“Did she use?” Jasper hums, and I shake my head. “No. She actually stayed sober for Nora. I was surprised. By then, I knew all about the effects of drugs, so I remember being happy that Nora wasn’t going to be sick when she was born. I was upset, though, because I knew Mom wouldn’t be able to take care of her for long, and then it would fall on me. Again. I was thirteen when she was born.”
“Same ol’ shit happened again,” I say, snorting a laugh. “She was born, and I fell right in love with her.”
“I can imagine. You’re a good person, baby boy, and a good big brother. Of course you loved them both.”
I nod, tears burning my eyes. “I hated leaving them. I just… I couldn’t do it anymore. When I left, Mom was sober. She had a year. Most she ever had. Things were good. I wouldn’t have left them if I didn’t think she was doing better.”
I sit up, desperate to make sure Jasper knows that.
He’s staring at me, his eyes full of love. He cups my face, brushing my bottom lip with his thumb. “I know, baby boy. I know you wouldn’t have.”
“I checked in for a while. She was good. She was still doing so fucking good. And then I called to talk to the kids, and fucking Melvin answered. And I just… Iknew.But I also couldn’t go back. It’s so fucking selfish, but I didn’t want to.”
Jasper offers me a sad smile. “It’s not selfish, Arlo. You spent your entire childhood taking care of them. It wasn’t your place, and you still did it. You went above and beyond. No one can blame you for getting out of there.”
I nod, my throat tight. “I got Salem a phone right then and there. Had it shipped to him. Cost me all the savings I had. It was worth it, though, to make sure that he could get ahold of me if something happened. And then he called me to tell me they’d been taken into foster care.”
Blinking hard to keep myself from crying, I shake my head. “I knew I had to get them. I had only been working at Daisy’s for a couple of months, and well, the rest is basically history. Luca came to town, and I met him and you.” Jasper smiles at that. “And then I got real serious about putting down roots and making a home for us.”
“I’m so proud of you, Arlo.” I almost laugh at that, and I think Jasper sees it because he shoots me a stern look. “I’m serious.You’re strong and brave. You made a hard fucking choice. You gave up your entire childhood to essentially raise those kids, and now you’re gonna spend the rest of your adult life taking care of them too. That’s… fuck, if I said it made me love you even more, you’d probably think I’d lost it.”
Considering some days it feels like a miracle that he loves me at all, I’d say he’s right. “I did the best I could.”
“You did perfect.”
I roll my eyes, but it does make me feel a little warm and fuzzy inside. “Thank you for saying that.”
“Thankyoufor letting me into your world and into the kids’ world.”
Sighing, I lean into him. “Thank you for wanting to be part of it.”
We’re close. Our lips are just a breath apart, and before I even have to ask, Jasper catches my mouth with his own, his hand coming up to cup my face.
I press my weight into him, trying to get closer. From the moment I met Jasper Tate, I wanted to be as close to him as possible, and now I’m sharing a bed, a room, a fuckinglifewith him. It doesn’t seem possible, but somehow it is.
Somehow his hand is holding my face as he kisses me deeper. His fingers are loosely gripping my hair, controlling me and moving me where he wants me, where heneedsme. Where I fucking need him too.
He tilts my head to the side with his grip, allowing himself better access, and I whimper into his mouth.
He breaks the kiss and rests his forehead against mine.
“I have a question,” I whisper into the space between us.
“I probably have an answer.”
My lips curve into a grin. “Do you think people with kids still have sex? They have to, right? Otherwise we’d all be only children.”
Jasper laughs. “Yes, baby boy. I’m sure people who have kids still have sex. Our sex life won’t be disrupted. You just won’t be able to come in and strip your clothes off on the way to the bedroom.”
“Hey!” I sit back, glaring at him. “I haven’t done that in a long time.”
He gives me an indulgent smile. “You’re right. You haven’t. Probably because you live here now.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, something like that. Maybe I should leave and surprise you like that sometime soon.”
Jasper narrows his eyes at me. “The kids, baby boy.”
“They’ll be at school, you know? Still plenty of alone time.”
