Page 34 of Inevitable

Talking about Bas with Ezra shouldn’t have felt so right, but it did. It didn’t feel like he was going behind Bas’s back by talking about him. It was more that with Ezra, he had someone with whom to share the perfect chaos that was Bas.

Because, just like Drew, Ezra realized how incredible Bas was.

Ezra took a big bite of his food and chewed thoughtfully. “If he gets stuck, can’t you unwind him?”

“He’s a stubborn ass.”

“Maybe you need an outsider’s perspective.”

Drew cocked his head to the side. “Or a different perspective from an insider,” he said.

Ezra’s fork froze halfway to his mouth. “What?”

“Come on. Bas likes you. I know he might come off as a laid-back social butterfly, but that’s a front. He keeps all those people around him at arm’s length. At all times. Not you, though.”

“How the hell can you tell?”

Drew shrugged. “He tells you about his life. I’m the only other person he talks about his music with.”

Ezra licked his lips and placed his fork aside. “You overestimate.”

Drew shook his head.

“I don’t think so.” He nudged Ezra’s foot with his as the man turned down his gaze like he suddenly felt guilty for something. “I like that you care about him. Bas deserves to have some more people in his corner.”

“What about his family?”

“It’s complicated.”

Ezra snorted. “Isn’t it always?”

“Truer words have never been spoken.” Drew took a sip of his water before looking at Ezra. “What about yours?”

“What about mine?” Ezra did his best to look at anything but Drew.

He really should have known Drew wasn’t going to let him off the hook that easy.

“Your family,” Drew said gently. “Do you get along?”

Ezra fiddled with his water glass.

“My mom died when I was little, so I don’t remember her. My dad and my two older brothers live in Amherst, but I don’t go back there.”

“How come?” Drew asked. Ezra’s body language screamed, Don’t pry! But Drew had a feeling Ezra needed this conversation. Plus, he was too curious to quit.

“We don’t exactly get along. All three of them are in and out of prison like they have a rotation. We’re the Morgans. We have a certain reputation. I’m pretty sure most people in my hometown figure I’m in prison, too. Anyway, we’re not the kind of family who really keeps in touch. Needless to say, the whole me being gay was the last nail in the coffin. They won’t be welcoming me with open arms.” He poked at his food with his fork, pushing it around his plate. “It’s fine. It is what it is.”

Ezra stretched his neck to the side, like he was trying to get rid of the tension that had immediately slammed into him the moment his family had been mentioned.

Drew reached out his arm, covered Ezra’s hand with his, and squeezed, which made Ezra’s gorgeous eyes fly to Drew’s.

“It’s not fine,” Drew said.

Ezra opened his mouth to argue, but Drew squeezed his palm. “It doesn’t have to be fine. You don’t have to be fine with it.”

“You don’t think forgiveness will set me free?” Ezra quirked his brow.

“I don’t think you should forgive just for the sake of forgiveness. If you don’t feel like you’re over it, you don’t have to forgive anybody anything.”