Better Than People by Roan Parrish

Author:Roan Parrish [Parrish, Roan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Carina Press
Published: 2020-08-24T18:30:00+00:00

* * *

Simon, however, proved far less enthusiastic when Jack invited him.

First he froze. Then he nodded manically. Then he got very pale and very quiet.

“We don’t have to,” Jack said into the charged silence. But given the way he’d clearly hurt Charlie, Jack knew he didn’t sound sincere.

Simon shook his head just as manically as he’d nodded it before, clearly frustrated.

Jack handed him his phone in case he needed it to text, but Simon pushed it away with a huff. He closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.

“I want to b-be able to,” he said. “I just know I’ll be so shy and I’ll get all anxious and he’ll ask me qu-questions and I won’t be able to answer and th-then he’ll wonder why his baby brother is dating this f-f-freak who c-can’t even talk, and he’ll hate me because I’m not g-goo-good enough for you.”

Simon was glaring at his own hands as if they were the instrument of his betrayal. Jack took them in his own.

“He won’t think that. And it’s not true.”

“You don’t get it. You think because you like me he’ll like me, but—but people don’t like people who don’t act the way they expect. It makes them uncomfortable. And being uncomfortable makes them m-mad or makes them want to g-get away.”

Simon let out a miserable, shuddery breath and Jack felt an unfamiliar space open up inside him. A space that bloomed like a flower and belonged only to Simon. It hurt for him, it ached for him, it longed for him.

“Well, then, we’ll just have to keep hanging out with him until you get comfortable and he can realize how great you are.”

Hot hazel eyes snapped to his and Simon blinked uncertainly.

“You’d want that?”

“Hell yeah, I want that,” Jack said, pulling him closer.

Simon rested his forehead on Jack’s shoulder. He said something that Jack couldn’t hear and Jack tipped his chin up.

“Hmm?”

“My grandma wants to meet you too.”

Jack’s grin was instant.

“You talking about me to your grandma?” he teased.

“No,” Simon grumbled.

“I think you are.” He kissed the spot behind Simon’s ear that always made him shiver. “You totally have a thing for me.”

“Shut up,” Simon said mildly, and wrapped his arms around Jack’s neck.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.