Sean took in the boy at his side. How the hell did this happen? And he pondered his question and realized that—more than anything—he did not want him to go. He didn’t know where this would lead, but suddenly his evening was beginning not to seem quite so aimless. Suddenly, in a life that had seemed full of closed doors, a window opened. He couldn’t imagine what the boy—Arliss—could possibly offer him, other than the obvious, but what else did he have going on tonight, or in the future, for that matter?
What could be the harm in talking to him?
“Nah. I think I’d kind of like it if you’d stay.”
Arliss beamed.
Sean continued, “So what brings you down here tonight, when, as you say, the action is farther west? A young kid like you…I would think you’d want to blow off some steam in the bars
