Page 96 of Someday Away

I look up at him. “How did you…”

He chuckles. “I’ve been around you two at the theater enough to see how you both look at each other. Though I have to say, son, I think Trey has his eye on her, too.”

I bark a laugh. “You have no idea.”

“Is it complicated because she’s Ellen’s daughter?”

“It was…” I debate whether I should tell him the whole sordid story, but my dad speaks up before I can really answer.

“Look, Link, you don’t have to tell me what happened. All I know is since you met that girl, you’ve been happy—anyone with eyes can see that. My biggest mistake was being a coward. I should have been honest with your mom about my feelings for her and for Ellen from the start. And Ellen should have done the same with Martin. But sometimes adults fuck up. The best advice I can give you is to tell the truth.” He gives me a sad smile, and for the first time since I caught him and Ellen in his office that day, my heart aches for him. “Worst case, you lose her. But if you don’t tell her, that will probably happenanyway. The difference is whether or not your honesty makes you redeemable.”

“What if I’m the villain in this story?” I ask quietly.

“Even some of the worst villains have atoned for their sins. Look at Darth Vader, Loki, Boromir, theT. rexfromJurassic Park.”

My lips twitch with amusement. “Nerd,” I say, shoving him playfully. He smiles, but mine falters. “I don’t think I deserve redemption, Dad.”

“That’s not up to you. That’s Charlie’s choice to make. And if it means you’ll finally find peace, I hope you accept her forgiveness and move on. You deserve to be happy.”

“Thanks. I’m glad we could finally talk.”

“Any time, kid.”

I walk over to the coffee pot and pour two cups of coffee before I turn to head upstairs.

“You’re seeing her tonight, huh?” my dad asks.

I look back, nodding, and then I walk back to my bedroom, anxiety and fear churning my stomach because I’m going to tell Charlie everything.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

CHARLIE

Downtown Brighton is bustling with nightlife as I drive through on my way to Lincoln and Trey’s neighborhood. The crowd is mostly college students who are home for winter break or high school students with fake IDs, if I had to guess. The streets are brightly lit with strings of colorful lights, and several blocks away, the town’s large Christmas tree twinkles merrily in the center of Waypoint Park.

Brighton isn’t very large, so as I leave downtown behind, I turn onto a quieter side road within a few minutes. Streetlights illuminate an impressive collection of large houses all with winding driveways and wrought-iron fencing. Clearly, these people have money.

I pull up to a locked gate, but it buzzes open right away, so I’m guessing the boys saw me coming, and I continue up the driveway to park in front of one of three garage doors. I sit in my car for a minute, staring at the house, my nerves chipping away at my confidence. But then the front door opens, and Trey leans against the doorframe, all long legs and a sexy smile on his full lips. Butterflies chase away any anxious thoughts because this beautiful boy is inexplicably into me, and I’m so here for it.

I open my door as he approaches the car with a cocky swagger. “C’mon in, Bennett,” he drawls, reaching out his large hand and linking our fingers together. The warmth where our skin touches infuses my whole body, and I step closer as we walk inside together, breathing him in.

I look around as he leads me through the house and down a long flight of stairs. “Are your parents home?” I ask.

“Not a chance,” he says. “My parents hardly ever venture back stateside, even for the holidays, so we come here when we want…privacy.”

“Oh.” The way he says the word “privacy” has my pussy heating up and clenching like the horny bitch she is, and I’m suddenly more than ready to move on to the next step with Trey and Link—if we’re all on the same page, that is.

I stop when we reach the bottom of the steps, my mouth dropping open. The room opens up into a mini-theater. A few rows of couch-like seats face a literal stage outfitted with fancy light fixtures and state-of-the-art speakers. A white projection screen hovers just in front of the stage. A long, low table sits in front of the first row of seats, stocked with a large bowl of popcorn and various snacks and drinks.

“This is incredible.” I release Trey’s hand and run over to one of the couches so I can sink into the plush material.

He chuckles and sits beside me, pulling me onto his lap. “Yeah, when your mom is a rich stage actor, this is what the media room looks like.”

I look up at him, getting lost in the whisky brown of his eyes, and his lips fall to mine. The kiss is slow and gentle, and I savor the taste of him, moaning into his mouth as I feel his cock harden against my ass.

I change positions, straddling his legs, and he pulls me closer, his fingers tangling in my hair, deepening the kiss until my head is spinning. My panties are already damp as I startto grind against Trey’s hardness, making him groan. “Fuck, Bennett…”

“Get a room.”

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