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“I’ white hot, his parents’ overbearing voices ricocheting through his head “Just because you’re older… I don’t—I can’t…” He clenched his fists, a riot of eue “I don’t need you to take care of me I’m an adult”

“I didn’t mean it like that” Ben lifted his hands, then dropped theht”

Jason’s anger siuilt, confusion, and fear that carved out a hollow calm and realization

A resolution

“I’s She needs normalcy So do I This has all been too ht, and I’ll let the ho will be okay again Then I’ll be able to think”

Ben looked as if he wanted to argue, but nodded instead “What about you and me?”

“I don’t know I guess we have to be realistic You live here I live across the country We barely know each other, right?”

“Is that really how you feel? That you don’t know me?”

Jason fidgeted Ben’s steady, patient gaze bore into him “I’m not sure what I feel I need tiie home She’s my priority She always has been, and she alill be You’re not a father You don’t understand”

Sucking in a breath, Ben’s spine straightened He dropped his gaze, voice gravelly “You’re right I’m not”

Da I’ie Hurting you is the last thing I want” He yearned to close the distance between theain He’d alet her ho the way it was

“Can we still talk? Text, anything?”

“Of course” The idea of not talking to Ben again seeht now”

Adah voice, “Can I kiss you?”

Jason could only nod, the urge toas their lipshis cheek But it was only ahis hands