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He shrugs and reaches for his sixth slice. "It just wasn't right. I knew it wasn't before I left, and she knew it too, but it was fun. She wasn't too torn up about not having to stick around and help me cope with it all."

"That's awful."

"Yeah well, in the past I haven't dated the most... character-filled women."

"In the past? You hope to change that?"

"Yeah, yeah I do, Pops."

His intense stare shakes my nerves. "Have you ever dated one who was right? You know, someone you thought could last."

"I have."

"And...?" I prompt, motioning with my hand for him to continue.

"It didn't."

"Didn't?"

"Last."

"Why?"

"Ask her." His jaw muscles tense as he shifts his stare to the living room. "It was a long time ago."

Now I'm curious. "How long ago?"

"High school, Army time frame."

"How long did you date?"

"What's with the fifty questions, Pops? Why does it matter who came before you? All that matters is you're here now, with me, and you promised not to leave."

Everything, every word in his statement, throw my thoughts into overdrive, but the hurt in his last words directs my next question.

"Did she?"

"Did she what?" he responds with an exaggerated sigh.

"Leave."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Again, you'd have to ask her. Not that you'll ever meet her. Come on, I'm tired." He stands and reaches for my hand. "Have you ever thought of going into interrogation?"

"Huh?"

"You ask a lot of questions," he says with a smile, then tugs me off the stool. "Listen, you've dated people and I've dated people, and I really don't give two shits about any of them. What matters is I don't want them. I want you."

"You do?"

We pause at the bottom of the stairs, me one step higher, putting us eye to eye.

"I do." He leans in, but I turn and bolt up the stairs. Always been good at running away, it seems.

"Seriously?" he says behind me. Once we reach my bedroom, he leans against the doorframe and nods to the bed. "Where do you want me?" He grins. "I'd prefer not to sleep outside your door again tonight. My ass hurt like hell this morning. But I'm not letting you sleep unprotected, so it's your call here, Pops."