Page 176 of Still Bruised
“Especially after all that shit Rick put Jude through? But then, you know what they say about he who doth protest too much. I guess it makes a little more sense why Rick was so hard on him. It was probably all self-loathing.”
“Possibly.”
“Well, I’ll let you go. I appreciate you letting me get that off my chest.”
“I appreciate you telling me that. It makes the last fifteen years a little less sad.”
Ashley smiled.
“A bunch of us are headed to McMurphy’s for a drink,” Foster said. “Since the vibe was a bit sad in there, we’re taking the party elsewhere.”
“Have fun.”
Foster smiled. “If you want to come have a drink with us, feel free.”
Ashley grinned. “I appreciate the offer, but I wouldn’t want to make Jude and his friends uncomfortable. Speaking of Jude, he and I need to have a moment before I leave.”
She walked around to the passenger side and knocked on the window. Jude slipped out, and they spoke in hushed tones on the other side of the SUV. Foster couldn’t quite hear what they were saying, but from the hug they shared at the end, he assumed it was positive.
Ashley waved to them both before walking deeper into the parking lot and out of view.
Foster climbed behind the wheel while Jude slipped into the passenger seat.
“What did she say to you?” Foster asked.
“She apologized to me for the stuff in school and then told me to take good care of you because you were a really good guy,” Jude replied.
“She wasn’t in on the bullying, was she?”
“Not that I ever saw. She said she wished she’d done something to stop it, so I assume not.” Jude eyed him. “You two cleared the air?”
“We did. I feel a lot better, too. I’d considered it all such a waste. I can’t get that time back, but at least I no longer have to feel like we’re enemies. We both made a poor choice, but we’re both free to live as we choose now.” Foster smiled. “And maybe I was meant to be there with her and come back when I did. Because now I have you.”
Jude slid his fingers through Foster’s. “And I have you.”
Foster leaned closer and pressed his lips to Jude’s. “I love you.”
Jude swallowed thickly, blinking a few times. Enough that Foster feared he’d said the wrong thing. His relationship-phobic boyfriend might not be ready for statements like that.
“I love you, too,” Jude whispered.
Foster relaxed, sighing with relief.
“Were you scared I wasn’t going to say it back?”
Foster chuckled. “I was scared I was an idiot and said too much. I didn’t want you to run away from me.”
“Not gonna lie, panic hit at first.” Jude squeezed his hand. “It took me a couple of seconds to remind myself that I don’t want to run.”
Foster kissed him again. “That just might be the sexiest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
Jude grinned. “That I don’t want to run away?”
“Exactly,” Foster said. He snuck another kiss and squeezed Jude’s hand. “I know just how big that is for you, so it means a lot.”
Jude kissed him, a little hunger in it. “Why don’t we limit McMurphy’s to one drink?”
“I thought we were going to hang out with everyone?”
