Page 60 of Every Hidden Truth

“It’s really good to meet you,” Ben said as Dad hesitantly shook the offered hand. Glancing down at himself, he flushed a darker shade of red. “I realize now I should’ve put my shirt back on before introducing myself. Sorry about that.”

“Jesus Christ, Ben.” I buried my face in my hands.

After two stressful seconds, Dad sent me a questioning look but addressed Ben. “It’s good to meet you, Ben. Call me Charlie.”

“Put your shirt on,” I hissed, and Ben glared at me from the corner of his eye.

“I would have butyouthrew it behind the couch.”

A strangled sound scraped my dad’s throat, and his previously pale face flushed.

Unfreezing, I grabbed Ben and yanked him away from my dad, snarling through clenched teeth. “Stop talking and put your goddamn clothes on!” Facing Dad, I tried to smile. “Hi, Dad. So awesome you’re home right now. Ben was just leaving.”

“I was?” Ben asked and I waved my arm behind my back, smacking at him blindly.

“Oh. My. God. Benjamin!”

He had the fucking audacity to giggle. “Right. I was just leaving.”

Dad still hadn’t moved, staring at us like he’d give his left kidney to be anywhere in the world but here.

“If you find my undershirt—” Ben started to say, choking off as I glared at him with the heat of a thousand suns. “Okay, I’m going.”

To my dad, Ben said, “It was good to finally meet you, Charlie. Sorry that you saw my nipples.”

I whimpered a third time.

Thankfully, Dad ignored the nipple comment as he said, “Drive safe, Ben. The roads are slick.”

“Will do.” Ben returned to my side, hesitantly curling his fingers around my stiff fist. “See you later?”

Like he couldn’t bear the awkwardness any longer, Dad shuffled toward the kitchen with a muttered, “I’ll just, uh, leave you to it, then.”

The moment he was out of sight, I smothered my humiliated groan in Ben’s chest. “Please tell me this is a nightmare.”

He cupped the back of my neck with a comforting squeeze. “Oh, come on. It’s not that bad.”

“You saidnipplesin front of my dad!”

Chuckling sheepishly, he massaged my neck and pecked the top of my head. His breath warmed my scalp as he spoke into my hair. “I’m sorry if you weren’t ready for me to meet him.”

“It’s not that.” I straightened and smoothed a hand down his wrinkled shirt. “I promise it’s not that. I just wish he hadn’t literally caught us with our pants down.”

“Yeah, that wasn’t exactly the first impression I was hoping to give.” Our foreheads met, and Ben sighed. “Call me later?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

He kissed me chastely, and I tangled my fingers in his shirt to keep us connected for an extra moment. His lips teased mine as he spoke through the kiss. “It’ll be fine. Your dad loves you, Silas.”

Somehow, stating that simple truth helped. “Yeah, I know.”

“But, still, call me later.”

“Okay.”

After stealing another kiss, he winked and opened the front door. “Find my tie, won’t you?”

I flipped him off as he ducked into the winter night, leaving me to face my father alone.

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