“Hey, uh, do you mind keeping your voices down?” I cut in. “This is a kids’ t-ball game here…”
“Sorry,” Steve apologizes to me, then lowers his tone to her. “Then what is it, Sarah? Why would wenotallow Gordy to come to game night? He’s wonderful with the girls, and they adore him!”
You know that look someone gets when they’re so mad that yougenuinelybecome concerned that they mightactuallyrip your throat out? Yeah, that’s the one Sarah Babcock has right now. I wouldnotwant to light a match near that stick of dynamite right now.
“Oh my god,” Steve rears back, huffing out a humorless laugh. “You’rejealous, aren’t you? The reason you’ve got this grudge against Gord—”
“Don’t, Steven,” she cuts him off, her tone dark as midnight. If I were to title a book based on the color of her face right now, it’d be calledSixty-Nine Shades of Red, a sure tell that he is indeed right. Deep inside? She’s totally fuckin’ green. With envy. Not, like, fungus.
I suck in a deep breath and turn away, covering my smirk with my palm.I will not act like a child. I will not laugh at the fact that she’sjealousover me and Gordy. I will remain the pillar of maturity here.Oh, the fuckingirony, though. Back around Christmas, the shoe was on a totally different foot! Now, here we are in May, and I’m well and truly moved on.
After taking a minute to compose myself, I interrupt their little squabble. “Hey, um, so the game just ended, by the way. I’m just gonna go, uh, pry Tati off the swings so we can treat the team to some ice cream. I’ll send ‘em your way after.You folks have fun sorting out your business, and let me know if you want Gordy and I to swing by later, mmkay?”
“I think it’d be best if we cancel for tonight,” Steve sighs. “It appears that Sarah and I have someissueswe need to work out.”
“Sure thing,” I hum, clapping him on the shoulder. “Best of luck, bub. See ya after dance on Tuesday for the swap-off.”
“What was that all about, with you, Sarah, and Steve?” Gordy asks, after I’ve shored up my tab with the little league snack shack, and a dozen rambunctious tykes are getting all hopped up on sugar and sent on their merry ways.
“Figured out why Sarah regards you with all the approachability of a hissing cockroach. Well, actually Steve did.” I chuckle. “He called her right out on it too. I fuckin’lovethat guy.”
Gordy’s brow arches. “The one who puts pennies in his loafers?”
“Yeah, you know what? Turns out those pennies were from his grandfather. He told Steve to hold onto them, in case he ever needed a couple wishes granted, or something like that. I dunno, it was something sentimental, anyway…”
Gordy blinks at me.
“But yeah, they were bickering about—get this—Sarah beingjealous. Ha! Isn’t that fuckin’ hilarious? She’s jealous that we’re togeth—” I cut myself off before I get the whole word out. “Uh, ninety percent roommates…Who enjoy sexy-time frequently…”
Gordy’s jaw ticks. “And how would she know what we do behind closed doors?”
“Well, so she doesn’t. But she does think we’re a couple. Crazy, right?”
“Did the girls tell her that?”
“No. So, um, you remember how I thought the coast was clear when we got a little carried away back behind the bar the other day? Apparently, it wasn’t.”
“Who saw?”
“Trista-Lynn,” I confess.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” he groans, scrubbing his hand down his face, ending with a forceful tug at the end of his beard. “You might as well run that in the town paper, as much as she’ll blab about it.”
“I know,” I agree, dipping my head. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he murmurs. “I was just as much of a participant in that kiss as you. I’ve just,fuck, I’ve gotten used to this safe little bubble we’ve been in.”
I nod. “If you’re not comfortable, or whatever, with everyone finding out then we probably ought to keep our distance for a little bit. Just to, I don’t know, let the inevitable rumors die down.Spend some time alone for a while, or something…” Every bit of that suggestion guts me to say out loud, but I have to offer it. I’d never forgive myself if I forced a relationship on him that he’s not ready for—if he’ll ever be ready for it.
It has to be on his terms.He’sthe captain of this ship. Gordy spent hisentirelife—from childhood right on through young-adulthood—living in a dictatorship of both his father and his mind’s own construct. He has more than earned his right to take back control of his life now.
When I glance back up at him, he looks stricken. He grabs a fistful of my shirt, hauling me back behind the field maintenance shed, out of view from the departing families. “Wee-Waters, I hate feeding into this narrative that you have where you think you’re stupid, but that is thedumbestgoddamn thing I think I haveeverheard come out of your mouth. No, I do not want to put distance between you and I, unless that’s somethingyouwant.”
I shake my head. “God, no, Gordy. That’s the last thing I want, you’ve got to know that. Christ, I want you with me all the time!” I protest. “I know you go back to your apartment sometimes because you’re overwhelmed, but damn, Gordy, I fuckin’ miss the shit out of you when you go.”
I’ve gotten pretty good at interpreting his expressions, I think, but right now, I can’t quite get a read on the look he’s giving me. It's a cross between awe and bewilderment, I believe.
Regardless, I continue confessing, “I miss the feeling of you crawling into bed with me at night. I hate leaving you to go to work in the morning. I look forward to all the little times we get with each other. It’s not even just about the sex either; we could be beating the snot out of one another at the gym and I’m still just as happy. Fuck, I—I…” I trail off, too worked-up to finish my thought, before he cups my cheeks with both his hands and mashes his lips to mine in a bruising kiss.
