Jjeffalch

ESPECIALLY if he gets arrested first!

Sorry, I don't think I missed a chapter, but if I did, please point me in the right direction ... where was it said that Caleb is Mr. Archer's son?

Travis send to understand that his troubles interacting with Julian stem from his torturous relationship with Curtis. Maybe the thing to do is to seek some therapy so he can get an proper handle on that, rather than dulling the emotions with Xanax.

Don't understand this weirdness with Diana at all she obviously hates Caleb why insist on drawing him back in?

Every time Owen says to his Dad "Yes, Sir" and surrenders to some other little piece of tyranny, he himself strengthens his father's ability to control him, and his possible future nurturing and teaching little seahorses recedes a bit closer to the ocean floor, near Levi's taco stand. Is not even that wonderful three-week experience with the seahorses enough to stir him from his apathy and lethargy? Ryder threatens to come blow up his world, and he doesn't even then stand his ground and tell Ryder to back off, instead he whines to Margot and lets her handle that crisis. I have lost every last vestige of sympathy for Owen. I understand the fear he is feeling, but if his seahorses aren't enough to make him stand up to his dad and claim his own future doing something that everybody except his obsessed father would applaud, then Owen deserves that other future, greeting mourners at the door and handing Eric the appropriately filled-out forms.

Indeed. Bit it does make one wonder why everyone else apparently has just stood aside and let Diana abuse the poor kid. The abuse doesn't seem to have been a secret.

Marcus seems an otherwise self assured man. An arrogant stud walks in and unfurls some pheromones and this self-assured man instantly melts down into a puddle of hormones ready to cheat on his spouse? REALLY? Well, I hope Ryan finds out quickly what has happened between the two of them and quickly concludes that Marcus isn't worth his attention.

I disagree that Ryder's mere presence "will allow Owen to make a choice". Rather the contrary, the whole point of this maneuver is to force Owen's hand, to force him, not allow him, to destroy the plan that he and Margot have crafted, and to do so on Ryder's schedule. All this potential mayhem based on three weeks of acquaintance! There is something pathological, something sinister, about Ryder being so hell-bent on dragging Owen under his control so rapidly. This whole business about setting up house together in Youngstown...no matter how infatuated with Ryder he may be, surely that strikes Owen as weirdly rushed...but who am I kidding, Owen has steadfastly ignored all the other dire red warning flags that Ryder keeps dropping on him, and he has made a lifelong habit of refusing to ever tyink for himself, so why should he begin to actually think at this stage?

Righteous words !!!!!

