Page 120 of Outcast
“Just a stupid nickname he has for me,” I muttered.
Marty snickered. “Kind of appropriate, though.”
Gray grinned. “See? He gets it.”
“Yeah, yeah. Now you both want to gang up on me. I see how it is.”
I was acting put out, but the fact my friend and my boyfriend were teasing me together? It wasn’t something I’d ever thought I could have. Wasn’t something I’d even imagined.
But here and now, two parts of my life were coming together and making me just a little more whole. I’d compartmentalized my bisexuality for such a long time that I didn’t realize how much I was confining a vital part of who I was.
I wasn’t ready to leap out of the closet and tell my parents—much less the whole town. But I was glad I’d told Marty. Glad I could show more of myself to a friend who had always been there for me.
Maybe I couldn’t take Gray home to meet the family, but I could let him further into my life. I could introduce him to my best friends and share this amazing new part of my life with them.
That was no small thing.
CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT
Gray
Emory heldon to me as I rode into downtown Granville. He was much more relaxed than the first time he’d been on my bike.
Kind of like with sex, I thought with a smirk. Last night, I’d fucked him again, andthistime, he’d come on my cock with a satisfying wail that probably haunted my brothers.
After, we’d both been too spent to do much more than clean up and collapse into my small bed for the night.
I was starting to love slumber parties.
When Emory got a text from Allison this morning asking him to go to the Goldenrod Days festival in the neighboring town of Granville, he’d asked if I might want to tag along since we’d have a little anonymity.
“I want you to meet more of my friends,” he’d said, and wild dogs couldn’t have dragged me away from his shy smile.
Emory was letting me into his life—even if it wasn’t a complete picture yet. I still didn’t know if he’d ever be brave enough to come out to his parents when that meant not fulfilling their wishes for him. Guilt and obligation had ruled his life up till now. But I really hoped this was a step in the right direction.
If I was wrong, if Emory couldn’t take that step, I was in for a hell of a heartbreak. But I’d gone through worse. Lost my parents. Lost my foster mom. Lost my brothers for a time…
I could survive losing Emory the way I’d survived everything else, but it would hurt like hell.
Which meant today was important. Showing Emory our lives could fit together was crucial to him making a decision that wouldn’t eviscerate me down the road.
Emory unwound one arm from my waist to point toward downtown, which was roped off for the festival. Vendors lined the sidewalks, selling art, crafts, and food. My stomach growled, telling me we’d have to hit those up soon.
Dogs had taken over the blocked-off street, making me do a double take as I found a place to park. “I thought this was a flower festival. Why…”
Emory chuckled. “They’re all decorated with goldenrods. Look at that poodle with the crown of goldenrods? And that little terrier with its leash covered in flowers.”
Thankfully, all the dogs were attached to owners, not running amok, but it was still a chaotic parade, considering that when you put a lot of dogs in a small space, they didn’t just trot along sedately.
There was butt-sniffing, a few snarling confrontations, and one or two pooches who’d suckered their owners into carrying them down the street.
Emory checked his phone. “Allison is in front of Glazed Holes. Come on.”
“Glazed Holes? Seriously?”
He snickered. “I always forget you only came back a few weeks ago. So you missed the fact that Granville rebranded itself to attract more tourism a few years ago. Glazed Holes is the former MJ’s doughnut shop. Plus, there’s Tops and Bottoms, a boutique store. Meat Market, which is the local grocer. Probably some others I’m forgetting. You get the picture.”
“Wow, and I thought Riverton was corny.”
