Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 77936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“See? What did I say? Fancy.” Aunt Georgia and Colt’s mom continued their conversation around me as I subtly stepped away from the table piled with potluck dishes toward Colt.
Like after Faith’s wedding, all I wanted was him, the relief of sitting near him, knowing he understood.
“What’s wrong?” he asked as we headed toward the arcade games. “And don’t lie and say nothing.”
“Not here,” I whispered through gritted teeth. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to tell Colt the whole story. One’s dad wishing them dead was heavy even for us. Simply being near him would help though.
“You still want to camp tonight?” he asked, eyes soft with concern. “I told Mom I’d probably be gone.”
“Hell yeah.” It might be our last chance. College wasn’t until fall, but I wasn’t sure how many more days on the ranch I could stomach, even for Colt. “Where do you wanna go?”
“Our spot.” That was what we called the place we’d camped after prom. We’d returned a few more times in the weeks since. We didn’t talk about what happened there. We didn’t do the things we did there anywhere else either. It was a sacred, magical space, and for a moment at least, there was nowhere else I’d rather be.
Chapter 13
Colt
Now
Maverick could cook, which was hardly the most surprising thing about his reappearance in my life. I should have expected he’d acquire some basic life skills in twenty years, but the pizzas were as good as the ones at the fancy brewery in Durango. Maverick made a show out of using the gas grill on the porch out back of the kitchen, much to the delight of Hannah and Willow. Faith didn’t show up for dinner, but I knew better than to touch that topic.
“This is so fun!” Willow bounced in her seat at the picnic table near the grill. I sent her a pointed look to remember her manners, so she dutifully added, “Thank you, Maverick.”
“It was my pleasure.” Standing, Maverick scooped up plates and glasses.
“We’ll help clean up.” I stood as well, but Maverick waved a fork in an attempt to get me to sit back down.
“You’re our guests!” he protested. Predictable, but I could out stubborn even the most dedicated hosts.
“Yep. Guests who help clean up.” I motioned for Willow to start cleaning as well. We all trooped inside, and Maverick loaded the shiny stainless steel dishwasher while the girls and I put away the various pizza toppings and gathered dirty dishes.
“Can you be guests who stay to watch the premiere of that new show about a high school band?” Hannah asked as we finished. “The first episode is finally up on the streaming service.”
“Yes!” Willow answered before I could. “I know that show! They have the most adorable gay love story.”
“Oh my gosh, I ship them already too.” Hannah gave her a spontaneous hug and then the two of them ran off in the direction of the TV.
“Wow.” I whistled low. “What a difference two decades make in teen TV.”
“I know, right?” Maverick laughed as the girls settled themselves on the couch. “Your mom was such a rebel back then, watching the first gay show on TV, and now there are books, movies, Christmas shows, so much queer culture.”
“Like your show,” I added easily. I’d been wondering when the topic of him being out and having been married to a man would surface, and this was as good a moment as any. “I’m sure you made a difference to a lot of young people watching.”
“Wish I could have shown them a healthier relationship, that’s for sure.” Maverick lowered his voice, stepping closer to the kitchen door, giving us a small amount of privacy as the fridge partially blocked us from view.
“The fighting on the show wasn’t staged?” I knew enough about reality TV to know a lot of the drama and conflict were the product of producers and not genuine. Maverick and his then-husband Dominic had had some doozies of arguments on camera.
“Thought you didn’t watch?”
“Eh, I might have wandered through the room a few times,” I admitted, leaning against the fridge. “Enough to know you were living the life you wanted—out, proud, being your own boss, living on California time.”
Maverick’s gaze turned far away. “Maybe it wasn’t everything I dreamed of.”
“You’ll land on your feet sure enough.” I wasn’t sure I had the strength to examine the subtext in his statement, that maybe he regretted going or perhaps that he’d missed me. I need to keep in mind that he’d be gone again soon. “One canceled show and a broken heart aren’t enough to keep you down.”
“Well, thank you for the vote of confidence.” Maverick offered a crooked smile that didn’t reach his skeptical eyes. “And to be honest, the arguing captured on camera was only some of it. You’d think I’d have learned to stop chasing after emotionally unavailable men or at least drop my tendency to attract closet narcissists. If there was a broken heart with Dominic, it was my own doing.”