not to fall. “You have,” he breathed, hardly managing to form the words.
“I’m proud of you, boy, and knowing you’re… gay won’t change that. You can talk to me about it whenever you need to.” He put his hand on Caleb’s knee. “We just need to keep it between us for now. We’ll work on easing your mom into the idea when you’re older….”
Drawing back from the memory, Caleb felt a pang of regret that his mom died without really knowing him. Looking back, he understood his uncle’s fears, but they didn’t hold the same weight as when he was sixteen. His mom would have worried, but she also would have wanted him to be happy. Hiding his life from her became a habit he was never able to break. The ring of the telephone brought him back from his thoughts. Seeing Marco’s name flash on the caller ID, Caleb sighed before answering the phone.
“Hey, Marco.”
“I am glad you answered, flaquito .”
He really hated that nickname. “I’m not skinny. I’ve gained four pounds since you left. I barely fit into my clothes anymore.”
“This new guy, Logan, has renewed your appetite?” Marco asked, the rich timbre of his voice gliding over the syllables.
For more than just food, but he didn’t intend to tell Marco that. Hoping to change the subject he asked, “How are you guys settling in? Do your kids like their new schools?”
“Do not try to change the subject. I know my beautiful wife has e-mailed you all about the move.”
Resisting the urge to sigh, Caleb tried another tactic. “Logan and I went to Meng’s today and I didn’t freak out.” Much. His cheeks flushed as he remembered how Logan brought him back from the border of freak-out land while in the cab. He knew better than to mention encountering Karen outside of Meng’s. Marco’s contempt for his former supervisor was legendary.
“It does my heart good to hear such things. Tell me, flaquito . How did this Logan convince you to go out?”
“Um,” Caleb said, his face grew hotter as he remembered Logan’s method of distraction. The feel of him pressed close and the way “dick” rolled off his tongue while they stared at the alluring tranny had left Caleb reeling.
Marco made an exasperated clucking sound. “My friends at the warehouse tell me this Logan has a rough past.”
Caleb had a sinking feeling he knew the direction of this conversation. If Marco didn’t approve of Logan, he wouldn’t hesitate to call Uncle Harrison, and that would not be good. Knowing his uncle, he didn’t even bother looking at Logan’s personnel file. He just zeroed in on the hottest guy at the warehouse. Caleb had never been brave enough to ask his uncle why he selected such attractive guys. He doubted his uncle wanted him to get laid. He needed to convince Marco that Logan was a good replacement. Never mind the fact that Caleb paid for the delivery service. That didn’t mean he actually got a say in who worked for him. He frowned. Maybe Logan was right about the bullying.
Feeling petulant, Caleb said, “I’m not one of your kids. I can take care of myself.”
“You are not a child, but you are innocent. You are also my friend.”
Caleb’s throat tightened. He had convinced himself he wouldn’t hear from Marco after he moved to Florida. It was nice to know he still cared enough to check in. Even if, as usual, he showed it in the most annoying way possible. “I don’t care about his past. I only know what I feel when I’m around him.” He silently willed Marco to understand. It had been so long since he had felt any motivation to leave the comfort of his apartment. The prospect of going out still terrified him, but each day, home felt more like a prison than a sanctuary.
Marco was quiet so long Caleb thought the line might have gotten disconnected. No such luck.
“Does he feel the same way?”
“He’s gay, but I doubt….” Caleb sighed. “It doesn’t matter. If I start going out, I can shake my ass at the nearest
“I’m proud of you, boy, and knowing you’re… gay won’t change that. You can talk to me about it whenever you need to.” He put his hand on Caleb’s knee. “We just need to keep it between us for now. We’ll work on easing your mom into the idea when you’re older….”
Drawing back from the memory, Caleb felt a pang of regret that his mom died without really knowing him. Looking back, he understood his uncle’s fears, but they didn’t hold the same weight as when he was sixteen. His mom would have worried, but she also would have wanted him to be happy. Hiding his life from her became a habit he was never able to break. The ring of the telephone brought him back from his thoughts. Seeing Marco’s name flash on the caller ID, Caleb sighed before answering the phone.
“Hey, Marco.”
“I am glad you answered, flaquito .”
He really hated that nickname. “I’m not skinny. I’ve gained four pounds since you left. I barely fit into my clothes anymore.”
“This new guy, Logan, has renewed your appetite?” Marco asked, the rich timbre of his voice gliding over the syllables.
For more than just food, but he didn’t intend to tell Marco that. Hoping to change the subject he asked, “How are you guys settling in? Do your kids like their new schools?”
“Do not try to change the subject. I know my beautiful wife has e-mailed you all about the move.”
Resisting the urge to sigh, Caleb tried another tactic. “Logan and I went to Meng’s today and I didn’t freak out.” Much. His cheeks flushed as he remembered how Logan brought him back from the border of freak-out land while in the cab. He knew better than to mention encountering Karen outside of Meng’s. Marco’s contempt for his former supervisor was legendary.
“It does my heart good to hear such things. Tell me, flaquito . How did this Logan convince you to go out?”
“Um,” Caleb said, his face grew hotter as he remembered Logan’s method of distraction. The feel of him pressed close and the way “dick” rolled off his tongue while they stared at the alluring tranny had left Caleb reeling.
Marco made an exasperated clucking sound. “My friends at the warehouse tell me this Logan has a rough past.”
Caleb had a sinking feeling he knew the direction of this conversation. If Marco didn’t approve of Logan, he wouldn’t hesitate to call Uncle Harrison, and that would not be good. Knowing his uncle, he didn’t even bother looking at Logan’s personnel file. He just zeroed in on the hottest guy at the warehouse. Caleb had never been brave enough to ask his uncle why he selected such attractive guys. He doubted his uncle wanted him to get laid. He needed to convince Marco that Logan was a good replacement. Never mind the fact that Caleb paid for the delivery service. That didn’t mean he actually got a say in who worked for him. He frowned. Maybe Logan was right about the bullying.
Feeling petulant, Caleb said, “I’m not one of your kids. I can take care of myself.”
“You are not a child, but you are innocent. You are also my friend.”
Caleb’s throat tightened. He had convinced himself he wouldn’t hear from Marco after he moved to Florida. It was nice to know he still cared enough to check in. Even if, as usual, he showed it in the most annoying way possible. “I don’t care about his past. I only know what I feel when I’m around him.” He silently willed Marco to understand. It had been so long since he had felt any motivation to leave the comfort of his apartment. The prospect of going out still terrified him, but each day, home felt more like a prison than a sanctuary.
Marco was quiet so long Caleb thought the line might have gotten disconnected. No such luck.
“Does he feel the same way?”
“He’s gay, but I doubt….” Caleb sighed. “It doesn’t matter. If I start going out, I can shake my ass at the nearest
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