“I’ve noticed.”
“I wanted to tell you, but I honestly believed you. I believed I wasn’t capable of loving him or anyone else, and I worried you were right, and I would hurt him.”
“But?”
“You’re wrong. My heart is completely open to Tristan. I can be everything he wants and needs in a man.”
Rocco nods. “And you? Is he everything you want and need?”
“We need time, Rocco. We need to date and spend time together, and talk and really get to know each other, but here’s what I know. I love you and value your friendship, and you know it. I feel strongly enough about Tristan to risk that. If you know me as well as you think you do, then that’s all the proof you need.”
Rocco lowers his head, and when he looks up, he has tears in his eyes. “How did I fuck up so much? I tried to protect him, and instead, I caused him nothing but grief. I made him go to school. I kept him from you. Does he fucking hate me now?”
“No, Rocco, he loves you. So much. He wants to make you proud. He wants you to be happy, but he wants to be happy too doing his own thing.”
“Do you hate me?”
I sit next to him. “That’s just stupid. I should’ve told you the first night. I’m so sorry I lied to you. I really thought maybe it was one drunken night, but it wasn’t.”
“The first night was his going away party?”
“Yeah.”
“He pursued you, didn’t he?”
I nod. “I would never have gone after him no matter how strong the attraction.”
“I already know his age doesn’t bother you. He’s pretty mature in a lot of ways.”
“He is.”
“What now?”
“I need your blessing, man.” I take his hand in mine. “I need you to tell me it’s okay for me to love your son.”
“This is what I needed. I needed you to come to me as a man and tell me it was real and it wasn’t just sex.”
“It’s real. I asked him to stay with me while he figures out his next steps. I’m going to help him get started.”
“Doing what?”
“He can tell you.” I smile. “He has some ideas.”
“I was so hard on him. I feel terrible.”
“It’s okay. Give him a little time. Let him come to you.”
“You don’t think I should call and apologize?”
“Not yet. He needs to be prepared to tell you what he wants to do with his life, but he knows you love him. He knows you pushed because you want the best for him.”
“Because you told him that?”
“I reminded him. He already knew.”
Rocco puts his arms around my neck and I hug him back.
“Do you forgive me, Rocco?”
