Page 39 of When Ben Loved Jace
“He probably did this on purpose,” Jace grumbles.
“Adrien?” I ask in surprise before shaking my head. “He seemed really upset about it.”
Not only that, but I’ve gotten to know him a little better overthe past week. Sure, he can be a diva, but Adrien also loves to dish celebrity gossip, which has been fun, and he’s told me some funny stories about Jace. I even worked up the courage to ask for sugar on my grapefruit during the most recent breakfast we shared, which he provided… along with a lecture about diabetes. I probably have my sister to thank, but I’m used to being around people who have abrasive personalities. They can be refreshing in a world full of pleasantries and platitudes.
“Adrien never forgave me,” Jace says miserably.
“For breaking up with him?”
“And the rest.”
I hesitate to ask, given the strain he’s under, but I need to know the truth. “Is he the one you cheated on?”
Jace nods in confirmation, a mixture of emotions playing out on his face. “That’s when I first met Samson.”
“Really?” I ask before calling his name again.
Jace nods. “Victor wasn’t doing so well. His mother had Alzheimer’s and had been getting worse for years. He tried his best to take care of her, but it had reached the point where she wandered off down the street in her bathrobe during a winter storm. By the time the neighbors found her, his mother’s feet were—” Jace grimaces. “She had to be hospitalized. Permanently. Victor couldn’t hide her condition from the doctors. He took that really hard. We didn’t realize how bad it had gotten until… Greg would always check on Victor when he was in town. We all would. Greg was worried enough by what he saw that he called me, and when I went to see for myself… Victor needed me. And I needed him. Maybe it was a moment of weakness, but at the time—” Jace swallows. “—it felt more like love.”
“You need to tell Adrien that,” I say, taking his hand. “So he can finally move on. He already suspects. But without knowing the reason behind what you did, he probably feels rejected. Like you simply chose Victor over him.”
Jace looks at me quizzically. “I take it you’ve been getting to know each other?”
“Yeah. Trust me on this one. Adrien is a stone-cold bitch. He can handle the truth.”
We’ve reached the corner of the block. I stop and call Samson’s name again while Jace shakes the bag of treats. The despair on his face deepens when the cat fails to materialize.
“How did meeting Samson factor into all of that?” I ask as we resume walking.
Jace, overwhelmed by emotion, has to collect himself before answering. “Victor had gotten Samson as a gift for his mother, hoping it would help if she had something to focus on. He was still a kitten when I met him on that trip. Victor wasn’t the best pet owner. He couldn’t even take care of himself, so…”
“You brought him home with you,” I finish, when it’s clear that Jace isn’t able to.
“Eventually,” he croaks.
We’ve got to find that cat! My boyfriend’s heart will break if we don’t. And so will mine. I pick up the pace, calling Samson’s name over and over again, while trying to imagine how a cat might think.
I stop in my tracks suddenly. “Maybe we’re doing this wrong.”
“How so?”
“We keep moving around while calling for him. What if he’s trying to find us?”
Jace glances over his shoulder. “Should we double back?”
I think about it and shake my head. Samson isn’t likely to follow our path by sticking to the sidewalk. A cat would cut through yards and jump over fences. We’re almost back to Adrien’s house anyway. “Come on.” I grab Jace’s hand and lead him there.
Soon, all three of us are standing in the driveway, calling his name and shaking treats. Ten minutes later, we hear a plaintive meow.
Samson appears from beneath a bush across the street. Jace takes off like a shot, sprinting to meet him. He’s cradling the cat to his chest as he rejoins us.
“Oh thank god!” Adrien says, hurrying over to give Samson a series of rapid kisses on his furry head. “You nearly gave me a heart attack, you filthy little rodent!”
Adrien pulls back, suddenly self-conscious. Then he splutters while trying to wipe hair off his lips. “I need my allergy medication,” he says with flushed cheeks before retreating into the house.
I laugh and move close to my boyfriend, so I can tickleSamson behind his ear. “Welcome home. You must be hungry. Are you ready to eat?”
Samson meows again.
