Serves Me Wright

Well, Chester’s car was parked in the driveway. So, he had to be home. Another car was parked next to it that I didn’t recognize. Must have a friend over, or maybe he was seeing someone and wasn’t ready to tell anyone. Either way, it was annoying that he couldn’t at least answer his texts.

I banged on the front door and then crossed my arms to wait for him. I didn’t have to wait long before the door pulled inward.

A smiling Peter Medina answered in nothing but a pair of boxers. “Jennifer,” he said. “I thought you were the pizza.”

My eyes rounded. “I…am not pizza. I came to check on Chester. He’s not answering his phone, and he was supposed to meet us at the Fourth of July festival.”

“Chess, your sister is here,” Peter said.

The way he wrapped my brother’s name around his lips was almost…sensual. Not to mention that he just called him Chess, the nickname that no one was allowed to use. Peter…whose long-term boyfriend had left him. Peter, who we’d had Chester talk to because he’d gone through something similar. Peter, who was definitely, a hundred percent gay. And he was at my brother’s house…in his boxers.

Peter pushed the door wider, and Chester appeared then. At least he was fully clothed.

But then, as if I had any room to doubt, Peter leaned forward and kissed Chester on the cheek. “Good luck.”

“Uh…hi,” I said.

Chester’s eyes narrowed, and he pulled the door closed behind him as he stepped outside. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, Mom sent me because you didn’t answer her calls. And since when did you start dating Peter?”

Chester shrugged. “Why? What does it matter?”

Suddenly, everything that had happened over graduation weekend seemed to make sense. The fights with Margaret, the half-naked ex-brothel bar, the guy inviting him into the bathtub. My brother was…gay?

“It doesn’t matter,” I said quickly. “I didn’t realize that you were…”

He arched an eyebrow. A question hanging between us.

“Gay,” he offered.

“Well, yeah. I didn’t know.”

“I’m actually pan,” he said with a shrug. “I was out in Austin. Margaret knew. I wanted to explore my sexuality and, we decided we weren’t right for each other.”

“Okay,” I said. “Are you out here?”

“No. Lubbock is…less forgiving for people like me. I don’t know that I’m ready for that. I haven’t told our parents.”

“All right. I won’t tell them,” I said without hesitation.

He blinked. “Thanks.”

“Are you and Peter…together? Are you happy?”

He smiled—a rare, completely unguarded smile. “I like him. We’ve been spending a lot of time together. But we’re not a couple. We’re not there yet.”

“I’m glad that you’re happy.”

“I thought you’d be weird about this.”

I laughed. “Why? I like Peter. I live with his sister.”

“Yeah, but…”

I shrugged. “Love is love.”

Then to my surprise, my brother stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me. I stiffened in shock, and then when my body loosened, I returned the hug. I hadn’t hugged my brother since we were kids.

“Thanks, Jen.”

“Anytime.”

“Mom and Dad aren’t going to be this cool.”

I stepped back. “No, I suspect not. But you don’t have to tell them until you’re ready. I would recommend responding to their messages, so they don’t show up, like I did.”

He ran a hand over his five o’clock shadow. “Yeah, my bad.”

I nodded at him. “You’re still coming for the fireworks, right?”

“Yeah. Yeah, I’ll be there. I’ll let them know.”

“And Peter?”

Chester looked anxiously back to the house. “I don’t think I’m ready for that yet.”

I put my hand on his. It was this very moment when it felt like everything shifted between me and my brother. He wasn’t any more perfect than I was. He hid things from our parents. He wanted to live his real, true life but didn’t want to risk their judgment. I knew exactly what that was like.

“I’m here whenever you’re ready.”

And I meant it.

31

Jennifer

My brand-new Canon hung around my neck as I paced my house, waiting for Julian. He’d gotten me the new camera when we returned from Mexico, and I couldn’t even hold in my excitement about the newer, fancier model.

Piper and Blaire had already gone on ahead to the fireworks. They’d offered to take me with them, but I’d assured them it was unnecessary. I wanted to hear what had happened with Julian’s dad. He’d been vague and unavailable all afternoon. So, I was jittery with nerves about this and my last shoot of the day.

When the doorbell finally rang, I yanked it open before Julian even removed his finger. “There you are!”

I threw my arms around him, and he laughed.

“Hey, you.”

“How are you? I’ve been wondering how everything went all day.”

“Good. Things went…good.”

“Good?” I asked. “Really?”

He cringed. “Eh, I don’t know. Good-ish.”

“Tell me everything on the way.”

His gaze followed me as I walked past him and locked the door up. Bacon meowed from the bushes, coming to twine herself around Julian’s ankles.