Page 46 of Candy Hearts
William reached out to ruffle Benji’s hair, but aborted the motion at the last second, resulting in a weird little air jab. It was awkward.
“We have peanut butter,” William said into the silence that followed.
“Perry’s sister sent us with baked goods,” Sasha said, and William’s mouth automatically watered. “And we brought salad, smoked salmon, crackers, cheese, and summer sausage.”
Eventually, Sasha and Perry went back to their car to get the rest of their stuff and William and Benji moved into the kitchen to clean up their watermelon mess.
“You good?” Benji asked.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You’re acting strange.”
William supposed he was. He wasn’t the best at lying, and not showing his attraction to Benji suddenly felt like just that.
It had only been a day.
One day.
Within an hour, everyone sat together in his living room, the fire roaring, fancy wine in hand, plates of food in their laps. William was thankful for the salad. He needed vegetables. He had a sugar high from Benji and too many heart-shaped bear claws. He hadn’t had so many sweets in ages, but Benji had spent most of the afternoon sneaking chocolate candies into William’s mouth when no one was watching, and William hadn’t been able to turn down that delicious press of fingers on his lips. Not in a million years.
“What should we do first?” Sasha asked, as William quietly melted down because of his secret valentine. “It will need to be something low tech, obviously, since we don’t have power.”
Wren was curled into Sasha’s side. Robin was on her other. The three of them had been thick as thieves for ages. William was thankful that Wren had pulled him along behind her for most of his life, so he didn’t miss out on moments like this. He’d taken it for granted for too long though.
“I brought stuff to make Valentine’s Day cards,” Perry said.
That was met with flabbergasted silence. Then laughter.
Perry blushed but didn’t seem too bothered. He looked like a hot tatted lumberjack but was a total romantic. Last year at Valentine’s Day, Perry had brought everyone a different romance novel. The one he’d given William had been a fun read. He’d learned some things.
“I’m in,” William blurted, the words escaping without forethought.
Benji grinned and said, “Me too.” Sasha stared at her brother suspiciously. He raised his eyebrows innocently. “What? I can craft.”
Everyone gathered around the table and kitchen counter, candles and lanterns lighting the way. Perry hauled out a big tub of supplies: colorful cardstock, glue, glitter, markers, stencils. It was like a kindergarten classroom in there.
Speaking of kindergarten classrooms. “Sasha, how’s Rosie doing? School going well?” William asked, after everyone had been working in companionable silence for a while. He folded his purple cardstock in half.
“She changed schools back in August because he-who-shall-not-be-named eloped with the PE teacher at their old school. It was awkward, so the school system moved them all around.” Everyone in the room emphatically cursed Rosie’s ex. “She has a date tomorrow with a guy who is really into billiards.”
William glanced up from his careful paper cutting. “Is that an innuendo?”
Sasha shook her head. “Nope.”
“He has a whole pool-themed room,” Benji said wryly. “He sent her pictures. Green felt, far as the eye can see. She was determined to have a date for Valentine’s Day even if he sounds hopelessly bland.”
Benji was attempting to glue chalky heart candies he’d procured from somewhere into a card, like macaroni art, sans macaroni.
Avi, whose card was black but full of glitter, turned the music up on his phone and Manuel whooped, distracting everyone. “This is my jam, baby.”
“I know,” Avi deadpanned. “Anything for you.”
Manuel stood up and swept Avi into his arms, leading him into a sexy sway that seemed effortless but was surely practiced. They were a striking couple full of contrasts. Manuel was wearing green chinos and a colorful Hawaiian shirt that popped against his light brown skin. Avi was wearing gray from head to toe.
Wren threw her card on the table. It was orange and pink and intricate. “Teach me, teach me, teach me.”
Avi groaned. “You never listen when I try, babe.”
