Huffing a laugh, Evan said, “You got it. I love this guy, and I haven’t seen him this happy in a long ass time.” He pushed both of our empty glasses toward the back of the bar top.
“Really?” Tex’s gaze softened. “That’s good to hear. I’m doing my best.” He drank from his beer bottle.
Evan was about to spill all my secrets, the bastard. I should change the topic of this conversation. “Hey, you’ve got a little shiner there.” I pointed at the bruise under his eye.
“Yeah, well, the guy had it coming. He’d been chirping at me all night. And then he said some—” He clenched his jaw. “—some shit about my old roommate, Lucas and I lost my mind.”
“About Lucas? Lucas Hopkins?” Tex quirked his brow. “Like what?”
“It’s not worth repeating. Let’s just say it was bigoted. There are still some bigoted assholes in hockey.” He took a few gulps of his beer. “Football is better, isn’t it?”
Tex shifted in his chair. “I had four queer buddies I started out with at ASU. They’re all in the NFL now and out with their partners. I haven’t heard of any problems from them, but I’m sure it happens. Maybe behind their backs.” He flicked a peek at me. “I heard it in high school, but my parents always supported me. I think it gave me the confidence not to care as much.” He wrapped his hand in mine, resting on the bar.
“Yeah? Well, I’m sure Colton’s told you about his dad. He’s one of those bigots.” Evan shook his head. “You’ve told him about your dad, right?”
“I have.” I slid my finger across the condensation on my beer glass. “It doesn’t matter.” He might never know about me. Not if I could help it.
“Colton has told me some.” Tex narrowed his eyes at Evan. “My roommate is going through a situation with his father. He thinks his dad would disown him if he found out about him.” He inhaled and narrowed his eyes further. “Do you think Colton’s dad would do that?”
Clicking his tongue, Evan glanced at me. “I don’t know if he’d go that far. He’d be unhappy, that’s for sure.”
“When I called the help center, they told me about PFLAG.” I drank some beer as the buzz from the shot hummed through my head, loosening my words. “I don’t think he’d be willing to try that.”
“What’s that?” Evan’s gaze cut to me.
“It’s a support group for the parents of LGBTQ people. It helps the parents accept their kids by meeting with other parents who’ve gone through it.” Tightness wove through my chest. No, my dad would laugh if I mentioned it.
Tex leaned in close and slid his arm across my shoulders. “Let’s just focus on you for now, okay?”
I forced a smile at him. “Yeah.” I relaxed against his side. It was so comforting to be near him. But I had wanted no public displays of affection. Oh, fuck it. No one knew us here.
“How long have you known Colton?” Tex ticked his brows and smirked.
“I think we met in elementary school. Maybe second grade? I think that’s when we had our first class together, right? Ms. Burns’s class?” Evan set his forearm on the bar as he swiveled to face me.
“Yes, that’s right.” My mother had still been alive. As I sipped my beer, a warm ache glided across my heart. I’d divided my life into three sections—before Mom was sick, when Mom was sick and after…fuck. I swallowed a lump in my throat.
“I played a lot of hockey, but when I wasn’t in the rink, I was hanging out with this guy.” Evan squeezed my thigh. “He kept me out of trouble.”
“Yeah? So, Colton wasn’t a troublemaker when he was younger?” Tex kissed my cheek.
“Tex…” We should stop with the public affection. Clearing my throat, I straightened.
“What’s the matter, Colton? You can’t seriously think anyone around here will care if you two are together. There’s a gay bar down the damn street.” Evan scoffed a laugh.
“What? There is?” Tex’s eyes lit. “I rarely come up here, so I didn’t know.”
“Yeah, it’s right around the corner. I guess it used to be a popular bar for alternative music in the nineteen eighties.” Evan sipped his beer and then chuckled. “They still have an eighties night.”
“Really…any karaoke?” Tex arched a brow.
“I don’t know, probably.” Evan leaned back. “It’s not like I go there. I heard about it from Lucas. He’s gone there with his partner, Ezra.”
“We may have to branch out and try it.” Tex bit his lower lip. “Would you be open to that? I mean, once the semester is over.”
I choked on a laugh. “Tex, once the semester is over, we can visit the gay bar in Tempe.” I shut my mouth. Was I reallyconsidering this? I’d never been to one. Oh hell, what could it hurt. For whatever reason, I wanted to try things with Tex.
“Damn, Colton. You’ve come a long way since you met Tex.” He waggled his brows while drinking his beer.