Page 179 of Pretty ’n Peak

Just like this, with his thick belly that now sparkled pink, and his glittery ears that Daddy would whisper into, even when they were out in public.

Because Daddy was proud of him.

Daddy thought he was sexy and perfect.

He knew it deep in his bones.

“How does he look?” Austin asked Dan.

“Stunning,” Dan reported. “You should see his smile.”

Daddy slipped behind him, always just a little shorter, so that he had to stretch to rest his chin on Teo’s shoulder. “I don’t need to see him to know when he’s smiling.”

“I’m going to tell them,” Teo said. Because he wanted to say it out loud, while he was still in Daddy’s arms, flushed with success.

“I’ll come down with you. I’ll be there for every step of the way.”

Teo shook his head. “I think I want to do it alone. The whole family will be having dinner together on Sunday, and… I need to talk to them myself.” Worrying about their reaction to Austin, and his reaction to them, would be too much.

Daddy’s arms tightened. “I can’t say I like it, but I’ll do whatever I can to support you.”

“Could you come down right afterward? Maybe at nine? We can still go back to Portland that night if we need to.”

Daddy kissed the back of his ear, which was only a little sore from the new stud. “That I can do. And I meant it baby—you’re always welcome to stay with me. For a day or a month or a year. It feels fast to move in together, but I might be asking you anyway.”

Mateo beamed. That wasn’t the way he wanted to move in with Daddy either, but had he thought about it a thousand times? Waking up every morning in bed together? Merging their belongings and covering Daddy’s walls with his art?

He wanted both of his lives to merge together seamlessly. But if they didn’t, he would be running to something as well as away.

“Just call me if you need me sooner,” Daddy continued. “Or walk out if you need to. Wherever you are, I’ll come to you.”

“Thank you.”

Teo looked at himself in the mirror. He was fem. He was fierce. He could do this.

Even if it ripped him apart.

“You coming out to your family?” Dan asked.

“Yeah.”

“Good luck.” He offered a fist bump. “I know I’ve known you for all of ten minutes, but if you need a listening ear, I’m here.”

“Thanks. Hopefully I’ll have good news when we see you in January.”

30

Austin

Austin checked the time again, even though he had an alarm set.

“Eight thirty-three,” reported the high-speed voice.

Why wouldn’t time move faster?

Or better yet, why wouldn’t Teo answer his texts?

All sorts of possibilities were racing through his head, from joining in a celebration to getting a call to meet his boyfriend at the hospital. It was excruciating.