A Sweet Man by Jaime Reese

Author:Jaime Reese [Reese, Jaime]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance, Gay / Lesbian / LGBT
Amazon: B089PYBXSL
Goodreads: 53780701
Publisher: Romandeavor, Inc.
Published: 2020-06-15T22:00:00+00:00

After the last check of every corner of the room, Ben returned to the open duffel bag on his bed and zipped it shut. Smiling, he grabbed his small plush bull from the nightstand and tucked it under his arm as he slung the bag over his other shoulder.

He stopped at the threshold and turned, scanning the bedroom one last time. This place, this house, and these men had been good to him. They had welcomed him and given him a second chance, even a third. He owed it to them to not return.

At least, not because he had to.

He whipped around, startled by the tap to his shoulder.

“Sorry, didn’t mean to make you jump,” Calvin said. “Let me take that.” Taking the bag from Ben’s shoulder, Calvin effortlessly held it in his grip as they both headed downstairs.

Ben patted Calvin’s back, not sure of what else to do or what degree of contact was acceptable for a goodbye.

“Did you get everything?” Julian asked as Calvin set the duffel bag on the couch. “Bull should be here any minute.”

Ben set the small plush toy on his bag and nodded, feeling a sudden swell of emotions rise in his chest. Leaving Halfway House a second time was much harder than he had anticipated.

“Everything’s going to be fine,” Matt signed. A second later, Ben was wrapped in Matt’s caring embrace.

He screwed his eyes shut and tucked his face into Matt’s hold. He wrapped his arms around Matt and held on, trying to lessen the burn in his eyes. But Julian’s strong, steady hand behind his neck nearly broke his resolve. He balled Matt’s shirt in his fist as he pulled him close, burying his face in Matt’s shoulder, refusing to break free of the awkward embrace sandwiching Matt between him and Julian.

Comforting strokes on his back soothed him. He didn’t like being treated so carefully. But in that moment, he relished it, knowing it was driven by affection and not pity.

The strong hand slid away and Matt slowly retreated. “If you ever need anything,” Matt said as he signed. “We’re here for you. You know that.”

Ben nodded as a second wave of emotions threatened to weaken him. He wasn’t going to cave. He couldn’t. He glanced up at Julian. The stoic man stared at him, not saying or signing a single word. The corner of his mouth twitched, and a hint of a barely there nod ended the unspoken conversation and confirmed Matt’s words. Something to their right drew Matt and Julian’s attention.

“He’s here,” Matt said.

A tap to his shoulder had him turning.

He stared at Calvin, watching a play of emotions pass through that hard expression. The tears welled in Ben’s eyes as a smile lingered on his lips. There were few people in his life who had proven to be genuine friends. Calvin had become one of them.

Ben pulled the phone out of his back pocket. Typing out a quick note, he turned the display toward Calvin. Be good.

“I’ll try.”

He narrowed his eyes and typed out another note.

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