Page 96 of Pretty ’n Peak

Still, his face felt hot. His family knew he’d been distracted, but there was no way any of them would ever guess where he’d actually been.

“What’s her name?” Diego pressed.

Austin, he thought.

God, what would happen if he just said it? If he said, I’m gay. I was with a man. His name is Austin, and he called me beautiful.

But he couldn’t. Not right now. The thought of the backlash was too much.

What would Diego say? Would he hurl insults through sneering lips? Act like he hadn’t heard?

Or just accept it and ask what his name was instead?

Mateo had no idea, but the words had bubbled up a thousand times in the past week, only to lodge in his throat, an icy burr.

Maybe he’d have the courage to say it one day. If he had a boyfriend. Someone to bring home and show off.

Someone to comfort him if his family rejected him and hold him while he cried.

Someone like…

He didn’t let himself think that way.

Better to just revel in the memories. To appreciate the weekend for what it had been.

Austin hadn’t contacted him.

But he’d said he would come to the art show.

If he could make it.

Was that really true?

It seemed like he’d text, at least to ask where it was.

Mateo was still counting the days.

And he’d been painting every evening, like demons were possessing him. There were just so many things he had to get out onto the canvas. So many colors bursting from inside him.

Diego chuckled. “Man, you’ve got it bad.”

He rolled his eyes and ate the last bite of his sandwich. “Let’s get back to work.” He tossed his wrapper into a loose trash bag of debris and headed inside before Diego could reply.

He was going to focus on work today. Not be so distracted.

Still, when his phone dinged a few hours later, he wiped off his hands and whipped it out of his pocket. He knew it was probably someone in his family, but was still holding out this tiny bit of hope that Austin would reach out to him.

It wasn’t Austin, but with the way his mind had been churning today, it was someone almost as good.

Jamie.

They’d been chatting on and off since the weekend.

Jamie: Hey! I’m bored. What are you up to?

Mateo: Sanding grout.

Jamie: Must be grout day. I was doing that this morning.