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ever gone out of your way to find them. You hate the bar and you never go

out. Your circle of friends is way too small. It must be someone at work.

Am I warm or cold? You might as well tell me. You never keep secrets from

me. Come on. If there is someone, I should know, because then I’ll have to

be even more careful. If someone saw you and said something to anyone

and it got back to my mom—”

“Have you ever considered just telling her that you are the master of your

own freaking body and future, and that your dick is yours to do with and

you should be able to put it where you want, when you want, with who you

want, for as long as you want?” she snapped.

“I have thought about it,” Shane said sarcastically as he popped the car

into first. He had to be gentle this time, since there was a car in front of

them that he’d rear end if he peeled out like he enjoyed doing. “But then I

also thought that it would break her heart and she’d give me no peace, not

that she does already,

but it would be even worse, and I’d hate to disappoint

her, even if it is unnatural and I should grow a set of stones and grow up

and yada, yada, yada. In the end, I decided that I’d like to make her proud

and happy, even if it is a lie, instead of seeing her worried sick and putting

herself into an early fucking grave or something that I’ll have to feel guilty

about for the rest of my life. Which is why I was introduced to you through

our mutual friend who knew of my dilemma and also knew of your

dilemma, which is also why we’re here now. I could ask you if you’ve ever

decided to come clean to your family and tell them that it’s your choice who

you love and that they should accept you and love you anyway, but I’m not

going to do that, because that’s your business, not mine, and I can’t force

you to be ready, any more than you can force me to thin that marriage is a

good idea.”

“It’s not a good idea,” Kiera grumbled. “Relationships are generally

garbage. They’re designed to fall apart, just like all the shit technology out