Page 2 of Sass in the Grass

“I don’t want to be played with. I want to be with a daddy that wants to spoil me rotten.”

The queens both laughed and Clit snarked, “Gold digger. Gotcha.”

“I am not! I simply know my worth.”

Before Clit could comment again, Final broke in, “I’m glad you know your worth, honey, but there is a fine line separating conceit and confidence.”

Gary smiled inwardly, knowing that the ladies would handle it better than he ever could.

“Between prideful and preachy,” Clit said, holding up her hands like she was in church.

Final laughed at her partner and then lost her smile. “What’s your name, honey?”

“Jovian. Jovian Masseretti.”

“Nice name.”

“I changed it,” he said as he lifted his chin haughtily. “It was Kyle. That’s just…boring! How in the world my parents could name a kid that is beyond me. I tell them that all the time. They know better than to call me that now.”

“Well, if naming you Kyle was the worst your parents did to you, that’s a wonderful life, sugar.”

“Final, baby, you don’t know what this boy went through!”

Gary went off to serve a few more customers, but he kept his ear out for the screaming. Jovian had relayed a million times how spoiled he was by his family. They didn’t mind his being gay, hadn’t thrown him out or anything. In fact, his mother hadthrown him a little party when he officially came out when he was twelve. Unicorns and glitter.

That was the problem with guys like Jovian. They did not know how cruel the world could be for their own community. They’d been embraced by friends and family all their lives, never fought for their rights. Jovian and others were children when the laws changed for marriage equality.

Then, the inevitable happened. Final was being held back from punching the young man, and he rushed over before the bouncers could see. “Hey! Hey, hey, sister, what’s the deal?”

“This…person!”

Final sat back on her stool while Jovian stared at the two queens, shocked. “What did I do?”

“Jovian, I don’t even have to ask them,” Gary said while his hands were placed on the surface of the bar, and he leaned closer to the man. “I know you said something stupid. Here it is, my last warning to you. Stop this shit or you can find yourself another club to frequent.”

“What? You can’t do that! I’ve done nothing wrong!”

Clit snapped her fingers and Gary looked over his beefy shoulder at her. “Let me, darlin’.”

Gary chuckled deeply. “Yeah, sis, go for it.”

Backing off Jovian, Gary leaned on the backbar, watching the little man puffing up his thin chest. “I didn’t do anything!”

Without losing a breath, Clit laid into him, tapping her red nails on the bar to keep in tune with her words. It was one of her traits that Gary loved the most. “It’s not what you said, Jovian, as much as your attitude. You gotta have some respect for people. We’ve been through hell and back, and we fought for the shit you take for granted. Now you’re sitting here and disrespecting us, telling us to mind our own business when you gave up your bullshit free for all to hear.”

Gary watched with glee as Jovian fought back, knowing that he was burying himself. “If I have to hear one more time about what the older gens of queers did for us, I’m going to puke. I didn’t ask you to do anything for me! Stop expecting some kind of respect when I don’t know you, and I didn’t ask you to do what you did! You wanted to march and holler and whatever you did. And now you’re all mad that we don’t kiss your collective asses over it.”

Final just chuckled darkly, looking over at Clit. “Baby, this is why.”

“Oh, I know. I know.”

Gary knew what they were talking about and had an idea, though he wasn’t sure at all if it would work. His eyes met hers, she nodded to him and then told her partner, “Baby, I’m starving half to death. Take me to dinner or lose me forever.”

“You got it, my love.”

“Wait, wait,” Jovian said. “You two are together?”

Final’s dark green eyes moved over to Jovian, and Gary saw pure malice in them. “Yes. What’s wrong with that?”

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