“Looooove the D,” Hamish continued. “Hard, fast, slow, I don’t care. Any way I can get it, and lemme tell you, Ren is?—”
“Okay, we get it,” Jayden said.
I burst out laughing. “So happy for you.”
Hamish beamed. “Me too.” But then he reached over and gave my arm a squeeze. “And being serious, I’m happy for you too, Win. Queer love in all its forms is a beautiful thing. It really makes me so happy that you and Deacon have been mowed down by the Christmas Cupid like the rest of us. We’ve got two more little rainbow babies in our family now, and it just gives me life, ya know?”
I nodded. “Family, huh?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely,” Hamish mumbled.
Thankfully, no one close by seemed to hear him.
I smiled at them both. “Moving here was the best thing I ever did.”
“Same,” Hamish said.
“Same,” Jayden added.
“Here you go, boys,” Crystal said, bringing over two bags: one for me, one for Hamish.
“Yeah, I better get back to work,” Jayden said.
“Same,” Hamish said.
“Same.”
“Okay, so remember dinner is potluck,” Hamish said. “We all have to bring something so Jayden doesn’t feel the need to cook on what’ssupposedto be a night off for him.”
I smiled at Jayden. “Totally fair.”
“I think we have most of it covered,” Hamish said. “Though a vegetable side would be great.”
“Perfect. I can bring a Mediterranean vegetable thing,” I offered. “No one has any allergies, right?”
“None,” Jayden replied. “Though Clay and Gunter get totally weird when anyone mentions garlic bread.”
Hamish snorted. “Yeah, do me a favor and ask Gunter about that.”
They both laughed.
“Oh,” Jayden said, as if he’d just remembered. “And no gifts,” he said, directing that straight to Hamish. “Handmade or otherwise. We’re not having a repeat of last year.”
Hamish grimaced again, then sniffed and raised his chin. “Well, yes. However well-intentioned I may have been at the time, that’s not a mistake I ever intend to repeat.”
I didn’t know what that was about, but it made me laugh anyway.
They had such a history, all these small inside jokes that close friends seemed to have. It was so lovely, and the fact they were now including me into their circle—their little queer family, as Hamish had called it—made me incredibly happy. Hartbridge already felt more like a home to me than Boise ever did.
I’d never really had the queer-friends-only group thing before. Sure, I’d had queer friends back in Boise, but nothing like this. Here, these guys made a point of catching up often, had regular meals together, they helped each other, they supported and cheered each other on. It was awesome.
I just hoped Deacon was ready to be included too.
Small steps. Remember, Winter, small steps.
Yes. Absolutely, I reminded myself. Small and patient steps, and I knew there might be the occasional step backward, but I was excited for what our future might look like.
Whatever that might be.
