Page 62 of The Way We Swing

I scratched behind my ear and turned my back to him again. If I looked at him too long, I’d forget how pissed I stillwanted to be.

“I’ve messed up the last couple of months. Hiding was safer, okay? That’s why I said what I said. New Year’s was a mess. I was drunk.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t need to say what you did.”

“No, I didn’t,” he said. “I’m sorry for what I said. Sorry for what I did. I was terrified Gavin would tell somebody what he saw.”

“Why does it matter if he does?” I said, spinning toward him. “What are you scared of?”

“I could ask you the same thing, man. Why haven’t you told anyone but your brothers that you’re gay?”

“You can’t be serious right now.”

“I didn’t mean that harshly, Tan. I just meant that you’ve told no one, but you expect me to say something? I shouldn’t have to be forced into anything.”

“That’s never what I wanted, Easton! I would never make you do something you didn’t want to do! Gavin walked in on us. Nothing was going to change that. He wasn’t going to say anything!”

“But what if someone else walked in on us? I couldn’t risk that!”

“Why would it have been such a big deal if people knew?”

“We’re talking in circles now. You can’t say that when you haven’t even told your parents, I don’t want to hear that shit from you.”

I clenched my jaw. He was right. God, I hated that he was right. I couldn’t keep telling him to accept himself if I wasn’t willing to do the same.

“Fine, then. You’re right,” I said, turning to the door. “Gavin, we’re good.”

“What do you mean I’m right?” Easton asked. I heard him stand up. He closed the distance between us enough that the citrus was nearly on top of me.

“Open up, Gav—we talked,” I said. I saw the door open a crack, and I slammed it open. Gavin fell on his ass, and I made a mental note to make fun of him for it later. But I didn’t have time for that now.

“Follow me,” I said. I walked to Zach’s room and opened the door.

“Family meeting, get out here,” I said, walking away before Zach looked up from his phone. I had a mission, and I knew if I stopped, I wouldn’t do it. I wiped my hands on my shorts, trying to get rid of the pent-up sweat.

“You don’t have to do this,” Easton said from behind me. “That wasn’t what I meant.”

“Isn’t it, though?”

“Are you two talking again?” Zach said, catching up to us. “Nice.”

“We’re good,” I said. “But I’m not going to let Easton pull a bullshit card anymore.”

“Tan. Don’t do this because of me,” Easton pleaded.

“I’m doing this for me. Not you. You were just right, so, thank you.” I strode through the house in seconds. Mom and Dad were still in the kitchen cleaning.

“You two need to sit down. Easton said I have to tell you something.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Easton mumbled. Zach stood in the corner, laughing at one of us or, more likely, both of us.

“Whatever you need to tell yourself, bud,” I said, turning back to my parents, not even trying to stifle the snark.

Mom sat down, a cup of tea in her hand, as Dad leaned against the sink behind her. They both had wonder in their eyes, though Mom had a glimpse of understanding in her smile.

My mouth went dry. I opened it—then closed it again. My legs felt too heavy to move. This was it. I wanted to stop. What would they say? How would they react to this?

I forced myself forward. No turning back now.