“Oh, the cowhand who works out at Wild Heart, right?”
“Yep. Though, shit. Leo said that they were going by Lovett now. They’d been struggling with their name for a while, and their parents pointed out that their middle name is gender neutral.”
“Wait,” I said, not quite believing my ears. “Not only do their parents support them, but they’d named them Lyle Lovett from birth? I hafta meet these people.”
“I have a feeling we will,” he said, grinning. “I wouldn’t be surprised if Leo’s first love is his last. He loves big, you know?”
I nodded, the tiniest bit jealous of a baby adult. “Here’s hoping Leo doesn’t overwhelm them.”
Ozzie raised his brow, then tilted his head toward the scene playing out before us. Ginger drifted toward Beckett and Holden to fawn over Hikaru while Leo was giving Lovett the penny tour. They drifted in and out of each other’s personal space, their size difference almost comical. The way Leo’s pinky kept brushing Lovett’s pinky was giving me a romance high.
Having only heard rumors of Lovett, I observed how they bent their head toward Leo, seeming to breathe a little deeper with each “incidental” contact. I also dug Lovett’s style—their lips were glossy, their nails were painted in rainbow colors, and they were rocking sun-bleached Wranglers over boots that’d seen some action, along with a T-shirt that… ha.
“Does their shirt say ‘Pussy Willow’?”
Ozzie laughed, rubbing his squarish hands together. “It’s from a queer coffee shop out past Johnson City.”
“How cool that they have a place to go that feels welcoming.”
“It’s a great little spot. If you don’t mind getting yelled at by someone on the aroace spectrum.”
I blinked. “I… I’m not sure how to respond to that.”
Oz laughed, wrapping a long arm around my shoulders. “Trust me, you wouldn’t mind it one bit. The coffee is worth it.”
“Fine, but don’t tell Allie,” I said, referring to the gal who owned the Seguin Bean.
“Deal.”
I was welcomed to the big dining table as a conquering hero and, yeah, my friends were being silly, but it made me feel good.
“Come on, guys. All I did was switch out a bulb.”
“You were also here every weekend before we reopened. And we all know the kinds of hours you’re putting in,” Beckett said.
He was a preacher who was tattooed and not fully sold on the idea of God, or divinity in general, but he was dead serious about serving people, and the Meeting House was his baby. After Mr. Paige died, Beckett stepped into the role of mentor, texting me here and there to check up on me.
None of this—the faithless preacher, the table full of queer folks who loved gathering to help the community, the sense of belonging—was anything like what I’d grown up with. Then again, I tried to avoid thinking about how I’d been raised, lest those familiar feelings of being unworthy take over.
“Thank you,” I murmured, clearing my throat, ready for the spotlight to be off me.
“So.” Ozzie sat across from me and leaned on his forearms. “How’re the summer school classes going?”
“They’re good,” I answered, mostly meaning it. “I like being able to tutor the students one-on-one. I’m not as worried about test scores as I would be during the regular semesters. Not gonna lie, though, I’m a little glad to have a break from shop class.”
Major wrinkled his brows. “You need a break from that?”
“I loved being a student in Mr. Paige’s class, but as I was telling my principal recently, I’m no Mr. Paige.” I scratched at an imaginary spot on the table.
“Dr. Gardner doesn’t like how you’re handling shop?” Joel asked.
I waved off his concern. “It’s not that. We noted the engagement was down. Part of that is because the kids miss Mr. Paige, but there’s more to it.”
I looked up and saw that Ginger, Ren, and Hikaru had joined us. I let my chin drop to my chest, embarrassed.
Ren sat next to Ozzie, copying his pose. “What do you think is the issue?” he asked, clearly having overheard our conversation.
Heat spread in my cheeks, and I knew everyone could see the damned flush. Lifting a shoulder, I gave him the best answer I had. “At the end of the school year, Leo said the class was fine, but everybody thought the projects were a waste.”
