Page 109 of Free Heart
“She knows you were here, though,” I tell him. “I pointed you out in the audience.”
Rye presses his lips together, closes his eyes, and takes a slow breath.
I look around for Lowell, sure that he’ll step in to reassure Rye in this difficult moment, but I don’t see him anywhere. Before I can ask, Rye’s eyes pop open, he forces a smile, and says, “Good work tonight, Sejin. It was sweet. Hey, if you get to see Jeanie before you go, tell her Papa loves her and is so proud of her dancing.”
Then he turns on his heel and is on his way out, slipping through the cracks in the clumps of people all around the room, disappearing.
“Don’t ask, because I don’t know,” Dan says when I turn to him with questioning eyes.
“It’s Sejin! The star of the hour—” Sailor presses in with her camera shoved in my face. “How does it feel to be so loved by one and all, Sejin?”
“First off, the kids are the stars,” I correct. “And secondly…” I start to protest the notion that I’m adored by the entire community, but when every eye in the room meets mine with unbridled kindness and approval, I can’t really deny it. “It feels great actually. Everyone likes to be loved. But I think what’s most important is that I feel good about what we did here tonight. The memories we made. I hope this is forever anight cherished by the Yosemite Valley and Mariposa County families.”
Sailor rolls her eyes. “You’re too good to be true.”
“No, he’s truly good,” Dan declares, putting his arms around my waist and hugging me close.
If our gay public display of affection changes anyone’s mind about how well they like me, I don’t see it. I’m too busy being loved by my closest family and friends to care. This is the new season of my life I’ve been waiting for. The tide has come in and brought me everything I’ve ever wanted.
Right here, right now? It’s perfect.
CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE
Dan
As Christmas approachesand the final days of the year slip away, I spend a lot of time out in the garage working on my bouldering.
My leg is getting stronger. I’m getting itchy to go out and try it on real boulders. At the same time, I’m anxious too. What if I fuck things up, and I’m set back months or more? I can’t let myself think that way. I focus on the present and take pride in how my leg is healing.
Chalking my hands, I stare at the holds Sejin and I changed out the day before, strategizing my moves. The garage door opens, and I turn to see who’s disturbing my focus.
“Hey, kiddo.” Peggy Jo’s greeting makes me smile.
“Hey.”
She takes a seat on the mats placed beneath the wall, and giving up on practicing right now, I join her. I can sense she has something she wants to talk about. It’s the price I pay for being a kinda-son.
“As you know, Buck and I have been…” She pauses, and then says almost primly, “Enjoying each other’s company while he’s been visiting.”
I waggle my eyebrows. “Nice euphemism for screwing like bunnies.”
Peggy Jo rolls her eyes. “Oh, please. Buck is a gentleman.”
“Never said he wasn’t. I’m just saying that you don’t evenhavea fold-out couch, and you know it.”
“I do, as a matter of fact, have a fold-out couch. Just because you and Sejin didn’t notice it, doesn’t mean I don’t.”
“And just because you supposedly have one doesn’t mean he’s used it even once.”
“I do have one.”
I squint my eyes. “Then why did Sejin and I have to use a blow-up bed for the kids?”
“Because you didn’t ask me? Because you weren’t curious enough about the couch to investigate what was beneath the cushions? Did you even vacuum in there once while I was gone?”
“Hey, I had a broken leg for most of that time.”
She shakes her head. “The bed is beside the point. Buck has invited me to visit him in West Virginia after Christmas for a few weeks, maybe longer. He wants us to continue to get to know each other while he clears out his house and puts it on the market.”
