Forever Changed Read Online Free PDF

it hard.” Abi gestured toward the back of the house.
    “How did you take it, Tom? You good?” Eric walked closer and put his hand on Tom’s shoulder, hoping it showed him a bit of support.
    “I want to hate him.” Tom cleared his throat. “But I can’t.” He rubbed a hand down his face.
    “It’s okay not to hate him.” Abi kissed the side of Tom’s head.
    “I know that in my head, but in my heart? He abandoned us. He had this home and my mom and I—we struggled. I would listen to her cry. Sometimes she would say his name. How do you give that up?” Tom looked defeated.
    “You get to know your father.” Eric squeezed Tom’s shoulder.
    He knew it was easier said than done. Eric had never been in a situation like this. He didn’t know his real family. A few foster homes had been good growing up and he knew how to let stuff slide off his back. It was easier that way and hate took up too much time.
    Tom sighed. Eric felt so bad and wished there was something he could do.
    “Look, man, I know it’s easy for me to say that, but it’s true.” Eric really did want to help and he wanted Tom to stay as long as he possibly could.
    “It is. Fuck. I should go get a room in town and—”
    “No!” Abi and Eric shouted at the same time.
    Tom jumped.
    “Sorry.” Abi laughed.
    “You need to stay here. Did you change your flight?” Eric sat down at the table next to Tom.
    “Yes, I leave tomorrow afternoon.” Tom looked between Abi and Eric.
    “Spend your time here. Talk to Dan. Spend the night with us.” Eric was doing his best not to beg, but if that was what it took, he would. Not just for him, but for Abi too. There was too much he still wanted to do with this man.
    “And come back,” Abi whispered. She was on the same page as Eric.
    “I want to stay. We all have some unfinished business, but I don’t know if I can be in this house right now.”
    “Don’t worry about that. I have a small place here on the ranch. The foreman’s house. We’ll go there.”
    “Yes, we can spend the night at Eric’s. Stay.” Abi was all but sitting in Tom’s lap. Eric would have laughed, but he didn’t want to break the moment.
    “Okay,” Tom agreed.
    Eric released the breath he’d been holding. He knew it could go either way. He needed to get to know Tom better so he could gauge what he’d do.
    “Good. Why don’t you let Eric show you his place and I’ll clean up the kitchen? Come back for dinner then we’ll spend the night over there.” Abi stood.
    “No.”
    Abi looked stricken. “No?”
    “Sorry! Sorry. I meant, I’ll help you clean up.” Tom laughed.
    “I’ll help too. We can get it cleaned up and help with any supper prep you need.”
    “How about you both help clean up then you can show Tommy the horses.”
    “We can do that.” Eric nodded.
    He was proud of the ranch, almost as though it was his own. Dan ran a good place. It got a little hectic when it turned into dude ranch season and all the greenhorns were around spooking the horses, but in the winter it was always so pretty and calm and he was happy to call the place home. The first one he’d had. Ever. It was his and he wasn’t going anywhere. Abi was here, after all. She’d been here her whole life and he had no idea what that would have been like. Who could he have been if he’d had family?
    Eric tended not to dwell on his past too much. His present and future were enough to keep him warm at night.
    They finished cleaning up in no time. It was easier with three people doing the work. Abi shooed them out of the house. Eric took Tom’s hand and led him toward the barn. He could show off his horses and check on them at the same time. Phil was a great guy and good at his job, but Eric tended to be protective over Cally. She was his baby.
    “This okay?” Tom pulled at his hand.
    “Yep. No one here cares. I told Dan when I first got here that I was bi. I didn’t want it to interfere if I happened to start dating a guy.”
    “What