“There was this barrel racer who showed up for the first day of events, and she heard through the grapevine that I was engaged. Next thing you know, she’s all over me. She’s neverhad the time of day for me, she never thought I was worth even sniffing. But she hears that I’m fixing to get myself off the market, and she loses her shit. Some folks think someone who’s taken is way more attractive than someone who isn’t. And I bet your Hank is that way.”
“Weird, man. And of course I told him I was with Mitch and that Mitch had kids, and that got even weirder.” The look on Hank’s face still baffled him.
“No shit? What did he say?”
“He said he didn’t mess with guys with kids, that it was just wrong to do it.”
Now Ramsey blew out a hard breath. “Oh man, that is internalized homophobia.”
“What?”
“What Hank means by that is that he thinks what he does with men is wrong and therefore if you involve men and kids, it’s going to scar those kids for life or something.”
“How the hell do you know this?” How did he not know it? Cam hadn’t really thought about having kids, but he certainly didn’t think getting involved with the guy with kids was a bad idea.
Love was love, and they were hopefully showing those kids a healthy iteration of it.
And Jesus Christ, he just admitted that he loved Mitch? That he was in love with the guy?
“Because I knew a lot of guys just like that on the circuit, man. You’re a little bit different—you’ve always known you were gay, but some of these guys are only gay on the road?”
“I don’t even know what to say to that. I mean, maybe you’re right. But then again, maybe Hank is just afraid of kids.”
“Maybe so. I would have said you were, too. I mean not the ones in the family, but kids who were not your brother’s and sister’s kids.”
“Yeah, it was a little strange to begin with. I’m still learning what I’m allowed to tell them and what I’m not.”
“That can take some time.” Ramsey made this funny little sound. “Not that I’ve had to blend a family or anything, but I’ve seen it with some friends. Mitch will get a little wigged-out sometimes, I bet, when you tell the kids something. So I would make sure I talk to him first.”
“That’s my plan. Sometimes I bet I’ve overstepped already, but he’s never bitched at me about it.”
“He’s a good guy. So when are you heading home?”
“I’m in the truck right now.” Cam pulled out of the fairgrounds onto the main road. “I need to stop and get me something to eat, but then I’ll probably just stay on the road until I get there.”
“Didn’t make the short go, huh?”
“Shit. I broke the barrier, man. I sucked.”
“Well, don’t suck driving home. Be careful, okay?”
“I will, I promise. I gotta go man. I’m gonna call Mitch.”
“Make sure you get some food. I love you, bro.”
“I love you, too.”
“See you at Thanksgiving.”
“Yeah, I’ll see you then.”
They hung up, and he hit the GPS, looking for the nearest fast-food place that had a parking lot big enough for a trailer. There was a truck stop not too far down the road with a Subway that would work well enough for him. He could grab some gas while he was at it.
He called Mitch. He wanted to let his lover know he was on his way home.
Chapter Seventeen
Mitch had never in his life seen anything even remotely like a Halley Thanksgiving dinner.