WARNING! WARNING! Sensors detect incoming catastrophe!! TAKE EVASIVE ACTION IMMEDIATELY!!!!!! This isn't a red flag, this is the warning shot across the bow, and this is where Owen has to open his eyes and take a long sober look at this Ryder. “I’m saying maybe you don’t go to Ohio State.” The sentence sat between us. The most direct challenge to my life plan anyone had ever issued out loud, and it was coming from a guy in a black t-shirt who’d known me for two and a half weeks." Yes, Owen, the sense of unease you made clear in that thought is right on. This asshole is a bully, a Dom seeking his sub. You put in with him, and you give up any hope of making your own decisions. He will tell you what underwear to put on in the morning, and you'd better jump to it. And he doesnt give a damn about YOUR life plan or anything else that you want. Ryde r hets or takes what Ryder wants. Case in point... When the check came he grabbed it before I could. “Ryder.” “Don’t argue with me.” “You drove just as far as I did to get here. At least let me split it.” “Don’t argue with me, Owen.” I let him pay. Here's another point to consider. From what I remember, Owen is feeling boxed in by the weight of his family's expectations. I don't recall him ever saying anything about his parents actually telling him he had to take over the business or else suffer the consequences, or, for that matter, him telling his parents that taking over the family business was not what he wants to do with his life. And Owen is so passive, so "go with the flow"-ish that he has probably never actually asked questions that might have helped him decide if there was any chance they could be understanding if he said he didn't want to be a mortician. I'm pretty sure every mortician is well aware that most people are not cut out to do what they do. It might not be the "painful-surprise-and-feeling-betrayed-and-we-will-never-forgive-you-for-your-lack-of-gratitude" reaction. And after all, there is the enthusiastic Cousin Eric who will make sure the business stays in the family. They might actually react quite well if Owen speaks his mind--disappointed, sure, but maybe no more than that. Their reactions to him being gay are more likely to be what Owen should really worry about, The thing is, Owen does not know for sure. And he admits it...My dad is what? Going to disown me? Going to never speak to me again? Going to throw me out the way Ryder’s family had thrown him out at fifteen? I didn’t know what my dad would do. That was the problem. I didn’t know him well enough to predict it. Margot doesn't know for sure. And "Self-Righteous Ryder" sure as hell doesn't know for sure. But he's apparently willing to encourage Owen to throw over everything based on his, Ryder's, say so. And then, to crown it all off, the threat to storm the engagement party and destroy it all himself! If he doesn't get what he wants, he's going to burn it all down, leaving scorched earth behind him, and Owen trying to salvage some vestiges of a future from the wreckage. My God, @mastershakeme, you're brilliant! Five key paragraphs and you paint a very compelling and utterly convincing picture of the nature of this guy, and it is NOT GOOD.! And just look how worked up you've already made me get this early in the morning and I haven't even had my coffee yet! I'm going to get a cup right now in the hope that it will CALM ME DOWN!!😉 That's some fine writing right there, because usually I can barely put together a coherent sentence before coffe number 3! Owen, dear sweet overthinking child, consider that last thought you had about Margot's reaction...Couldn’t bring myself to call her. Couldn’t tell her what Ryder had said. She would lose her mind. She would call Jules. She would draft contingency plans. She would not understand because she was in the same trap I was in and she’d been planning her way around it for three years and Ryder threatening to show up was the worst-case scenario she’d been trying to prevent her entire life. That applies not just to Margot, its also YOUR escape that he is threatening. Then consider your own reaction, once you'd got over the physical reaction to the goodbye kiss..He was going to do it. I could feel it in my bones the way I’d felt the wind on the motorcycle last night. He wasn’t bluffing. He was a guy who didn’t bluff. He’d been built by a life where bluffing got you killed and now he just said what he meant and meant what he said, and what he’d said was that he was tired of being the secret. Then think of your reaction to the kiss itself ...He stepped close again. Put both hands on my face. Kissed me. Hard. Not romantic this time. Possessive. The kind of kiss that said you’re mine and the kind of kiss that said don’t forget it and the kind of kiss that said I’m not going to wait forever, Owen, you need to figure your shit out before I have to do it for you. He's "tired of being the secret", is he? Ryder is not a secret, he has NO STANDING in your life, Owen, beyond insisting on paying for your fries at the diner, and, you have to admit, he wasn't very nice about it, and that, too, is a warning sign. Listen, Owen, you can already feel that this shithead is poison for you. Pull the plug and back away before this utterly self-absorbed loose cannon lays waste to absolutely everything in your life. He doesn't have anything to lose. You do! Like Ryder himself said, "Ohio State’s a big school. Lot of guys. Lot of options." Once, you're there, you can figure things out with more freedom and flexibility---what you want to study, and whom you want to date. Ryder fascinates you because he is the very first guy to pay you attention. And that's all it is for now. Don't lose sight of that.

