“I get it.” Lincoln never needed explanations when it came to Dom and intimacy. “How’s your head right now?”
“A lot better. Roxy’s so strong, man.”
“She’s the best.” Lincoln chewed on his upper lip, a sure sign he wasn’t certain he should say whatever was in his head. “So when did you and Trey plan on coming clean?”
“After Unbound is over. Win or lose, when he’s done with the competition, he’s cool about coming out.”
“Keeping up appearances?”
“Pretty much. He isn’t ready to rock the boat yet.”
Lincoln tilted his head. “How does that make you feel?”
“I’m okay with it, because he gave me an actual deadline. He didn’t waffle about it or say ‘we’ll see.’ This isn’t some secret visit to Gay Land that he’s going to deny once it’s over.”
“You’re sure about that?”
“No question.”
“Good. If that kid breaks your heart, I’ll break his wrists.”
Dom chuckled. “You won’t have to, but thanks.”
“So what about this asshole and his videos?”
“Like I said, there’s no real proof of who’s in them. And even if he can make a case that I’m one of the guys, I won’t out Trey.”
“What if the guy confronts Trey?”
“Trey knows how to avoid the question. The only thing I have ever made him promise is not to deny me. I have to believe that he won’t.”
“Then I hope he doesn’t.” Lincoln pulled him into the kind of full-bodied hug only a best friend could give.
Dom relaxed into the embrace, grateful for Lincoln and his acceptance. He pulled back. “Thank you.”
“Anytime. You want to head back over to the camper? See if Trey’s there?”
“Definitely.”
On the way back to Trey’s campsite, they stopped off to chat with a cluster of the country music contenders, who offered them hits on their bongs. Dom didn’t say no. His nerves were singing, playing spastic notes all over the place, and he still had a few hours to kill before eight o’clock. The pot helped settle him a little.
As they turned the corner to the path leading to the camper, raised voices made it over the slight haze wrapped around Dom’s brain. They got louder the closer they edged to the camper, and the source was definitely the cluster of people beneath the awning. Tyson stood out over the others, as did Andy.
“Why don’t you leave him alone?” Danielle snapped at someone. “He answered your idiotic questions.”
Dom’s heart slammed into his ribs.
“Evading isn’t answering.” That voice made Dom’s blood hum with anger. Jizz Bucket.
Shit.
“My private life is none of your fucking business,” Trey said. Tight and furious, and as close to snapping as Dom had ever heard.
Dom stopped walking within ten feet of the argument. He couldn’t see Trey’s face, only the back of his head. No one had noticed them, and Lincoln stayed by his side. Dom couldn’t do anything except breathe and hope.
“So if you’re not queer and not fucking him, just say so,” Jizz Bucket said.
Dom stared at the back of Trey’s head, silently begging him to blow the guy off. Walk away. Anything.
