"And bras, and swimsuits, and more," Ash said.
"Next Thursday," Bev told him. "Not this week, but next. Violet knows where my house is, and I already have people planning to come over. You bring your stuff, and I'll be more than happy to get a little finder's fee in satin." She winked at him. "And I'm going to hold you to that, now. Next Thursday, Ash. I want to see if you have anything to flatter a figure like mine."
Ash ran his eyes over her. "Of course I do. What's your favorite color, Bev?"
"Blue," she told him. "And make sure it's extra-large, because I'm not as little as I used to be."
"Oh, I think I have your size," he assured her. "This will be my first time, though, so be gentle with me."
Bev just scoffed. "For some reason, I doubt that." Then she turned to the little waitress. "You take good care of these people, Caroline. They're my personal friends, you hear me?"
"Yes, ma'am," the girl said.
She had to be in high school, because I could not place her for the life of me. Still, when she got done with the drink orders, she hurried back to pass that off, then came back to find out what we all wanted for food. The girl was clearly trying hard. She also smiled a little too much when she talked to the guys across from me.
The fact that Ash casually took Cy's hand on top of the table made me think that he had noticed the same thing. That Cy smiled at him so adoringly was normal, though. Then I realized that I was smiling the exact same way. Well, hell. Guess I had no room to talk.
Someone at the next table did. "Hey, no faggots in here!" he called out.
Billy tensed, but Cy grabbed his shoulder, holding the man in place. "You can finish things. You can't start them," he said.
"They just started it," Billy growled.
"No, they're taunting you," Cy countered. "I promise that I've heard worse."
"That. Doesn't. Make. It. Better," Billy told him.
Zeke's eyes were big and he looked between his mom and Faith like he was desperately trying to figure out what was going on. Emily just rubbed his back reassuringly, but I got the impression that she wasn't really sure either, so I leaned forward.
"Zeke? I hope you don't mind, but we let Billy here in on our secret."
"Is that ok?" he asked his mom.
Emily nodded. "I think it's ok for Southwind to know."
"And Billy's our protection," I went on.
Faith leaned closer. "He's Blaze for the orange on his neck."
"Goes the other way around," Billy assured the kids. "I put the orange on my neck because I had something stupid there I needed to make go away."
"Like what?" Zeke asked.
"A symbol that meant Darnell and I couldn't be friends. Since Darnell's pretty cool, I realized that maybe I was wrong and he was right." He smiled at the boy. "I've also heard a bit about you. Faith says - "
He didn't get to finish the sentence before the guy who'd mouthed off earlier decided to double down. A Styrofoam cup bounced off the back of Cy's head. Luckily, the drink inside was gone, but the ice rattled, popping off the lid, and splattering across the floor.
Billy was immediately on his feet. It took him two steps to reach the man who'd thrown it, and then he leaned right into the guy's face. "Do it again," he snarled. "I dare you. One more word. Throw one more thing. Touch one more of my friends." Then Billy smiled, and it was the most terrifying thing I'd ever seen. "I'll make sure you don't have a mouth, hand, or arm to ever do it again."
"You one of them faggots?" the guy asked.
Without turning his head, Billy reached out, grabbed someone else's drink, and dumped the whole thing in the idiot's lap. "Nah. I don't know anyone who'd answer to that word. Manners, young man. You need to learn them, and I have no problem telling your momma all about what you've done. Know thy enemy, dumbass. I'm not one you want to have."
"Nathan Ray!" Bev barked from behind the counter. "You aren't messing with my guests, are you?"
"No, ma'am," the idiot replied.
That made Billy smile a little bigger. "Gay. Queer. Bisexual. Pansexual. Polyamorous. Those are words you can use. The next time one of you calls someone a faggot, it'll be my tongue down your throat, then we'll see who likes kissing boys."
