Chapter Thirteen
Andrew
I push through the café door; the cool blast of air-conditioning is an instant relief against the August heat that’s been baking the town all day.
I’m in my favourite denim shorts that sit just above my knees, and the white tee Slade bought me when I started college, the one with the dumb software joke on the front that he still doesn’t get, which is honestly the funniest part.
I push my sunglasses up into my hair and head straight for the counter.
“One large caramel frappe, please,” I say, and a minute later I’m paying, thanking the barista, and carrying the icy drink over to the table by the window where Maria and Carla are already waving me down like I’m late to a gossip session.
I drop into the chair with a small smile. “Hey.”
Carla grins, eyeing me up and down. “You’re looking good, Andrew. The gym treating you well?”
I laugh a little, cheeks warming. “Yeah, thanks. Not sure about this heat though.”
Maria perks up, winking as she fans herself with the menu. “I love it. I feel like I’m on holiday. ”
I notice she’s wearing a long floral dress that looks way too pretty for this weather and can’t help but smile.
Carla leans forward, chin in her hand. “So, what’s up? We haven’t seen you since the barbecue last month.”
Maria cuts in before I can answer. “Actually, I wanted to ask… is Slade okay? He seems a bit off lately.”
I nod, stomach twisting with nerves. “Uh, actually that’s sort of why I wanted to speak to you both. I thought you might be more understanding than Todd and Larry.”
They both laugh and nod, giving me their full attention.
I gesture at Maria first. “I know you’ve got a family member who’s transgender.” Then at Carla. “And I know your daughter is married to an older woman.”
They both nod, still smiling but now clearly confused.
I swallow hard, heart hammering. “So… Slade is… uh… bisexual.”
Maria huffs a little laugh. “Okay?”
Carla tilts her head. “Is that why he’s been off? Because he likes men too and thinks the guys wouldn’t be okay with it?”
I take a quick sip of my frappe for courage. “Kind of…”
Maria waves a hand. “He’s got nothing to worry about. He knows Larry’s brother is gay.”
I nod. If it were just about Slade being bisexual, his friends wouldn’t bat an eye.
The problem is me. Slade doesn’t even know I’m here right now, and if this goes badly, he’s going to be pissed.
But I can’t let him seriously consider moving towns just because he’s scared of how people will react to us.
“That’s not the problem,” I say quietly.
Carla raises her brows. “Okay?”
I take a deep breath, my pulse racing so hard I can feel it in my throat. “I…” I swallow thickly, the words sticking in my throat. “I’m also bisexual.”
Maria lets out a bright little laugh, eyes crinkling with confusion. “I am so confused… Andrew, I wouldn’t care if you fell in love with a tree.”
I laugh despite the nerves, the sound shaky. “Come on…”
“Okay, but you know what I mean!” she says, still smiling, clearly trying to lighten the moment.
Carla leans forward, brow furrowed but gentle. “So… you’re both into men and women?”
I nod, the motion small and tight. I was really hoping they’d connect the dots on their own so I wouldn’t have to say it out loud, but they’re still looking at me with polite confusion, waiting for more. They don’t seem to be putting it together at all.
I take another deep breath, my heart racing so hard it feels like it’s trying to punch its way out of my chest. “Slade is the reason we’re both bisexual.”
They both frown, cogs clearly turning. The quiet stretches so long I have to take another sip of my drink just to have something to do with my hands .
Maria’s eyes slowly widen as she lifts a hand to her mouth. “Wait… are you…”
Carla clears her throat, voice careful but direct. “Okay, I’m just gonna ask this and if you get offended, I’m sorry… are you dating Slade?”
My face goes nuclear. I look down at my drink, cheeks burning.
Carla gasps. “You are!”
Maria leans in, eyes wide with genuine curiosity rather than disgust. “Drew… how long?”
I manage a shaky breath. “Uh… just over five months.”
Carla playfully smacks Maria’s arm. “I knew there was something different about him!” She gestures at me like I’m not even sitting here.
“Look at him. He actually looks like the twenty-year-old he is… sorting his life out, taking responsibility, starting college. Clearly Slade found a way to get through to him.”
I choke hard on my sip of frappe as the memory slams into me…
Slade’s hand fisted in my hair, his voice low and commanding while he fucked me like a punishment.
