“So that means Tim was at a gay bar too?”
Ms. Lynne scoffed. “Means no such thing. There’s a liquor store right by that bar and Tim was comin’ out and happened to see ‘im.”
Jay was annoyed. Suuuure, Tim had been at the liquor store. My left nut. But could Landon really be gay? Not that he’d have a problem with it. Would he? It’d sure explain why Landon never seemed interested in any of the girls who tried to catch his eye when they were at Woody’s. Did it really matter either way?
Jay was inexplicably more disturbed by the thought that Landon didn’t trust him with that information then by the fact he was gay. Jay’d told Landon about his divorce and how hard it had been adjusting. He’d told Landon about how bad it’d hurt when he and Bethany lost the baby that had been the catalyst for their getting married in the first place. He knew being gay was a hard thing to admit to, especially where they lived. Surely, Landon would know Jay wouldn’t judge him and neither would his kids. At least Jay liked to think none of them would. He hated to admit he’d never really thought anything on gays or gay rights. Didn’t seem like something that was part of their world, though he knew that was silly.
Gays just seemed like a TV thing, a network news thing, a city thing. Jay had never even met someone who was openly gay. Thinking Landon might be, he cringed to admit, boggled his mind.
“Just thought you should know,” Ms. Lynne finished. She obviously had mistaken Jay’s silence, his being annoyed for the opposite reason that it was intended.
Jay knew he’d probably been strange around Landon since Ms. Lynne had opened her big mouth. But he felt it was something he should talk to Landon about one-on-one, if at all, and he’d been busy with his kids and work, and the next time he’d be around Landon was going to be that damn fish fry with Landon’s family and friends.
And strangely, very unwelcome, he suddenly felt itchy in his skin. Landon and Ms. Lynne’s information bomb—true or not—had sucker punched Jay in the gut. An awkward something sat on the edge of his mind, a sense of being too big for his own body.
Thankfully, with his kids busy with exams and getting ready to go off to Atlanta, and work being busy with huge orders and payroll, he hadn’t had five minutes to think on it.
When Friday came around, Jay had barely gotten in the front door before Bethany was knocking. “Hey, stranger,” she greeted with a smile and a hug.
“Hey, Beths.” It was nice to see her in person. He hadn’t seen her in months. He hadn’t realized how much he’d missed her until she was there in front of him.
“Where are the kids?”
“Getting their stuff ready.” Jay led the way to the kitchen where he offered Bethany some coffee. She took the mug with thanks. He couldn’t help appreciating how good she looked these days. She was glowing. Her hair was longer and her clothes much more chic than anything she’d owned when they were married. She looked every bit the city girl she was now.
“You look great,” he said, meaning it.
“Thanks,” she preened. “You do too. You seem happy.”
Jay wasn’t sure what to say to that. He knew he was much more settled these days, but didn’t think he was doing anything different. That’s a lie and you know it. The unbidden thoughts were rolling around. The ones he’d been trying to laugh off since Ms. Lynne had opened her big mouth. One emotional crisis at a time, please.
“Uh, thanks.”
“Are you seeing someone?” she asked with a hint of friendly suspicion.
“No, not seeing anyone.”
She eyed him carefully. “You sure? You haven’t been able to talk for weeks. The kids commented on you being out a lot on the weekends.”
“Oh, no. Just hanging out with my buddy, Landon. You remember Landon Petty?”
“Hell yeah. How’s he doing? Haven’t seen him since he was—what, twelve, thirteen?”