Page 41 of The Sinner's Son

Royce dreaded any conversation that kicked off with that question. He turned his attention away from the marinated chicken sizzling on the grill and found Eddie staring into the house. Royce angled his body to see what had fascinated his dad, then smiled when he spotted Sawyer and Jo looking at the binder of recipes and lifestyle suggestions Sawyer had put together for Eddie. “Sure.”

“I almost ended it this afternoon,” Eddie said gruffly.

“Endedit?” Royce’s heart spiked in alarm. What exactly was Eddie confessing?Damn it!He knew this conversation was headed nowhere good. He snapped his gaze back to his dad and caught him smiling tenderly at the pair in the kitchen. Eddie’s eyes looked suspiciously wet until he forcibly looked away.Ahhhh. Royce knew exactly what Eddie had almost ended. “Your relationship with Jo?”

Eddie sighed hard enough to smash concrete into pebbles. He must’ve been hanging on to that one for a long time. “She’s the best thing to happen to me in a very long time, and I nearly pushed her away because of stupid pride.”

“And maybe a little fear?” Royce asked.

Eddie turned scowling eyes on his son, but his ire faded as quickly as it arrived. “That too, I suppose.”

Royce cocked a brow.

“Okay, yes, I was afraid. Still am. I don’t know if I can be the person she needs me to be.”

Royce arched the brow higher.

“Christ,” Eddie muttered before scrubbing a hand over his face. “I don’t know if I can be the man I want to be.” He gestured toward Sawyer and then to Royce. “Like you guys.”

The compliment was a gruff, reluctant admission that warmed Royce’s heart. “You don’t have to be like us,” Royce said. “Just be the best version of yourself.”

Eddie ran a hand through his hair, leaving strands sticking up all over. He turned to Royce, a silent plea in his eyes. “What if I’m too old to make those kinds of changes?”

“It’s never too late as long as there’s breath in your body.” Royce reached up and tidied his dad’s hair, earning a grin.

“You’ve always been a nurturer,” Eddie said. “But not me. I’m a complete bastard.”

“No,” Royce said, managing to keep the smile off his face. This vulnerable side of Eddie was kind of adorable, and he didn’t want to discourage it. “You used to be a complete bastard who didn’t care about anyone but himself. That isn’t the man I see anymore.”

“It isn’t?”

Royce shook his head. “Pro tip number one: if you were still a complete bastard, it wouldn’t bother you what Jo thought or needed.”

Eddie cocked his head to the side as he considered the point. “Okay. I’ll give you that one. What else do you have?”

“Pro tip number two: show this vulnerable side to Jo and reap the rewards.”

Narrowing his eyes, Eddie said, “How do you figure? Jo has commented repeatedly how much she loves my strength and, um, size.”

“And you think some or all of you will shrink if you let down your defenses and be honest with her?” Royce tsked and shook his head slowly. “Do you know what people find more attractive than a big, tough man?”

Eddie looked over at the house and smiled when Sawyer hugged Jo tightly.

“That!” Royce said, pointing in their direction. “A strong, big-hearted man who isn’t afraid to show his affection.”

His father turned steely gray eyes on him. “This is brave talk from a man whose loose lips likely sent him to the doghouse this afternoon.”

“But I’m not there now, am I?” Royce waggled his brows. “Wanna know how I got back in Sawyer’s good graces?”

Eddie snorted. “Pretty sure I know how, unless you got lip fillers after you dropped me off.”

The damn ice pack trick hadn’t worked at all. Royce had nothing to blush about, but the heat still crept up his neck, even as he shrugged. “You got it wrong, Eddie. That was my reward for being on my best behavior and apologizing for screwing up.”

“This grown-up shit is a lot of work,” he groused. Eddie looked toward the house and smiled bright enough to make the sun jealous. “But it’s worth it when you find the right person.”

“That it is, Eddie. That it is.” Royce transferred the grilled chicken to a platter and tilted his head toward the house. “Ready to eat?”

“Hell yeah.”