He swallows hard enough that I can hear it. “I’m not sure. I really can’t afford much.”
“Sweetheart,” I breathe, my throat aching. “You don’t have to pay anything. You’re not here as a guest. You’re here as—” I choke back the words that want to fly out of me. That he’s here asmine.“You don’t have to pay,” I repeat.
Theo sits up, and his eyes search my face. “Can I stay for a week or so?”
I’d like him to stay forever. The thought hits me like a bolt of lightning. Jesus, why am I falling in love with someone who lives so far away from me?
“Okay. Do you want me to go home with you to get some clothes? We can take turns driving so it’s not so bad.”
A small smile spreads across his face. It doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Sure, but you can’t come inside.”
What? “Why not?”
“I can’t even take care of myself, Hunter,” he mumbles, breaking eye contact. “I definitely haven’t been taking care of my apartment.”
I want to tell him that I’d take care of him. That I’d help him eat and shower and brush his teeth. That I’d drag him out of bed to ride Molls if he needed it. That I’d show him all myfavorite places in town. That I’d introduce him to everyone so he wouldn’t be alone anymore.
He’d have a community here. Friendship. Hell, he already does. Me and Luca and Austin. And I know Arlo too, and Austin’s friend, Jasper. All of them would welcome him with open arms.
“We can leave in the morning if you want,” Theo says when I don’t respond to him. “Do you need to find someone to take care of the farm?”
I shake my head. “No. I just need to talk to Mom. She can take care of things. I just didn’t want her to.”
Theo hums. “That’s why you quit. To help her?”
This could become dangerous territory really fast. “It was part of the reason.”
“What was the other part?”
You.
I clear my throat, ready to choke the words back. I don’t want to lie to him, even if it’s just a lie of omission. It didn’t end well for me last time. And he’s struggling right now, but he’s not broken. He can handle the truth. I think. I hope so, anyway.
“Well…” I pause, still not sure if this is the right choice. But I made the opposite choice last time, and it wasn’t right either. “Luca,” I say softly. “But also you.”
“Me?” Theo asks, blinking at me slowly.
“Mhm.”
“Why me?”
He doesn’t seem mad, just confused, and I feel slightly better about my decision to be honest with him.
“What I saw in your file fucked me up.”
Quicker than shit, he turns from me, nearly throwing himself out of my lap.
“No. Not like that. Come back.” Fucked it all up, Hunter. Way to go.
“I’m sorry Ifucked you up.”
“Theo, dammit. Come here. Don’t run away from me,” I say just when he gets to the bedroom door. “I’m trying to tell you the truth this time. I didn’t last time, remember?”
He pauses, hand on the doorhandle. “I remember.”
“I want to do it right this time. But that was the wrong way to word it.”
“I’ll say,” he mumbles, more to himself than to me.
