Did she care more about my tattoos or the fact that I was a man? I would’ve put even money on either option. Mrs. K was the human embodiment ofdisapproval.
The doe wandered off after a little while, unfazed by the two humans staring at her like she was the most incredible thing on the planet.
If reincarnation was a thing, I could’ve gone for being a deer in the next life. It seemed peaceful.
“That was the last thing on the list?” I asked once I was sure I wouldn’t disturb our new forest friend.
“Yep,” Mr. K grinned at me. “Time to head back and claim that prize.”
* * *
“I can’t believeyou actuallywon,” Carter said, still in shock as we climbed into the car. It was his turn to drive, so I tossed him the keys and tucked myself into the passenger side, thankful for being out of the cold.
As much fun as I’d had, I needed the time to defrost now.
“Extremely excited for my date with your dad,” I grinned, wriggling to make myself comfortable as Carter turned the engine over. “He said I reminded him of an ex-boyfriend while we were out there.”
Silence.
Uh oh.
“You reminded him ofwhat?” Carter asked, voice catching on the last syllable.
Crap.Crap.
“Uh.” I turned to look at him, eyes wide, stomach cramping up at the thought that I’d just outed Carter’s father to him.
Thiswas why Carter hadn’t told me about his father’s boyfriend. Hedidn’t know.
I was normally socarefulabout that kind of thing, but I’d just assumed…
How did Mr. K have a boyfriend he hadn’tmentionedto anyone? Was Carter’s momthatterrifying?
Or was he just afraid that maybe his kids wouldn’t understand? If that was it, seeing Carter turn up with a man must’ve been…
Wow. I couldn’t imagine what that would have felt like. Even though it’d taken me a while to figure out what was going on with my confusing feelings, I’d never felt like I couldn’t be out. Like I couldn’t justtellpeople how I felt.
I’d never been worried that any of my family wouldn’t love me, or understand. We’d nevertalkedabout it, but I knew we were all okay.
Devin had come out to me when he was seventeen because he knew I wouldn’t care. Or rather, that I’d only care if he was happy.
And because I’d get him a box of condoms and a tube of lubricant and not tell mom about it. Not that she would have been mad. She would have done exactly the same thing.
“You should talk to your dad,” I said, reigning in my panic over outing him.
“Getting that impression, yeah,” Carter said. “Guess I don’t need to ask if you two got along.”
“We did,” I said, glad he was dropping the subject. Carter needed to hear about his father’s romantic life fromhim. “He’s cool, y’know? Always was.”
“Yeah,” Carter said. “Between you and me, I’m glad he got away from my mom. She’s… I sincerely believe she does everything she’s ever done with good intentions in her heart, but…”
“But she thinks her way is the only way,” I said.
“Couldn’t have said it better myself.” Carter sighed.
“How was hanging out with Mandi again? Sorry I couldn’t like… rescue you from that.”
“Honestly? It was fine,” Carter said. “We talked. She was… surprisingly cool. Wants to go camping with my sister. Seems to have come to a point in her life where she’s realized that success isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
