Page 56 of When Ben Loved Jace (He Loved Him #2)

When I see Tim again, he suggests picking me up so we can go for a drive, rather than stay anywhere long enough to get caught.

Which increases the sensation that we really are having an affair.

We meet at night in the parking lot of a public library.

The last thing I want is for Ryan to figure out where I live. I don’t need any more nasty surprises.

“What do you think?” Tim asks once I’ve climbed into the passenger seat.

“About what?”

“The car!”

I glance around and shrug. “I didn’t really notice anything. Do you want me to get out and look?”

He laughs while shifting into drive. “You haven’t changed one bit.” His eyes move over me before returning to the road. “I mean that in a good way.”

I sigh theatrically. Which I can now do at a professional level. “This is exactly why Ryan thinks you’re involved with me.”

“You aren’t completely wrong.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“He knows that I love you.”

“Tim! Why would you tell him that?”

“I never thought I’d see you again! And besides, he found out way at the beginning, when we were just getting to know each other. You’re part of my history. And um… I might have said your name in my sleep. A few times. Including recently.”

I slide down in the seat, as if wanting to hide myself from view. With my luck, Ryan is probably tailing us right now. “Did he mention the little appearance he made during my play?”

Tim squirms uncomfortably. “Uh… Yeah. I couldn’t ask him, because that would give away that you told me, but he brought it up himself that night.”

“And?”

“He said some stupid shit that isn’t worth repeating.”

“About what?”

Tim shakes his head.

“What?” I press.

“Insults about your performance, that I know aren’t true, because I’ve seen you, Benjamin. You’re amazing. ”

“Well thanks. And you’re right, I don’t need to hear any of that.”

“He also said that Jace propositioned him. Which you shouldn’t take seriously because—”

“Tim.”

“Yeah?”

“I trust my husband. You don’t need to defend him.”

“Cool.”

“Did he tell you the rest? How he heckled me on stage?”

Tim looks over at me in shock. “You said he made a scene but… What happened?”

I fill him in on the details. Tim groans during the story, and again when I reach the end.

“Dude! I am so sorry. I figured he just confronted you after the show. I never thought he’d do something that crazy!”

“Me neither, which is why this has to stop. Have you given more thought to breaking up with him?”

“Yeah. I want to. I even tried broaching the subject.”

“And?”

Tim gnaws his bottom lip before answering. “He apologized for everything and asked for another chance. I know you’ve only seen his bad side but—”

“Spare me the details,” I say in exasperation.

“Listen, it’s your decision if you want to leave him or not.

That’s none of my business. Or at least it shouldn’t be.

But no matter what happens, you’ve gotta get him off my case.

I’m friends with the theater owner, so he’s been very understanding about it all, but what if Ryan showed up at the hospital where I work? They won’t be as forgiving.”

Tim glances over at me, seeming impressed. “You work at the hospital?”

“Yes. I probably shouldn’t have told you that.

For god’s sake, do not visit me there for any reason!

As harsh as it sounds, I need you to stay out of my life.

I still care about you, Tim. Deeply. But I have to think about more than myself.

What if Ryan had pulled a knife on Jace the other day and tried to hurt him? ”

“I don’t think he’d do anything like that.”

“He already took a swipe at me! And did you ever imagine he’d pelt me with ice cream in the middle of a performance?”

“No. ”

I swallow against an old familiar pain. “This is it, Tim. As much as I want to help you, I can’t while Ryan is still in your life. It’s too risky. We have to go our separate ways.”

He takes a deep breath and lets it out with a sigh. “You’re right. Sorry for dragging you into this, Benjamin.”

“You always did have a way of making things really complicated,” I tease before my tone becomes more serious.

“You were worth it though. You’re hot, you’re talented, you’re a good person…

There’s a reason I fell in love with you, Tim.

Find someone who is actually worthy of your heart. Please. You deserve better.”

He presses his lips together before nodding. “I’ll try.”

The car does a U-turn at the next intersection.

We’re on our way back. This is it. Our time together is limited.

I wish I could hold his hand. Not because I’m tempted to choose him over Jace.

I’ve moved past such things. I just want to comfort him.

And myself. Despite all the pain we’ve put each other through, the love that we had together was life-changing. I’m going to miss him.

We’re halfway back to my car when Tim pulls out his phone to glance at it. Then he sighs while tapping the screen. I study his face and watch his eyes go wide. “Oh shit,” he says. “Oh shit!”

