Carlo’s words. How he hadn’t been clued in earlier was beyond him. He knew it wasn’t completely unusual for a man to realize he’s gay later in his twenties for some people, but he really did hate thinking back on all his missed or buried clues. He couldn’t think too hard on them, because it was damned depressing.
“Are we ever not fifteen?” Bobby asked; surprised at how serious he sounded to his own ears.
Carlo’s face flashed with horror. “Shut up with that shit. If Ma ever hears, it’ll be like vindication.”
Bobby laughed out loud; relieved to feel a slight release of the tension he’d been cursed with since he’d left Jody earlier in the day.
“So, really, come on. What’s up?”
Bobby smiled wryly. “I guess it is man troubles.”
Carlo sat up and whooped, laughing. Bobby had to marvel at it for a second. He didn’t know how he’d gotten so lucky. Carlo had never batted an eye when he’d come out. The exact opposite of what he’d expected. Yes, Carlo was a juvenile asshole sometimes, but he surprised Bobby all the time. They both knew better than to think the rest of their family would be as open-minded though.
“So. What’s this guy’s name?”
Bobby blanched. He didn’t think opening with the fact it happened to be Jody, the same Jody who’d hurt poor little Isabella and her mother with his gayness would help.
“Not important right now.”
Carlo’s brows went up, but he just took another drink of his beer, signaling for Bobby to continue.
“I’ve been getting to know him a few months now. We finally got some….” Bobby cleared his throat, not sure how to put it. He probably could be more frank with Carlo, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to push it. This was uncomfortable on more than a few levels, nice or not.
“Adult time?” Carlo asked, tone blasé as he reached for another beer from the case.
“Yes.”
“And….”
“I insinuated it was just a casual thing.”
“But you want more?”
“Maybe.” Bobby fell back in his seat. “Maybe. He definitely does, though. He’s divorced. Came out later in life, too. We got a lot in common. But he doesn’t want a casual thing.”
Carlo studied Bobby for a moment. “You must have been through this with women. I mean, Angie at first wasn’t exactly… available….” That was putting it mildly.
“I guess. I don’t know if I’m ready to be back in a relationship. We were together almost twelve years when we split.”
“When you split four years ago. And you’ve been full-tilt gaypalooza like the boys in little gold shorts might disappear and they’d close all the bars in the tri-state area that cater to your tribe.”
“My tribe?”
“You have a flag. It’s a tribe.” Carlo was so serious, Bobby snorted.
“You’re an idiot.”
“Takes one to know one.”
“Mature.”
“I know you are but what am I?”
Bobby stared at his brother a moment before they both guffawed. The last of the tension bled from his body and he was glad he’d decided to talk to his brother.
“Look, Bob,” Carlo said, sobering. “Don’t get pissed. I’m just gonna say this and that’ll be it. I don’t know if you were
“Are we ever not fifteen?” Bobby asked; surprised at how serious he sounded to his own ears.
Carlo’s face flashed with horror. “Shut up with that shit. If Ma ever hears, it’ll be like vindication.”
Bobby laughed out loud; relieved to feel a slight release of the tension he’d been cursed with since he’d left Jody earlier in the day.
“So, really, come on. What’s up?”
Bobby smiled wryly. “I guess it is man troubles.”
Carlo sat up and whooped, laughing. Bobby had to marvel at it for a second. He didn’t know how he’d gotten so lucky. Carlo had never batted an eye when he’d come out. The exact opposite of what he’d expected. Yes, Carlo was a juvenile asshole sometimes, but he surprised Bobby all the time. They both knew better than to think the rest of their family would be as open-minded though.
“So. What’s this guy’s name?”
Bobby blanched. He didn’t think opening with the fact it happened to be Jody, the same Jody who’d hurt poor little Isabella and her mother with his gayness would help.
“Not important right now.”
Carlo’s brows went up, but he just took another drink of his beer, signaling for Bobby to continue.
“I’ve been getting to know him a few months now. We finally got some….” Bobby cleared his throat, not sure how to put it. He probably could be more frank with Carlo, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to push it. This was uncomfortable on more than a few levels, nice or not.
“Adult time?” Carlo asked, tone blasé as he reached for another beer from the case.
“Yes.”
“And….”
“I insinuated it was just a casual thing.”
“But you want more?”
“Maybe.” Bobby fell back in his seat. “Maybe. He definitely does, though. He’s divorced. Came out later in life, too. We got a lot in common. But he doesn’t want a casual thing.”
Carlo studied Bobby for a moment. “You must have been through this with women. I mean, Angie at first wasn’t exactly… available….” That was putting it mildly.
“I guess. I don’t know if I’m ready to be back in a relationship. We were together almost twelve years when we split.”
“When you split four years ago. And you’ve been full-tilt gaypalooza like the boys in little gold shorts might disappear and they’d close all the bars in the tri-state area that cater to your tribe.”
“My tribe?”
“You have a flag. It’s a tribe.” Carlo was so serious, Bobby snorted.
“You’re an idiot.”
“Takes one to know one.”
“Mature.”
“I know you are but what am I?”
Bobby stared at his brother a moment before they both guffawed. The last of the tension bled from his body and he was glad he’d decided to talk to his brother.
“Look, Bob,” Carlo said, sobering. “Don’t get pissed. I’m just gonna say this and that’ll be it. I don’t know if you were
Similar Books
