“Like a sentencing period?” Bristowe asked.
Ace nodded. “Instead of juvie.”
Flynn breathed in loudly through his nose, holding it and counting to ten. Finally, he let it out. “Does that make it clear how serious this is?”
Ace looked as though he was about to cry. “I was stupid, I know. Mitch will never forgive me, but those guys think I’m cool now.”
“Because you got in trouble?”
Ace nodded. “Once you go to Twin Rivers, the bad kids think you’re one of them.”
“Fuck’s sake,” Flynn muttered.
“There’s nothing I can do now,” Ace said, sinking back onto the couch.
“I’m sure there is,” Flynn said.
“You know what you can do, Ace?” At his nod, Bristowe continued, “You can stay out of trouble from now on. You behave at that school, and you do everything they tell you.”
“Do you understand the severity of the situation?” Flynn pressed. “If you fuck this up, you’ll end up in juvenile detention.”
A tear slipped down Ace’s cheek. “I’ve tried to be better than my parents, like you taught me.”
“Ace.”
“But I failed.”
Scooting over, Flynn stretched his arm over the back of the couch. It would be up to Ace if he accepted the contact. Bristowe watched them, and Flynn waited patiently.
Finally, Ace sat back, allowing Flynn’s arm to rest over his shoulders. “I fucked up.”
“Now that you admit it, the best thing is to try harder from now on.” Flynn squeezed his shoulder. “You’re not a failure because of one mistake.”
Ace leaned over until he was tucked under Flynn’s arm, more like the child he should be instead of the adult he was trying so hard to emulate.
Bristowe cleared her throat. “Do you want us to talk to Mitch for you?”
Flynn’s brows went up. He hadn't thought of that.
“Can you?” Ace looked hopefully up at Flynn.
“Yeah, kid. You know I love you.”
Sighing, Ace said, “I’m sorry I disappointed you.”
Something tightened in Flynn’s chest. Was this what being a parent felt like? “As long as you straighten your ass up, I forgive you.”
