”
“Why should he be embarrassed when I have a crush on him as well?”
Crush sounded too simple for what he felt for Liam, but he didn’t want to get into that with Gerard. There were other people in the bar, and the last thing he wanted was his feelings for Liam to work their way through the grapevine before he’d spoken to the guy himself.
“He probably thinks you’re out of his league.”
Austin scoffed. “More like the other way around.”
“You don’t see it, do you?”
“See what?”
“You’re annoyingly good looking, a really nice guy, a big romantic, and unless things have shrunk since high school, packing some hefty merchandise.”
Austin felt his face flush.
“And you get bashful and blush like that. Most people would think you were out of their league. Not me, because I know what an arsehole you can be.”
Austin chuckled at Gerard, who was clearly trying to lighten the mood. What was Austin going to do?
“Maybe I should just ask him to dinner?”
“Like a date?”
“Of course a date? What did you think I was going to do? Invite him round to mine for dinner with me and Maisie?”
“Well, your daughter is a big fan of Liam’s.”
“I’m well aware. She never stops talking about him.”
Gerard snorted. “Yeah, good luck with that one when she finds out her dad is screwing her first crush.”
“She’s had crushes before, and I will notscrewhim. I want to date him properly.”
“And you think now is a good time? I thought you were going to wait until his life was a bit more stable.”
“That won’t be until the end of March. I know that’s only just over a month away, but it seems too long.”
“He’s staying with the London job until June now. They offered him a lot of money or something. So things won’t be settled for him for a while, and I don’t think he’s really processed his mum’s death yet either. And with his dad never leaving the house, running the bakery on his own, and doing whatever he does for his city job, I’m surprised he has time to work out as well.”
“Work out? Where?”
“Rodrigo’s. Where else would he go?”
“I joined there this week. And Liam goes there as well?”
“Rodrigo has a strictno-semenpolicy in his gym.”
