Total pages in book: 147
Estimated words: 141810 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 709(@200wpm)___ 567(@250wpm)___ 473(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 141810 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 709(@200wpm)___ 567(@250wpm)___ 473(@300wpm)
One nice thing about Kevin drunk: he never beat around the bush.
“Sounds like a plan,” Max murmured breathlessly. Taking Kevin’s hand, he led them to the party’s makeshift parking lot at the end of the park’s utility road. They didn’t need to say goodbye. Their friends were too drunk to miss them anyway. Not Max, though. His mom had nearly beaten the no-drinking-and-driving concept into him long ago when he’d first gotten his driver’s license. Guess she didn’t want to lose both of her men. Neither did Max, for that matter. His dad had been one too many as it was. No way would he risk losing Kevin, too.
Smiling over his shoulder, Max watched Kevin stumble along, loving how adorable his boyfriend was drunk. So much so, that the minute they got home, Max was going to show Kevin just how much.
* * * * *
“Fuck,” Max muttered, pacing his room. “What the hell’s taking him so long.”
It was the night Kevin had promised he’d tell his parents. That he was gay. That Max was his boyfriend. That he was done with all the pretending.
Max checked his watch. Glanced at his phone. Kevin was supposed to call him when he’d finished. When he was ready for Max to come pick him up. Max rubbed the back of his neck. Fisted the hair at his nape. It shouldn’t be taking so long. Kevin should be done by now.
Max took another lap around his room, eyes darting to the cooler on his bed. He knew Kevin would need a drink. Hell, he’d probably need a hundred. So Max had appealed to his mom, playing the compassion card big time, and gotten her to buy him a six pack. But she’d only agreed because he told her what Kevin was doing tonight. And God knew his mom loved Kevin like a son. She’d instantly turned sympathetic and agreed to help. Just once, though, making Max promise they wouldn’t drive. That they’d stay at the house and not leave again until morning. Which of course, Max had agreed to, no problem at all. It’s what they’d intended to do anyway. Just chill out on the couch, drink some beers, watch the tube. Anything to help Kevin come down from what would undoubtedly be one of the roughest, darkest rides of his life. Because his parents wouldn’t be like Max’s mom. They wouldn’t be understanding. And Max regretted pushing Kevin to have to endure that. But he loved Kevin and didn’t want him to live in the shadows. He was beautiful and deserved to bask in the sun. To spread his wings and finally fly free. Free like that hawk Max had given him.
Max exhaled and plopped down on the foot of his bed, frowning down grimly at the floor. Kevin was probably living his worst fucking nightmare right at that very moment. God, how Max wished Kevin would’ve let Max be there with him. Standing beside him when he told his parents. Max wanted to be Kevin’s strength. Wanted to be his support. Didn’t want him to do this alone. But Kevin had insisted. Said Max’s presence would just make things worse. That knowing Max’s hot temper and his dad’s quick fuse, shit would turn hostile fast. Not that Kevin’s dad would throw the first punch. He was a God-fearing man after all. But he’d definitely try to scare them. Manipulate Kevin with threats. Verbally beat him into submission.
Max glowered. Such a hypocrite. No God would condone that kind of shit. It made Max fucking sick. No, the truth of the matter was, Kevin knew Max well enough to know he’d be the one to get physical first. And he’d be right. The second either of Kevin’s parents started spouting anti-gay bullshit, Max would go fucking ballistic.
So, yeah. Maybe Kevin was right to make Max stay away. A testament to Kevin’s bravery in its own right. To go it alone—and this scenario would definitely give new meaning to alone—when he could have Max by his side. To duck behind when the shit started hitting the fan. Because Kevin was like that. Wanted things peaceful. To keep the proverbial boat from rocking as much as humanly possible.
“Fuck the boat,” Max muttered with a scowl.
If only Kevin’s parents could be more like Max’s mom. More compassionate. More understanding. Jesus, more humane. Max thought back to the night when he’d told Mom his secret. They’d been sitting at the breakfast table. It’d been a Saturday morning, almost noon. And yeah, Max had been nervous, had struggled for the right words. But he hadn’t been terrified. Not like Kevin. Because he knew his mom loved him. Unconditionally. No matter what. And he also knew she wasn’t an idiot. Only idiots, after all, would be stupid enough to rationalize loving another person as wrong. Or evil. Or sick. Or whatever. No, his mom had common sense. She was one of the smart ones.