AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How’s Ellie?”
I smile. “She’s good…considering. I deleted all her social media apps ‘cause…well, I’m sure you can imagine. And her family’s been pretty shit about everything. But she’s amazing, the way she’s handled everything.” I toss my head back against my chair and let out a groan. “Fuck, I miss her so much already, and I’m not going to see her for three more weeks!”
Cass offers a sympathetic smile and pushes the croissant closer to me. “You’re going to be busy as hell for the next few weeks. I’m sure it’ll fly.”
As I geton with my day, I start to relax a little. No one is treating me any differently. No one is sending me weird looks. The only acknowledgement of my new nail fashion is from KC’s girlfriend, Ivy, who tells me they look “fierce” when I come across the pair during lunch hour.
It’s not until the afternoon, when Garrett and I are in my office going over some of the drills for tonight’s practice that I get the first taste of weirdness.
“Just spit it out, G,” I tell him the fourth time I catch him looking at me strangely.
“Huh?”
I sigh. “Whatever it is you want to say. Either say it or stop gawking at me.”
“Shit, sorry. It’s just…you’re straight, right?”
“Yeah…” I say, wary about where this could be going.
Garrett hesitates, clearly unsure about whether to proceed. “Doesn’t it weird you out a little that your girlfriend has…y’know…guy parts.”
I glare at him. “They’re notguyparts. I think the words you’re looking for are ‘cock and balls’ and there are plenty of women who have them and plenty of guys who don’t.”
Garrett’s hands fly up in immediate surrender. “Okay. Alright. Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound like such a dick. This is just unfamiliar territory for me, that’s all.”
I sigh, reminding myself that for the bulk of the population whatever limited information they get about trans life is pretty rooted in stereotype and misunderstanding.“No, it doesn’t bother me that she has a penis,” I say, deciding to answer his original query. “And, just to head off the next question, dating a girl with a penis doesn’t mean I’m secretly gay and just in denial about the whole thing. It doesn’t work that way. I’m straight. I like women. And the woman I’m in love with just happens to be trans. That’s pretty much it.”
“I wasn’t going to suggest that,” he assures me. “But, like…is it in play?”
I roll my eyes at the way he’s attempting to subtly gesture at his crotch. “Garrett, seriously.”
He holds his hands up in a ‘what can you do?’ type of gesture. “What? I’m just curious.”
I shake my head in exasperation. “Like every other woman I’ve been with I do whatever I can to please her, and I love every second of getting her off. And that’s all the information you’re getting, you creepy perv.”
He lets out a loud chuckle, grinning at me. “Okay, okay. I get the message.”
17
ELLIE
“Hey, El,” I hear Aidan call to me from down the hall just as I step out of the bathroom after my shower. “You’ve got a visitor.”
“Just a second!” I call back, quickly darting into my bedroom to throw on a pair of flannelette pajama pants and a sweatshirt I may or may not have stolen from Finn. Then I make my way down the hall, one hand towel-drying my hair while the other attempts to detangle the wet strands with a brush. I wasn’t expecting company, so I’m a little curious. A tiny, hopeful part of me considers the possibility that Finn has managed to get a few days off and has come back to New York for a visit. But I shoot that down pretty quickly. He’s so busy with the first game of the season coming up next week that we’re considering it a win if we can even manage a few minutes to FaceTime.
When I get out into the living room and catch sight of the person hovering awkwardly beside Aidan at the kitchen island, I drop both the towel and brush in complete shock. “Nate?”
He glances over at me, offering a nervous smile. “Hey, El…sorry, I hope it’s okay that I’m here.”
“What are you talking about?” I say as I rush over to wrap my arms around him. “Of course it’s okay that you’re here!” I step back for a moment and just gaze at him, drinking in his features. I can’t believe he’s actually here. After all those unanswered calls, and all those texts, I really thought he’d given me up forever.
A niggle of concern tugs at me as I take note of how awkwardly he’s holding himself, and the guarded expression on his face. Nate is by nature a bit of an awkward guy but he tends to relax around people he’s comfortable with, and he’s never been like this with me.Oh god, was Mom right? Does he really think I’m disgusting now? Maybe he’s come here to cut ties in person…
I cut the destructive thoughts off with a sharp shake of my head and manage to offer my brother a soft smile.
“Are you sure it’s okay that I’m here?” he asks again. “I wasn’t sure if you’d want to see me.”
I stare at him, completely baffled. “What? Why not?”
