Page 64 of The Jock
Taylor sighed. “That’s so sad for you. At least Jonah’s button-downs I could work with.”
Milo was performing in a couple of hours and Colby, plus his dad and brothers, were all going to watch and support him.
“Lucky for you, I anticipated this disaster.” Taylor grabbed a shirt from the bag Colby had spotted him carrying when he walked in. He tossed it at Colby. “Put that on. Pair it with those black jeans I know you have.”
Colby groaned. “But I hate jeans.”
“Colby Allen Bennett, so help me, if you’re not dressed in five minutes, I’m shaving your eyebrows.”
Colby narrowed his gaze at his little brother. “You’re a menace,” Colby examined the shirt. “Where did you get this anyway?”
“Well I didn’t pull it out of thin air. I bought it, dingus. Now get changed.”
Colby slipped past the little eyebrow-hating pest and into his bedroom where he changed. The bottle of perfume was carefully gift wrapped and sitting on his dresser. He’d thought of giving it to Milo before his performance, but then he decided that it could wait until after.
Colby whipped his apparently offensive gym clothes off and tossed them in the basket. He had to admit that Taylor had decent taste in clothes. The shirt was black with little silver lines on it. It was supposed to be an abstract pattern, but Colby realized the silver lines curved in a very predictable phallic pattern.
“Nice one, little brother,” Colby said to himself.
Colby exited his room and found Taylor watering his plants. Colby nodded toward his plants. “Are you shocked they’re still alive?”
Taylor’s laugh was tinted with obvious relief and he went back to watering. “A little, to be honest. Most of the time I expect the plants I give away to die of natural causes. I smuggled a plant into Jonah’s classroom and he didn’t even notice until the kids started mocking him for being a plant murderer.”
Colby laughed. “Poor Jonah.”
“Poor Jonah, my ass. It did him some good to be mocked relentlessly by a bunch of teenagers. It builds character, you know.”
“I’ll tell him you said that.”
Taylor pointed at him. “You will do no such thing or I will shave your eyebrows.”
“Jesus, you really hate my eyebrows, don’t you?”
Taylor sighed. “They’re too perfect.”
“Okay. Well, me and my perfect eyebrows are going to watch my boyfriend perform. Are you coming?”Colby darted back intothe bedroom to grab the perfume. No matter how Milo did, Colby was already so proud of him he could burst. He hoped the perfume was a good gift.
“Yeah, and don’t worry. Jonah and Spencer are giving me a ride home.”
“You look nice, by the way. In case I forgot to tell you.” Every time Colby saw his brother, he seemed happier and more at home in his skin. Even when he wasn’t dressed up or in makeup, he seemed more confident and settled. Tonight he wore a pair of jeans, a crop top, and only a smattering of glitter on his cheeks with something glossy on his lips.
“Thanks.” Taylor brushed past him and set the empty container he’d used to water the plants in the sink. “And thanks for everything you did. Even after I was an asshole to you.”
Colby slung an arm around Taylor’s shoulders. “Brothers are supposed to be assholes to each other sometimes. It’s the law.”
“I’m going to remember you said that.” Taylor shrugged Colby’s arm off. “We’re going to be late.”
The club was packed. Which didn’t surprise Colby, but it also did. He’d expected a crowd, but he hadn’t anticipated the relief that swarmed him when he and Taylor were ushered across the club to a reserved table where his dad was already waiting. One of the drag queens was sitting there talking to him rather animatedly.
“Hey, these are my kids. Two of three, anyway. That’s Colby and Taylor. Kids, this is Starla Bright.”
A well-manicured hand with intimidatingly long nails reached out. “It’s good to meet you,” Starla said in a husky baritone.
Colby decided to play along and took the hand, but instead of shaking it, he kissed the back of it. “The pleasure is mine.”
Starla’s smile was radiant. “Oh, you’re smooth. No wonder our little Milo likes you. You’re practically all he talks about.”
The dim light of the club hid any blush that might’ve appeared on Colby’s suddenly too-hot face. “Uh…”
