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He looks down and murmurs, “Right.”
As the silence stretches, I feel he won’t tell me. “It’s okay. You don’t have—”
“I went to see my dad that Saturday when you thought I met with Bristol.”
My brows fly up. “You have a relationship with your real dad?”
He scoffs. “I wouldn’t call it that. He’s a musician. Guitarist, to be exact, and he struggles with alcohol. Whenever Barry needs money, he calls me.”
I frown. “Reid…”
“I know. I’m an idiot for letting him use me like that when he gave me up as a kid.” He stares out at the water, jaw stiffening.
“Does Aunt Helena know?”
“Of course not. The first time he asked for money, I told her about it. She made me swear to stay away from him. But…” He utters a deep hum. “It’s hard to turn my back on him.”
Intrigue swells inside me, and I ask, “What happened back then with your dad?”
Sitting up, Reid digs his fingers into the sand as he speaks. “He couldn’t make ends meet. Barry was a struggling musician. I mean, he played with various bands. But nothing ever took off, and he barely made money.” He pauses to catch his breath. “By chance, he met my mom in a bar. They got to talking and….” He scoffs. “One day, she picked me up and said she would take care of me for the rest of my life. Told me Barry was unable to.”
The crack in his voice places an ache in my chest, and I don’t hesitate to move closer and rub his back in soothing motions.
“Found out months later that Barry gave me up for money to pay off debts and buy a new guitar.” He sputters a short sarcastic laugh. “It was the best thing for me. My mom gave me the love and attention I needed, especially as a seven-year-old.” He looks at me, eyes a bit glossy. “I never would have met you had she not adopted me.” That makes him smile, pulling one out of me in return.
He sniffs and looks down at the sand. “Even though that happened, I still checked on Barry. I just can’t…wipe him from my life.”
“I understand,” I say softly. “There’s still that link. He is your dad, regardless.”
“Yeah.” He rolls his shoulders and clears his throat. “Anyway, thanks for listening and not calling me a fool for giving Barry money.”
“I don’t think you are.” I give his shoulder a gentle squeeze.
He glances at my hand, and it’s as if I’ve only now realized I’m touching him a lot.
I pull away, but Reid grasps my hand between us. It ignites a heatwave on my skin, heightening as he gently traces my knuckles with his thumb.
“I missed you so much,” he rasps.
“Missed you, too,” I say in a close whisper.
Holding me captive with his intense gaze, he takes a hard swallow and says, “I want to know other things about you.”
“Like what?”
He delays for a second, then asks, “First kiss?”
My eyes flutter from the question. “Um, years ago,” I answer dismissively because I haven’t kissed anyone since that silly and innocent moment between us at ten. “I don’t even remember.” I move my hand from his touch to cool the inappropriate fire. But it refuses to simmer, especially when I can’t break our eye contact. I ask the same question in return. “How about you?”
“Fifteen,” he replies. “It was trash. We knocked teeth, and I think I bit her on accident.”
“Yikes.” I laugh.
Reid shifts his fingers close to mine again, strengthening the longing within.
“First time?” His voice comes out low and deep, starting a fire in my belly.
Should he be asking me that?
