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I took that to mean he’d tossed the medal overboard at some point after he’d returned to the States

“What about you, Caleb Cortano?” Jace asked with a loud sigh “What are you good at?”

Besides fucking my father?

I shoved the errant thought away and began reeling into occupyelse

“Everything,” I adht-A student, captain of the football teaet“I rown-ups loved me because I was respectful and well-behaved Perfect kid,” I muttered I looked over at hi important”

I expected hiue with me and he did

But not in the way I was expecting

“Not true… you’re a much better hook-from-ass reracefully”

I couldn’t help the smile that drifted across my mouth

“And the lengths you went to just to feed your Sno Balls habit? Impressive,” Jace said in all seriousness

“Shut up,” I growled “At least I don’t still need a cup of warm milk at bedtime”

“Hey,” Jace said loudly He pointed at me with mock irritation “That’s pink milk, not warm milk Because that shit’s just nasty”

I chuckled and we both fell into a more comfortable silence I cast my line back out

“Jace,” I said as I kept my eyes on the water

“Yeah?”

“If it helps, I don’t think there’s anything average about you”

He was quiet for a really long time “Caleb?”

“Yeah?”

“It helps”

I foundat him

“Caleb?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to knohat you’re good at?”

I didn’t answer hiht and then sensed hih I really wanted to I shivered when his fingers briefly drifted over the back ofto the top of ers curled aroundpulse

“All the stuff that really et that, okay?”

He didn’t wait for an answer Instead, he reached past rab my nearly empty water bottle The move put his face precariously close to mine “Will you watch my line for a second?”

I sed around the knot of anticipation in my throat “Yeah,” I choked out

Then he was gone and I finally ed to take in a deep breath Seconds later I heard a clanging sound behind me I looked overpole bounce along the bench and then disappear over the side of the boat and splash into the water below I let out a bark of laughter as I realized Jace had forgotten to put his rod in one of the holders to keep the pole fro overboard in case a fish took the bait

I began laughing

And laughing

And laughing