“Yep.”
“He was?”Kelly frowned.“To a man?”
Yeah, I wasn’t getting into all that.Not least because I was painfully aware that I had some shit to sort out with myself, and then with Taran, before I let this get out of hand.I didn’t need it accidentally spilling out of my big mouth in front of my family, thanks.
I just said, “Nope.”
Annie took the plate I’d been carrying and dumped everything into the sink.“Isn’t that a little iffy?I mean, I know some people say it’s a thing, but I’ve just never known anyone who wasreallybisexual.”
Kelly winced but just looked at me as if to say,All yours.She was cool like that.
I said, “Oh, you probably have, Annie.They just probably didn’t tell you because they knew you’d say something like that.”
Kelly held out her fist.
I bumped it.
Dad cleared his throat from the corner.Of course, he hadn’t moved to help us clean up, just sat there as everyone else buzzed around him.
Annie nodded thoughtfully, to my surprise.“Well, as long as he’s good to you.It’s a good family.”
What the hell did his family have to do with me and Taran fucking?I mean, I knew what she meant by it—it was the most Stanley County thing she could’ve said in the moment—but I still hated it.
Dad said, “He doesn’t want to talk about it.”
Wow.I shot him a grateful look, and he very nearly smiled.
Before anyone could comment further, I headed for the door.“I should go.I gotta work tonight.Thanks for the food, Annie; it was great.”
“Wait.Take the extra I made you.”She pushed some Tupperware into my hands as I tried to slip out.
Kelly followed me into the living room.“I wanna meet him.”
“Okay, maybe.”I waved her off.“Eventually.”
“Thanks for the ride.”She took my free hand and pulled me in for a hug.
“You sure you don’t need the car back?I don’t need it to get to work.”
“Nah, keep it a while.And don’t let them get to you.”
“Never do.Bye.”I kissed her cheek quickly and opened the front door.“Later, Annie, Dad.Later, Tom.”
Tom yelled back, “Thanks, D!”
“Careful driving back, Diego!”Annie called.
The second I got out of their driveway, I rolled down the windows and lit a cigarette.
Jesus fucking Christ.Family, amiright?
***
There was a huge show at Heinz Field (okay, Acrisure Stadium, but no one calls it that) that night, so I took the long way around through West End to avoid the tunnel.It was hot and sticky as fuck when I walked to work in the early evening.The crowd was out the door—no surprise; it’d been even worse when Taylor Swift was in town last year—as expected, so I took a deep breath and pitched headfirst into my shift.
Thankfully, I was working with Bryn, the bar manager.I loved them for their heavy pours and insistence on taking no shit from the patrons.I’d had one too many managers who liked to throw their staff under the bus, so Bryn was probably why I’d stayed at The Pike so long.We hit our rhythm fast and were turning out drinks in no time.
The kitchen was fucked, but that was normal.I could hear Chef yelling every time I got near the food window, so I stayed away unless I had something to pick up.I like a little pain, admittedly, but not the kind of pain the kitchen doles out when they’re underwater.Yikes.
