Mitch had only been home for an hour—had just gotten comfortable on his couch—when he heard the truck pull up outside.

Even before the engine cut off and the footsteps approached his front door, Mitch knew there was only one person it could be.

Only one person would have the audacity to show up unannounced and expect to talk after the way things had ended earlier in the week.

He sighed as he stood up from the couch and tried to brace himself for whatever was about to happen, slowly counting to ten and back again in his head as he waited for the knock on the door.

When it came, Mitch was ready.

He opened the door and kept his face expressionless as he faced his father. “Dad,” he said, simply, looking down at the papers in Franklin’s hand. “You can skip the eviction notice. I’ll be out in a couple of days.”

“That’s not why I’m here,” he said. “May I come inside?”

Mitch hesitated. He’d expected his dad to yell. He’d expected sneers and cursing and anger.

But the man standing on the front porch wasn’t doing any of that. He looked tired. He looked… humbled.

After a moment, Mitch stepped aside. If this was some sort of act, it was the most believable thing Mitch had ever seen.

Mitch waited until his dad was inside, then shut the door and faced him again. “If you’re not here to kick me out, then… what’s going on? I can’t imagine you’ve come to apologize.”

Franklin drew himself up, pushed his shoulders back and exhaled through his nose. Then he nodded.

“That’s exactly why I’m here, Mitchell.”

Mitch’s brow furrowed. “Wait, what?”

He hadn’t expected any of this. And his dad hadn’t called him son in years.

“I would have called first, but I wasn’t sure you’d answer. And anyway, I wanted to say this in person.” Franklin paused, then said, “I’m sorry. I’ve been a fool for too long, Mitchell. I’ve treated you unfairly and—and I’ve been unkind. To you, to Jonah, to Jonah’s grandfather. I’m not proud of the way I’ve acted, but in my mind I thought I was doing the right thing. You’ve made me see just how wrong I’ve been all these years.”

Mitch opened his mouth to speak, and then closed it again with an audible snap. What could he even say to that?

“But… why?” was the first question that came to mind. “I’m sorry, I just… the way you were talking a few days ago…”

“The way I was talking a few days ago was inexcusable,” Franklin said. “When I left the hospital parking lot that day, I was mad as hell. I admit it. Furious. I probably shouldn’t have even been driving, because I couldn’t see straight. And then, do you want to know what happened?”

Mitch nodded.

He very much wanted to know what happened. Right now, Mitch suspected it had to do with a severe blow to the head.

“I went home,” Franklin continued. “I ranted and raved to the walls and the furniture and all the other meaningless shit I’ve collected over the years. And then, when I had run out of anger, had run out of obscenities to shout, I sat down on the floor and I heard your words again—or maybe I heard them for the first time.”

“I honestly can’t even remember what I said,” Mitch confessed. “I was pretty furious, too. I’m sure whatever it was couldn’t have been very nice, though, and I apologize for that, Dad.”

“No, I don’t want you to apologize. None of this is your fault. None of it ever was. You can’t be faulted for wanting to just be yourself.” He paused, shaking his head and looking more thoughtful than Mitch had ever seen him. “But that night, I realized you were right. I’m a mean old man who has driven away everyone who ever tried to love me in my life.” Franklin’s voice broke on the last word. “I don’t want to be that man, Mitchell. I don’t have a lot of years left, and I don’t want to spend them being miserable—or making you miserable.”

“And I don’t want to be miserable anymore,” Mitch said, feeling his eyes well up with tears as his voice became thick with emotion. “I’ve tried to be who you wanted me to be all my life and… and I just can’t anymore, Dad. I can’t. I won’t.”

This was the discussion Mitch had wanted to have his entire adult life. Why had it taken so long? Why did all the nasty, mean things have to come first?

“The person I thought I wanted you to be doesn’t exist,” Franklin said. “I realize that now. And I know this is probably too little, too late, but… I’m so sorry, Mitchell. I just want my son back.”

Mitch dashed at his cheeks as the first tears spilled over. He didn’t want to cry, but there was no stopping it now. Not after finally hearing the words he’d waited a lifetime for.

But there was still one thing he had to know for sure.

“I’ve asked Jonah to be my boyfriend,” Mitch said. “I want him in my life—for the rest of my life. I know that might be hard for you to accept, but—”

“No, it’s not hard. It’s simple, really.” Franklin opened his hands in a mock surrender. “Believe me, I’ve thought about that, too. If it’s a choice between having a gay son—and maybe eventually a son-in-law like Jonah—or having no son at all? I choose you, every time. I’ve already lost too many years with you, but I don’t want to lose you forever, Mitchell. Realizing that you’re gay has been an adjustment for me, and I know I’ve got some shit to work through on my end with that. That doesn’t mean I don’t love you, though. It doesn’t mean I can’t support you.” He held out the papers he’d been holding. “I’m ready to prove that things can be different between us. I want to start by adding your name to the deed of this house. That’s what this paperwork is for. I know it’s not much, but I wanted to show you that I mean what I’m saying. I hope this can be a first step for us. Will you give me a chance?”

