I shake my head at him, holding onto him and breathing in deeply as I allow him to ground me. “It’s okay. Really. I’m fine.” He holds my gaze, his concern intense. “I just don’t want him to hate me, which sounds so fucking stupid.”

Now he’s the one who looks sick, his face almost pale. “That won’t happen.”

I want to shrug it off, play like it’s no big deal, but it is. It’s a deep-seated fear I don’t think will ever go away. “If he finds out I’m gay . . .” I swallow deeply. “That I’ve . . .” I clear my throat, “touched you.”

He stops me, his big hands gripping my face and making me look right at him and not away. “He won’t say a fucking hateful word. But if he does, he’ll lose a son.”

“You can’t say that.” I try to pull away, but he doesn’t let me.

“Yes. I can. You’re everything, Camden. You’re a good person. You’re my best friend, and none of that has changed or ever will. If he can’t handle you being gay, then he’s not the man I thought he was.” He softens slightly, biting on his bottom lip. “But I don’t think he really is that way. He says dumb shit he shouldn’t say, but I don’t think he could ever hate you.”

I want to believe that. I know the way we were raised. I know it was probably even worse when his dad was growing up. And while it’s no excuse, I think it’s more ignorance than hatred. “Okay. I’m sorry. Fuck.”

His lips meet mine softly, pulling a gasp from me because I don’t expect it, but I go with it, kissing him back briefly. “I’m sorry you ever had to feel that way. You don’t deserve it. No one does.”

I lucked into a really amazing best friend. “Thank you.”

He smiles now, that great big sunshine of a smile, and pecks my lips once before stepping back and smacking my ass on the way out of the bathroom. If anyone saw us leave together, it probably wouldn’t even faze them, but no one does.

We have a great meal where thankfully, college and scouts don’t get brought up, and when mom and Lucy leave to go home, I stay behind to spend the night at Kingston’s.

It’s rare, but it’s hardly the first time.

It is, however, the very first time since we started whatever this is we’ve started doing. And it’s nearly impossible to resist him when he curls up behind me and starts kissing my neck. “Kingston, we can’t. Your parent’s bedroom is right down the hall.”