Crush

Liam

Oliver

A knock on my bedroom door.

Tearing my eyes away from the TV, I frowned, not really wanting to stop what I was doing. Sitting on the floor, controller in hand, zombie-killing video game on the TV and Asher talking to me through my headset, I was actually having a good time.

I had spent almost every day hanging out with Asher so far this summer. And it had given my heart a good workout every time I'd seen him. Beating hard and fast, I was surprised Asher hadn't heard it, and hadn't asked if I needed an ambulance. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if it actually beat its way out of my chest.

Honestly, it had been great to catch up with him, to chat about the memories we had. Talking through the stuff we did as kids. Laughing at some of the things we did when the adults weren't looking.

He wanted to shoot hoops the other day, so I showed him my best moves, acted like I did when I was out on the court, head in the game, completely focused. He was a good player, but I'd beat him every time. Pretty sure he was more impressed than pissed.

Well, I hope he was.

Then, Asher had asked me if I was going to the barbeque his dad was throwing this year, but I'd already made plans with Jenson and Mason to shoot hoops, sneak a couple of drinks from Jenson's mother's not-so-secret cabinet, and eat pizza. Because it was an event I had spent every year avoiding, I had simply made plans with the guys once Dad had told me the date. But that was before I knew Asher was starting my school. Before I knew there was no way I could avoid him.

When I'd told him that I'd made other plans, that I couldn't go, he'd seemed ... disappointed. The look in his eyes, the way his face fell ... his actions had sent a sting right to my heart, squeezing my chest, despite him then smiling and telling me it was okay.

Was it really okay?

Another knock.

"Someone's here," I told Asher through the headset, my voice taking on an annoyed tone. "Talk to you later?"

"Okay, dude. Talk to you later," came the reply from his deep voice. How was it possible that his voice was deeper through the speaker? It was almost like it was taunting me for not seeing him in person today.

Fuck.

Letting the shiver run along my spine at the sound of his smooth voice, I took the headset off, stood up and yanked open the door ... and looked straight into the smiling blue eyes of my older brother.

"Hey, little man." Liam grinned at me. "Missed me?"

Almost immediately, I pulled him into a huge hug, clapping his back and laughing in his ear.

"What the hell? What are you doing here?"

Liam squeezed me. "Missed you too, little brother."

I was tall, but my brother was taller, easily hitting 6 and a half feet. We look alike with similar facial features, tall height, blonde hair and blue eyes. A fellow basketball player in school, he'd left Hatley High to attend university in Florida to follow his dream of being a nurse.

During Mom's illness, he'd spent days and weeks pouring over medical journals to see if there was anything the doctors were missing, anything he could do to help, any extra knowledge he could learn. We were all upset, but he took it to another level, using his free time to find out as much as he could about cancer and how to treat it.

The doctors that treated Mom were amazing, but it was the nurses that had grabbed Liam's attention. The doctors could diagnose and treat, but it was the nurses who had helped Mom the most. They had made her comfortable, offered a listening ear, and held our hands as she slipped away.