“This is the kind of guy you should have around,” Ethan says, his voice teeming with passion. “And I like him, too, and he doesn’t think I’m just some punk kid in the way, like dumb Charlie.”

Cole shifts, and his movement catches my attention. But my gaze is locked on my son.

I hold my breath, unsure about what to say. This is a revelation in a lot of ways because I didn’t know he felt this way. I didn’t know he was so astute about the guys I’ve dated or that I’ve been upset. I don’t want to lie to him and discount the truth. He should always know he can be honest with me. But how do I address it correctly? And realistically?

There’s so much to unpack, and I don’t know that I want to do it in front of Cole.

I clear my throat. “You’re right. Cole is the kind of guy that I should have around. I’m working on that. But you are never in the way. All right?”

He nods.

Cole pulls his attention from me. “It takes a lot of guts to do that, you know.”

“What do you mean?” Ethan asks.

“It takes a lot of courage to be honest and tell people how you feel. Most adult men that I know can’t do that.”

Ethan raises his chin.

My heart squeezes as I watch their interaction. My instinct is to jump in and say something, to try to prevent the conversation from getting too serious. But the way Cole looks at him has me holding my tongue. And my breath. He’s not backing away from the hard stuff. He’s not leaving Ethan to wrestle with his feelings on his own.

Like Jared does.

“You and your mom have a pretty special thing going,” Cole says. “It reminds me of me and my mom.”

Ethan grins. “I like your mom.”

“She likes you too. She told me that you are a lot like me as a kid.”

“Really?” Ethan asks.

Cole nods. “It can be hard to be like us. We have a lot of fun on the outside but think about things too much. Sometimes that can be hard.”

“Yeah. Especially at night.”

What? I don’t move, afraid that Ethan will remember I’m here and stop talking.

“Don’t let your thoughts turn into worries.” Cole grips his shoulder. “And never let anyone make you feel like you’re in the way—especially when it comes to your mom. You’re smart and kind and fun to be around. If anyone makes you feel any differently, that’s on them. Not you.”

I blink and hope the tears threatening to spill over my eyelids stop.

Ethan looks at Cole with a hope, a respect, that I’ve never seen on his face before. And the tenderness on Cole’s face steals my breath.