“Is it going to hurt?”
Gordy laughs. “Pussy.”
My nephew grins. “Some learn how to block it out. Some like the pain. All depends, I guess.”
I suck in a deep breath. “Just do it.”
An hour of me participating in a new class I’ve dubbedcreative curse generating—and, yes, some parenting advice accompanied by some hand-holding—later, and Colton swipes a damp cloth down over my new tattoo. He passes me a mirror, and what I see makes itall worth it. A plaid pink bow with Tatiana Raelynn Waters’ name, written in dainty script, underneath; and a blue baseball cap with Terra Ridley Waters’ name in a bubbly font. "Two halves of my whole heart," etched underneath both images.
“I love it,” I rasp, noting how he took into consideration the very essence of their differing personalities, and letting the accuracy of those words beneath sink in. “Thank you, Colt.”
He smiles. “No problem, Uncle Gan. I’d give you the same spiel about aftercare, but”—he spares a glance at Gordy, whostillhas my other hand clasped in his—“I think he’s got you covered. So I’ll just get you all wrapped up, and you’ll be good to go.”
“I’m gonna go let Twinkie out to go water some fire hydrants while you do that,” Gordy says.
Colton chuckles. “Damn, I thought for a second there you were gonna forget about him, and we’d have a new shop dog. He’s been such a good little dude hanging out in the back all day.”
“He is a splendid wiener, isn’t he?” I hum proudly.
Colt snorts. “That’s why you got him, isn’t it? The wiener innuendos…”
“Don’t I know it,” Gordy mutters, leashing Twink to go outside.
Once he’s out of earshot, Colton leans in while covering my ink with plastic wrap. “How long are you planning on keeping this from Dad?”
“Honestly? I have no idea. I’m scared as fuck for him to find out. I know things are better between him and Gordy, but—” I sigh. The history is still there. All the betrayal and hurt. Evan and Gordy haven’t really spoken too much since that barbeque three years ago, and the times they have, they’ve both glossed right over it.
Colton nods. “I get that. I was the same way, really. I kinda chickened out in the end, and it was Brook’s mum who let it slip that Petroand I were more than just friends. Dad was kinda pissed at first that it wasn’t me who told him; he got a little offended, you know?”
“I can see that. Evan really struggled when you were going through your rebellious phase, thinking he was a bad father. It probably hurt him to think you didn’t trust him enough to confide in him about your sexuality.”
“Yeah, but to be fair, I really thought he wouldn’t be accepting. Turns out, he got it one-hundred percent. He hid a lot from me too. Stuff he didn’t think I could handle…”
“You think he’d handle me coming out alright?” I ask. “I mean, I can see where he’d lash out and just call me dumb and impulsive, tell me I’m just experimenting or whatever. He always used to make a big deal about me copying him when we were kids, but isn’t imitation the most sincere form of flattery?”
Colton cocks an eyebrow up at me. “Isthat what this is? You copycatting him?”
I shake my head. “No. I genuinely care for Gordy. Even before anything else happened between us, we were friends… I think. Just in our own fucked up way.”
Colton grins. “Well, you know me, man. I’ve always had a strong belief that love should be about hearts, not parts. I think sexuality is a fluid thing, as is who you’re romantically attracted to. I think what will be hardest for Dad to wrap his head around is whether or not Gordy is just using you. You know, ‘cuz whatever they’ve had going on hasn’t really been resolved or whatever.”
“That’s not what’s happening,” I quickly snap. “I can tell he’s invested, I just think he’s a little too used to being hurt to really make the full commitment of putting a label on it. Hence, we’re taking things day-by-day.”
“Whoa, slow down Mr. Defensive,” Colton balks. “I know that, but you know how Dad can be. Very black and white, that one.”
I snort. “Nailed that one right into the hammer.”
Colton’s brows zip together. “I don’t think that’s how the saying goes…” he hums at the same time Gordy pokes his head back into the shop.
“Are we going or what? How long does it take to wrap a tattoo?” he mutters. “Your damn dog is having a field day out here with all the pigeons, and I’m sick of getting my ass hauled around Congress Street by your little wiener.”
I chuckle. I’msorubbing off on that crusty fucker I affectionately call Croot—literally and figuratively.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Let’s make this fuckin’ snappy, we’re not allowed to have dogs in here,” Gordy grunts as we head into the adult toy store a few city blocks over from the tattoo parlor.
I brush him off, tucking Twink under my arm. "It's fiiiine. We're just grabbing some real lube anyway—in and out. Besides, I bring him places with me all the time, and no one has kicked me out yet. I'd like to see them toss me out once they get a good look at my stunning wiener," I say, giving Twink some behind the ear scratches. "No one can resist him."
