Page 56 of From the Ashes

I blink, thrown by such a question. “Yes, of course,” I say. Logically, I know that biphobia and bi erasure exist in many forms in all kinds of spaces, but not at the One-Thirteen. “You see Lili—the woman helping Lochlan lay the table?”

“She seems to be sabotaging him more than helping,” Dray says with a snort.

He has a point, and I smile with him. “Well, she’s a very loud and proud bisexual, so even if she was the only one, she wouldn’t put up with any nonsense. But Sawyer there is equally vocal about being pansexual…mostly regarding how many men, women, and everyone in between he sleeps with.”

“Heartbreaker?” Dray asks.

I tilt my head back and forth. “More of a playboy. He’s always upfront that he’s not looking for anything more than a night, so I’d hope everyone he hooks up with has their eyes open going in. Commitment doesn’t seem to be on his radar.”

“Not getting tied down is important to some people,” Dray comments.

Trying not to be obvious, I glance at him. He’s staring at Sawyer and Anton playing foosball, so I get a chance to study him. Clearly, he’s a bit of a nomad, which suggests to me he’s running away from something. Or maybe that’s just how he finds his peace. Who am I to judge?

I’d also bet money that he’s bi himself, and wonder if he requested to try out the One-Thirteen specifically. We do have a reputation for attracting queer personnel and I’m proud of that. Perhaps he’s looking to settle down a bit more than he’s letting on. If so, I’d like the One-Thirteen to be an option for him.

“Sawyer Nelson is all about living life to the fullest,” I say wryly. “I’m sure I don’t have to tell you that doing this job can have that affect on some people. So he dates a lot. He’s also the most likely out of everyone here to wear killer heels, leather pants, and eyeliner sharp enough to draw blood.”

Dray raises his eyebrows at me. “Really?”

“Well, that’s Lili’s style as well, but I think Sawyer enjoys challenging people’s expectations more.”

I’m not usually one to talk about people on their behalf, but everyone in this station is very open about who they are and the journey they’re on. Sensing that Dray might need to know just how welcome he’ll be here, I keep going.

“That’s Sawyer’s best friend with him, Anton. He got married and had a daughter before accepting who he really is and coming out as gay. His wife and her new husband couldn’t be more supportive, and they all co-parent together. It’s really beautiful to see.”

“And his birth family?” Dray asks, correctly guessing there was a reason why Anton denied his sexuality for so long. My heart pangs as I think of Colt’s similar situation, but I’m definitely not going to talk about that today.

Sadly, I shake my head. “They’re very religious. Unless he fixes his ‘lifestyle choices,’ they’ve said they don’t want anything to do with him.”

“What about the little girl?”

I grimace. “They tried to sue for custody, claiming she wasn’t safe with either of her sinful parents. It got thrown out of court, but sometimes they still try and see her, no doubt to attemptto brainwash her.” Before the mood can turn too bleak, I smile brightly. “It’s a good thing the One-Thirteen are family to her instead. In fact, I’ve been helping to teach her to surf recently.”

Dray’s face lights up at that. “You surf?”

“Since I was a child,” I say with a nod. “It’s been nice to have an excuse to do it more often again recently. You?”

He nods and grins. “My board is the only thing I own that’s too big to fit in my van. So I’ve got it strapped to the roof and use it every chance I get.”

Oh, wow. Is he really that much of a nomad? I don’t want to pry too much, but that sounds like he’s got one of those tiny mobile homes. I’d be interested to see how he manages that. It must be an exciting life. I just hope it’s not too lonely.

Dray nudges my shoulder with his own to get my attention again. “And what about you? Are you out loud and proud like the others?”

It looks like breakfast is being dished up, so I decide to summarize the rest of the team as quickly as I can. “Proud,” I agree, “but maybe not quite as loud. The captain and lieutenant are the same. And then Teddy’s our probie and Yara’s my partner on the bus. They’re both a little undecided, I think.” I meet Dray’s eyes. “That’s one thing about us. We’re boisterous, but we’ll never push anyone if they’re not ready for it.”

“Except the Beast man over there?” he asks playfully.

I shake my head and chuckle. “Trust me, if Lili hadn’t used a battering ram to force Lochlan to reconsider his feelings for Dario, they’d both still be pining miserably for each other.”

“Oh, so you’rethatkind of a family,” Dray says as we make our way to the dining table.

“What kind of family?” Teddy asks, a hint of apprehension in his voice. Everyone takes a seat as he and Yara dish up.

“Meddling,” Dray explains with a grin.

That gets several laughs from around the room. “Oh, you bet, new guy,” Lili tells him wickedly. “Give us a couple of hours. We’ll beallup in your business.”

“You are welcome to try,” Dray replies.

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