Page 84 of Something Like Summer
“Almost,” Jace continued.“Sexuality eventually became a topic, and even though I mentionedyou during the course of the evening, he still tried to kiss mewhen we were saying goodbye. He was hot, and I won’t lie and saythat I didn’t want to, but I made my choice when I decided to bewith you.”
“So youdidn’t?”
“No. I didn’t.”
Ben sighed, feelingrelieved but now twice as guilty. Even the idea of Jace cheatinghurt him. How much pain had his infidelity caused Jace?
“There’s a differencethough,” Jace continued. “You were once in love with Tim. Youprobably still are to some extent. You two have a history, and thatcomplicates matters.”
“I still shouldn’t havekissed him.”
“Get over it,” Jacesnapped. “What’s more important to me is what you’re going to donow. You’re stuck with an old-fashioned guy. I like monogamy. Idon’t want to have a threesome or share you with anyone. So now youneed to decide if you can handle that or not.”
“I think I can,” Bensaid.
“Good.” Jace nodded. “Thenext thing you have to figure out is what you’re going to do aboutTim. I’m not going to forbid you to see him. I’m not going to sayyou can’t be his friend. I’m going to trust you now as much as Idid before. There’s no point in going on otherwise. But I want youto ask yourself if you can resist doing something like thisagain.”
The question weighed on hismind the rest of the drive home. Was it possible to love two peopleat the same time? Jace seemed to think so and Ben’s heart was inagreement. Couldn’t Jace and Tim hit it off? They could all be inlove and pile into bed at night. Then again, the jealousy Ben feltwhile Jace talked about his own close call made him wonder if hecould really handle such a scenario.
No sense in dwelling onthat fantasy, since Jace wasn’t willing. What mattered now waswhether Ben could get himself under control enough to just befriends with Tim and nothing else. Tim’s strong pursuit wasn’thelping, and he didn’t seem likely to back off, judging by thedetermined expression on his face when they left the water parkcave. Even if he did, Ben knew himself well enough to know that hewould start chasing. Tim could never only be a friend, becauseevery time Ben looked at him, all he saw was his high schoolsweetheart.
Choosing between Jace andTim wasn’t easy. Jace was kind, worldly, and loving. Tim was wild,mysterious, and passionate. Both were sexy. But one had never givenup on Ben, even though he now had good reason to. Jace had stuck byhim over the years. Tim had not.
“I’ve made my choice,” Bensaid, reaching over to take Jace’s hand.
“Good.” Jace flipped theturn signal and took the exit ramp for Austin. “Now there’s onefinal thing we both have to face.”
“What’s that?”
“How to apologize toAllison. We left her at the park.”
Ben groaned. With all thathad happened, he’d completely forgotten about her. Earning backJace’s trust and saying good-bye to Tim no longer seemed such adaunting task compared to the hurricane of anger he’d face when shefound her way home.
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Chapter 24
How did someone go aboutdeliberately ending a friendship? Television dramas were full ofbreakups, but those usually involved moments of high passion.Breaking up with a friend was more subtle and calculated. Werethere any guidelines to be followed? Was breaking up in personrequired? Or did one friend simply stop calling the other and letthe bond gradually deteriorate into nothing?
Ben had no choicesremaining. He had already called Tim, telling him that they neededto talk. In retrospect, he probably should have been more specific.What if Tim was getting his hopes up? Ben had considered meetinghim in public, but worried that one of them might cry, which wouldbe embarrassing.
Instead he was on his wayto Tim’s house, trying to decide if he should stop to grab somedrinks somewhere. Getting drunk with Tim wasn’t advisable, but abeer could help make this talk easier on both of them. Even better,Ben could have an alcohol-free beer and leave a six-pack for Tim tonurse his wounds with.
He pulled into a strip malland parked in front of one of the small liquor stores that wereoften found nestled up against major grocery chains. An unexpectedsight attracted his attention on his way into the store. In theparking lot sat a large blue van with both of its rear doors open.A baby gate stretched across the opening, rattling occasionally assomething tried to escape. A disheveled woman adjusted the gatebefore replacing a fallen sign that read “Free Puppies.” Memoriesof Wilford prompted Ben to investigate.
“Looking for a puppy?” thewoman asked as he approached.
“Not really, but I suremiss having one,” Ben answered. He looked over the gate to see onlyone puppy left, its tiny body a fat sausage decked out in a furcoat two sizes too large. The dog stopped romping around toconsider him with a smooshed face. “Is it supposed to look thatway?”
The woman snorted. “Totallynormal for a bulldog. They only get uglier when they’re older, butyou’ll have fallen in love by then.”
“He is sort of cute,” Benadmitted as he watched the puppy try to scale the gate. When itfailed it crouched and barked instead.
“She, actually. This one’sa girl. Do you have a home big enough for a dog?”
“Well no, but--”Everything clicked into place. “My friend has a huge house and helives there all alone. I think a dog would be perfect forhim.”
The woman clapped her handstogether, her eyes filled with desperate relief before becomingshrewd. “Now, the dog is free, but I’m asking a twenty dollardonation. Completely optional, but all proceeds go toward gettingmama-dog spayed.”
