My heart stutters.
Does he know about Gentry and I?That’s definitely a secret, but surely, he can’t be referring to that. We’ve been so careful. My brain immediately starts cataloging every word I’ve said to him, every expression I’ve made, trying to find a moment where I could’ve slipped up.
When I don’t say anything, Hollis sucks on his teeth and rolls his eyes. “Man, come on. I know you’ve been fuckin’ my dad.”
Ope. There goes my stomach falling out of my asshole.
I choke on my own spit at Hollis’s words, smacking my chest and coughing as I try to recover. “What the fuck?” I mutter between deep breaths. “Why’d you say it like that?”
“Whydidn’tyou say anythin’?”
“You mean like you were so upfront at first about fuckin’ my boss?”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” He holds up his hands, breathing out a small chuckle. “Apples and oranges, my friend. And don’t change the subject. This ain’t about me and Ford right now. It’s about you and my fuckin’dad. Dude. Really? Mydad? I thought you would’ve outgrown that crush by now.”
My face heats. I can feel the flush from my cheeks down to my neck, and I’m sure it’s just as visible.
“Oh my god, Remi. Say somethin’!”
“I don’t—” I clear my throat, my heart pounding incessantly. “I don’t know what to say. How did you find out?”
“My dad told me and my brother at dinner earlier.”
This time, my heart stops beating altogether. “Huh?” There’s no way I’m hearing him right.
“Dude, knock it off. I didn’t stutter.”
“Gentry…told you,” I repeat slowly, none of this making a lick of sense. “He told you…about us?”
“Yes.” He huffs a breath. “After he told us he was gay.”
What?!What is happening? I swallow thickly, my mind going in a million directions.
Gentry came out to his kids…
Then told them about us.
Now Hollis is here…
“Are you mad?” I blurt out. “Because I genuinely can’t tell.”
He opens his mouth to respond, but slams it shut before anything comes out. My pulse roars in my ears, and I know if I were to check, my hands would be shaking. This isnothow I wanted Hollis to find out. In my head, I always kind of assumed that I would, oh, I don’t know, be part of the conversation. Or hell, at the very least, know it was coming.
Why would Gentry drop this bomb without so much as a heads-up?
“I don’t know,” he finally murmurs, his brow furrowed like he’s just as confused as I am.
“That’s fair.”
“My dad, Remi? Out of everyone, it had to be my dad?”
My throat tightens. “It’s not like you get to pick who you love.”
“Love?” he balks. “Hold the fuck up. You’re inlovewith my dad?”
I would officially like to crawl into the nearest hole and pass away. But first, I’d like to drive over to Gentry’s house and let him have it for dropping all of this and not bothering to let me know. Exhaling sharply, I run my fingers through my hair, trying to find the right words. I didn’t mean to say “love” but it’s not exactly a lie either.
“Yeah, Hollis. I’m in love with your dad.” Saying it out loud makes it feel so real.
