Randall climbed onboard, and Emerson headed for the door, opening it.
“Can I get you something to drink?”
Randall followed him in. “Whatever you’ve got is fine.”
After seeing ginger ale in his brother’s house, he’d picked some up at the grocery store. “Beer or ginger ale?”
“Ginger ale,” Randall said, looking around the interior. “I need my wits tonight.”
His wits? Emerson gave his brother a long look before he pulled a bottle of the same brand Randall drank from the fridge and handed it over. Randall gave it a glance before opening it and taking a long gulp. He set his backpack on the booth table before sliding in and gazing around.
“You live here?”
“When I’m not at the station, yeah.”
“All that bullshit about bed hopping was actual bullshit, then?” Randall asked.
Emerson nodded. “For the most part.”
“Anything else you’ve been hiding from us?”
“I think that’s about it,” Emerson said before finishing up his beer. “The boat. How I spend my nights. Can’t imagine there’s much else.”
“Is Dash your boyfriend?”
Emerson shook his head. “No.”
Randall searched his face a moment before looking away. “See… something tells me that’s a lie. I’m tired of being lied to, Em.”
“He’snotmy boyfriend.”
Randall narrowed his eyes.
“But heissomething. What that is, I don’t know.Wedon’t know.”
Randall held his stare. It seemed a little of the anger and animosity had simmered down with that admission.
“It’s not like it’s legal to beanythingwith him,” Emerson murmured.
“So, you are… alpha-attracted.”
Emerson was hesitant to answer but eventually nodded. “I am.”
Randall didn’t respond.
“I know that disappoints you, but hopefully you’ll find a way to accept me as I am.”
“Accept you?” Randall asked, frowning. “Who said I didn’t?”
Emerson met his brother’s hard stare. “You called me an asshole and kicked me out of your house yesterday when I alluded to it.”
“I got pissed when you alluded to it being the reason why you’ve not been around. That’sfucked up,Em.”
Emerson froze.
“Isn’t it bad enough you’ve ignored me my entire life? Now, instead of trusting me and letting me in, you pushed me away further. You never even gave me a chance.”
“I didn’t ignore you.”
