“Why isthat?”
“That I neededto…”
“Not that!” Art exclaimed with a laugh. “Why weren’t you interested in findingmore?”
“I had a family to carefor.”
“Yes, you’ve told me the whole spiel about old habits dying hard, but I can’t believe it lasted all those years after the kids were grown and away. Surely there wassomeone.”
He could tell Art was pushing for a real answer, more than the logic that Wes could so easily use to throw everyone off his tracks, as Wes had done when Art had disregarded the idea ofkids.
But to his good fortune, it was their turn in line, so they ordered drinks and then headed to one of the many bar-height tables placed around the room. Wes checked out the TV screen behind the bar. “You like this ArianaGrande?”
“Of course I do. Now answer myquestion.”
Wes knew he was cornered, but he didn’t mind when it was Art. He had to push through uncomfortable subjects. That’s what being with someone meant, but it took him a moment to muster the will to confront those demons. “After Becca, I needed to raise my children…and then when I finally started accepting who I was, that took time, and there was a part of me that didn’t want to lose anyone else. And then I lost Mike. After that, I never wanted to volunteer to put my heart out there to get hurt like that again. I think it’s a combination of all those things, but I won’t pretend it’s because I’m fine on my own. It’s been a lonelylife.”
“If it makes you feel better, I’ve had a lot of partners and been just as lonely.” There was a sort of bitterness to their chat, but Art’s lips curled upward as he said, “Sorry. No more of that kind of talk. Because tonight I’m notlonely.”
“Me either.” Wes’s smile returned as he sincerely appreciated his evening with Art. “And I’ve been a lot less lonely since I metyou.”
They gazed into each other’s eyes, and Wes hoped that Art appreciated his company as much as he appreciatedArt’s.
He glanced around the club and saw a few couples of guys and girls dancingtogether.
“I think we’ve come to the right place,” Wes said, nodding toward two guys dancing together in the room on the other side of thebar.
Art followed his gaze. “Look at this. I guess things have gotten far more liberal in Buford,Georgia.”
Art’s chinquivered.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, and as Art turned to him, he saw tears stirring in hiseyes.
“Nothing. It’s actually really nice to see that. Whenever I catch a bit of progress, I get mushy…because there have been times when I wondered if we’d ever be able to have that. We might have missed out on dancing anywhere we wanted, without regard for who might be present, but at least they can enjoyit.”
Wes appreciated a rush of adrenaline as he felt this determination rise within him. “What do you mean, missed out? You dance,Art?”
“What?” Art asked as his eyes wentwide.
“Comeon.”
“Everyone will look at us like we’refreaks.”
“We’ve been freaks for a very long time, so I say we enjoy it as much as wecan.”
He slung his arm around Art and urged him toward the other part of the bar, where the dance floor was, though it was clear by the way Art was glancing around at everyone, he was more inside his head, more concerned with how he would appear than about them being this much-older couple dancing along witheveryone.
“Don’t worry. I just saw two of those guys making out on the dancefloor.”
“Really?!”
“No, but I figured you might let me kiss you if I told youthat.”
Art laughed, and Wes reveled in being able to set him at ease onceagain.
“But there are guys dancing with each other, so I don’t think anyone is really going to care that much. They’re all a little tipsy themselves and having a very good time. And we’re old. Haven’t you learned they think everything we do now is adorable?” Of course, Wes knew there were limits, but he wanted to soothe Art’sdiscomfort.
Art smirked. “I guess you’re right,” he said, even though Wes could see the push-pull going on within him, how he wanted to dance so badly and yet was nervous aswell.
