Awkward Love (Stumbling into Love 2)

“Shut up, kid,” Leon growled.

“Huh?”

“I refuse to accept your notice, just so you know. You’re not going anywhere. What you just said tells me everything I need to know about you. As much as I love Brianna, thirty years ago, I don’t know if I would have walked away from the same position you’re in.”

My pulse was running like crazy. “But what about everything you just said? And I don’t want to lose or hurt Jameson.”

“Like I said, what you just did tells me all I need to know. You won’t make the same mistakes I did. You won’t put your career over your family. I’m not saying it’ll always be easy. Jameson and I will have to be open and honest with each other. You’re a smart kid; Jameson is a smart kid. You guys know what you’re getting into. And if he’s happy, I’m happy.”

“I am,” Jameson’s voice came from behind us. We both turned to see him standing by the screen door. “I can’t believe you tried to quit your job for me,” he said, coming outside.

“I’ll leave you two alone.” Leon quietly walked inside.

“It won’t be easy on my end either. School is going to be crazy busy. I’ll probably be grumpy when you go to LA with him, and there will be times when Dad will have an event or something, and I…won’t be able to be who you need me to be. And I hate that. I’ll try, but I know how I am, and I just…I’ll make a mess of it.”

“Hey, no you won’t. And we’ll figure it out.” Obviously, there were still things that needed to be worked through. I wanted to talk to Leon about work being completely separate from my relationship with Jameson. I didn’t want special treatment, not that he’d give it to me, but my relationship with Jameson had to have nothing to do with my job. “I’ll never expect you to put yourself in a position that makes you uncomfortable. I’ll never want you to be anyone other than who you are. The guy you are is who I fell in love with.”

Jameson swiped tears from his eyes. “God, I love you. Are you sure I’m not in a coma and this is all a dream?”

“Come here.” I pulled Jameson down to my lap. He was as tall as I was, so it was slightly awkward, but I didn’t care. We were awkward, and I loved that about us.

“You really tried to sneakily quit? I wouldn’t have let you do that.”

“I know, but now we don’t have to.” I nuzzled his neck. “Your parents know and accept us. My job is safe. We have to work hard to make sure we don’t let Crane Entertainment come between us or between you and your dad. I don’t want to come between you.”

“It won’t. You’re more important than all of those things.”

I grinned. “That’s what I like to hear. Oh, and we’re spending the rest of the weekend at a beautiful beach house. It’s perfect.”

The next morning we had breakfast as a family, and Cherise teased me like I was her brother too. It was like that the whole weekend. Brianna even made me a cake, and when it was time to leave, she kissed me goodbye the way she did her kids. Leon and I had an appointment the following week to go over work stuff, and he and Jameson were having lunch together.

I felt like I fitted with them, like I was accepted. I didn’t have to pretend to be anyone else or put on a cocky face, not that I wasn’t cocky, but there was a time and place for everything.

When Jameson and I got home, he gave me his birthday gift—vouchers for two tickets to New York City, just the two of us. I wanted to see the world with him by my side, and we’d start with New York.

It really was perfect.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Jameson

Dad and I met at a burger place for lunch. It was weird, him and me meeting alone. As soon as I had that thought, it made me sad. There was no reason it should be odd to randomly meet my dad for a meal. Mom and I did. Cherise and I did. I wouldn’t be surprised if Cherise and Dad did, but we didn’t.

I went inside and saw him sitting at a booth. The hostess asked if she could help me. I pointed to him. “I see my dad over there.” She smiled, and I walked over and sat across from him.

“Hey, son. I ordered a sweet tea for you. I hope that’s okay. We can change it if not.”

“It’s fine. You know that’s my favorite.”

“I don’t know how you handle it. Feels like drinking liquid sugar.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” I teased, and we both laughed.