Page 32 of Xavier

This time I slapped both of my hands over my face and I groaned into them. “I know...”

“That’s kind of a marriage time limit.”

“What?”

He shrugged at me when I peeked at him through my hands.

“Isn’t the saying, if it’s been a year, you should know if you want to marry the person you’re dating?”

Marriage?

I hadn’t thought about that since Kate and I divorced.

Was that true?

Was Gage expecting that?

Neither of us had talked about tying the knot, mostly due to us being long distance for the time being.

That was currently our biggest hurdle to overcome, which wouldn’t be getting resolved until I knew where Dexter was going. If he decided on LSU, great. I’d most likely move down here to be with Gage.

If not?

We’d figure something else out.

We’d come this damn far—even if the distance was killing us both.

“Uh...” I dropped my hands to my side. “We haven’t really talked about it.”

His lips parted at the same time that his brows pulled together. “Seriously?”

“What?” Now I was feeling a little defensive.

Why the hell was I trying to defend myself to my damn seventeen year old?

“Enough talking about my relationship. Don’t we have a school to tour?”

Marching around him, I planted both of my hands on his shoulder blades to guide him down the hallway we were facing. This was a good excuse to get my bearings back, anyway. Coming on this school tour with him hadn’t prepared me for the onslaught of fucking questions he’d needle me with about me and Gage.

“Dad.” He craned his neck back to look at me.

“How about this,” I offered. “I’ll tell you about Gage and I while we walk. Sound good?”

For the first time since yesterday, he smiled. “All right, deal.”

CHAPTER 15

Xavier

By the timewe got back to Gage’s, I was both mentally and physically exhausted.

“I’m going to take a shower,” Dexter said, moving around me as soon as he kicked his shoes off. “I’m sweaty from walking up and down all those stairs.”

“Take your time. Whatever Gage is bringing back will probably need time to heat up, anyway.”

He nodded and then headed for the hallway. The bathroom door clicked shut a moment later, leaving me to my own thoughts for the time being. Stumbling over to the couch, I threw myself back on it and let my body sink into the soft cushions.

Who fucking knew divulging my relationship to my teenaged son would have me feeling like I’d just walked out of an intense therapy session?

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