Page 119 of In Plain Sight

Relief filled me, and I leaned back against the couch, fully relaxing for the first time since I left work. “Tell me about it.”

“He must mean something to you if you’re willing to mess around with a coworker,” he said, all traces of his earlier humor gone.

“He does. Zander, that’s his name, he’s…he’s amazing.”

Dean smiled. “I’d like to meet him.”

“Really?”

Once again, he had the decency to look sheepish. “Yeah. If he’s important to you, then he’s important to me.” He leaned forward, as serious as I’d ever seen him. “I don’t care about you being with a guy. I just care that you’re happy.”

“I am happy. He makes me happy.”

“Then that’s all that matters.” He sat back in his chair.

“What about everyone else?” I asked. “Do you think they’ll be okay with it?”

He pursed his lips. “Most of them, yeah. But a couple…” He let that hang in the air. “But whatever. If they can’t accept it, then fuck them.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “I’ve let too much shit slide lately. If they can’t accept you, then I don’t accept them.”

“It’s really that simple to you?”

“Yeah. You’re my best friend. I haven’t acted like it lately, and that’s on me. But if anyone has problems with you being bi or dating a man, then they can fuck right off. I don’t give a shit who they are. I’m done with them.”

“Wow. Thanks.”

“Don’t thank me for not being a homophobic prick.” He chuckled. “I know I set the bar low lately, but hopefully it’s notthatlow.”

“It’s not,” I assured him. “I’m just processing everything. It’s been a really weird day.”

“Do you want to hang out for a bit?” he asked, thankfully changing the subject. I couldn’t handle any more big reveals or epiphanies. “I could load up a two-player game?” He pointed to his console.

“I’m actually heading over to Zander’s.”

He grinned. “Date night with the BF?”

“More like hanging with the guy I’m seeing.”

We hadn’t defined what we were to each other. Even though things felt real, like we were boyfriends, it felt presumptuous to say so, even to Dean.

“I bet you’ll be seeing a whole lot of him soon.” He waggled his eyebrows.

I laughed, still a bit in shock that we could joke like this. “That’s the plan.”

He picked up his controller. “Have a good night.” The comment was laced with innuendo.

“You too.”

It felt like I was floating as I left his apartment. Not only did I still have my best friend, he had my back. Maybe things would be okay after all.

20

ZANDER

Twenty minutesafter Luka texted to tell me he was on his way over, he knocked on my door.

---