A Kaleidoscope of Butterflies - Christina Lee Page 0,8
spotted Rhys with a date in the driveway and then fled inside once Rhys asked him about it. In fact, he’d been acting a bit strange ever since. A couple of times he’d even caught Emerson scrutinizing him during family dinners, but he hadn’t been brave enough to ask him what the hell that had been about.
Rhys glanced around the club to decipher if Emerson was with anyone else, but it seemed he’d shown up alone. He could only conclude that Emerson came tonight because Rhys had invited him. Except, he always invited Emerson, and Emerson always turned him down. But he kept doing it, in case he ever changed his mind.
Guess this was the night.
But Rhys would have never expected Emerson freaking Rose to take him up on meeting at a gay club of all places, not that there weren’t any straight people here. Besides, since when did Emerson go to bars at all? They’d shared a couple of drinks around a bonfire in the backyard when they’d finally turned legal, but otherwise, he’d never known Emerson to go out with friends or let loose. He rarely left the kids at night, and knowing how tightly wound he was about being there for them, Rhys needed to pinch himself to make sure his presence tonight wasn’t a mirage.
When he made eye contact with his friend across the bar, Emerson blinked like he almost didn’t recognize Rhys in this setting either. He looked him up and down, and then realization dawned on his features. Rhys lifted his hand in a wave, and Emerson’s eyes widened in panic before his expression transformed into relief.
Emerson downed his drink and made his way over, getting interested looks along the way. Rhys could understand why. Emerson was a dream with his cinnamon-colored waves, fitted jeans, and blue T-shirt that brought out his eyes. Even though Rhys had always been aware Emerson was gorgeous, seeing other men note his attractiveness made it all the more pronounced.
“You came!” Rhys said as Emerson scrunched his nose, looking confused. “That’s why you’re here? Because I said—”
“Oh, right, your deejay friend,” he said in a rush as if he suddenly remembered.
What the hell?
“Lance.”
“Yeah, sure.” Emerson’s gaze swung over his shoulder to the deejay booth. He looked flustered, his cheeks turning red. “You mentioned he was debuting tonight.” He bit his lip and looked away guiltily, setting off alarms through Rhys’s system.
“Okay, what’s up?” Rhys folded his arms. He knew his best friend too well. “That’s not why you showed up?”
“Not really. I didn’t even remember you mentioning the date—” Emerson dipped his head. “I…just wanted to get out of the house.”
Rhys’s shoulders unwound. “That makes more sense. I totally get it.”
But why a gay club? Not that straight dudes couldn’t enter the building, but there was a bar right around the corner from their houses, so if he needed a stiff drink…
Emerson must’ve seen the confusion in his eyes because he added, “I’m here trying to figure shit out.”
“Yeah?” Rhys racked his brain as to what that might mean. And why haven’t you talked to me about it?
Emerson winced. “I…I dunno. Things have been strange lately.”
“Life has definitely been shitty to you,” Rhys pointed out. “Christ, I don’t know how you don’t go off the deep end sometimes. Sorry, that was… You know what I mean.”
“Yeah, of course. No sweat.” Emerson took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I guess I’m finally…”
“Finally…?” Rhys prompted as Emerson wrung his hands together. “Sorry, I shouldn’t pry. You have every right to go to any bar you want. Besides, it’s time you did something for you.”
“Yeah, that’s what I’m doing. Something for me.” He stood up straighter. “Exploring stuff about myself. Guess that’s what this is.”
Holy fuck, was he saying he was gay, bi, pan? Questioning? Rhys felt like he was having an out-of-body experience, yet as some things teased the outer edges of his consciousness, he realized that rang true. Still, he didn’t want to push. Emerson always held his feelings close to his vest.
Rhys lifted his hand to the bartender. “That news deserves a shot.”
Relief flooded Emerson’s features. “Sounds good to me.”
Once they downed their tequila, they smiled at each other as an awkward tension built between them. “I assume Janice is staying with the kids?”
“Yeah, so I don’t wanna be out too late.” He noted the time on his phone. “I just needed…” He trailed off like it was too tangled in his head to explain.