Did hewantto kiss me?
No, no, he couldn’t have. He was just trying to help. That had to be it.
“I wasn’t sure I’d live long enough to see you two get your act together,” Mr. Harrison said, beaming at the two of us.
He knew. He knew about my stupid little teenage crush on Ward because I’d cried to him about it when I was scared and didn’t know what it meant and just wanted someone to tell me it was okay.
He’d told me it was okay.
He’d also told me to tell Ward how I felt, but I’d never been brave enough.
He’d told me that was okay, too, that one day I would be.
The day still hadn’t come.
Except now he thought ithad.
“Dad!” Ward scratched the back of his neck. “I uh. Figured you’d be another few hours.”
“Flight got in early, if you can believe it. Practically no traffic, either. Must’ve been fate.”
Yeah, that I could believe. I could imagine that some metaphysical entity had decided to personally torment me, constantly, for the better part of a week.
That was almost the only explanation for all this.
That and my own shortcomings as a human being, but I liked the fate explanation a lot more.
“Are you planning to come give me a hug, or do I have to go over there and get it?” Mr. Harrison asked, turning his attention to me.
I walked over in a daze, but as soon as he wrapped his arms around me it was just like that first hug I’d gotten from Ward. My body melted into it and my brain even managed to shut up for a second, panic about what had just happened fading back.
“Still wearing the same aftershave, Mr. H?” I asked, breathing in the comforting, familiar scent as he squeezed me tight.
“Between you and Ward giving it to me every Father’s Day for five straight years, I’ll never run out,” he said, holding me even tighter. “You’re a good boy, Ryder. Sorry about the week you’re having.”
So he knew, too.
Was there anyone in the whole world whodidn’tknow?
Probably my own dad, wherever the hell he was. If he was even still alive. If he’d seen my name he would’ve ignored whatever came after it.
Mr. Harrison squeezed me one last rib-crushing time, patted me on the back, and then finally pulled back to curl his hands around my shoulders. “But this is good! You’re back, you’ve fallen into Ward’s waiting arms, you’ll be okay. He’ll take care of you.”
The thing was, I could’ve corrected him right then and there. Told him it wasn’t what it looked like, that we were just talking. Maybe I could even have told him about my agent wanting me to fake it with Ward for the sake of my career.
I might have, even, if not for the firm pressure of Ward’s foot on top of mine.
He wanted me to let his dad believe this.
Before I could make a decision, Ward moved behind me and slid his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder.
He fit against me like we were two pieces of the same jigsaw puzzle, warm and solid against my back from hip to shoulder, breath ghosting over my face as he snuggled close.
“He’s… he’s…”
My phone going off was deafening in the quiet clearing, Ward and his dad both looking at my pocket.
Astrid. It had to be.
