Heartsville 03 - Another Shot (J.H. Knight) Read Free Page A

it,” he said as he picked up his old CD player. “It weighs more than my TV.”
    They didn’t talk much for a few minutes as they sorted through all the crap they’d collected over the years, things that weren’t good enough to take with them when they moved out but still didn’t want to part with at the time.
    Aaron thought about his parents, though. He remembered the meeting with his principal after the picture had circulated the school. He’d been dreading telling his parents he was gay—especially his father—and had decided to wait until he graduated. Just in case. Instead, the first his father heard of it was that damn picture passed to him by the principal, a disgusted look on his face, as if he were showing Aaron’s parents a test he’d cheated on.
    “What are we going to do about this?” the principal had asked.
    His father sat there for a long moment, his face red—with anger or embarrassment, Aaron had no idea. After he let out a deep breath, he said, “Find out who did this and kick their ass?”
    Not the reaction Aaron—or his principal, probably—was expecting.
    “Your son chose to… flaunt his lifestyle. That’s hardly—”
    “My son’s privacy was violated. He didn’t flaunt anything.” Without another word, his father stood up, flipped off the principal, and tugged Aaron by the sleeve before pulling him out the door. In the hall, his father said, “That guy makes me wish I had more middle fingers.”
    His mother didn’t get a chance to say a word as they stormed out, but before she ducked into the car that afternoon, she squeezed Aaron’s hand tight and said, “I’m sorry you had to go through all that. You’re a wonderful son.”
    It only took four months before they moved. His dad had wanted him to try and stick it out, put up with the teasing and harassment, not let it beat him. But after two fights and a broken nose, that was enough. They moved to Heartsville that summer and never looked back.
    That night, as he and Mandy left, Aaron hugged his parents and told them he loved them. He’d never meant it more.
     
    ****
     
    As he drove home, Mandy turned in her seat and looked at him for a beat. He could see her out of the corner of his eye as he turned onto her block.
    “What are you doing tomorrow night?”
    “Marathoning Rome and wishing I could lick James Purefoy’s chest. You?”
    “Book club. But your… weird Rome fantasies will have to wait. You’ve got a date.” Mandy sounded happy. Way happier than usual. He must have misheard her.
    “I’m sorry, what ?”
    “A date. I made a date for you.”
    “You made a date for me? With the only gay guy in your book club?”
    “Please. I may as well live on the corner of Flamboyant and Queer . Do you really think there’s only one gay guy in there?”
    “Fair point.” Aaron parked in front of her building and turned to look at her. “I’ve been out for twenty years. Why are you suddenly setting me up with some guy?”
    “Because he’s perfect for you. He just moved into the neighborhood. He’s single. He’s gorgeous. He’s sweet…. Listen, you’ll love him, okay?”
    “Single, hot, and sweet makes him perfect for me? What kind of shows does he like? What music is he into? Religious beliefs? Does he want children? Is he a dog person? Has he ever voted Republican?” Aaron paused and let out a sigh. “I trip over sweet, gorgeous guys all day. That doesn’t mean they’re perfect for me.”
    Mandy actually growled. “You’re too picky for your own good. Or too commitment-phobic or… I don’t know what your problem is, but it’s not natural for your longest relationship to be less than a year.”
    “Hello, Kettle, this is Pot. You’re black.”
    “We’re not talking about me. It’s weird for you to be single and… I don’t know, not all….”
    “Coupled?”
    “Yes. That.”
    “How is it okay for you and not me?”
    “Because I like living alone. I don’t want to share the remote or deal