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“I, uh, think I outed myself to Matt. I think I might have also accused him of being a homophobe.” The more he thought back on the entire interaction, the more he was sure he’d overreacted.
Brick leaned against the cab and laced his hands over his stomach. “Did he deserve it?”
“Probably not. He gave me a hug and kind of froze up afterward.”
“And?”
He covered his eyes with his palms. “There’s noand…just me always waiting for the other shoe to drop.”
“So, apologize.”
Robby uncovered his peepers to see Brick looking at him blandly. “How am I supposed to face him? I quotedDirty Dancing.” He banged the heel of his hand against his head.
“I—I’ve never seen that movie, but I’m sure it can’t be as bad as you think. All I’m saying is if you fucked up, own it. Apologize. If he’s really your friend, it will be enough.”
Apologize. He could say he was sorry. It would suck, but it was the kind of thing his mama always called a natural consequence. Those were the times she didn’t have to punish him, because the way something worked out would be punishment enough.
Like the time he climbed Mrs. Peterson’s tree without permission, then fell out and landed on his backside. He couldn’t walk right for days.
Or the time he tried his father’s bourbon and ended up with his head in the toilet, begging God to make the misery end.
He’d earned his lumps back then, and he earned them now. He could only hope he hadn’t poisoned their seed of friendship before it ever really had the chance to bloom.
***
Matt
If he didn’t need the money so damn much, Matt would have called out sick from work, just so he wouldn’t have to face the almost-friend he had so deeply offended. Of course, it would have only delayed the inevitable, but at this point, he would take any reprieve he could get. With things messed up with Robby, the world had turned upside down. Unfortunately, being able to afford food for his mother trumped his urge to hide under his covers, which was how he came to be here, casing his work site from the car.
No sign of Robby yet, which was unusual, but Brick’s pick-up was parked along the curb.
He opened his car door. Closed it. Sunk down in his seat.
What were the chances the big guy knew what happened?
Hell,hebarely knew what happened. The most important part, though, he’d hurt Robby with his bumbling, self-conscious bullshit.
He’d been so excited about his job, and Robby had been happy for him. Then he made the colossal mistake of putting his hands on the other man.
But the touching wasn’t really the mistake, was it?
It all went bad when he had realized how the touch had affected him. When his body responded against Robby’s lean strength, and the man’s damn wavy hair brushed against his cheek.
He’d frozen. God only knew what kind of look he’d had on his face. Did Robby see how horrified he’d been?
Obviously, but for all the wrong reasons.
Fuck.
Robby was gay.
And now he thinks I’m judging him for it.
Finally, for the first time in—forever, really—he had made friends with another guy, and he fucked it up because he was getting a boner.
He’d be excited it had finally happened if he weren’t so damn embarrassed.
Why did he have to be so bad at…people?
