Page 1 of Something Like Forever
Part One:
Acapulco, 2014
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Chapter One
This is the end of ourstory. Looking back, it’s hard to understand how we reached thispoint. Infatuation led to a rollerblade accident, and from there…love. While it lasted. Although now I see that it never went away.Separation doesn’t cure a broken heart. Meeting a guy in the cloudssure helped, but like all angels, his feet only touched the groundfor so long. When all hope seemed lost, that old love from my youthreturned, bringing more than comforting nostalgia. What followed inhis wake was new. A dream reborn. A second chance.
Ben Bentley looked up fromhis phone, the cold digital screen a stark contrast to hissurroundings. He was standing on a beach, warm sand slippingbetween his wiggling toes. Directly ahead, waves crashed into theshore, reminding him again of how all this had begun. Ben’s eyesmoved to the water where he spotted a bobbing head with dark hairand striking silver eyes. Tim Wyman was the man who, if the fateswere kind, Ben would spend the rest of his life with. They weremarried now. This was their honeymoon! But as Ben watched the waterpull away from the sand, he was reminded that vows and rings wereno guarantee of a happy future. Anything could happen, no matterhow heartfelt their wishes or adamant their promises.
“Hey!”
Maudlin thoughtsdisappeared at the sound of that voice. Ben turned to see someonespecial walking toward him. His son! The newly bestowed titlelifted his spirits and filled him with pride. Jason Grant worenothing but a pair of wet swim trunks that clung to his legs. Hisshoulders were broad, his build was slender. His hair stuck to hisforehead in damp brown tangles, the blue eyes intense and lockedonto his own. Jason was handsome in his own way, although Bendidn’t feel attracted to him in the slightest. He always assumedthat biologic connections made such things impossible. Bencertainly wasn’t attracted to his sister—obviously—or any of hismale cousins, but they were blood. Jason wasn’t, but hewasfamily. Legally now.The adoption papers had been signed, although their family bond hadstarted long before then. Five years ago. Funny, because it alreadyfelt much longer. An age difference of nearly ten years separatedthem. People would probably mistake Ben and Jason as brothers forthe rest of their lives, but when it came to their relationship,the roles were that of a parent and child.
Ben had experienced a lot.Not just the loss of one great love and the rediscovery of another.His heart had been put through the wringer in many other ways, buthe had overcome each obstacle until his life settled down into apeaceful rhythm. Jason was still finding his way and often neededguidance. Judging from his current expression—the brave smileforced—now was one such occasion.
“You’re crazy,” Jasonsaid, nodding at the phone. “I know how addictive those things are,but this is paradise!” He spread his arms wide, as if presentingthe world.
He wasn’t wrong. The sunwas setting, the fiery sphere seeming to touch where the waters ofthe bay met the Pacific Ocean. Orange and blue intermingled in theheavens above, the colors darkening as the day drew to aclose.
“Do you get a signal outhere?” Jason asked, coming to a stop in front of him and lookingdown at the phone. “Mine’s barely worked since welanded.”
“Not really,” Ben replied.“I’ve got one bar, which is just enough to give me false hopebefore it times out.”
Jason angled his head tosee the phone better. “Then what are you doing?”
“Oh.” Ben held it up toshow him before pocketing the phone. “Just writing. I used to allthe time when I was younger. Always felt like it helped me workthrough things.”
“Uh oh.”
“Uh oh?” Benrepeated.
Jason shrugged. “People don’t need to workthrough things if they’re happy. This is your honeymoon!”
Ben laughed. “Iamhappy. A littleoverwhelmed too. So much has changed. I just got hitched and gavebirth to a twenty-four-year-old man!”
“Gross!” Jason said,grinning broadly. “Still, it’s not like you guys weren’t alreadyliving together, and I’ve been around for ages now, so I don’t seewhat’s really changed.” The smile faded. “Oh.”
Ben forced his own smileto remain, despite how he felt. “I’m going to miss you.”
Jason nodded, eyesbecoming watery and Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallowed. Then heturned to look beyond the waves at the gently swelling water. Timwasn’t alone out there. Two silhouettes could be seen, heads thatfaced each other and talked between bouts of action. Arms moved inarcs and feet kicked to propel them forward in a friendlycompetition. Ben had no trouble telling who was whom. The man whooften threw back his head to laugh, or who would launch into theair with arms pressed to his sides before plummeting beneath thesurface like a stone—that was Tim. The name alone made Ben flashback to a small desk in a Texas high school where he had scribbledthat name into a notebook over and over again. Next to this he hadwritten his own name, making himself a Wyman, but never trulybelieving that dream would one day come true. But it had! Allexcept for the last name. Ben was too used to being a Bentley, andhe didn’t want Tim’s name to change either.
As for the other swimmer,the person who moved through the water with practiced precision—theone who kept a watchful eye whenever Tim performed a potentiallyharmful stunt—they didn’t come much sweeter than him. WilliamTownson was a good man. Ben had no doubt about that. He only wishedhis profession wasn’t quite so heroic. William was a Coast Guardrescue swimmer, and while that was noble and necessary, the jobcame with risks. His line of work was dangerous, and if anythingshould ever happen to him… Ben knew that pain all too well, andwould do just about anything to shield Jason from it. Aside fromdepriving Jason of the love that he so deserved. Not that he wasn’ttempted. William’s occupation required him to live near an airstation, which they definitely didn’t have back home in Austin.This meant changes were necessary. William wanted to resume hiscareer with the Coast Guard. Jason wanted that for him too. Becauseof that, they were moving to the other side of the county. All theway to Oregon.
“I can’t doit.”
Ben’s attention whippedback to Jason. Between the crashing waves and the graduallystirring nightlife behind them, he wasn’t sure if he had heardright, so he simply shook his head.
Jason took a deep breath,chest heaving. “I know you said that you’re proud of me, but Ican’t. It’s like someone gave me everything I ever wanted but thenasked me choose only one thing to keep. Most of it is easy, but notwhen you get to the people. Emma is my best friend, and you…” Hisvoice squeaked. “You’re my dad.”
“Come here,” Ben said,opening his arms.
Jason accepted, squeezingdesperately and sniffling over his shoulder.
Ben patted his back, thenrubbed it to comfort him. “We’llalwaysbe here for you. You knowthat. Moving to Astoria won’t change how we feel about you. Nothingcan.”
Jason pulled away, headshaking. “I wish I had never come up with the stupid idea. I knowWilliam wasn’t happy being a paramedic, but most people don’t liketheir job, right?”
