Page 41 of Sweet T

“Sounds like a good plan. A lot of tattoos you got there, Evan. What’s up with that?”

“Daddy—”

“I’m just asking a question, son.”

“It’s OK.” Evan chuckled. “Really. I do have a lot of tattoos. I worked at a tattoo parlor in Augusta.”

“Augusta, huh? What brought you this way?”

“Evan’s heading to Atlanta,” Tucker said. “He wants to be an actor.”

“An actor? Well, you don’t hear that often around here.”

“Yes, sir. I’ve been doing it for a couple of years now. You could say it’s a passion of mine.”

Titus nodded.

Silence descended again.

“So, P says y’all are meeting with the wedding planner,” Tucker said, attempting to remove the focus from Evan. “When’s the big day?”

“July twenty-sixth.” Titus smiled again, his demeanor tangibly shifting. “It’s a Sunday afternoon. That way, you won’t have to worry about the tavern. Both you and Shelly can be here.”

“Wow. That’s barely a month away.”

“I’d do it sooner if I could, but Pedro won’t have it. He wants the real deal. Big shindig. Couple of hundred people.”

“How exciting,” Evan said. “Such wonderful news, the Supreme Court decision yesterday.”

“Yes, it was. We’ve waited a long time for this. Twenty years.”

“I’m sure it will be fabulous.”

“Well, you’re invited too, Evan.” Titus’s eyes were on Tucker. He then turned his gaze to Evan. “Provided you’re still here then.”

“Thank you. I may have to stick around for that. Hard to believe. My first gay wedding.”

“It’s going to be one helluva soiree.”

“What did Javy say?” Tucker asked. “P told me y’all were on the phone.”

“I think he’s a little overwhelmed.”

“Really? Why?”

“Because I asked him to be my best man.”

Nine

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Shelly slung a bar towel over her shoulder. It was slow for a Saturday night and she was rotating and restocking the cooler. “That’s what he said?”

“I’m not sure why you’re surprised. I wasn’t.”

“He’s your father, T. It should be you. If he’s worrying about hurting Javy’s feelings, he should go with someone neutral, like Alden.”

“Alden’s a groomsman. He wanted family for the best man.”

“Precisely.”