I look at the studs in my nose and ear cartilage. They’re all small, hardly noticeable, but around here it makes me different. I wonder if this is all he sees: a kid who doesn’t fall into the normal category like 90 percent of the guys at my school. A kid he can hang around with for a day to take a break from his boring, vanilla life. That’s basically what he’s been alluding to, isn’t it? That he just wants to expand his horizons.
I run my hands over my face and tell myself the same thing I told him: Fucking relax.
When I head back to my room, the door’s open and Jay’s standing there… in my jeans, which are hanging on his narrow hips, and my T-shirt that has to stretch to accommodate his chest and biceps. The sight of him—in my clothes—sends a shiver through my body. I fucking like it. “You ready?”
“Yeah. You got a hoodie or something I can borrow?”
“Sure.” Opening my closet, I pull a basic red one off the hanger, thinking the color will look good on him. I throw it to him and he catches it. He gets his arms in it, then reaches to pull it over his head, and I get a glimpse of his golden six-pack and the top of his boxer briefs that are poking out of my jeans. My dick twitches so I turn away.
“All right, let’s go.” I look back at him, and I was right—he looks hot in my red hoodie.
We head back upstairs and into the kitchen to say bye to my family, who are all congregated there now. “No,” my mom is saying to Cooper. “Absolutely not. I am not taking you and Ashley to the movies. You’re twelve years old.”
“Ashton, Mom,” Cooper corrects. “And age is just a number. Emotionally I’m at least fifteen, and I need a serious relationship, which I can’t have if I’m not allowed to date.”
Dad barks out a laugh. “Oh God, Cooper, please. You can take a girl out on a date when you can take a girl out on a date. Even your emotional self isn’t old enough. Sixteen, buddy.”
“God, that’s so unfair.” Cooper looks at me then. “Tell them, Bri—a man has needs.”
I shrug. “Pretty sure I was thirteen when I was dating Kellen, and I think you dropped us off at McDonald’s for an hour once,” I say, looking at my mom.
She sticks her tongue out at me. “That was different.”
“Because Brighton’s gay,” Cooper whines. “Seriously, you guys are so biased. I wish I were gay. Then you’d be bringing me and my boyfriend to the movies every weekend.”
“That’s not why,” Mom tells him. “Kellen was only here for that one day. Brighton never had an opportunity to hang out with any of the boys he met. You get to see Ashton every day at school.”
“Whatever,” Cooper says, crossing his arms on the table and dropping his head on them.
I slap him on the shoulder. “Hang in there, buddy. It’ll get better.”
“You two taking off?” Mom asks me. “I didn’t even catch your name. This is Max,” she says, pointing to my dad, “and I’m Mickey.”
“That’s Jay,” Paisley informs her. “And he’s not Brighty’s boyfriend.”
“Sorry,” Dad tells Jay, standing up to shake his hand. “I don’t know why no one has invented a chip you can put into a four-year-old’s brain that can censor their words.”
Jay laughs and shakes his hand. “It’s cool. I don’t mind.”
“Where are you two headed?”
“Errands,” I tell him. I don’t really have a plan.
“Any chance you can stop by The Farm? I have some supplies in the back of the Bronco for Abe.”
“Sure.” I hug them all good-bye, grab the keys to the Bronco off the hook, and head outside.
“You guys have a farm?” Jay asks after getting into the passenger seat.
“No,” I tell him. “It’s The Farm. You never heard of it?”
“No. What is it?”
I shake my head as I pull out of the driveway. “That’s so disappointing, Jay. You should already know and because you don’t, I’m not gonna tell you. You’ll just have to wait and see.”
“Is it a store…? A restaurant…?”
“You’re not very patient, are you? I just told you, you have to wait.”
“Fine. So where are we going?”
“To pick up my check,” I tell him, heading out of my neighborhood.
He sits back in the seat, but after a few seconds his leg starts bouncing. “So, was Kellen the one time you tried the whole relationship thing?”
