Page 78 of Milked

“We’re in the kitchen,” a woman replied.

We stepped inside to a dated kitchen, but it was cute and modest.

A woman turned around from the counter, wiping her hands on a towel. I instantly recognized Ryder in her, although she was much shorter.

“Hello, I’m Ryder’s mother, Lorraine.”

Finn and I shook her hand and said our hellos, then turned our attention to the older gentleman standing at the kitchen table. I say older, but he wasn’t older by much. Perhaps by a couple of years.

“I’m Ryder’s dad, Elias.”

“Nice to meet you,” I said.

Dinner was meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and a salad—such a typical nuclear family dinner. I wasn’t a fan of meatloaf, but Lorraine was a decent cook.

“So you’re friends of Ryders?” his mother asked.

“It’s more than that, Mom,” Ryder said.

Here we go…

Chapter 26

Ryder

“Whatdoyoumean?”Mom asked as Dad perked up, knowing something was up.

“I thought you said you invited friends here to relax after you were… hurting,” he said.

“Yes, thatistrue. But it’s more than that.” I sighed and dove right in. Rip off a bandage, right? “I never told you this… Rowan knew and Waylon knows, but I’m… bisexual.”

My parents looked confused, probably running through their memory banks to find that moment in time when they missed it.

“But you dated girls,” Mom said.

I smiled patiently. “Yes, but that’s being bisexual, right? I date girls… and guys.”

“You were dating guys?” Dad asked.

I shook my head. “No, not while living in a small town. I not only didn’t know who was queer or not, but it’s not like the most accepting area. It was fine. I knew some nice girls. But I did have a crush on Waylon for far too long.”

Finn sat up and stiffened while Knox tried to appear relaxed, but the tension was all over his face.

“Wait… how long was this crush for?” Finn asked with a hint of jealousy, making me smile and feel strangely loved.

I winked at him to tease him. “For about ten years or so.”

“Ten…” he squealed, then coughed. “I mean, ten years… wow. That’s a… long time.”

“It was a stupidly long time,” I agreed.

My parents were now looking between Finn and me, finally catching on.

“So, you and Finn?” Dad asked, his face unreadable. My parents had never made a homophobic comment in their lives—that I was aware of—but then again, they hadn’t had a child who came out to them as bisexual before, either.

“Not just with Finn, but Knox, too.”

Dad tipped his beer bottle in his mouth to take a sip when he suddenly sputtered at my admission. “T-two men?!”

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