Page 47 of Dad Next Door

“There you are.” Simon sidled up to us and put his arm over Jace’s shoulders. “You got away from me.”

Something about the way he was touching Jace was off. The move wasn’t affectionate. Instead it felt like he was reinforcing that Jace belonged to him.

Tristan stiffened, all traces of his earlier politeness gone. I shifted closer and put my hand on the small of his back. Mostly for support, but also to show Asshole McDouchenozzle that Tristan was mine, and I sure as hell was claiming him.

Wait, no. He wasn’t mine. He was with me.

This wasn’t the first time tonight the line between fake date and real one had blurred. I was too emotionally invested in what was going on to be objective, and my character mask was slipping because of how much I cared about Tristan as a friend.

That had to be it.

That explained why I found myself touching him without meaning to. Why I couldn’t stop looking at him and feeling pride at how well he was handling everything. Why I’d had the overwhelming urge to kiss him by the balcony doors after he’d told me more of the shit Simon had put him through.

That had come out of nowhere, and I’d almost done it. I’d almost kissed him, and my reasons had nothing to do with wanting to make him feel better or helping to take away his pain.

“Tristan.” Simon’s voice dripped with fake charm, but his steely gaze gave away his true feelings at seeing his ex. “It’s nice to see you out and about.” He flicked his gaze to me, his nose wrinkling up in a sneer. “And with a new friend.”

“Hi, I’m Quinn. We haven’t officially met,” I said, taking the attention off Tristan again.

“Nice to meet you.” Simon’s tone was dismissive, but the look he gave me was scrutinizing. “Simon Honeywell.”

“Nice to meet you too.” I ran my hand over Tristan’s back in a gentle circle.

“You look familiar. Don’t you live next door to Tris?”

Tristan bristled at the use of his nickname. He’d told me Simon never used it until they’d broken up because he thought nicknames were childish. I slid my hand up his back and draped my arm over his shoulders.

“I do.”

Simon looked like someone had stuck a bag of dog shit under his nose as he glared at us. “And you think that’s appropriate?”

“Appropriate?” Tristan asked tightly.

“Exposing Leo to your fling with the neighbor. I’m sure you agree that having a revolving door of men coming in and out of his life isn’t something he should be exposed to at his age.” Simon’s smile was congenial, as was his tone. His body language was anything but.

Jace, to his credit, looked like he wanted to sink into the floor and disappear.

“A revolving door of men?” Tristan spluttered, his cheeks and ears going beet red.

“I understand your concern for your son,” I cut in. Hopefully I wasn’t overstepping, but there was no way in hell I was letting him talk to Tris like that. “But you need to watch your tone, and your words, when speaking to Tristan.”

Simon swung his gaze to me, his eyes hard and his face twisted up in rage as the mask slipped and he showed his true feelings. A moment later the mask was back on, his expression blank.

“You don’t think I have the right to be worried about what my son is exposed to when I’m not around?” he asked icily.

“You have every right to worry about whatever you want. But you don’t have the right to tell Tristan what he can and can’t do, and you don’t have the right to disrespect him. Our relationship is our business, the same as your relationship is yours.”

Tristan shot me a grateful look. I pulled him closer, fitting him in front of my body so I could wrap my arm around him.

Simon’s eyes blazed with anger as he glared at me. I held his stare until he looked away first.

“I suppose now isn’t the time to discuss this.” Simon tightened his grip on Jace, who whimpered from the added weight on his shoulders.

Tristan gripped my hand and squeezed it three times. That was our signal that he needed the conversation to end now.

“Enjoy the rest of the wedding.” I kept my tone light but softened it when I turned Tristan to face me. “Do you want to check out the dessert table, babe?”

He nodded gratefully.