“What?” I gape at him with confusion. “But the door was locked.”
“Yeah. After I locked it.” Marcus laughs. “I’m shocked you bought that. You never used to lock that door.AndI have a spare key, remember? You never wondered why I didn’t use it?”
Holy fuck. I knew it seemed odd that the door was locked, but I didn’t question it too hard at the time because I thought it had saved me and Luke from discovery. I forgot about the key, too. There’s never been a need for it before today, so it completely slipped my mind.
Now I can’t help but think back to how Marcus seemed so fidgety talking to me in the garage, and it suddenly makes more sense in this context. He knew what was going on but didn’t tell me. We’d even talked about secret boyfriends… Was that supposed to be a hint for me to fess up? God, I’m such an idiot.
“I want to say I wasn’t surprised, but I was absolutely floored.” Marcus sighs. “I probably shouldn’t have been. Looking back, there were a few times I questioned if you were really straight with the way I caught you staring at guys, but I was too chicken to ever ask you about it.”
“You and my mother both, apparently. God, that’s embarrassing.”
“How long haveyouknown?”
I groan. “You’re going to laugh.”
“Well, now you have to tell me.”
“I only figured it out in August… Right after meeting Luke.”
“Okay, butfair.Have you seen the guy? He’s hot.”
I can’t help but laugh at that.
“You know, Tiff called it as far back as the camping trip,” Marcus adds casually.
My brows rise so far up I think they might fly off my face. “Seriously?”
That day…the football game, in the kitchen. Shedidknow. I was right. Jesus, am I really that transparent?
“I’m pretty sure her exact words were ‘ooh, they fuckin.’” He mimics his wife’s tone. “She said it right after Luke went to find you the morning you two were fighting. I thought she was joking, but she corrected me later. She was dead serious.”
“That is when we officially got together.” I chuckle, dragging a hand over my tired face. “I wanted to tell you then. I wanted to tell you so many times, but I kept freezing up. My stupid brain wouldn’t cooperate.”
“Oh, I’mintimatelyfamiliar with that brain of yours,” Marcus concurs. “Which is why I didn’t say anything to you, either. Plus, Tiff threatened me within an inch of my life if I didn’t let you come out on your own terms.”
“Left to my own terms, I’d have taken it to my grave, I expect.”
“I told her that. She didn’t believe me.” He pauses, giving me a peculiar look. “So…what are you? Bi? Gay?”
“Bi. Definitely bi.”
“Okay. Cool,” he says. And that’s it.
After months of imagining the worst possible reactions Marcus could have had to finding out the truth, those two little words show me complete and total acceptance. Even though a part of me knew that would be his response, having it confirmed is a surreal experience.
We sit silently for a moment, and I let the truth wash over me. It’s freeing to finally have it out in the open. Like the world has lifted from my shoulders. But it’s mixed with a twinge of bitterness when I remember that it’s too late for it to matter.
“So, what happened?” Marcus eventually asks. “I haven’t heard anything from you since you got back from New York. I’m so far out of the loop here. I know Luke got fired, and you apparently quit. People keep saying you beat the shit out of Frank? And seriously,whendid you get a cat?”
“It’s Luke’s cat,” I answer, reaching out a hand to pet Misty. She’s gotten more friendly with me since it’s been just the two of us—maybe because she was afraid I’d stop feeding her if she didn’t warm up to me. “And Luke… Luke broke up with me.”
“Why?”
A wave of unexpected emotion comes over me, and I can’t answer, my jaw clenched. Marcus sees me struggling, and he puts a hand on my shoulder, gripping it tightly.
“I’m sorry, man,” he says.
“This almost hurts worse.” I don’t need to say worse than what. Marcus immediately understands.