“What?”

He hands me the phone before taking a sharp right and flooring the gas pedal. “Ryan is having some friends over tonight. That’s why I put this off until today, because I knew he’d be busy.”

The text message seems innocent enough. Wish you were here. You’re missing out on all the fun! The photo accompanying it confuses me. Chinchilla is standing on a plastic inflatable raft, illuminated pool water surrounding her.

“Bulldogs can’t swim,” Tim says, manic eyes darting to the phone and away again. “Fuck! She doesn’t even have her life vest on!”

“Would he really let something happen to her?”

“I don’t know anymore. He’s probably only trying to get a rise out of me but… What if she slips? Or tries jumping out on her own? God damn it, Ryan! If the little shit isn’t drunk, he’s high. I never should have left her with him!”

Tim blows through a red light .

“Um…”

He glances over at me. “Crap. Want me to drop you off? You’d have to catch a ride back to your car. I’ll reimburse you.”

“No, it’s fine. Keep going.”

I don’t want to delay him, even briefly. If something did happen to Chinchilla, I’d always wonder if that extra minute would have made the difference. Although…

“Slow down a little,” I add. “If you get pulled over, or we get into an accident, it’ll take even longer to get there.”

Tim clenches his jaw before nodding. “All right.”

The scenery outside is still whizzing by, but he actually stops at the next red light, his knee bouncing impatiently.

“Where do you live these days?” I ask.

“Same place.”

“You mean the same area?” I’m surprised, because it’s an expensive neighborhood.

He shakes his head, the car creeping forward when the cross-traffic light turns yellow. “Eric left me the house. I didn’t tell you that?”

“No!”

“He didn’t have much family. Just a sister that he wasn’t real close to. She wasn’t interested in any of his stuff. Most of the money went to her and a bunch of charities. I got the house and enough to cover the property taxes and upkeep for… Uh… A very long time. Come on, man! Out of the way!”

A minivan is trundling along ahead of us, tailgated by Tim’s car.

He finally loses patience and swerves into the oncoming lane to gun past it, but hey, at least he uses his turn signal.

I let him concentrate on driving instead of pestering him with further questions.

The journey becomes a little less harrowing when we reach the edge of town.

Eventually, we reach a driveway that’s full of cars, Tim pulling around them into the yard to get us that much closer to the privacy fence.

He doesn’t turn off the engine after shifting into park, nor does he close the door behind him.

Tim simply bolts out of the car. I take the keys out of the ignition before following and, over booming bass inside the house, hear a mournful howling coming from the backyard.

At least she’s alive! By the time I get there, Tim is standing next to the pool while hastily ripping off his clothes.

Chinchilla is still stuck on the raft, which is dipping dangerously as she tries to reach him, her whines heartbreaking.

“Stay there, baby!” Tim is saying. “Don’t move! Daddy’s got you. We’re going to play our favorite game.”

Once down to his underwear, he dives in, surfacing next to the raft. She scurries toward that corner, which sinks enough for water to slop over her paws. Tim hastily supports the raft from beneath to steady it again.

“You’re okay! Settle down. C’mon girl. Lay down.”

Chinchilla grumbles as she complies.

Tim orients on me. “Look who’s here! Let’s go see!”

He paddles toward where I’m standing until the raft is flush with the concrete edge of the pool.

Chinchilla scurries off, her butt wagging as if she remembers me.

I squat down to pet her, receiving a few licks to the face, but when Tim pushes himself up and out of the water, I’m completely forgotten.

She dances circles around him, making growling noises interspersed with a few more whines, like she’s complaining.

“I know, baby,” Tim says, his voice cracking.

“I’m so sorry. I’ll never leave you with him again.

” He looks up suddenly and stands, eyes filled with fire as he considers the house.

Sure he’s lost some definition, and yeah, he’s got a small gut now.

But boy, is he still hot! The wet underwear clinging to him certainly doesn’t hurt.

And that heaving chest… He looks like an Aztec warrior who just marched through the rain to reach the battlefield.

“Daddy is gonna go have a very serious talk with Mama,” he growls.

“Hold up,” I say, rising to catch his arm. “You might want to get dressed first.”

Tim glances down. “Oh. Right.”

He pulls on his T-shirt and shorts before considering Chinchilla. “She’s better off back here for now. Did you close the gate?”