It was a lot to take in all at once.

A lot.

But for Mitch, the choice was also easy.

He crossed the distance between them and caught his father in a tight embrace—the first hug they’d shared since Mitch had been a kid.

“Yes. I love you, Dad. I always have. I know we got lost somewhere along the way, but I’m ready for this chance, too. For as many chances as it takes to get this right.”

And even though Mitch knew they still had a long way to go if they wanted to truly repair the damage they’d both done to their relationship, this felt like a good first step.

The best first step.

For the first time in a long time, Mitch was proud to have Franklin Davis as his father.

Mitch waved as his father’s truck pulled away.

They were both still smiling—real, genuine smiles—and Mitch’s heart was so full it felt like it might burst.

He leaned against the doorframe and took a moment to appreciate just how much his life had changed in the space of four days.

At the beginning of the week, he’d been facing the almost unimaginable prospect of losing Jonah and his father from his life. On top of that, there hadn’t been any certainty that Pop would make it through the day on Monday.

Mitch was going to be alone, unemployed, and homeless, with no prospects on the horizon to change any of those things.

If there was such a thing as rock bottom, he’d hit it on Monday.

Now, on Thursday, everything had changed.

Jonah was going to be in his life. In Hidden Creek. That alone was almost too good to be true.

But combined with the fact that Pop was doing so well with his recovery? And Mitch’s dad had pulled a complete one-eighty about Mitch being gay?

It really was mind-boggling.

It was the first time Mitch understood what people meant when they talked about living their best life. This was so good, it felt like someone else’s life.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket, still smiling—smiling even wider, if that was possible, as he dialed Jonah’s number.

“Babe, you’re never going to believe what just happened,” Mitch blurted out as soon as Jonah picked up the phone. “I mean… hey… how’s it going? Is Pop good? Are you good? Were you sleeping?”

Mitch finally forced his mouth shut so the words would quit falling out. Jonah was laughing hard on the other end of the line, and Mitch couldn’t blame him. He was sure he sounded like a complete idiot, but even that barely slowed him down.

“I’m good,” Jonah said between bursts of laughter. “We’re good. But what’s this news you’ve got? You sound like you’ve won the lottery or something.”

“I feel like I have,” Mitch said, meaning it. “This has been the luckiest day of my life, babe. I’ve got you. Your grandpa is doing well. And now… you’re not gonna believe this. Hell, I barely believe it. But my dad was just here and Jonah? He’s… he’s changed.”

“Changed? What does that mean? Changed for the better, I hope.”

“So much better.” Mitch paused to shake his head, still amazed that this was his real life now. “He apologized… for everything. For like… the first time ever.”

“That’s awesome!” Jonah said. “I’m really glad to hear that. I mean—that’s a good start, right?”

Mitch grinned. If Jonah thought that was a good start…

“Wait until you hear the rest, babe.” This was the part Mitch was actually excited about. This was the part that would probably make Jonah fall out of his chair. “He’s happy that we’re going to be together. He’s happy for me and you. He wants to start over as father and son. He wants to actually fix things this time, and—and I believe him. I was skeptical at first, but if you could have seen the look on his face…”

Jonah was quiet for several seconds—long enough that Mitch had to take the phone away from his ear and look at the screen to make sure the call hadn’t been disconnected. When he finally spoke again, Jonah’s voice was trembling, and Mitch could feel the happiness coming through the line.

“That’s… I can’t even… wow,” Jonah stumbled over his words, and Mitch could just picture him trying to wrap his head around what he’d just heard. It was the exact same feeling Mitch had felt earlier. “Your dad really said all of those things? He’s happy for us?”

“I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen and heard it right from his mouth.” Mitch finally went back inside his house, then looked around the too-quiet living room. “I wish you were over here with me right now. I feel like I’m bouncing off the walls with all of this good news.”

“Come over,” Jonah said without hesitation. “I don’t wanna leave Pop alone right now since it’s his first day home, but you’re right. We should be together right now celebrating or something.”

“Hell yeah, we should,” Mitch agreed, already rushing back to his bedroom to change clothes. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

Mitch hung up the phone and tossed it onto his bed as he flipped through the hangers in his closet. He couldn’t wait to have Jonah in his arms again.

Even ten minutes was too long.