Brandon found Jaxson on the back porch the next morning, nursing a cup of coffee he hadn't touched.
"She didn't sleep," Brandon said flatly.
Jaxson stiffened. "Neither did I."
Brandon leaned against the railing, eyes forward. "Here's the thing , I don't hate you."
That surprised him."But I will," Brandon continued, "if you keep loving her halfway."
Jaxson swallowed. "I'm trying not to hurt her."
"That's the problem," Brandon snapped. "You're so scared of hurting her that you already are."
Silence stretched.
"She loves you," Brandon said more quietly. "But she's not made of glass. And she's not going to survive being kept at arm's length forever."Jaxson nodded slowly. "I don't know how to be what she needs."
Brandon finally looked at him. "Then learn. Or step aside."
The words weren't cruel.
They were honest.
And as Brandon walked away, Jaxson knew one thing for certain:
Love wasn't asking him to be fearless. It was asking him to stop hiding.