Page 68 of The Way Home

“Um, well. Some things. Not…” Jamie squeezed his eyes shut, the image of Caleb sucking him off on his knees a few nights ago flashing in his brain. “I want more than what we’re doing. I want to go… further.”

A beat of silence.

“My love,” JB said softly, dipping his head to catch Jamie’s eye. “What is it that you fear?”

“I guess I’m just nervous.”

“Jamie, he put a ring on your finger.” JB smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I think he wants what you want, no?”

Jamie fidgeted in his seat.

“I know that, it’s just…” His heart sank. “I’m not the same guy he proposed to, JB. I’m… different now.”

“Jamie…”

“No, it’s true. I may never be that guy again. And I don’t want to wait anymore for my memories to come back. If he doesn’t wantthisversion of me, then—” Tears prickled the corner of Jamie’s eyes. He planted his elbows on his desk and let his head fall into his hands.

“Oh,chéri.”The pity in JB’s voice made Jamie wince.

“I know it’s dumb. I’m a bloody idiot.”

He heard JB scoot his chair closer to Jamie’s desk and snatch up his phone. Jamie looked through the cracks of his fingers and asked, “Who are you texting on my phone?”

“We are going to make sure Caleb is free on Saturday night, yes?” JB winked. “Plenty of time for us to make a seduction plan.”

Chapter 17

“You forgot myname,” Angie muttered across the table to Jamie, “but apparently, you didn’t forget how to kick my arse at Catan.”

Will snorted from his seat next to Angie.

“Hey!” Caleb called across the room. “Angie, really?”

Caleb glanced at Jamie, looking for any signs that he was offended by Angie’s insensitive comment, but he found none. Instead, Jamie grinned at Angie, big and boyish, as he rolled the dice across the multi-colored board. They clattered loudly before rolling to a stop. His smile widened devilishly as Angie groaned and hung her head.

Over in the living room, Caleb and Ellie were locked in a wobbly round of Jenga, though Caleb was only half paying attention.

“Your turn,” Ellie pointed out, snapping him back to their game.

The two of them had long since accepted that they were the least competitive of the group. Caleb had no patience for rules, and Ellie had no patience for people.

Game nights weren’t really Caleb’s thing—mostly because their friend group took the gameswaytoo seriously—but Jamie loved them. Back before the accident, they were his absolute favorite days of the whole month. It was adorable, and Caleb was willing to knock down some Jenga tiles with Ellie if it made his man happy.

Games were Jamie’s comfort zone.

He came alive when he had something in his hands, when the pressure to make small talk was replaced with an excuse to talkstrategy. So when Caleb had suggested bringing them back, Jamie lit up like a kid, so Caleb organized one for that Friday.

“Y’alright, Caleb?” Ellie asked, sipping the beer she’d brought and leaning back on the couch. Caleb was studying the Jenga tower, deciding which tile to pull out without destroying the entire thing.

“Am I, like… alright? Or are you doing that British thing where you’re like‘y’alright’?

Ellie scrunched up her nose at Caleb’s terrible British impersonation. “I mean, how are you doing, jackass?”

“I’m doing fine.” Glancing over his shoulder at the table, he lowered his voice. “J seems happy, doesn’t he?”

“Didn’t ask about Jamie. Asked about you.”

He looked up. Ellie’s expression held no sarcasm; she was dead serious. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, and Caleb thought back to a few nights ago.