Page 98 of The Science of Attraction

I lifted Liam’s and my joined hands onto the table and watched my father flinch. “I’m not just sleeping with Liam, Dad. I’m in love with him.”

Liam sucked in a breath, and I turned to face him, desperate for him to know this shitshow wasn’t changing anything. “I’m in love with you, baby.”

His cheeks pinked and a tiny smile tugged at his lips before my father’s disbelieving grunt shut it down.

“Love.” My father almost spat the word. “Wh-what would y-you know?”

Furious, I stared him down, buoyed by Liam’s tight squeeze of my hand. “Enough to know what I’m feeling. I fellin lovewith Liam. And you better get used to it, because nothing you say or think or do is going to change that or turn me back into something I never was to start with. Straight couples don’t hold the monopoly on being in love.”

“Of course they don’t.”

My gaze jerked sideways to my mother, noting the high colour in her cheeks and the resolute expression she wore.

“I’m quite sure your father didn’t mean that as it came out.” She glared at her husband.

He returned the glare, spittle running from the slack corner of his mouth, but he said nothing. Instead, he turned to Liam. “I... trusted... you. Should’ve... known. Nothing but a d-damn?—”

“Patrick Sean Lane!” My mother rounded on my father. “You be very careful what you say or I will walk away. Do. You. Understand?”

Paddy glowered at the threat, but he snapped his mouth shut. I caught my mother’s eye and gave a grateful nod. She returned it, then reached across the table and squeezed Zach’s hand. He was staring at our mother, his eyes glistening with tears. I couldn’t imagine what he was feeling, remembering her resounding silence during his own coming out.

Paddy dismissed them and turned back to Liam. “Leave. Now. N-not w-waaaanted h-h-here.”

I was on my feet in an instant. “He’s not going anywhere.”

“Jules.” Liam put a restraining hand on my arm but I shook it off.

“No, Liam. I am so over his bullshit. First with Zach, and now me and you.”

My father’s fist pounded on the table. “M-m-my h-house. Go.”

At the other end of the table, Marty grunted approvingly, and I shot him a killer look. He glared somewhat smugly in reply but kept his mouth shut.

Zach got to his feet to stand beside me. “Come on, Dad,” he pleaded. “Don’t do this again. I thought we were trying to find a way to move on.”

Paddy glanced sideways to his wife, and for a second, his stubborn expression wavered.

“They’re yoursons, Paddy,” my mother spoke softly. “Oursons. Gay, bi, whatever.”

He stared at her, then shook his head like he couldn’t understand what he’d done to deserve such a burden to bear.

I wanted to slap him. “Liam is the same guy who’s been giving you your life back piece by piece over the last weeks. You’d still be using that walker if it wasn’t for him. For a while there, you had me fooled. I stupidly believed you might actually be trying to be more accepting. But I was wrong, wasn’t I? We all were. Liam was only tolerated because you needed him. He was your ticket to getting some independence back. He was your best shot. And he wasn’t your son, so what the hell, right? Nothing to lose. You could simply use him and then forget about him. Pretend it never happened.”

Paddy shifted uncomfortably in his seat and Liam got to his feet.

“Maybe I should go.”

“No, wait.” I reached for Liam’s hand and eyeballed my father. “Dad, please. Look around you. This is what you do, what bigotry does. You broke up our family once already. Do you really want to do it again? Because I have to tell you, you’re running out of sons.”

Norma grabbed her husband’s hand. “Paddy, just think about this for a minute.”

My father frowned. “He lied. Liam de-de-de-de-ceived me... th-they booooth did. Need... him t-to go.”

Liam stepped forward, regarding Paddy with a cool look. “I didn’t lieordeceive you. And I never pretended to be anything I wasn’t. I simply fell in love with your son.” He stopped abruptly and squeezed his eyes shut like he hadn’t realised what he was saying until the words were out.

I was there in an instant, my hands reaching for his. He opened his eyes and his face lit up with the sweetest smile. “I’m in love with you too, Jules. With everything I have.” He spun back to Paddy, anger glittering in his eyes. “And I hate the fact that those precious words have been said in this room before we could say them to each other in private.”

Zach groaned and reached for us both.

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