Page 49 of Burn It Down

“You’re damn right.” I laugh and kiss him again. “I’m glad you stayed,” he says softly.

“Me too.” I lie down on his chest, and he holds me, his arms wrapping around me. “I almost quit. I ran into my mother for the first time, and she pretended like she didn’t know me. I didn’t really know anyone in town, and the teachers seemed a little clique-y.”

“What made you stay?”

I laugh. “Jacob Porter.”

“What?” He sounds shocked, and I laugh to myself but don’t move. I’m too comfortable lying here with him to look up and see if his face matches the shock in his voice.

Because Jacob Porter was one of the biggest assholes in school. One who made my life hell and who I thought was a friend of Kade’s.

“What did he do?” I notice he’s holding me tighter now, and I smile at his protectiveness.

“I was shocked stupid. He brought his daughter in to meet her new teacher, and I froze.”

“Sounds familiar,” he grumbles, and I laugh.

“It was. But different. I was scared shitless. I was that nerdy boy again, and I swear I thought he was going to shove me in a locker or push me around. Call me some fun names.”

“Please tell me he didn’t, or I will go find that fucker right now.”

I chuckle, my fingers trailing over the tattoos on his strong bicep. “Nah, he was so nice. He didn’t recognize me at first, but when I told him my name, it clicked for him. He actually looked a little ashamed.”

“Good.”

“But he was pleasant. Married to Mandy.”

“Carter?”

I nod. “Yup. They have two kids, and he’s a really good dad. And he was really nice to me. It made me realize people can change. They can grow. It gave me hope. Not that my parentswould change—I don’t see that ever happening actually. But that maybe I could have a really great life in this tiny little town.”

He kisses my temple again. “You’re fucking incredible, Spencer.”

I swallow hard at that. “I’m just a normal guy, Kade.”

“No,” he says firmly, squeezing me tight. “You aren’t. I can’t believe how blind people in your life were, but I saw it back then. I didn’t act on it because I was a coward, but I knew then you were special, and now here you are, out there making the world a better place every single day.”

I want to cry because for so long I thought I was invisible. That no one saw me. But it turns out, Kade did. He was stuck in his own hell I knew nothing about, thinking I was brave and beautiful.

I believe him now. I know he’s not making that up.

And it’s truly an incredible thing—to be seen.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

I don’t waste time wrapping my arms around Spencer as soon as he opens the door, and he just laughs and hugs me back. I kiss him softly, and he pulls me into his house, but the kiss doesn’t turn heated.

He just leads me over to the couch, and we cozy up together. We did finally exchange numbers, so I sent him a text to ask if it would be okay if I came over for a bit. It’s a school night, and I’m the one waking Elijah up in the morning and taking him to school. But I needed to see Spencer.

“You okay?” We’ve been together for a little over two months now—and we are together—whether we’re defining it or not—and he can already read me like a book.

“Yeah. Just a tough shift.”

“Have you been home yet?”

I shake my head. “No. I worked some extra hours, and by the time I was off, Bowen had Elijah asleep. He told me to go see my girl.”

Spencer laughs at that. It’s kind of a joke we have now. Bowen is convinced I’m sleeping with someone—and he’s right—but he also frequently calls themmy girl. I don’t know why Ihaven’t corrected him yet. I want to, but there’s a little part of me that’s afraid to.

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