“You said it was impossible to date in your hometown, right? So have a little fun while you’re here.”
It was impossible to find a date in Indiana. Creekville was small enough that it felt like I knew everyone, and even if I found someone new to date, my free time was extremely limited. I couldn’t have people over to my mom’s place, and I couldn’t easily get away, either, since she often needed care.
It put me in a rut, but I’m not sure that a random hookup with a twink is going to fix anything.
“I am having fun,” I object. “I loved playing games with you and your friends the other night. Gabriella is amazing and perfect for you. And I’ve been filling my days with all your suggestions of free things to do around the city.” I point at her. “Fun.”
“The arboretum never disappoints.” She nods. “I’ll give you that.”
Piper looks at me expectantly, like I should share more. I fight it for a second, but it’s just so good to have someone to talk about this stuff with. I’ve been missing that for years.
“I like older guys,” I mumble so quietly, I know she can’t really hear me.
Piper frowns like she smells something gross. “Did you just tell me you like poltergeists?”
I bust out laughing, relieved that she didn’t just shame me, although that would be totally strange for her. Piper’s one of the most openminded people I know.
“Older guys,” I say, loud and clear and right as the bell dings and someone walks into the store.
Piper covers her mouth as she laughs. “Let me know if I can help you find anything!” she calls out.
I slam my palm against my forehead.
“Aww,” Piper coos. “I forgot how adorable you are when you try to talk about sex.”
“No cooing,” I scold her. “Seriously.”
She leans forward across the counter. “So, older guys, huh?”
“Yeah,” I answer. “Not exclusively. And not that I’ve ever followed through on it.”
Her eyes dart down, and I realize that my hand is resting on my tattoo. I’ve been touching it a lot, feeling it as it heals. The ink is vivid, and Caesar perfectly captured the style of the arcade machine.
It’s actually so nice having the ink on my body. Whenever I touch it, I get a little thrill, like plugging in a machine and watching it blink to life for the first time. I wasn’t sure how a tattoo would feel, but I love having something that makes me so happy always close at hand.
“What kind of older guys are you into?” Piper asks. “That can mean a lot of things.”
I pull my hand away and drop my voice. “I don’t know. Big guys. Muscular and hairy and rough. Like silver hair, burly thighs…” I cut myself off when I realize that I’m about to start describing Caesar. “Just, like, older guys,” I conclude, as though that answers everything.
“That’s who you’ve always been into?” she asks. “Even when you dated guys at college?”
“No, I’m attracted to people our age, too. But I’ve always fantasized about older men, and if I’m just going to do something casual while I’m in town, maybe now is the time to go for it?”
Piper nods, taking it in. “Okay, okay,” she says approvingly. “We can work with this.”
I grin, happy at how accepting she is. “You’ve literally always been interested in butch women, haven’t you?”
A wide smile fills Piper’s face, and she leans back as she straightens her tie. Like always, she’s paired the more masculine clothes with bright makeup and her gorgeously curly hair. “And butch women have always been interested in me, too,” she says. “Thank god.”
I sigh. “I think that’s the problem. I really don’t expect many older guys would be interested in me.” I see that she starts to object, and I laugh and hold up my hand. “Any of the guys I’m interested in, I mean.”
Piper purses her lips, thinking. “I dated an older woman once. It was nice. Really nice. She was in her late thirties. She had her life together in all these ways, but she didn’t seem to mind that I was still a messy twenty-something.” She shakes her head quickly, then plays with her tie again. “Anyway, I’m sure plenty of guys would be interested in you. You’re darling, Drew. And I’m sorry if the people in your hometown didn’t make you feel that way.”
“It’s fine.” When she gives me a soft smile, I glance around once more to make sure the customers are still safely lost in the long, tall aisles of the bookstore. “Hell, the perfect guy for me could have lived in town somewhere. It’s just that I didn’t have a lot of time to think about dating, and the doctors kept saying my mom didn’t have much time left.” I shrug. “I don’t know, somehow six years passed.”
Piper’s face falls. “Are you saying you haven’t had sex in six years?”
I squirm on the stool, then awkwardly pick up the fantasy novel. “Yes,” I admit. “Perhaps.”
