Jasper’s dad.
“Mr Adams. I’m sorry, but Jasper isn’t in right now.”
“Yeah, I know. He’s over at his mum’s.” He blew out a breath, looking all sorts of uncomfortable. “It’s actually you I’ve come to see.”
Oh.
No part of me wanted to let him inside my house, but my manners wouldn’t let me shut the door on him. “Would you like to come in.”
He smiled, even if it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Yes, thank you. I won’t take up too much of your time, I promise.”
I waited until he’d gone into the living room before closing the door and resting my head against it for a minute. This should be fun then.
I half expected to find Cole in the living room too when I walked in, but there was only Jasper’s dad. The louvre doors to the kitchen were open a couple of inches, so I knew Cole was probably listening in.
Opting to get comfortable while Mr Adams stood in the middle of the room, I sank into the sofa and crossed my arms. “What can I do for you?”
He met my gaze. “I’d like to apologise for the things I said when I was here last. I know you either heard them or Jasper told you, and I’m ashamed of my behaviour.” His self-deprecating laugh had me sitting forward.
“You made me out to be some sort of predator. Because I’m gay.”
His cheeks flushed and he looked down at his hands. “I know, and it was completely out of line.”
“It was.”
“I was frustrated with Jasper’s lack of concern over his future, and I let my temper get the better of me. I didn’t realise how it sounded until the words came out, but at the time I was too angry to take them back. I’m aware there’s no excuse for such behaviour, but I wanted to apologise.”
“So you’re not worried about Jasper living here with me?”
He sighed. “Oh no, I’m still worried about that, but not because you’re both gay. I love my son, and I want him to be happy.”
I had to bite my tongue not to argue with that, but now was not the time, and it wasn’t my place to interfere.
“I think Jasper rushed into moving in with you to avoid dealing with his mother and her new boyfriend.”
As much as I hated to agree with him, he might be right. “He’s a grown man.”
His dad looked as though he might dispute that but then sighed, seeming to deflate a little. “Yeah, I suppose he is.”
There was more on the tip of my tongue, words I wanted to say in Jasper’s defence. How could his dad see all that he’d accomplished and not be proud? But I kept them inside. What was I to Jasper? Friend? Landlord? The lines were blurred, and it left me with an uneasy feeling. I’d given up denying I found him attractive, and the more time we spent together the more attractive he got.
But everything I said to Cole earlier was still true. We already lived together, adding sex to that, as easy as it would be, felt like it had disaster written all over it. I’d been quiet for so long the silence was edging into awkward territory and my manners kicked in. “Would you like a drink?”
That seemed to shake Jasper’s dad out of whatever deep thoughts he was having, and he gave me a quick shake of his head. “No, thank you. I’ve taken up enough of your time.” He glanced towards the door, then back at me. “I hope we can move past this. If Jasper’s going to be living here for the foreseeable future, I’d like us to get along if possible.”
I couldn’t imagine Jasper inviting him in anytime soon, but that was his call. “We’ll see.” It was the best I could do. Yes, he’d apologised, but I’d need to sit with it a few days before I was ready to forgive and forget. He’d pissed me off and I wasn’t inclined to let him off that easily. Plus, and possibly the more prominent reason, he’d been a dick to Jasper and that pissed me off even more.
“I’ll see myself out,” he said when I started to stand. “But thank you for letting me inside to explain.” With a quick nod, he was gone, the front door shutting quietly behind him.
Not two seconds later, Cole appeared. “Wow.” He let out a low whistle and walked over to the window, presumably watching Jasper’s dad get in his car. “I can’t believe he came to apologise.”
“Why? He said some pretty shitty things the other day.”
“Oh, I know. But he’s said some shitty things to Jasper over the last couple of years and I don’t think he’s ever apologised to him.” He came to sit next to me on the sofa. “Sooo...”
I eyed him warily as he clasped his hands in his lap and leant back on the cushions, twisting to face me. “What?”
“What are you going to do about Jasper?”
