Page 30 of Touch of Innocence

“I guess it was a date last night.”

Saying it aloud to someone was liberating, and Sam’s shoulders relaxed as he turned his attention back to his food. Though his eyes drifted back over to the window, where Gunner was still playing with Shadow. Which had to be just about the cutest thing that Sam had ever seen.

“Do you like him?” Ben finally spoke and then added, “Because if you do, and you don’t see where it goes, I think you’ll probably regret it. Gunner is a good kid, Sammy. And I think you guys both deserve to be happy.”

“I like him,” Sam admitted, as much to himself as to his brother. “But I still don’t know if it’s a good idea.”

“Because he might leave?”

Sam shook his head, and a slight smile touched his lips, pounding headache and awkward conversation or not.

“No. He asked me if I’d like him to stay. Mike gave him a job.” Sam looked at his brother, hoping that somehow, the older man could understand. It was just complicated, that was all.

“If this is a bullshit thing where you think you’re straight and can’t do this, I mean, I guess I can’t stop you from making whatever choices you wanna make. You’re an adult.” Ben turned to look out the window as well, looking at Shadow and Ben. “But I just gotta go on record as saying I think you’d be making a mistake to let this one go.”

Ben got up and started to run hot water to do the breakfast dishes, and Sam, without a word, got up to help. It seemed like the conversation was over, and it seemed like he had his big brother’s blessing to be with Gunner if Sam wanted to go there.

More and more, it seemed like the best idea to him, just to let himself fall and see what happened.