Chapter 36

“So,” Thumper hesitated, then charged on, “you always knew you were gay?”

“Oh, yeah. Far back as I can remember. Real young, before it was anything like ‘sexual,’ you know what I mean? I was clued into the fact that what the other boys were feeling about the girls, I was definitely feeling about the other boys.”

He nodded firmly. “I know what you mean. It was the same for me. My friend Felicia—do you know her? Felicia Rosada? She’s a flight attendant?” I shook my head, he carried on. “She’s so funny and so proud of me. She always tells people, ‘My friend Thumper has always known he was gay. He’s never even beenwith a woman.’ Like that’s so rare.”

“Well…”

He raised an eyebrow. What the hell—hadn’t he opened up to me? It’s not like I was ashamed; not anymore.

“I said I always knew,” I said with a smirk. “I didn’t say I was never in denial.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, practically licking his chops. “You mean like you had girlfriends and stuff?”