Wanted | Niam AU

Chapter 50: Liam

Niall was in heaven with Grams in the kitchen Saturday morning. My heart was racing just watching him learn everything Grams was teaching him about how to cook the perfect turkey, as well as how to make a homemade pumpkin pie.

I walked down to the stable to find Greg saddling up Fire Star.

"You're going for a ride?"

"Yeah, I think I'm going to head out and clear my head. Maybe take a ride and check out that property again."

I nodded my head. I knew he was upset that Louis wasn't there. When I asked Niall about Louis he just smiled and winked at me. I didn't even have the energy to ask what that wink meant.

"I still can't believe you plan on buying that property, dude. Have you given any more thought about your plans for it? You still thinking of going the way you were thinking?"

Greg looked over at me and smiled. "Yep, it just feels right. I talked to Jake at the office and the fact that they are going to let me work part time will help out. I always thought you were crazy to give up the position Jake offered you just so you could come out here, but the more time I spend out here the more I know, this is the life I want also."

I nodded my head again. I had the strangest feeling in my stomach. I'd been having it for the last week, almost like I was expecting something to go wrong. Things with Niall were going great...almost too good. While everyone around us had so much drama in their relationships, Niall and I didn't, thank God. But still, something wasn't right. The fact that I saw Niall talking to Jon at the football game didn't help matters either. That fucker clearly was not getting the message to stay away from him and for some reason, Niall was too nice to him.

Fucker...

"I'm heading out for awhile. I'll be in the north pasture."

Greg jumped up on Fire Star and gave me a smile. He had not had a beer for the last few days, and I think he finally fucked all the girls in Austin he could. He had not gone out since the night of Louis's party. Maybe things were about to turn around for him. I sure as shit hoped so. It was killing Niall to see him being so upset over Louis. I saw him pull out his headphones and put them in.

"Have a good ride, Greg."

"Thanks dude, later."

I watched him ride off. I shook my head. I pray I never fuck up with Niall. It would kill me if he was not in my life. I watched him ride until he turned around an oak tree and I couldn't see him anymore. I turned to leave and got the shit scared out of me.

"Holy fucking shit Louis! You scared the shit out of me. What're you doing here?"

Louis just smiled as he was leaning up against the stables. He was dressed in jeans, Adidas, a sweatshirt and a baseball cap. I looked down at his hand looking for the ring, but he had his left hand shoved into his pants pocket.

"Hi Liam, nice to see you too, asshole; and I told you I was planning on coming on out to the ranch this weekend."

Something was up...he had a shit-eating grin on his face. I kept looking down at his hand. Why didn't he drive out with Niall? Where was Jason? Greg was going to flip out once he found out he was here.

"You're thinking too much, Liam. You mind helping me saddle up a horse?"

"No, I don't mind at all. You want to ride Chestnut again?"

"Who's Greg on?"

I had to smile. Damn this boy never ceased to amaze me. I shook my head as I walked over to the newest addition to the family. She was a beautiful paint horse who had a bit of spunk in her, fast as hell too and probably my favorite horse. Could be because Niall named her Rose, said he loved the way she smelled. She smelled like a horse to me, but who was I to argue?

"Greg is on Fire Star. Rose here, she's the horse you want. She's a feisty five-year-old, has a mind of her own and sometimes she likes to just take over, push you to your limits. She tends to make you open your eyes and pay attention."

Louis looked over and smiled at me. "Sounds like my kind of horse. Now let's get her ready... I have a race to win."

I stood there and watched Louis as he rode off on Rose. Niall came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. God, he felt so good. I was fighting the need to take him more and more. I was going to have to talk to him pretty soon to see where he was at with all of this. I needed him so fucking bad, but the last thing I wanted to do was push him into sex. I was pretty sure he was feeling the same way.

"So you knew he was coming all along?"

"Yep!" Niall said as he popped his P.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I turned and hugged him close to me.

"I would have, but he was not one hundred percent sure he was going to make it. He had a problem he was trying to deal with and Jason was not walking away as easy as he thought he
would."

I pulled back and looked down at Niall and tilted my head with a questioning look.

"He said no?"

Niall laughed. "Of course he said no!"

"When did he say no? That night? Was it after he heard Greg say he loved him when we were outside?"

"He pretty much told Jason he needed some fresh air and came outside after us. He heard what Greg said and went back in and pulled Jason aside to his bedroom and told him he couldn't marry him. He didn't take it very well and was pretty pissed. Turns out that Jason knew Greg liked Louis all along. I guess Greg used to talk about him in high school. One night when he was drunk, he told Jason and a few other football players he was going to marry him someday. He broke it completely off with him yesterday and told him he loved Greg and couldn't see himself with anyone else but him. Happiest damn day of my life – I could not stand him."

I let out a laugh and put my arm around his shoulder. "Let's go for a walk."

Niall and I walked and talked for what seemed like forever. It was so nice to just have time to do nothing but talk to him. Usually one of us was running to class, the library, practice, the gym or some other bullshit. We sat underneath a red oak and just talked about everything.

"Liam, what's going to happen when you graduate? You'll be moving out here and I'll still be in Austin. I thought the last two and half months were bad... That's going to be hell!"

I knew he had been worried about what would happen after graduation, but I had a plan to help ease his mind. I just couldn't tell him yet.

"Don't worry baby. I'm not moving out here full time right away. I have some other things I need to work out first and I'll be working at the firm pretty much full time this summer I think."

Niall turned and looked at me with a strange look on his face.

"You didn't tell me you were working there full time this summer! That's awesome!"

He leaned back into me and we sat there not saying another word. I wish I could tell him my main reason for not moving out to the ranch full time right away, but I wasn't ready. The last thing I wanted to do was scare him away for good.