“Okay, that’s true, at least.”
We eventually got into a parking garage and started down the street to the Clemente bridge, which was always closed down for pedestrians on game days.I held out my hand for him and he slid his into it easily.
I’m not saying we didn’t get any dirty looks crossing that bridge.There are all kinds in every city.But I will say we got a lot more smiles and nods than I ever got holding hands with Jennie anywhere, which was heartening.I’d noticed it when we’d been out in other places too, of course, but this was the first big, crowded city event we’d done together, so the difference was interesting.
Baby’s first experience getting clocked as queer in a big way, I guess.Couldn’t help but be proud when people gave Diego a second, appreciative look, though.Women in particular would high five him or tell him to slay out of nowhere, and he glowed and had something nice to say back to them.And a couple of guys whistled, which was definitely for him and not me.
“What’s with the traffic cones?”he asked about halfway over the bridge.
Lots of the crowd were holding them—real or fake—and a laughing crowd of girls nearby brandished traffic-cone shaped plushies.
I laughed.“It’s a new thing this season.No one’s really sure where it started, but I heard it was a shirt misprint.Instead ofhoist the colors, they printedhoist the cone.So everyone ran with it, and here we are.”
“If the Bucs were sucking, it wouldn’t have stuck.But since they’re playing well…”
“Yep.”I chuckled.“Gonna be a thing now.For years to come.”
“What’s hoist the colors?”he wondered.
“Like a pirate flag.The colors.”
He frowned.
“Jesus, have you not watchedBlack Sails?”
“No.Is it gay?”
“It’s so gay.”
“I’m in.”
“Hell yeah, girl, werk!”a long-legged person in a pirate hat and booty shorts yelled at Diego.
Grinning, Diego blew them a kiss.“All right, Captain Slay.”
Yeah, far from being jealous, I loved him getting attention.Of any kind, so long as it made him light up like that.
We finally got into the stadium, and I vaguely remembered where to go from last year’s event.It was a buzzy semi-outdoor bar off right field, but they made it private for any event willing to shell out 10k or so.We didn’t have a lot of mandatory fun at work, so at least the one event we did have was decent.
“Oooh, I didn’t even know this was over here,” Diego said as the ticket lady let us into the bar area.
“I know.I think it’s always open, but I’m not sure if you need a special kind of ticket to get in when there’s no event,” I said.
“I feel so special.Hello, what are you drinking?”he asked the first person who came up to greet me.
Who happened to be my boss, Olivia.Normally she was dressed in perfect business attire, pantsuits galore, and she absolutely killed in them.Today, she had on khaki shorts and dangly earrings shaped like traffic cones.She smiled and said, “Tequila.Good selection here, considering.”
“Music to my ears.”
“Diego, this is my boss, Olivia Aguirre.Olivia, Diego,” I said, trying to act like I wasn’t super fucking proud of the hot guy on my arm.
She held out a hand, and Diego took it and squeezed.“Good to meet you.”
“Boyfriend?”she asked, raising an eyebrow at me.
“Uh…” I said.Or grunted, really.
“Almost,” Diego chimed in, saving the day.“Date, for sure.”