Let me add arrogance to the list of things about Ryder that I don't like. Let's listen to him for a moment: You’re letting other people decide who you are because it’s easier than deciding for yourself. And then he says This summer. You’re gonna figure your shit out, Owen. You don’t want to work in a funeral home. You don’t want to marry your best friend. You want me. You want those kids at VBS. I know you do. I’ve heard you talk about them. Your whole voice changes when you talk about those kids. That’s who you are. And I’m not gonna sit here and watch you bury that for your dad’s business and a ring that belongs to somebody else.” I see a bit of inconsistency here. He seems to saying to Owen "here are your instructions, Owen. Don't do what your parents tell you to, do what I tell you to do. I, who got kicked out into the street at the age of fifteen because I was found out as gay; I who because of my desperation fell in with the wrong guy and ended up in jail; I who know nothing about your situation beyond the little you have told me over the last 12 days, mostly in short text messages; THAT I am telling you to give up the plan to get to college and get the kind of education that can help you find a job and support yourself if, as you so evidently fear, your parents disown you when they find out you're gay. Because i know what us best for you." Thus spake Ryder in full expectation that thus it should be. Here is Ryder, the kid with all the wisdom derived from a life of rich and varied experience (hah!), giving his advice and determining when it is appropriate for someone he has known for 12 days, to come out. How is that any better for Owen than following the instructions of Margot, who is certainly selfish, but at least does knows what Owen is dealing with given his parents? To me, that sounds like someone settings conditions that he expects Owen to meet in order to benefit from the grace of Ryder's attention. In all honesty, I prefer Cole 's approach.

With all the vituperation against Margot, her selfishness, her manipulation of Owen, we seem to be forgetting that Owen has been an active and willing participant in the whole thing. He is as terrified as she is at the prospect of the parents finding out the truth.The plan benefits not only Margot, please let us not forget this. Owen is passive and apathetic, Margot is the opposite. Of course she's going to do all the planning. The only real reason to be mad at her is when she forges ahead without informing Owen, like with the whole 'engagement' saga. And we're getting even more upset because she sees Ryder as a danger not only to their overall plan, but more importantly, to their ability to determine the timing if their coming out. With what right does Ryder presume to have the right to 'force' their schedule? Ruder does not know them. He has no idea what Owen's family life is like. He has no sense of what is at stake, what Owen stands to lose, and he has NEVER ONCE actually asked Owen how he feels about all this. NOT ONCE! He needs to back off and leave a little bit of room for the possible, the potential relationship to grow, and in that relationship he might just earn the right to have an opinion about Owen's and Margot's plan. And while he's making room, he might consider doing what he demands of Owen, and start talking a little more about himself. We were all disappointed in Cole, whom was clear and compassionate. He told Owen he was not prepared to be with someone still in the closet. He did that gently and upfront. He did not judge Owen, because he understands how difficult and wrenching coming out can be, and he was entirely open about his reasons for refusing to go back into the closet. I far prefer that approach.

He's big on honesty from Owen. He had a chance of their telephone calls after the 'reconciliation' --during the first call he actually admitted that he had not shared with Owen anything about his past.he could have said something then or the next time. He didn't. Was having too much fun "guilting" poor passive Owen.

I am really keen to see how thenext conversati9n between Owen and Ryder goes. Margot was sharp enough to pin him down into an admission I don't think he would have offered to Owen voluntarily. Let's see if he foll I was up or goes on the iffene8ve and tries to guilt-trip Owen into submission.

I may have missed it, but what makes Ryder think he has a commitment from Owen? He is sitting there in whatever situation he is in--probably without any family constraints, oh but wait, nobody knows anything about Ryder's situation, do they, because of course, Ryder gets to decide what he reveals and when--and he is claiming rights over Owen that simply don't exist yet because he hasn't earned them. Of the 11 days they've known each other, he has spent five of the last six sulking like an 11-year old. Instead of showing support, he acts like an insulted prima donna. Showing up like that, at the fair, as if he has right of first refusal over Owen's time off and weekend activities, is for me an act of emotional manipulation that should be a huge flaming red flag to Owen, and if only he were a bit less sheltered and cowed, Owen might recognize this. All of us readers are overtly outraged at Margot. She at least has been around Owen for ever. Ryder has NO STANDING WHATSOEVER in Owen's life. My most fervent wish is that Owen realizes that Ryder is purely selfish, that Margot is purely selfish, and that he then decides to get a little selfish too. That may mean sticking to the plan with Margot and getting away to university safely. Who cares if Margot is acting in her own self-interest? If that also serves Owen well, more power to them both. What does Ryder have to offer to balance his pursuit of his own self-interest? Maybe Owen should just wait for Theo to grow up--his luck on Ember has been piss-poor.