Page 93 of Just a Heartbeat Away

“Seb, I’m sure that’s not true. Your age difference isn’t that extreme, and you’re not that old.”

“Well, I look decrepit in this photo. Old as shit. Half my fucking head is gray hairs? How come you didn’t think to mention that to me? Hey, Sebastian, just so you know, you look like it’s time to get your AARP card.”

“Seb, you’re being ridiculous. Maybe it’s just a bad photo. Because you don’t look that old in real life, and once again, forty-two is NOT OLD.”

“What was I thinking, Ty? I knew it from the beginning. I’m way too old for her. But then she broke up with her boyfriend, and I just started thinkingwhat if? You know? And I got carried away. But the truth remains. There’s no way this is what she really wants. A boyfriend a decade and a half older than she is.”

“You don’t know what the hell she wants!” Ty yelled. “You’re at a wedding with a beautiful woman who obviously has the feels for you, and you’re spiraling out like a little bitch!”

“Ouch.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s true. Seb, you’ve been putting up obstacles for women for the last few years because you were still healing. And that’s fine. But now you’re putting up an obstacle for this woman, and it’s gonna hurt youmore. I can’t take more Hurt Seb, okay? I reached the lifetime allotment. It kills me to see you sad, man.”

“Tyler.”

“But this time, happiness is anoption, Sebastian. It’s an option, and you’re shitting on it. Why? Because you’ve done what everyone in this fucking world does and aged? Fuck you, man. Buy some hair dye if you have to, but don’t fuck this up. Don’t you dare trip at the finish line, you puss.”

“Wow.”

“The truth hurts.”

“Apparently. Jesus, Ty.” Seb scraped a hand over his face. His old-ass face. “Seems like you’ve been keeping that little speech on tap.”

“You can thank me later after you wet your whistle.”

“You’re disgusting. I can’t believe I let you babysit my kid.”

“Speaking of, you wanna talk to your dad?” He said the last part away from the phone.

Seb heard scrabbling as the cell was passed over, and he let his racing mind rest for just a second. The picture burned him. It was horrifying and embarrassing. He looked like a creepy uncle lusting over a high schooler. But maybe Ty was right. Maybe he was focusing too much on all the things that could go wrong instead of the things that could go right.

“Daddy?”

Seb smiled. Matty was breathing too hard into the phone as usual. “Hey, buddy.”

“Guess what Uncle Tyler let me watch on TV tonight?”

“What?” Seb leaned on the wall behind him, taking some of the pressure off his knees from the crouch he was still in. And he let his kid’s voice siphon some worry right off of him.

VIASTOODATthe end of the hallway. Sebastian was twenty feet away talking into his cell and crouching. From the soft look on his face, he was talking to Matty.

Something had been wrong when he’d strode out of the main hall, and Via had no idea what it was. He’d been spooked, like a bear scenting a forest fire on the air. She’d lingered for a few minutes before she’d followed him.

She figured she could hang back and say nothing and potentially watch this thing with him shrivel up and smoke away, or she could follow him and figure out what the hell was going on.

Via stood at the end of the hallway to give him a little privacy. She’d come up here intending to talk. But talking was the very last thing on her mind as she watched him smile into his phone, saying something soft and reassuring to his son.

An image of him dancing with Shelly traced through her mind. Shelly had been so pleased, so happy to be dancing. Seb had towered over her, confident and sure in his dance moves. And now he was talking to his son on the phone. Wishing him good night.

“I love you, too, little man. I’ll see you when you wake up, okay? Good night.”

Seb ended the call and needled the corner of his phone into his eyebrow for a second before he shoved it in the pocket of his suit pants. He rose up slowly and sighed, still leaning against the wall.

He had no idea that Via was down the hallway, burning for him. Her heart galloped in her chest as she realized what she was about to do.

Her heels clicked on the tile floor as she stepped forward.

Seb’s head flicked over and he looked surprised to see her. “Via,” he started.

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