Page 148 of Protecting Love

Not exactly his world’s aspiration. To have a girlfriend his son and his friends were crushing on.

Though he had to admit, it did feel good to have that acceptance also.

“We’ll see about that,” he said. “Dinner is done. Let’s eat, then I’m going to run out. What are your plans tonight?”

“Just playing games online,” Ian said. “I’ll be fine alone.”

“I won’t be long, I promise,” he said. Only as long as it took to grovel and ask for forgiveness.

Ian studied him for a second. “You going to see Paris?”

He didn’t hesitate this time. “Yeah.”

Ian nodded once. “Good.”

Good. That single word undid the last twenty-four hours of spiraling doubt.

He and Ian ate, talked about nothing important. School, a math test, some online game tournament, and for the first time since Lorraine’s call, he felt steady. Confident.

Not because everything was solved. But because he’d listened before reacting. Like he always did before.

When he grabbed his keys, Ian called after him. “Dad?”

“Yeah?”

“You’re not screwing this up because of Mom, right?”

He paused.

“No,” he said firmly. “I’m not.”

He didn’t text Paris. Didn’t call. He drove straight there, took the elevator up, and knocked.

It took a few seconds before the door opened.

“You didn’t give me hours as an option,” she said.

It took him a second to comprehend her statement. “Can I come in?”

She stepped aside.

He walked in but didn’t take off his jacket. Didn’t sit. He needed to say this before he lost the nerve.

“Do I have to guess why you’re here or are you going to tell me? You’re just standing there staring at me.”

“I talked to Ian.”

Her arms folded loosely. Defensive, but not closed.

“And?” she asked.

“And I was wrong.” Her expression didn’t change, but her eyes sharpened. “He told me what happened at dinner. What he said. Why he said it.” He dragged a hand over his head. “He wasn’t struggling with us. He was defending us.”

She blinked. “Explain that better.”

“He told Lorraine I’m happy. That I’ve moved on. That I deserve to. He watched her interactions with Zach. The tension he felt and saw. He said it made him realize how different I am and though he shouldn’t have done it, he put it out there I was happy and what I had.”

“To make her jealous?”