Role Play - Alison Hendricks Page 0,31

that I thought he wasn't capable of being patient and caring, of trying his best to understand his nephew's interests even if it was clear he didn't. I just hadn't seen that side of him. All I saw was a take-charge guy who'd made me feel like I was the sexiest person on the planet. Which... maybe there were some similarities. I'd felt valued with Reuben; validated as someone who actually mattered as a man instead of just some frumpy teacher.

Watching him with David, I got the impression he was used to making people feel like they mattered without singling them out. He didn't coddle the teen. Whether he'd done so in the past, he'd learned by now that David needed space and he'd let Reuben know when that changed.

"It's nice to see a guardian who respects boundaries," I told him after the session.

David had been reluctant to play, and Reuben hadn't pushed him. I had to rein in the other kids who were being a little pushy in encouraging him. He did share a character he'd created for the campaign, though, and we all brainstormed a way that character could join the group next time.

"That sounds like the lowest possible bar to clear," Reuben said with a sharp laugh.

My lips curved, a spark of sadness marking the expression. "You'd be surprised how many people can't even manage to trip over it."

"Eh, maybe not. It took time for Ruth and I to quash that instinct to try and shelter him."

"Is Ruth his mother?" I asked.

"Oh, no. Different sister. Both of David's parents were killed in a car accident when he was four. I don't think they even understood at the time that he was on the spectrum. He wasn't diagnosed until after he'd started school."

"I'm sorry to hear that," I said, my brow furrowing. "So you're his legal guardian now?"

"Ah, well. My sister is, technically. I was still completing my degree when the courts decided. She had the more stable home environment at the time and the more stable income. But the legalities have never been a thing outside of official paperwork and school pickups and whatnot. Ruth and I... I guess co-parent is the best term for it."

His demeanor changed somewhat as he described the situation. I could tell the question had put him on edge and there was more there he wasn't saying. I decided not to pry. Sleeping with the guy once definitely didn't give me free license to ferret out every secret he kept close to his heart.

It wasn't like he knew everything about me, either. In fact, I think he knew even less about me than I knew about him, because his concept of me was based on the role I'd played when we were together. A role he probably thought was my true self; the person I let myself be when I wasn't tied down by the need for professionalism.

Oh, if he only knew.

The more we talked, though, the more I realized he should know. Especially as the conversation veered dangerously close to planning something outside of these D&D sessions. If we hooked up again, I knew I wasn't going to feel comfortable pretending to be something I wasn't. It'd been fun to escape into a totally different personality, but it wasn't sustainable.

My heart thudded in my chest as I grappled with telling him. What if he hated me? What if this colored his entire perception of me and he rightfully thought I was as deceptive in everything else as I had been with that? It wasn't true, yet I couldn't expect him to know that.

What's the alternative? Keep gradually acting like more of a milquetoast square in bed until he eventually catches on?

No. It was better to just rip the bandage off right away. If we were going to see each other regularly, I needed to come clean.

"So, uh... I'll probably have some time this weekend, and Ruth has David both days..." Reuben started, the implication obvious.

Now was the perfect time.

"Why don't I... walk you guys out to your car and we'll talk more about it."

I let the director know I was just going to be a minute and accompanied Reuben and his nephew on the short walk to the parking lot. I talked with David about the session, right up until the point where he got into the back of the van, buckled in, and turned on the TV in the back.

"I'm just going to talk about a few things with Mr.