I look at him. His skin’s a little flushed, and he turns away when my eyes meet his. Is this why his leg is bouncing? did the Kellen thing bug him? “No. I wouldn’t call that a relationship. Like I said, I was thirteen, and he was only here for the day. We had a pretty serious texting relationship for a few months, I mean as far as thirteen-year-olds go.”
“So what about the other guy… the relationship?”
I clear my throat, not sure what to say to Jay about it. I still don’t know why he’s asking, but more and more I’m thinking it’s because he’s interested. In me. “What do you want to know?”
“I don’t know… was he lacy?” he asks with an uncomfortable laugh.
“Not really into that.”
“So what… he was a… bear?”
I laugh my ass off at that. “Look at you, using gay slang. Do you even know what that means?”
“It’s like a big, hairy guy, right?”
I shudder at his description. “Big and hairy isn’t my type either.”
“So what’s your type?”
I glance over at him again. He’s looking at me, and this time he doesn’t look away. “I don’t know if I have a type. As far as looks go… I like guys who are in shape. Nice eyes. Nice lips. Around my age. Normal guys, I guess. A lot like you, actually.” I throw that last part in just to gauge his reaction, although it’s true. I mean, most of the guys I hook up with aren’t as all-American as him, but the body, the eyes, the lips—he fits all those criteria.
“So you think I’m hot?” he asks with humor in his voice.
“I’m not into straight guys.” I look over at him again, and he gives me a tight smile, then looks away.
“So if your type is just a normal guy, how can you even tell who’s gay?”
“I don’t know. I guess I’m kind of sheltered in that way. If a guy starts stalking my Instagram and posting that I’m sexy, then I’m pretty sure he’s gay. When I go to the clubs and a guy grabs my ass or tries to buy me a drink, I’m pretty sure he’s gay. I’ve never had to wade through a sea of guys, trying to pick out the gay one in the bunch.”
“They all just come flocking to you, huh?”
“I don’t know about flocking… but yeah, I have options.”
“I can see that. I mean, I’ve heard plenty of girls talking about turning you straight and the whole, ‘why are the hottest ones always gay’ thing.”
“Ha. Clearly they learned that line from TV. Why are the hottest ones always gay? As if that’s a real problem in their lives… in this town.”
“Yeah, no shit.” He laughs.
“I guess you should be thanking me.”
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
“Without me in the game, you’re the hottest eligible guy at our school.”
“Shit. I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t be a problem.”
“Hell yes, I would be. I’d be in Sadie’s bed every damn night.”
“Shut the hell up. Don’t talk about her like that.”
“Is she a good girl?”
“Yeah, she is.”
“Oh Jesus. Don’t tell me she’s a virgin.”
“You think that’s a bad thing? Her being a virgin?”
I look over at him, my eyebrows raised. “No. I mean, that’s great. You just don’t strike me as the kind of guy who can be in a sexless relationship.”
“Seriously? I’m not a total douche bag like Mack and Brian.”
“Okay… but those are the guys you hang around with. You know, the whole company-you-keep thing.”
“Yeah, I do know. But I’m not like
that. Never have been.”
“So what, it’s an emotionally intimate thing with Sadie?”
“I guess. I mean, yeah, I can talk to her. She gets me.”
“You don’t want to fuck her?” I ask, getting more daring with my words because it seems like the scales are tipping in my favor.
He looks at me and laughs, and it sounds like a “holy shit” kind of laugh. “No,” he says, his expression going slack. “I don’t really want to fuck her.”
I nod. “Are you one of those moral, ‘saving it for marriage’ kids?”
“That ship sailed a long time ago.”
“So what… you’re just not attracted to her?”
He runs his hands over his face and through his hair, and I realize his hat got left on my bed. “I guess I’m not. I mean, I don’t know if I am.”
“Why not? She’s hot and she’s your type… right?”
“Fuck,” he mutters. “I don’t know.”
