Page 97 of The Way Home

“It’snotokay! Your shoulder is permanently d-damaged.”

A sad sigh as Caleb pulled him closer. “I’m okay, sweetheart.”

“I p-promise,” Jamie stammered through tears, his body trembling. “I promise nothing will happen to you again, okay? I know I’m not… like,big,but I wouldn’t let anything happen. Nothing bad is going to happen anymore. Okay? Nothing.”

The words were as much for himself as for Caleb. The image of Caleb—young and brave and bold—getting pinned down, swam behind his eyes.

“I swear, Caleb. As long as I’m here… I swearnothingbad will ever happen again.”

One arm wrapped tight around Jamie’s back while the other cradled his head. A tear slipped from Caleb’s eye, warm where it landed on Jamie’s forehead.

“I know, J,” he whispered. “I know.”

After what felt like hours, Jamie was finally able to get his breathing under control. Turning away, he wiped at his eyes with his palms.

“So what does your dad want, then?” Jamie couldn’t help the venom in his voice. “Why is he bothering you?”

When he turned back to Caleb, there was a frown between his brows. “I guess he’s sick or something. Said he needs me to come home and help out.” His eyes flicked down to the bed, deep in thought.

“Don’t you have a sister who lives with him?”

Caleb rolled his eyes. “He says it’s my duty as his son…”

The joyful, playful Caleb who had just rolled around in bed with Jamie was gone, replaced by a stressed, conflicted one.

“I’ll go with you.”

Caleb’s eyes snapped up to his. “Absolutely not.” His expression hardened. “I’m not bringing you to Youngstown. Absolutely not.”

Jamie puffed up his chest with confidence he didn’t quite feel. “I am your…” He stalled, flushing. “Boyfriend. Partner. I don’t know, one of those. I’m yours, and I’m going.”

Pushing thoughts of passports—and the fact that his was expired—out of his head, Jamie crossed his arms.

“If you go, I go. That’s the deal.”

Mouth still turned down, Caleb’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “You British people are stubborn, you know that?”

“I do.”

Cracking a smile, Caleb pulled Jamie to him and crashed their lips together, the two of them tumbling back onto the bed in a heapof limbs. As they devoured each other for the third time that night, Jamie could’ve sworn he heard Caleb whisper, “God, I fucking love you.”

Chapter 25

Caleb hated thisfucking place.

Horrible memories tainted these walls. Endless nights sleeping in a chair, gripping Jamie’s still, pale hand, terrified he’d never open his eyes again.

Even hearing the beeping noises from the machines made him want to vomit.

Jamie sat on the exam table, shifting anxiously back and forth in his thin paper robe. The horrible crinkling noise of the paper grated at Caleb’s nerves. He wanted to crawl out of his skin as he sat rigidly in the corner on a plastic chair.

The crinkling stopped, leaving a deafening silence. “Caleb, are you alright?” Jamie watched him with wide, worried eyes. Caleb hadn’t realized he’d been hanging his head, willing the nausea away.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“I know it’s probably hard being here. I remember…” His gaze flicked toward the door and back. “It must’ve been awful for you.”

Caleb pushed himself to his feet and crossed the room, taking Jamie’s hands in his. Jamie’s legs dangled off the table, and the oversized robe swallowed his lean frame. It made him look unbearably small.