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“I think I let them string me along all this time because I thought they were well-meaning and confused.” He shook his head. “But after all these years—that’s not confusion, and it’s sure as shit not well-meaning. Not when they’re trying to talk both of us into trying to date women, for fuck’s sake.” He rolled his shoulders, then pushed them back, a hint of life coming back into his eyes. “And I think I’m done with it.” He paused. “Iamdone with it.”

“I don’t blame you.” I tapped my fingers on the side of my coffee cup. “So, what do you want to do? I’m following your lead.”

A faint smile curled his lips. “Thanks. I’m not going to say any of this is easy—and this next part definitely won’t be—but having backup helps.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Riley rolled his shoulders again, then picked up the bill our server had left. “All right. Let’s pay this, and then head over tomy parents’ house.” He slapped his card down on the table. “I’m ready to get this over with.”

Chapter 9

Riley

I may have overestimated how ready I actually was for this.

Driving down the familiar street again, past the familiar houses of people I’d grown up with, I wasn’t so sure how ready I was to leave it all behind. It had been hard when I’d left for boot camp, and when I’d visited just before heading to Okinawa, knowing I wouldn’t be back for a while.

There was a possibility this would be the last time. I held on to some stupidly optimistic hope that it wasn’t, but… it could be. They could see the light and decide they didn’t want to lose their son. Or they could stick to their guns, and I’d really be done with them.

Either way, I was putting my foot down. Today. Now. If it went badly—and it most likely would—then I wasn’t just going no-contact with my parents. I’d probably end up low- or no-contact with my brother, too. He didn’t like taking sides, and I wasn’t stupid enough to think he’d pick me over our parents.

The absolute best-case scenario was that this would jostle my parents into reality, and they’d realize that holding on to their homophobia wasn’t worth losing their son. Then, finally, they’dput in the effort I’d been hoping for all this time, and I could feel like my place in the family was unconditional.

I wasn’t holding my breath.

I parked in front of the house, and for a long moment, I just stared up at it, my mind going in too many directions as blood pounded in my ears.

“You ready for this?” Nolan asked after a while.

“No.” I looked at him. “But I don’t think I ever will be, so… Let’s do it.”

He studied me, but nodded. “All right. Just say the word when you’re ready to leave.”

God, I was so glad I’d brought him with me.

We got out of the car and headed up the walk. At the front door, I steeled myself. The hand on the small of my back brought my blood pressure down. Didn’t do much to help my nerves, but it was soothing. I’d take what I could get.

I took one last deep breath, then keyed us inside.

“Mom?” I called out. “Dad?”

“In the kitchen,” came Mom’s cheerful voice. As we approached the kitchen, she stepped out, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. “Good morning! I thought you boys were coming to breakfast.” She gestured over her shoulder. “There’s plenty of extra if you’re hungry!”

“We’re fine, Mom.” I forced a smile. “We ate at the hotel.”

“Oh, don’t eat at those places.” She scowled. “The food is terrible.”

“It’s fine.” Before she could fuss over us any further, I said, “Can we talk to you and Dad for a minute?”

Her expression turned to one of concern. “Is everything okay?”

No. No, it wasn’t.

“Yeah. I just need to talk to you.” I took Nolan’s hand. “Weneed to talk to you.”

The look of confusion, concern, and horror was the kind of look I’d expect if I were a teenager who was about to tell them I’d knocked up the girlfriend they wished I had.

I wondered what she thought I needed to talk to them about. Maybe it was best I didn’t know.

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