“I feelexposed.”
“Well, it is a speedo,” Julio states theobvious.
“That’s right. A sexy speedo on my sexy Jesse. Now own that look and rock it like I know you can. Besides, you’ve been in hibernation this winter, so you don’t even have to worry about tanlines.”
“You ass!” He beams at the petty slight, and I gotta give it to him. “Very funny,man.”
Ty checks out the tight one he’s wearing, sliding his thumb under the waistband. His expression twists up, and he says, “Eh, maybe this in like afuchsia?”
“I’m always stunned by how bold you are. I wish I had some of that Westrightconfidence.”
As I say it, I check Julio and Martin to make sure neither of them caught on. Although, they don’t seem to, and why the fuck would they when they have no reason to know what I’ve beendoing?
“Confidence? I just know I’ve been working my ass off, and I want to look amazing for that super gay party we’re heading to. There should be a lot of girls there too, and I can’t say I feel bad if a man’s appreciating all I have to offer.” He inspects his own ass in the mirror. “I’d hitit.”
“Yeah,youwould. I’m not sure you could have a serious relationship with yourself, though. Pretty sure one of you would need moreattention.”
“I’d treat me real good. Buy myself pretty things. Take me out on the town and show meoff.”
“I think you’d be a little more protective of you than yourealize.”
“You guys are out of your minds,” Martin comments, following it up with a hearty laugh at our expense. Well earned, I have toadmit.
I buy the last pair I tried on, and Ty takes a few before we head out. We start down the Malecón. “Hey, you mind if we swing by some of these shops? Mom asked me if I’d find a necklace for her. She wants something simple in silver, and I said I’dlook.”
“Of course, that’s totally fine,” I say, and we make a few quick stops. While Ty is talking to a sales associate about a piece he’s checking out, I notice some of the rings, and I’d be lying if I said they didn’t stirsomething.
“Hearing wedding bells?” he asks, as though he’s picked up on my idlethought.
I almost giggle before releasing a laugh nearly as hearty as Julio’s earlier. I don’t know what I find so goddamn funny when really, it sounds…nice.
It’s just strange how itfeels.
Maybe because it almost seems impossible for me to be this happy…like that dream I was afraid my whole life would turn out tobe.
“Is it all that unrealistic?” Ty asks. “What? You wouldn’t bedown?”
“I…um…”
Certainly, the idea has crossed my mind. Not for anytime soon, but down the road. We’re heading in that direction, but as I stand here, seeing these rings and faced with Ty’s comment, I can’t deny myfeelings.
I love EricWestright.
Marriage. Marrying Eric Westright.Wow.
It’s way too soon, so soon that even considering such a thing seems ludicrous. But what I feel…if anyone understood the depth of my appreciation…how intensely I adore him…they would know why I’m certain Eric is the only man I could spend my lifewith.
Ty taps on the glass case with the rings. “Eh, sorry. I didn’t mean to bring it up like that. I figure that’s kind of a weird questionanyway.”
“How wouldyoufeel about that?” I ask him. Because one day, if my dreams are to come true, it’s something he’ll have to dealwith.
“Are you asking me if I’d be okay with you being my dad?” he asks, eyeswide.
I’m startled by thequestion.
Sure, it’d crossed my mind in the past, but for some reason, in that moment, I wasn’t thinking of it as me asking him if he would be cool with me being his newstepfather.
I don’t have much time to speculate about that before he releases a loud belly laugh, hand on his chest as he rolls his head back, taking delight in the uneasiness that’s made me stiff as aboard.