If they only knew that was exactly how Slade finally got me to listen…
that the rough, filthy way he “punished” me was what actually made me straighten up and change.
Carla pats my back, laughing. “You okay, Drew?”
“Yeah, sorry… went down the wrong way.”
Maria narrows her eyes, smirking. “So… what did he do to get you to man up? ”
My face feels like it’s on fire. Carla laughs again. “I think I know the answer.”
Maria wiggles her brows. “ Damn … must have really been something for you to change your whole life around.”
I look at my phone, suddenly desperate for an exit. “You know, I should really…”
“Oh hush, Drew,” Carla says, waving me off. “Don’t be shy. You should see some of the shit Larry and Maria do.”
“Carla!” Maria gasps, smacking her arm. “I told you that in confidence!”
Carla grins. “It’ll help him feel better, hun.”
Maria sighs but smiles at me. “Honestly, you should be happy you’re too shy to talk about it. Means it was good. Means it’s a memory you won’t be forgetting anytime soon.”
I nod, a nervous laugh escaping. “So…”
Carla leans in. “Is he your dad?”
I scoff. “What? You know he isn’t.”
“Well, there’s my point,” she says with a shrug.
Maria looks at me seriously. “Look, Drew, I’m gonna be honest, okay?”
I nod, bracing myself.
“It’s a little weird,” she admits, “but not for the reason you probably think. I think the fact he’s known you since you were young is the problem, not the fact he used to be your stepdad. ”
Carla nods. “But… it’s not like he’s dodgy , right? Like he never did anything to you when you were under eighteen, right?”
I panic, shaking my hands wildly. “What? God no! No, absolutely not! He’s not… Jesus … he’s not like that!”
Maria laughs in visible relief. “I didn’t think he was. I’m just saying, that’s the only thing I’d be concerned about. But you’re twenty now, so… it’s okay.”
Carla shrugs. “Yeah. If you’d only just turned eighteen, then I’d be worried. But this is fine. And perfectly legal.”
Maria perks up, eyes sparkling with that familiar “you’re not gonna believe this” look she always gets when town gossip is involved. “Oh, you know Sasha down the road? The loud one?”
Carla nods quickly, already leaning in like they’re sharing state secrets.
Maria continues, voice dropping just a little, “Her new boy toy is in his twenties .”
I frown, trying to place the name. “Wait, who’s Sasha again?”
Carla looks at me like I’ve been living under a rock. “Sasha’s the sixty-two year old who lives a couple doors down from Maria, honey.”
Maria jumps back in with a dramatic little shrug, “And the guy looks like he’s about twenty-three. I’m telling you, she’s got him looking fresh out the box. ”
My eyebrows shoot straight up. That actually makes me feel a little better about the age gap between Slade and me.
Carla smiles knowingly and gives my arm a gentle pat. “See? Could be worse, Drew.”
I let out a shaky breath. “So… you’re not… bothered?”
Maria shrugs, squeezing my hand with a grin. “You’re both happy. You’re both legal.” Then she winks. “And apparently have mind-blowing sex.”
I laugh in pure relief and surprise. “ Jesus Christ .”
Carla grins. “So… I presume you want us to talk to the guys?”
I nod. “How do you think they’d take it?”
Carla sighs. “Honestly… I really can’t say. They’ve been friends with Slade for as long as I can remember, but this is definitely something they won’t see coming.”
I nod again, nerves still fluttering. “Well… either they find out or Slade wants to move to a new town. And… I don’t want that for him. He’s lived here forever and it’s only ten minutes from work.”
Maria shakes her head. “Oh, we don’t want you two to have to move, sweetheart. You two have always been the loud ones at the barbecues. Without you our days together would feel…”
Carla finishes softly, “Honestly, empty and boring.”
I shake my head, grinning despite everything. “Come on, we’re not that bad.”
Maria winks. “A good type of bad. ”
Carla reaches across the table and squeezes my arm. “Alright. I’ll talk to Todd, see if I can’t bring him around.”
Maria nods. “Same.”
I stand up and pull them both into tight hugs, heart still racing but lighter than when I walked in. “You two are the best. Thank you so much.”