Page 78 of Mr. Picture Perfect
“Hmm.” He studies me over the brim of his glass. “Sounds like you stayed behind for someone, not something.”
I look at him, stunned. “Huh? Where’d you get that?”
TJ smirks. “And from the look on your face right now, sounds like I got it right on the first try.”
“What look?” I let out a laugh. “What are you? A detective?”
“I just knew there was a bigger reason you stayed home. Don’t get me wrong,” he quickly adds, “there’s nothing wrong with not going to college. There are so many people I go to school with who are just there because their parents made them or because it looks good onpaper.” He shakes his head. “As if the whole point of going to college is to fill some wall of their house with graduation gown photos to show off to their friends and family. ‘Oh, and this is my totally impressive son Preston, he graduatedmagna cum laudewith a degree in literallyeverything.’” He makes a gagging sound. “Why is everyone so obsessed with looking impressive?”
“What do you mean you think I stayed behind for someone?”
“Just a hunch.” He turns his glass around and around on the counter, appearing contemplative. “Maybe we’re afraid for others to see how we really are. So we all gottalooka certain way.”
“You’re changing the subject.”
“My mom can be a little weird about appearances,” he goes on anyway. “Honestly, it’s … probably a big reason why … I haven’t … well … y’know.” He takes another sip and glances off.
His tone of voice makes me pause. I squint at him. “Why you haven’t what?”
“Y’know,” he repeats, this time with a brief, unhelpful gesture.
I continue staring at him. I, quite clearly, donotknow.
He sets down his glass and frowns at me. “Cole, c’mon, man. Everyone else in town might be clueless, but I thought surelyyou’dbe keen enough to know why I’ve never had a girl on my arm.”
My eyes go wide. I lower my glass. “Wait a sec. Are you—?”
TJ snorts. “You really didn’t know? It’s that surprising?”
“I … guess I really didn’t. I’d just thought—” And suddenly I’m not sure what I thought. That TJ McPherson was always so focused on getting straight A’s that he didn’t have time to date? That he had secret girlfriends over the years that no one knew about? Or he simply had no interest in dating? It’s like my mind made all the excuses for him without him having to lift a finger.
“Cole.” He shakes his head and lets out a laugh. “I figured out of everyone,youwould’ve recognized it. I knew aboutyoubefore you started telling people back in school. I thought you and I had a secret sort of understanding or something, at the very least.”
“No clue.” I can’t help but laugh as I clutch my glass of tea. “I really …reallymust have had my head up my butt or something to not have noticed.”
Saying those words, I realize it’s my father coming out of my mouth. His words from this morning.
“Hey, don’t worry,” says TJ, likely misreading my face. “Now that you know and there aren’t any lingering doubts, can you … do me a favor and …” He lowers his voice. “… maybe don’t tell anyone else? I trust you like I trust my left hand, and I’m a lefty.”
I frown. “Why don’t you want anyone to know?”
“Mmm, there’s a reason or three. I don’t know how my mom will be about it, for one.”
I find that very surprising. “Really?”
“I mean, sure, she’ll love having a gay son, but it might take her a hot second to get there. She has all these expectations of me she’s already laid out ever since I could walk. To be married by the time I graduate. To have two kids before I’m thirty. To have a wife who plays the guitar. Why is she set on the guitar? No one knows why she’s set on the guitar. She’sobsessedwith getting someone in her family who’s gifted in music, because I took piano lessons for two minutes when I was a child and that poor grand piano in our living room has been gathering dust ever since. Oh, also, my wife apparently has tosing. Married, kids, guitar, sing.”
“Wow. I didn’t realize …”
“Not to mention the last thing I want is to be pulled into one of Mrs. Strong’s matchmaker hurricanes.” He leans in. “Heardyouwere a victim of that recently.”
I’m still shaking my head in disbelief. “TJ, I wish I knew. We … We could’ve been better friends or something.”
“It’s alright. Our friend circles didn’t overlap much. And I’ve acquired more gay friends than I can count on campus.” He takes a peek around the corner of the wall, as if hearing something, then returns to me. “It sounds like Malcolm might be back. Anyway, I guess this makes you the first person in Spruce to know. It was kinda killing me, y’know, not saying anything about it to anyone. So … thank you for being my ‘hometown confidant’, so to speak.”
I give him a smile of appreciation. “It’s my honor, TJ.”
He fights off a smirk, then lowers his voice again. “And what about you, Captain Secrets? Was I right?Isthere a special lucky guy in your life, and are you two secretly a thing already, or …?”
