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humiliation of being proved wrong in his accusation, he had most likely alienated himself from Jared forever. He should cry out, stop Jared from leaving without giving him a proper apology. He had not missed the contempt in the eyes of Marcus Verano, a man whom Andrew greatly admired, when he had failed to do so earlier.
    Oh, Jared, I am an unmitigated fool, and an even greater one for letting you walk away like this .
    Sensing Andrew’s despair, his uncle gave an impatient snort of displeasure. “You are too sentimental by half, Andrew.” He gripped Andrew’s arm, trying to lead him to the door.
    “Jared Lantos is not worthy of your concern.”
    BLOOD LURE
    J.P. Bowie
    48
     
    “Is he not?” Andrew jerked his arm free of his uncle’s grip. “Then why can’t I help but feel that in addition to losing my brother, I have also lost the dearest friend I ever had?”
     

     
    When Joey awoke the following morning, his first thoughts were of Jared. He had dreamed of him all night. Dreams that seemed so real at times he imagined he would find Jared lying next to him, the erotic sensation of his cool, smooth body pressed to his, the softness of Jared’s lips nuzzling his neck and shoulders. The ecstasy that Jared had brought him. He groaned. His morning wood throbbed in his hand…
    “Joey, breakfast’s ready!” His mother’s call from downstairs had him quickly jerking his hand away from his cock. He chuckled. Even now his mom could make him feel guilty about giving himself a hand job. He rolled out of bed and headed for the bathroom. A pee would help cool his carnal thoughts about Jared.
    Wonder how his meeting’s going?
    His parents were sitting at the kitchen table when he bounced downstairs.
    “Morning, Mom, Dad.” He gave them both a hug then sat at the table, helping himself to a bowl of cereal.
    “Did you sleep well, dear?”
    He smiled at his mother and nodded. “Yeah, like a top.”
    “Tops spin,” his father said. “Doesn’t sound like a good night’s sleep to me.”
    Joey grinned. “Just an expression, Dad.”
    “You had a vivid dream, didn’t you?”
    “Huh? Oh yes, a dream. Funny, usually I can never remember what they’re about.”
    His father fixed him with a look. His eyes had lost their usual vacant stare and seemed as sharp and focussed as they had been briefly the night before.
    “You remembered this one though, and will for a long time.”
    “Dad…” Joey forced out a weak chuckle. “What the heck are you talking about?”
    His father sighed, his shoulders sagging as he looked away from his son’s puzzled expression.
    “What were we talking about?”
    BLOOD LURE
    J.P. Bowie
    49
     
    “Just finish your coffee, darling.” Arlene rose from the table pausing to stroke her husband’s hair as she passed by his chair. “It’s a beautiful day, so I thought we’d go sit in the park later. Will you join us, Joey?”
    “Of course. I’ll just run upstairs and have a shower first. See you in a few minutes.”
    His father looked up at him as Joey got to his feet. “Dreams,” he muttered. “Sometimes they’re all we’re left with.”
     
    As he stood under the hot spray in the shower, Joey pondered what his father had been trying to say earlier.
    ‘Dreams—sometimes they’re all we’re left with ,’ and, ‘ You’ll remember this one for a long time …’
    Could it be his dad was himself remembering something he’d dreamed of, or had a memory of, but in his confused state couldn’t quite bring into focus?
    Damn, but he wished he could help him. Surely there was something that could be done that would bring him back from that twilight zone he lived in most of the time. Twice, Joey had seen a glimmer of lucidity in his father’s eyes. If only he could hang on to it long enough to say what he was so obviously struggling with.
    Drying himself quickly and throwing on a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops, he suddenly remembered he hadn’t checked his cell for messages. Darn it,