Page 81 of The Science of Attraction

Oh god.I softened my tone. “Yeah, I know. We’ll talk more later.”

His breath hitched and I could almost see the tears in his eyes. “Sure. And thanks, Liam. It means a lot that you didn’t just yell at me.”

I wanted to saydon’t count your chickens, but I figured it wasn’t going to improve things. The minute I hung up, Jules took my hands in his. “What’s up with your nephew?”

Jules knew something about the situation already since I’d talked about Bron and Connor, so I relayed the little I knew about this latest event while adding enough background that it would make sense to the others.

When I was done, Jules kissed me—taking his time, and bleeding the tension just enough to put the tiniest of smiles on my face.

“Fucking teenagers.” I sighed and rested my forehead against his. “I’m sure I was never this dramatic.”

He laughed and kissed my nose. “I’ll bet you were the definition of dramatic.”

He wasn’t wrong. Which put another smile on my face.

“How about you stay right there and I’ll put the rest of our stuff together?” He left me in the chair and headed for the bedroom while instructing Zach to call their mother because, “I don’t want Liam to have to explain to Dad over the phone.”

I could’ve kissed him for that alone.

Then he added, “And warn her we’ll have another guest in the cottage for a few days.”

I groaned at the realisation that Jules and I were about to lose our private time and nights together, and I could’ve throttled my nephew for that inconvenience alone.

Zach grabbed his phone and disappeared into the kitchen while Gil approached and pulled me into a hug. “I’m here if you need me, or ifheneeds me, okay? Can’t have a great ally of the community left hanging.”

“What he said.” Holden stood alongside his boyfriend and Luke nodded in agreement.

Jules was back with our overnight bags at the same time Zach ended his call with Norma. “She says to take your time,” he relayed. “And she understands you’ll need time with Connor before you start, so she’ll take Dad his breakfast and set another place at the table for lunch. So, go. Do what you need to do and let us know if we can help.”

I was more grateful than I could say as we hugged and said our goodbyes and headed out the door.

* * *

My ears were still ringing from Bron’s tirade of incredulity, peppered with a lot of crying, when Jules pulled in outside the Tekapo café and pumped the horn. Someone waved from a table by the window, and a few seconds later, the door opened and Connor appeared.

Even knowing that he’d been in a fight, I was ill-prepared for the sight of my tall, lanky nephew sporting a fat black eye, bruising around his jawline, and what appeared to be a chunk of hair missing from the side of his head. The rest of his thick brown waves were pulled back into their usual short ponytail. Connor winced as he heaved his knapsack onto his shoulder and I made a mental note to check the state of his ribs... and everything else, for that matter.

I exited the ute and went to meet him, ignoring his resistance as I pulled him into a tight hug. We might’ve been the same height, but I had a good few kilos on my side, and knowing Connor had been cornered and beaten in the car park of the local swimming pool the day before, there was no way he was escaping my need to hold him. He gave in and relaxed, and when I finally let him go, it was hard to miss the way his brown eyes glistened.

“Come on.” I eased the knapsack from Connor’s shoulder and threw it in the back seat before waving him inside. “Connor, this is Jules. He’s running the station while his father recovers. Jules, this is my pain in the neck nephew, Connor.”

“Hey.” Connor shoved me fondly. “I’m actually the light of his life and personal-style-guru nephew,” he corrected.

“You wish.” I slammed the back door on Jules’ laughter and took my seat in the front.

Connor and Jules shook hands, but when Jules turned back around, he flicked me a look full of concern that matched my own. Connor had survived a few scuffles but this was by far the worst I’d seen. We’d passed the point of trying to let the school handle it. I glanced at Connor’s haunted face in the back seat as he stared out the window and my blood boiled.

I was done. We all were.

It was time to get the police involved and Bron reluctantly agreed. And after talking with Jules on the drive to Tekapo, the decision was made that Connor would stay with me for a few days while he got his head straight, then I’d arrange for him to catch a bus back home. What the hell Paddy was going to think about it all was anyone’s guess. We’d find out soon enough.

Connor remained quiet on the drive back to Lane Station, and I mostly left him to his thoughts. The ute travelled the noisy gravel road under a cloudy sky, the thickening clouds to the west heavy with spring rain. We were about halfway there when I saw Jules’ hand reach for mine before quickly pulling back, his gaze flicking up to check the rear-view mirror.

Well, fuck that.I needed that comfort he so clearly wanted to give—the amazing night we’d spent together already a distant memory. We were almost out of time together, and I wasn’t about to waste a second of it. Hiding from Paddy was one thing, but from Connor? With my nephew staying in the cottage for the next few days, that would leave Jules and me with almost no safe space together. I reached across the console, flipped my hand palm up, and snapped my fingers.

Jules’ gaze again shot to Connor then back to me. I smiled and tipped my head. He sighed and threaded our fingers together. The lines around his eyes softened and he lifted my knuckles to his lips.

A groan emanated from the back seat. “Oh my god, really?” Connor’s put-upon tone said it all. “I leave you alone for a few weeks and you go get yourself a boyfriend?”

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