“I’ll dothat.”
“Although, I’m gonna be texting him to tell him that I told you the moment you leave here. Justsaying.”
“You don’t have to wait that long if you don’twant.”
He smiles, which makes me grin withhim.
Oh, the crazy range of emotions I’ve experienced with him in such a short span oftime.
“Speaking of Jesse,” he adds, “in case you’re wondering, there’s never been anything there but friendship. Maybe flirtation when we first met, but nothing weird-like. God, could youimagine?”
“Thanks for telling me. That would have been a strange thing to be kept wondering about.” I laugh at the peculiar sorts of conversations we’ve had to have since all this began nearly a year and a half ago. “But Ty, please know I’m here to support you any way I can, and I hope you realize there’s nothing wrong with you. And that there’s no reason that I would feel there is anything wrong with you. Whatever guy, girl, nonbinary person you happen to end up with, whoever it may be, I’ll love you no matterwhat.”
“Thank you.” He takes another breath of air and then a sip of his beer, one of the very few since we began this chat. “On that note, I guess I should let you get back to yourfiancé.”
“Let me call Jesse. I might be able to skip out and maybe we can go to a bar, get a drink, just talk. If you want to tell me about some of these guys you’ve been seeing, you can. If not, we can talk about other things. School, yourjob.”
He tilts his head, his eyeswatering.
“Did I say somethingwrong?”
“No, you’ve actually said a lot of really right things today. A first foryou.”
He winks, but I know there’s a lot of truth toit.
“Well, good. I’m glad I’m not totally shitty at this whole dad thing. My experience is limited, but I do mybest.”
“You’re lucky it’senough.”
“Lucky is definitely what I am. Now let’s go get somedrinks.”
“Okay, but I’m not going for Jesse-PV-drunk tonight, allright?”
I laugh at the reference. “Yes, we’ll do our best to hold ourliquor.”
Ty texts Jesse to let him know he came out to me, and then we head out and enjoy a night of talking about some of the guys he’s seen. About his confusion some more, and I tell him about some of my early days of exploring my own interests. When we finish up, I head back to the condo. I hear Jesse in the shower, and I hurry in, emptying my pockets on the vanity sink before opening the showerdoor.
He turns and smiles, wiping his face. “I didn’t want to keep that fromyou.”
I rush him, stepping under the showerhead, getting my clothes soaked as I take Jesse’s beautiful mouth. Those lips feel even better when they’rewet.
He wraps his arms around me as I press him up against the tilewall.
He doesn’t fight me, doesn’t mention how crazy I’m being for needing him like this, just kisses me back. When I’m finally able to relax and pull away, he mutters, “I thought you might be upset with me for keeping that fromyou.”
“Is that what your nightmares wereabout?”
“I’msure.”
I scan his face, that mouth, those dimples, those chestnut-brown eyes. “I didn’t imagine I could love you any more than I already did, and tonight proved me wrong. Thank you for respecting my son’s wishes. Thank you for being someone he could trust. We’ve both leaned on you to bear burdens that weren’t yours to carry, and you went above and beyond. But you don’t have to carry them on your own anymore. I told Ty about my uncle too. Not all the details, of course, but enough, and he was so great about it. I’m amazed I was able to get the wordsout.”
“Eric, I’m so proud ofyou.”
I see all his love and appreciation…the man who loves me most, the man who cares more than anyone has ever cared forme.
“Now it’s time for me to reward you by making you the happiest man alive…for the rest of ourlives.”
He beams, and I kiss him again, tugging him close tome.
