Page 40 of When Ben Loved Jace (He Loved Him #2)

Summer has come to an end, and it was easily the best of my life.

I haven’t made any big moves career wise, but I did get a promotion to assistant manager at the yoghurt shop.

Which is great, because it gives me more control over my schedule.

I often work when Jace is in town. He keeps me company for at least part of my shift, and of course we see each other once I’m off.

This small sacrifice is made so I can travel with him when he’s out of town.

I’ve been all over the country. He’s always eager to show me around a city or for us to discover new sights together.

I enjoy getting to have so many adventures with him.

If the royal mess I made has a silver lining, it’s that I’m exceedingly grateful to have him in my life.

I’m patient when plans fall apart because of his schedule.

I trust him completely. We’re in a good place emotionally.

So good, in fact, that we’re taking the next big step. I get to meet his parents!

We’re mixing it up a little by taking a road trip, which surprised me, but as he explained it, “Even I need a break from being on an airplane. At least in a car, I get to be the pilot.”

“As long as you still wear the uniform,” was my reply.

He didn’t go for it, which is probably for the best, because with me next to him, he’d have a hard time concentrating on the road. Harder than he does already, because it is a long drive, and a boy has to keep himself entertained.

“This is it,” Jace says with an edge of reverence. “Home, sweet home.”

We’ve been driving through rural countryside with little to see except trees and weather-worn billboards. Now we finally enter a town filled with small houses, overgrown yards, and the occasional mom and pop shop.

“The north side has all of the new development,” Jace says, “including the usual retail chains. We won’t bother with any of that.” He’s got a funny smile on his face as he takes a sharp right and parks at a gas station. “This is where I used to work.”

The four pumps and small convenience store look a little rundown. I perk up anyway, because I know this was an important place to him. We get out of the car. A hand-painted sign proclaims that we have arrived at Bernie’s Stop and Shop .

Jace is full-out grinning when he opens the door for me. I walk inside and notice an older black man with a husky build and a short gray beard standing behind the counter. He greets us before doing a double take.

“Bless my heart!” he says with a wide grin. “The prodigal son returns!”

Jace laughs, meeting him halfway as the man comes around the counter.

When they hug, it’s the affectionate kind that lasts for a good long while, like you’re truly happy to reunite with someone and don’t want them to slip away again too easily.

Even when Jace is released, the man holds him at arm’s length to look him over.

“You’re doing well!” he concludes.

Jace nods in confirmation before turning to me. “Bernie, this is my boyfriend, Ben.”

I’m treated to a bearhug that, I have to admit, feels pretty darn nice. There’s no doubting the authenticity.

“Welcome, son!” Bernie says when releasing me. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Jace doesn’t talk about his love life much, so I knew you had to be someone special.”

“I’ve heard a lot about you too,” I say, already overwhelmed. “Thanks for scooping him out of the river or we never would have met.”

“He was scaring away all the fish,” Bernie says dismissively. “I didn’t have a choice. How was the drive up here? Are you boys hungry? Help yourself to whatever you’d like in the store. Your money is no good here.”

“I’m not a broke teenager anymore,” Jace says. “I can pay for whatever we need.”

“Oh,” I say, my hands already full of candy bars. “Um… Should I put these back?”

“Don’t you dare,” Bernie says with a chuckle. “I’m happy one of you isn’t too proud to accept a gift.”

“You’ve already done enough for me,” Jace says before gesturing to one of the aisles and murmuring, “Get me a honey bun, Honey Buns.”

“All right,” I murmur with burning cheeks, “but don’t call me that in public.”

Bernie laughs, seeming comfortable with our banter. “How long are you in town for? ”

“Just a few days,” Jace says. “It’s my dad’s birthday tomorrow.”

“Grab him a bottle of something before you go,” Bernie says. “From me.”

“I will, thanks.”

“I barely recognized you when you walked through the door. Not without the hair.” Bernie smiles at me as I rejoin them.

“Have you seen Jace when he was younger? I have some photos in the back. People used to think that him and his sister were twins. I’ve got one where you honestly can’t tell who is who. ”

“I’d love to see that!”

We follow him into the employees-only area but don’t make it far before the front door chimes.

“I’ll take care of them,” Jace says. “Is the register code the same?”

“Sure is.”

My boyfriend grabs a red vest hanging on a nearby hook. Another uniform! Although this one isn’t nearly as sexy.

“Looks like I’ll be Cameron today,” he says after checking the nametag. “Good luck trying to embarrass me when I’m not around.”

“I think we’ll manage,” Bernie says with a conspiring wink.

I’m led to an office so small that Bernie has to shuffle sideways to get behind the desk.

He opens a drawer while muttering to himself.

I’m distracted by a bulletin board on the wall, where notices, bills, and—most interesting to me—photos are pinned up.

One is of Bernie and a beautiful woman who might be of Pacific Islander descent, judging from the ring of flowers in her hair.

Then again, the outfits don’t speak to Bernie’s origins, and he’s wearing nothing but a hula skirt, his big round belly on full display.

“I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii,” I say enviously.

He glances up and grins. “That’s where I met my wife. Did you see the photo of Jace?”

I scan the bulletin board and see my boyfriend, gangly and long-haired, wearing one of the red vests while standing behind the counter. He’s holding a carton of cigarettes in each hand, his expression thrilled.

“Did he used to smoke?”

“Hm? No. I don’t believe so. We took the photo that way because he was too young to sell cigarettes or booze to the customers.

