Chapter 15 #3
When I pulled back, he put his hand on the back of my head and pulled me in for another, licking into my mouth with gentle brushes of his tongue. Making me feel his kiss all the way down to my toes.
Only after did he start to talk again. “I just like that you’re able to lose it a little bit with me. That you don’t feel like you need to do that Mr. Sunshine thing all the time.”
Mr. Sunshine?
He leaned in and kissed me again. “It’s just nice to see that you can be real with me. I want to reciprocate, babe.”
Babe?
I was literally stunned into silence, but apparently the new Patrice was chatty. “I want to make this work, and to do that, I need to let go a bit, be a little sunnier, so you can feel free…not to be. Balance.”
I pursed my lips and could almost see my eyebrows with how much I’d furrowed them. “So you like that I threw a fit?”
He actually cackled at my bafflement. “I like that we can be ourselves with each other. I like being with you in the car right now and not freezing my ass off while I try to ride a gigantic horse that could crush me. I like you, Easton.”
My heart was beating that way it had started doing whenever Patrice was around. “I like you, too.”
He nodded and then thrust his chin out in the direction of the steering wheel. “Let’s go back to your place. Maybe we can put the rest of this afternoon to good use.”
I pulled out of the stable and onto the road back to Ithaca, thinking about what had just happened.
My romantic afternoon had been an utter fail, and somehow things between Patrice and me felt more solid now than they’d ever had.
Before I knew it, I was talking about something I hadn’t said to anyone else before.
“Brad outed me to my dad.”
I briefly glanced at Patrice’s face, which had lost all semblance of relaxation. “He did what?” he asked, his voice barely contained fury.
“It was a long time ago; we were still in high school. I actually went to the public high school, because they had better AP classes. Brad did, too. He was a year behind me. Anyway, junior year, I wasn’t out, but I’d been seeing this senior.”
“Okay.” That was the only thing that Patrice could manage to say.
I cleared my throat and thought of Justin.
“His mom was a professor, too, but his dad was a local artist; they didn’t run with my and Brad’s parents’ circle.
He was out to his family, and they were so great.
I loved going to his house.” I sighed thinking how weird it was to be in a house where the adults actually seemed to get along.
“Anyway, Brad was obsessed with Justin and did everything he could to get his attention. When he realized we were dating, he made it his mission to fuck with me.”
“What did he do?” Patrice’s voice was heavy with dread.
“Typical Brad, he ‘accidentally’ asked in front of my parents if I was bringing my boyfriend to my family’s annual holiday party.
” I shook my head. “Needless to say, it did not go over well with my dad. He acted like it was no big deal and then as soon as everyone left, my dad iced me out and didn’t talk to me for months.
When I confronted Brad, he just said he didn’t realize it was a big deal.
He’s always been like that. A vicious little prick. ”
“Your dad didn’t speak to you for months?” He shook his head, confused. “I can’t say things were perfect for me coming out, but I, at least, was able to tell my mother on my own terms. That motherfucker, no wonder you can’t stand him.”
I lifted a shoulder, surprised at how little I felt about Brad.
“My mom was better about it. It’s hard for her to go against my dad, but she did her best to be supportive.
Brad’s like that. Sneaky and mean. That’s why I was worried about that meeting with your chair.
I would not be surprised if he’s behind it. ”
He sucked his teeth and looked out the window at that. “I’ll be fine. I figured it was because I’ve been making noise with all the stuff I’m doing in town.”
I almost didn’t say anything to that, but then I figured, fuck it. “I hope they don’t interfere with that. What you’re doing with the Justice Center is great.”
His eyes softened at my words and something in my chest cracked just a little.
“I’ll be fine. I also won’t put up with bullshit.
They knew exactly who I was when they hired me.
If they thought they were going to do a “diversity hire” and then make me invisible, they have another thing coming.
And Brad better not try me. I didn’t like him before, but after hearing what he did to you, I don’t give a fuck if he was fifteen, that shit’s just evil. Why are you grinning?”
“You’re really pissed,” I said in an amused voice.
He just shook his head and grabbed the hand I had resting on my thigh and kissed it. He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to.
I’d probably have to sit down and think about the reasons why seeing Patrice enraged on my behalf felt like the nicest thing anyone had ever done for me, but for now, I’d take the feeling and the moment.