I shut up then because I’m pretty damn sure he’s having a moment. As in a “holy shit, I don’t think I’m attracted to women” moment.
We drive the rest of the way in silence. When we pull up to Olsen’s Drug Emporium, I park the truck but don’t get out. I guess I’m waiting for—hoping for—him to tell me he’s realized he’s gay.
“Damn,” he says, looking out the window. “Did you do that?” He doesn’t wait for me to answer. He opens the door and steps out. I watch him as he walks around the truck to get a closer look at the side of the brick building where I recreated the original drug store logo.
I step out but don’t go to him. I wait for him by the hood of the truck.
He stares at it for another minute before turning and walking to me. “Where’d you learn how to letter like that?”
“My parents had a friend… this guy named Gus. He used to work at The Farm….” I pause to smile at him. “This was his job when it was necessary rather than just cool to have hand-painted signs. He had a bunch of them—old billboard panels and stuff—and I just kind of fell in love. I’d practice when I was there with him… at The Farm.”
“I wish I knew just one interesting person. Your life’s apparently filled with them.”
“You know me,” I say, punching him in the shoulder.
“That’s true. You’re definitely the most interesting person I know.”
“Aww, Jay, that’s just… sad. I can’t be as interesting as it gets for you.”
He stares off into the air like he’s thinking about it. “Yeah… you’re it. Jesus, my life is pathetic.”
“Don’t stress. I know all kinds of crazy lunatics I can introduce you to who will put me to shame.”
“I don’t know if I’m looking for crazy as much as I’m looking for intriguing.”
“You think I’m intriguing?” I ask, wagging my eyebrows at him. Shit. I’m full-on flirting with him. I almost reached out and ran my fingers through his hair like he’s been doing to himself all day.
He just smiles at me, though, then shoves his hands in his pockets. “Yeah, Brighton, I do.”
Okay. I’m gonna call that encouraging. “So now I’m the hottest guy at school and the most intriguing guy you know.”
“No, I’m the hottest guy at our school. You’re just more interesting.”
I smile. “I can’t argue with that.”
His face tightens, and his nostrils flare. Shit. I just took it too far.
“Come on,” I tell him. “I’ll introduce you to Betty and Doc. You can add them to your list of interesting people you met today.”
“I got a list now?” he asks, following me.
“Yup. It’ll be a page long before the day’s done.”
I open the door and walk through. “Brighton!” Betty calls out from the register.
I raise my hand as I walk over to her. “Hey, darling.” I flash my most charming smile. “You look nice today. Is that a new dress?”
“I haven’t got myself a new dress since the seventies. You’re too sweet.” She reaches over the counter to grab my hand. I look down at her wrinkled skin and the thin gold wedding band that sits on her ring finger.
“You’ve had this petite little figure all your life, huh?” I ask, flirting with her.
“Been skin and bones since the day I was born. Luckily, Doc likes me that way. Who’s your friend?”
“Jay Hall, I’m delighted to introduce you to Mrs. Betty Olson, proprietor of Olson’s Drug Emporium and wife of Dr. Olson.”
“Pleased to meet you,” Jay says, reaching over the counter to offer her his hand.
She shakes it. “He’s a charmer just like you, and handsome as all get out. I bet you two boys drive the girls crazy.”
“I’m the brains, he’s the beauty. Together, we’re pretty much irresistible,” I tell her with a wink. I’ve explained to Betty, more than once, that I’m gay, but her dementia’s getting worse. Or she’s in denial. Either way, I just go with the flow now.
“I bet you are. You should have seen Doc back in the day. My goodness, he was a looker. Still is, though, isn’t he? I told you about the first time we met, didn’t I, Brighton?”
At least ten times. It makes her light up when she tells the story, though, so I say, “I don’t think you have.”
