Series: Peach State Stepbros Series by Riley Hart
Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78418 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78418 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
“Yeah, me too.”
“We’ll be okay, my little perv. I promise.”
“I know.” Ash pulls up the second computer chair, and we sit at the desk. I log in to Zoom. It’s just a couple of minutes before Mom is joining. We have the same bright-blue eyes and the same smile, but my brown hair comes from Dad—Mom’s being a more blond color.
“Hey, you,” I say. Her gaze darts back and forth between me and Ash. “I dragged this guy to hang out with us today.”
“I hope that’s okay,” Ash says, and I reach under the table, placing my hand on his thigh.
“Of course it is. How have you been?” Mom asks, and I let out a sigh of relief. I’d told him I wasn’t nervous, and really, I’m not—or at least I haven’t been until I saw the way Mom was looking at us.
Maybe Mrs. Raeger already told her.
Maybe I was wrong and our parents won’t understand.
I push those thoughts aside while Ash gives Mom an update on his life—well, minus the biggest change.
When they’re finished, I find Ash’s hand, hold it in support, and say, “There’s actually a reason I wanted Ash here with me today. This might come as a shock, especially since I haven’t even told you I’m queer, but Ash and I…we’re together now.”
Mom doesn’t answer right away, again looking back and forth between us—that same expression as when we first got onto the call.
Oh. She knew.
Mrs. Raeger already got to her.
“I know it’s probably confusing,” Ash starts. “Being stepbrothers makes things complicated, but I love Colin. He’s been my best friend from the first day I met him, and now he’s more. He’s everything.”
My heart bangs at my chest, running a million miles an hour. It doesn’t matter that I’ve heard him say similar things to me before; every time feels like the first time, making a riot of butterflies dance around in my chest.
“Ash is everything to me too,” I admit, our grip tight on each other.
Mom sighs, and I know that sound. Anyone who has a parent probably knows that sound, and it’s not one we want to be hearing right now. It makes my heart slow down and drop to my belly. Just moments ago, it would’ve never occurred to me that we wouldn’t have our parents’ support. Maybe that’s naive of me. Maybe it’s not the way it works, but it’s the way it should work.
“Mom?” I’m pretty sure Ash is holding his breath.
“That’s my worry,” she finally says, making my brows pull together in confusion.
“What’s your worry?”
“How important you are to each other. From the moment you met, you’ve been inseparable—two peas in a pod. That’s sweet. I know how much you mean to each other, and I hate to even mention it, but what if it doesn’t work?”
I roll my eyes. “Why wouldn’t it work? We love each other.”
I feel Ash stiffen beside me, like maybe this is making more sense to him than it is to me. Like maybe my mom’s not pulling ridiculous reasons out of the air, which is all I see.
“You don’t think your father and I loved each other? Hell, Colin. You’ve heard the stories. We grew up best friends, much like you and Ash.” They’d known each other even longer. Played together, learned to ride bikes together. Shared their first kisses, their first everything, and then one day, they realized things changed. That they loved each other but weren’t in love with each other and maybe never were.
“My parents too,” Ash says. “They thought they would work, and they didn’t.”
“So? That doesn’t mean it would happen to us. I can’t believe you said that, Mom.” I turn to Ash. “We’re fine. Nothing is going to change between us.”
Mom speaks before he can. “I’m not trying to hurt either of you. You know I love you both and will support you both, but I’m trying to be realistic here. You two are so important to each other. You’re not just boyfriends and best friends, but stepbrothers. Have you considered what would happen if it doesn’t work out? What you have to lose?”
“That’s a risk in every relationship.”
“But the stakes are higher here. I hate saying this. I’m not trying to be the bad guy, but romantic relationships fail often, even the ones that aren’t supposed to, like mine and your father’s, and what would that mean for the two of you?”
“You and Dad get along fine,” I argue.
Why isn’t Ash talking? Why isn’t he saying anything?
“We do, but it was rocky at first, and maybe that’s a risk you two are willing to take. I just don’t feel like I’d be doing either of you any favors by pretending this can’t blow up in our faces. You would be crushed if anything happened between the two of you.”