Take Me Beyond Your Heart (sequel) boyxboy

*3*

**Ben Bowers as Jace Makreno**

*Jace's POV*

Okay, so it was no secret. I was an idiot.

So maybe I wasn't a thorough thinker, but I meant no harm. I believed that letting Nolan date Shane would do him some good, and I still stood on that. It wasn't about me. I was putting him first just as he put me and my sister before himself so many times. The problem was, was this causing him more pain than happiness? Did he ever need Shane?

He did have issues with his health. With Shane, those problems had subsided. Did they totally disappear? No, but I didn't expect them to.

I groaned and pulled at the tufts of my front hair, sinking my head further into my pillow. Shane and I had been through a lot before I was whisked away to Louisburg. I was just getting used to being openly gay and showing him off as my boyfriend when my father popped up out of nowhere after my homecoming game to tell me he wanted Gwen and I to move with him.

I thought I wouldn't get to see Shane as often as I'd like, and that made it slightly easier to let him date Nolan. Now I see for sure that I was utterly wrong about that. All I had to do was call, and he'd be here as soon as he could. I felt like a sort of wasted a year on my part, as selfish as that sounded. Who knew how much my relationship could have grown with the person I deeply loved, the person who still drove me crazy when I thought about him.

But Nolan had texted me earlier, saying that he'd never been so happy in his life. So, yes. Some good did come out of all this mess. I made my best friend happy, and that made me happy as well.

Was I willing to hurt him by making Shane mine again? Do I sacrifice his happiness for my selfishness?

I reached over to my bedside table, grabbing my phone off its charger when I heard it vibrate and beep.

I unlocked the screen and a message from Shane popped up.

Cooled down? I hope I didn't say something to hurt you >.<

I slowly smiled to myself, swiping my thumbs across the keypad of my iPhone.

Well, you didn't fail to remind me I'm an idiot, but only because it's true. No, seriously, I'm okay. You didn't do anything.

With a sigh, I pressed send and awaited his response. It came just a few seconds later.

Shane/ But you know all you have to do is say it. Say you want to be with me and we'll be together.

My eyebrows pulled together.

And Nolan?

Shane/ we'll figure it out.

Me/ It'll crush him.

Shane/ Not to sound like a total d-bag, but... Jace, you come before anyone else. You can look after Nolan all you want, but for me - right now, this is about you.

Me/ Shane...

Shane/ Jace...

I sucked in a breath, and shut my eyes briefly. Just say it. Think about how you feel right now, I thought to myself.

Me/ I want to be with you. I want you back.

Shane/ Okay. Tomorrow, seven in the evening. I'll come pick you up.

Jace/ Wait, what? Why?

Shane/ So we can tell Nolan. We just have to take it easy. I have to go, sleep tight. I'll see you tomorrow.