Which would make a lot of them grumpy, so he would do it anyway.

That was a hard habit to break him of. Jace has always been a nice guy, but sometimes you’ve gotta disappoint people, even if it makes them unhappy.

The rules are the rules. I had to dial him up at home and pretend he sold to an undercover cop.

Told him that they had hauled me away in cuffs and I was using my one call from jail to let him know he needed to man the store while I was behind bars.

You should have seen his face when he showed up here. ”

I laugh. “I bet he got the message then!”

“That did the trick,” Bernie confirms with a nod.

I’m distracted by a worn and yellowed photo of a handsome black man in an army uniform. I assume it’s of Bernie when he was younger, considering the “proud veteran” ballcap he’s wearing now.

“Aha!” he says suddenly. “This isn’t the photo I was thinking of, but I bet you’ve never seen Jace look this way before.”

He hands it to me and I’m momentarily shocked, because one half of Jace’s face is bloody and gored, like he tried shaving with a lawnmower.

“That was for Halloween,” Bernie explains.

“I always make a big deal of it here at the store. His sister did the make-up, if I remember right. He was supposed to have been in a car wreck. He brought a cut of meat with him that he tucked inside his sleeve, like his hand had gotten mangled. I made him put it in one of the freezers when it started to smell. Here we go!”

The next photo I’m shown is of Jace and Michelle when they were younger, and they’re clearly playing up their similarities, because they’re wearing the exact same outfit.

“He was trying to pull a fast one on me,” Bernie explains.

“I’d made some comment about how much they look alike, so Jace had his sister show up in the middle of his shift to take his place.

I pretended not to notice, even when they kept switching in and out.

Eventually, one of them would be at the counter while the other was restocking shelves.

Still didn’t get a reaction out of me. Why turn down free labor? ”

“I didn’t realize he was such a prankster!”

“He was trouble all right,” Bernie says warmly. “Here’s one I took of Victor. Have you heard about him?”

“A lot, but not everything,” I answer honestly, despite my interest being piqued. Jace hasn’t talked much about Victor since we got back together. I assume he doesn’t want to dwell on the subject of ex-boyfriends.

Bernie slides the photo across the desk. Victor is standing outside the convenience store at night, leaning against the wall while smoking a cigarette. He looks haggard compared to the photos I’ve seen, as if he hadn’t been sleeping well.

“When I took that one, I told him it was because he was employee of the month. Which was a joke. Victor was easily the worst worker I’ve ever had.

He would always stand outside like that while smoking.

When a customer went inside, he’d say, ‘Just knock on the window when you’re ready to check out.

’” Bernie chuckles and shakes his head. “He was a character.”

“Your employees must love you,” I say while considering the photos. “I doubt my boss could pick me out in a police lineup.”

“I don’t keep photos of them all,” Bernie replies. “Jace is special to me. Like a son.”

“Because you saved him?”

Bernie rubs his beard before replying. “That was something of a second chance for both of us. I wish I’d been a better father to my own son.

” He nods at the bulletin board. “He had a helluva time after he was deployed. Not many soldiers who see action come back the same, and my boy was no exception. I figured that accounted for his behavior when he began spending all his time around another young fellah. They moved in together, which wouldn’t have raised eyebrows, except their apartment only had one bedroom.

When my son tried to tell me about it, I wouldn’t listen.

I didn’t want to know.” Bernie sighs. “Things were different back then, although that’s no excuse.

The world was changing. I just wasn’t keeping up.

When my son wanted to bring his friend home with him for Christmas, I put my foot down, like a small-minded fool.

So uh…” Bernie leans back, the office chair squeaking.

“By the time I met Jace, I’d smartened up a bit.

Never take a second chance for granted. Nothing is more tragic than history repeating. ”

He picks up the photo of Victor and then the others. Bernie asks how my parents handled my coming out and seems genuinely happy when I tell him that they’ve always been supportive. We talk a little more about ourselves before Jace rejoins us.

“Whiskey is still buy one, get one free, right?” he asks. “I hope so, because a guy just bought ten bottles. Although he only paid for five.”

Bernie narrows his eyes. “Take off that vest. You’re fired.”

We leave the office and hang out a little longer by the front counter. Jace shares a few stories of his own before promising that we’ll stop by again on the way out of town.

“Don’t you dare fuel up anywhere else,” Bernie insists. “I’ll take it personal. Especially if you try paying me.”

We leave with a bottle of bourbon for Jace’s dad, enough candy and sweets that it’s sticking out of my pockets, and a tray of nachos.

“What do you think?” Jace asks once we’re seated in the car.

“Maybe I should have gotten a slushy.”

He laughs. “I always gain weight when I come home, and he’s the reason why.”

“Bernie is awesome,” I say. “I love him.”

“Good.” Jace leans over and kisses me. “I knew he’d love you. Are you ready to meet my parents?”

I nod and dunk a chip in neon-orange cheese. “Should I save my appetite?”

Jace shakes his head. “We’re probably having salad for dinner. My mom is a health nut. Speaking of which, tear me off a piece of that honey bun.”

“Which one?” I shimmy my shoulders while biting my lower lip.

“Up to you,” Jace says, “but it’s a short drive, and you know I like to take my time.”

“Are we going to be staying in your old bedroom?” I ask innocently.

“Yeah. How come?”

“It’s all those photos of you with long hair. I want to pretend we met in high school. Your bedroom will help set the scene.”

He shakes his head ruefully. “You’re such a perv.”

Guilty as charged.