Page 16 of Forever: The Companion

It took his brother a second.

Then, two.

Finally, Diego said, “I disappointed you when I got in trouble last year. Was worse than when you were mad that time, ‘cause I lied about that party after baseball. That really fucking sucked, Ren, so I’m not gonna do it again. Just so you know, and all.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, Ren.”

“I just … you know I want you to have every chance that I didn’t and more, right?”

Like Diego was his own fucking kid.

Because he basically was.

Renzo raised this kid for most of his life.

“Oh, and tell Lucia to have fun,” Diego said, “guess I’ll call Tessa and see what she’s doing.”

He cleared his throat, knowing exactly who Tessa was in Diego’s life.

“Be safe, huh?”

“I know.”

“Just … I don’t mean it to put you on the spot. Like, I think it’s gonna happen with you and her because I know what you told me. But it doesn’t have to be right now for me to remind you of this stuff, okay? Remember everything I’ve told you, yeah?”

“I do, Ren.”

Yeah, he knew.

Still, he worried.

Because that’s what people who loved you did.

“Okay, I gotta hit the gas a little harder here or I’ll miss Lucia coming out of the spa—she thinks it’s gonna be a driver to take her home, but it needs to be me.”

“All right, Ren. Love you.”

Still cool to say that, he guessed.

“Love you, too, buddy.”