Chapter 5

“It is,” Stefano said adamantly.

“You look thirty-six,” Cole said diplomatically. “Or even younger.”

“Okay, so let’s say at thirty-six you marry a younger man like Logan again, one who is twenty-two or so…” I began.

“Which no one would say a word about if I were a heterosexual man marrying a younger woman,” Stefano said, jumping in.

“Yeah, they would talk about you then too,” I assured him. “They just wouldn’t say it to your face.”

“He’s right,” Cole said. “There was a guy at my job before I retired. We talked a lot of shit about him.”

“Thanks,” I said, nodding to Cole.

“Fine, but please continue with your argument,” Stefano said, pulling a large pot out from under a cabinet and filling it with water from the tap.

“Well, I just think that a smart twenty-something would soon catch on to the fact that you don’t like men your own age, that they intimidate you, and they might see that as a sign of weakness and a turn-off. Young guys want their daddy figures to be strong.”