Jason swallowed hard around the golf-ball lump of emotion. Humbled, honored, amazed by the spontaneous assertion of faith in him. Him. How?
He said, tripping over words, “You can trust me. I swear. I mean, I’ll probably f**k up and do something wrong, but it’ll never be on purpose, I promise. I won’t hurt you. Um. You can take me to the pool and do whatever you want? I’ll even get in with you?”
The smile settled into Colby’s eyes, finding a home. “Only if you want to.”
“Come on,” Jason said, hoisting a towel. “We’re going to find your pool.”
The pool was, it turned out, relatively easy to find. It hung out among California-daydream palm trees and rippled unoccupied water at them. The gate, however, was locked.
“Oh, well,” Jason said. “Guess not?” He was relieved, and not relieved, by
