Page 39 of Snapping the Ice
“Things are pretty complicated. Remember the asshole boyfriend he had?” I crossed my ankles and watched the cars drive by under the afternoon sunshine.
“Yeah. I’ll assume he broke up with the guy or has plans to. It’s not cool to cheat,” Mason said.
“He broke up with him last night. He said he’s not sure if he ever loved him and he’s over him.” My chest twinged. Would Mason see what I couldn’t? I’d been pretty blinded by lust over the last few days.
“Tell me exactly what happened.”
“Ezra had been wanting to end things with him, so last night at dinner, he finally broke up with him. But not before the asshole pulled his hair and caused a scene.” I clenched my free hand into a fist. It still pissed me off.Who does shitlike that?
“Pulled his hair?”
“Yeah, I saw it. It was fucked up. And then the asshole yanked on his arm?—”
“Wait, you were there?” Mason asked. “And you didn’t clock the fucker?”
“Mason, you can’t solve every problem with a fist,” Jett said. “Go on, Lucas.”
“Yeah.” I focused on my sneakers and bumped off the wall. “I waited in the restaurant bar. So, in case Tate started something, I could help Ezra. After I showed up at their table, Tate let him go.”
“Tate is the asshole boyfriend?” Mason asked.
“He is. He’s fucking maniacal, Mason. The asshole starts shit with Ezra and then showers him with apologies and gifts.” I paced along the plaza, peeking inside the convenience store at the end, and then twisted around.
“That’s how those guys are, Lucas. They try to control people and then guilt them into staying with them,” Jett spat out.
With a nod, I said, “Ezra slept at my apartment last night and when we got to his place this morning, roses and a cringy card waited for him at his door.” I breathed through the tightness in my gut. It was a relief to get it off my chest. “Now we’re at Ezra’s studio and the fucker showed up again, yelling through the door, demanding to talk to him and apologizing. I swear, it seemed like a demon possessed him one minute, and the next he spoke like an angel.”
“Don’t fall for any of it and be very careful,” Jett said. “This guy sounds dangerous.”
“I hear ya.” I rubbed my sweaty palms on my shorts. Tate consumed too much space in my head. “Uh, I have other things to talk about.” Talking sex with my brother might be too cringy. “Jett, can I ask you some things?”
“What about me?” Mason snickered. “Oh, I know why.”
“Mason, go clean up the kitchen,” Jett said. “What do you want to know?”
I shrugged, walking by the Subway shop and glancing inside. The line was shorter now. “How do two guys, uh, you know?” I sounded stupid. Stopping, I rubbed my brow. “I mean, I know about anal. But what should I expect?”
“Sex will come naturally. I’m sure Ezra will be careful with you.”
“Careful? Why?” I was so out of my element. I continued my stroll along the plaza.
“Because he knows you’re new to this.” He puffed a breath. “Lucas, there are other concerns Ezra might have. Like if you’re experimenting with him, or at some point can’t handle the societal pressures of being in a gay relationship. There’s more to it than sex.”
I halted again, my mouth opening. “I’m not experimenting.” Or was I? I had feelings for Ezra. Why did I feel such a strong need to protect him if I didn’t?
“Okay, but are you ready for people to make negative comments or give you unpleasant looks? Are you ready to hide your feelings in certain places because you fear for your safety?”
Is that what my brother went through? He mentioned being bullied. But he was such a cocky bastard, it never seemed to faze him. “Like, where would I fear for my safety?” Oh…My eyes popped open. During a nationally televised hockey game, a player nearly beat Jett to death because he was gay. “Are you talking about on the ice?”
“I’m talking about anywhere. There are places in America where the LGBTQ community isn’t welcome. Be prepared for that.”
“Shit.” Hadn’t Ezra dealt with prejudice from his ownfamily, and didn’t he say Alabama wasn’t great for him? I’d been living in a straight bubble of privilege my whole life. But being with Ezra was worth it. I pressed my lips together. Bring it on. “I’m ready.” Taking on Tate was only the beginning. I’d fight anyone for Ezra.
“Ezra must know you’re fully committed. He’ll need reassurance from you,” he said. “If you’re unsure at any point, tell him.”
“I’m sure, Jett.” There was so much more to it than sex. “What about the abuse he’s had? How do you think it’ll affect him?”
“He’ll probably guard his heart.” He sighed. “I wasn’t abused, per se, but I was exposed to some of the rhetoric from the far-right Christians on top of the prejudice on my team, and if it wasn’t for your brother’s insane persistence, we wouldn’t be together now.” He chuckled. “When your brother wants something, he doesn’t let up.”
