Page 74 of Love You Like That (Excess All Areas 4)

“I don’t mind. How are you going to explain this?” Zoe gestured between the two of them.

“I was going to go with straightforward and honest, that you’re my girlfriend, if that’s okay with you. I know it’s fast.” It really was. Three days, and he was doing it again. Putting his heart out there to be squashed. His gut was telling him he could trust Zoe with it, but his brain was calling him a sucker.

“I like that,” Zoe said. “I haven’t had a boyfriend in a while.”

“It sounds good, right? Girlfriend and boyfriend.”

“It does.”

Alex went to open his car door, then turned back to face her. “You know what else sounds good?”

“What’s that?”

“Going back to my place and using up the rest of that icing. Let’s just go back and I’ll—”

“Stop.” She pressed her fingers to his lips. “Your mum said she needed a hand getting the new bookcases up the stairs. Let’s go help.”

Alex glanced up to the house where his mum had already opened the door and waved. He waved back with a smile on his face, but inside he quietly fumed. “Yeah. But only because my lazy fuck of a dad is already drunk at three in the afternoon.”

By the time they’d made it up the drive, his mum had already stepped back inside, and they walked into the living room.

“Finally, the fucking wanderers return,” his dad muttered from the armchair next to the old fireplace. He held a can of beer, his eyes fixed on the Man City game. Normally, the band would get together to watch it, perhaps at Luke’s house or go down to the local pub. But the band were starting to create a stir whenever they went anywhere together. And after eighteen days on a tour bus, they needed a break from one another, so no plans had been made.

“Nice to see you too, Dad.”

“Alex,” his mum said, bustling in from the kitchen. “I just popped the kettle on. How are you?”

“Hey, Mum,” he said, wrapping his arms around her. “You doing okay?”

“Better for seeing you. And you, Zoe.” His mum looked up at him, a slight look to her face that asked every question she wanted an answer to without saying a word.

“Yes, we’re dating. Yes, she’s my girlfriend.”

His mum smiled at Zoe. “I’m so happy for you both.”

Alex grinned. “You make it sound like we’re getting married, but thanks.”

“Can gay boys get married?” His dad chuckled to himself. “Always wondered who wore the dress.”

His mum met his eyes, urging him to just let it go, but he couldn’t. Not today, when he felt good about himself, about his new relationship. Especially not when Zoe was squeezing his hand, reassuring him he was enough.

It struck him that while his mum accepted him for who he was, she wasn’t truly an ally. She’d always asked him to tone it down around his father. To let it slide when Dad said slurs and deliberately attacked who he was.

“Yes. Everyone can, fortunately, get married in this country. As someone who is pansexual, if I ever got married, I’d wear a suit. Or a long black skirt. The person I married, regardless of gender or sexuality, could wear a suit, a huge white dress, or anything else they wanted to because I’d be marrying them, not the clothes they are standing up in. Which you will never get to see because you won’t be there. So, shut up, drink your drink, or fuck off. But don’t ruin the day for everyone else.”

“You don’t get to talk to me like that,” his dad blustered.

“Or what?” Alex said. He opened his arms wide. “You want to have a go, Dad, do it. Mum made me promise to never hit you first, but I’m more than happy to end what you start.”

“Ah, fuck off you little—”

“Tea?” his mum asked with the fake smile she always wore to cover up just how much his dad’s behaviour bothered her.

He took a deep breath. “Tea would be great, Mum,” Alex said. “And let him say it. He can’t say any slur I’ve not heard from him or someone else.”

They followed his mum into the kitchen. “You okay?” Zoe asked as his mum busied making tea.

“Yeah. He’s always the same.”

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