CHAPTER 20 #3
“Good luck with that,” Camila said, perhaps the only one in the group completely oblivious to everything and acting with appropriate cluelessness. “A rodeo sounds like a nice date.”
Johnny scowled. “You didn’t tell me about anythin’ like that.”
Victor shrugged, and Camila drew Johnny back into a conversation about where they might be able to meet up before the rodeo in case they wanted to sit together. Diego and Victor caught one another’s eyes, and Victor suddenly felt like laughing. What a fucking predicament.
“Fry?” Diego offered, and with a chuckle, Victor took one.
“Gracias,” he replied, popping it into his mouth.
“Good luck on the date,” Diego said under his breath.
“Thanks.”
“Anything I need to worry about with my wife and your friend?”
“Probably. He’s a real lady killer.” Victor laughed at Diego’s expression. “Try being six-foot-three sometime.”
“I’ll have to work on it,” Diego grumbled.
Victor laughed again, then glanced at Diego out of the corner of his eye.
He couldn’t explain the sudden lightness in his chest, but it felt a little like finding peace.
Maybe he wanted the best for Diego and his wife.
He hoped Diego lived the dream he’d once shared with Victor. At least one of them should.
“I should probably get back to work,” Victor said, but he couldn’t help but touch Diego’s arm briefly. “It was nice seeing you again, Diego.”
“Yeah.” Diego glanced at Victor’s hand on his arm, then back into his eyes. “You seem happy, even if I don’t get it. So…that’s nice to see.”
Victor nodded, then moved away toward a horse stall so he could start filling buckets. He collected a few gas cans he’d bought new for transporting water, threw them in a wheelbarrow, and headed out to find the water spigot. As he waited for one to fill, he spotted Johnny striding his way.
“Enjoy meeting your fans?” Victor asked.
“You didn’t tell me about any kinda date.”
“You didn’t tell me about Daisy.” Victor lifted an eyebrow and met Johnny’s challenging gaze. “Why would I tell you about this?”
“This is different. Daisy ain’t nothin’ serious.”
“Neither is this.”
“You told me you wanted somethin’ serious, a commitment.”
“With you. I didn’t say I wanted that with everyone.”
Johnny made a frustrated sound in his throat, performed an agitated pivot on his heel, then leaned in close to Victor, voice low. “You’re doin’ this to make me mad.”
“Why do you think everything is about you? It’s not. It’s about me wanting to have a fun time with a stranger while I’m in town. You should do the same with Daisy or Diego’s wife or whatever other woman salivates over you. Should be plenty to choose from here.”
“Was that guy back there really an old friend from California?” Johnny asked.
“What else would he be?”
“I dunno. An ex?”
Victor raised his eyebrows. “What makes you think that?”
“I knew it. I knew it.” Johnny snapped his fingers, then pointed them at Victor. “I remember when you were at that bar all depressed cuz your ex was gettin’ married. Is that him? I thought you were talkin’ about a woman at the time, but you’ve told me yourself you ain’t into women.”
Victor wondered if Johnny was going to sit with them at the rodeo just to dig for dirt on Victor.
Maybe Diego would tell him the truth and save Victor that conversation.
Part of him was terrified of that happening, the other part of him wanted to just get it over with.
Of course, Diego knew pretty much nothing about being trans and how to explain it to others, since he barely understood it himself.
Letting him tell Johnny would be a disaster.
The jug filled up completely, so Victor put another under the spigot.
“You think he’s in denial about bein’ gay?” Johnny asked after a short silence. “He’s married to a woman, ain’t he?”
“First of all, you’re bisexual, I don’t know why you’re pretending it’s not a thing that exists. Also, Diego is straight.”
“Most men ain’t. Bisexual, I mean. Also, if he’s straight, why’d he date you?”
“It’s complicated,” Victor muttered.
“Seems like a theme with you.”
“Don’t you have a lunch with your rodeo buddies to go to?”
“I wanna know more about this Diego guy. And this date you’re goin’ on. Who is it?”
“Johnny.” Victor straightened and grabbed a fistful of Johnny’s coat. “I know you love to talk, but right now I need you to let me work and mind your own business.”
Johnny scoffed, barely offended. He was often chastised by people for talking too much, so it had no effect on him anymore. “If you wanted me to mind my own business, you wouldn’t have sucked me off in—”
“Goddamnit it, Johnny, keep your damn voice down.”
“Ain’t nobody listenin’ in this place.” Johnny looked around at the throngs of people moving through the stables, filling the space with a low thrum of conversation. He was probably right, but Victor didn’t want to hear it.
Somehow Victor was able to convince Johnny to run off to lunch, though he’d already filled all three gas cans with water by the time Johnny was willing to leave.
Thankfully Taylor showed up minutes later so Victor didn’t have to worry about her, and Victor offered to track down some food for lunch if she was willing to help him pick stalls out in the afternoon.
He was happy to listen to her ramble about all the horses she’d seen because it meant not having to talk or think about the men in his life. He’d officially had all he could take.