Chapter 4

“Do you usually do Pride up bigtime?” He shut down my mental art project.

“I make sure I hit a few events,” I said. “There’s a local picnic. Swimming, barbecue, that sort of thing. I play in a gay men’s orchestra. We do a different picnic in the park at the end of the month, with a classical music vibe.”

“Nice. Class all the way.”

“Not really. We get all dolled up in tuxes, but then it gets too hot, and we end up a bunch of middle-aged dad bod dudes bare chested and swilling beer.”

“I’d like to see that,” Kit said.

“Well, sadly, not this year. Maybe next.”

“I’ll add it to the calendar in my phone.” He took a beat. “Done.”

“For real?”

“For real. Music and beer with Dillon up in Lowell, it says.”

“Cool.” I caught a reflection of my smile in the patio door. “Finger crossed.”

* * * *

Kit and I chatted so long, we shared the sunrise.

“Even more unusual for me to still be with a new guy in the morning.” I regretted my words immediately, but Kit laughed.