The glow is already creeping up her cheeks as she smiles at me. “Well, you know Doc’s daddy built this building. When he came to this town, there was nothing here but a motel and a bank. That sign you painted? The original was the first piece of advertising this town ever saw.” She pauses to smile at me. She’s happy to have that sign back on the building. “Back then we were all country folks, so when the Olsons came to town, all the way from Chicago, it was big news around here. I’ll never forget that first day my mama brought me to town so we could see what all the fuss was about; it was magical. They had rock candy on a stick. I’d never seen such a thing. I held it up to the light and watched it sparkle. Of course we didn’t get treats like that, they were too expensive, but Mama let me hold it and look at it. I’d never wanted anything more. And then the most handsome young man I’d ever seen came walking up to me and told me I could have it—”
“Oh, Betty, are you boring poor Brighton with that story again?” Doc asks, walking up to us and patting me on the shoulder.
“Why would hearing about how the two of you met bore me?”
Doc gives me a knowing smile, then introduces himself to Jay before walking around the counter and standing by Betty’s side, grabbing ahold of her hand that’s still resting on the counter.
“I’d never seen such a beautiful sight. I fell in love with her right then and have been in love with her every day since.” She leans a shoulder against his arm and looks up at him like she’s that young girl and she’s seeing him for the first time. He gently runs a hand over her hair, and I want to cry. I wonder if I’ll ever grow old with someone. If one day I start having dementia, will I have someone to hold my hand and remind me of the day we fell in love?
Doc pulls an envelope out of his back pocket. “Now, I’m only going to give this to you if you promise to still come back and visit us. Betty’s already lonely without you around.”
“I’m already missing her too,” I admit.
“What about those windows in front? You could do something with those to snaz ’em up, couldn’t you?”
“Sure,” I tell him. “I have a couple of jobs lined up that I’d have to get done first, but we can definitely do something with the windows.”
“Perfect,” Doc says, handing over the envelope.
“Are Mary Ann and Josie here?” I ask about their daughter and granddaughter, who run the lunch counter in back.
“Head on back. They’d love to see you.”
“You hungry?” I ask Jay.
“Yeah… starving.”
I shake Doc’s hand and reach over the counter to hug Betty before heading across the store. “So what’d you think? Interesting or no?”
“Betty and Doc? Yeah, for sure.
They’re sweet. And man, you know how to charm the ladies, huh?”
“Over seventy is my specialty. They all love me.”
He’s laughing as we walk through the store entrance to the small diner space, but then he says, “Oh shit. What the hell are they doing here?”
His friends, Mack and Jones, are sitting in one of the four booths.
“Why oh shit? Aren’t they your friends?”
He takes a step back and to the side so he’s in the shadow of the corner. “It’s just embarrassing.”
I can feel my face screw up as I stare at him. Is he really an asshole like that—embarrassed to be hanging out with the gay kid?
“Because of them…,” Jay says, his eyebrows pinching together. “It’s embarrassing that they’re the guys I hang out with. Did you think…?”
I shake my head. “It’s not like I’ve never met the guys before. Why do you care what I think about your friends anyway?”
“I think it’s more what I’m starting to think about them.”
“Let’s go eat with them. I’ll tell you if they’re total douche bags or not.”
“Like you don’t already know.”
“I don’t think I’m as judgmental as you are.”
“Are you trying to tell me you don’t have preconceived notions about who they are?”
“If you’re asking me if I buy into stereotypes… no, I obviously don’t. I’m not who anyone thinks I should be: I’m not straight enough… I’m not gay enough. Jones and I used to be pretty good friends up until sixth grade.”
“You’re making me feel like a total asshole,” Jay mutters.
“Jay,” someone yells across the small dining area. I look over and see Mack with his hand raised.
“Let’s do this,” I tell Jay, walking toward his friends.
“Hey, Brighton,” Jones says when I get to the table. “Are the two of you here together?” His eyebrows are pinched together.
“Yeah,” Jay says, taking a seat next to him. I slide in next to Mack. “Brighton was picking up a check. He painted the outside of the building—did you guys happen to see it?”
Riding with Brighton Page 4
