“You know?” Rory nods. “I’d like a dog, Callie.”
“Me too. It’s settled then. Tomorrow we drive to the shelter in Grand Junction, and we get dogs.”
“I kind of have students tomorrow. And last time I checked, you have a job as well.”
“True… This weekend.”
“It’s a date. But until then, what do we do?”
“Leave that to Donny and me. We’re going to do some research. Try to find out when Pat got back into town, and why he’s here.”
“Good enough. Damn, I wish I could sleep.”
As if on cue, a giant grin splits my face.
“Not all of us have someone giving us orgasms to make us sleep well,” Rory says, sarcasm lacing her tone.
“I promise you won’t be alone for long.”
“What makes you think I want another relationship? I’m sick and tired of people not being able to accept me for who I am. And that goes for men and women.”
“I get it. I mean… I don’t get what it means to be bisexual, but I’m sorry your last couple of relationships have failed because of it.”
“Seems like each side just wants me to pick a team. It doesn’t work that way.”
“I know.”
“Do you? Really?”
“I’m not bisexual. I can’t pretend to understand what it feels like to be bisexual. But I would hope that if I loved a person, I would accept everything about him. Or her.”
“Can you accept everything about Donny?”
“Yes. I don’t have a choice. I love him. And everything he’s into or is going through is part of him and part of what I love about him.”
“You’re lucky. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt that way about anyone.”
“Not even Raine?”
“I’ll admit Raine was the most serious relationship I’ve been in, but no.”
“You’ll get there, Rory.”
“But my little sister got there first.”
“It’s not a freaking contest. Jesse is older than you are, and he’s not there.”
“Jesse is a guy. He doesn’t have to worry about his biological clock.”
“Ror, if you want a baby that badly, go to a sperm bank. A partner isn’t necessary in this equation.”
She smiles then. My sister actually smiles. It took the thought of her being a mother to get it out of her, but I did it. For Rory, apparently a baby trumps everything—even this Pat Lamone mess.
“I’ve thought about it, but until this whole thing is settled, I’m certainly not bringing an innocent person into the mix. Plus, the thought of doing it alone is pretty daunting.”
“You wouldn’t be alone. You have all of us. Your family.”
My words are certainly true, but I wonder… Will our family be supportive if those nude pictures of Rory and me surface? I can see Jesse going off half-cocked, and probably my father as well. None of that will end up good.