Not even close to teaching but that was okay. “Come down to the bar in the next few days and I’ll give you some paperwork to fill out.”

Gavin paused, looked down at him. He had an expression in his eyes that Mason couldn’t read. Or maybe it was the alcohol again. Who knew?

Gavin held out his hand and they shook before he pulled Mason to his feet. Their bodies were close. There was nothing like the feel of a hard, masculine body against his own.

“Thanks for the chance. I really appreciate it,” Gavin told him but didn’t back away. All Mason could smell was fire and he suddenly wanted the scent of man. It was strange, because for Mason, it made his body come alert. Gavin didn’t seem to notice, though. It was like he didn’t clue into things like that. It had been the same at the bar.

“I’m horny when I’m drunk. You’re not doing me any favors standing so close.” As soon as the words left his mouth, Mason realized how they sounded. He meant them as a joke, but considering he just offered the guy a job, it probably wasn’t the best time to make a sex joke. “Hey, I didn’t mean—”

“Guess you should have thought about that before you decided to become my boss.” Gavin gave him a mischievous smirk, and Mason let out a relieved breath. He’d taken it the way Mason meant.

“Hell, I take it back. Or you’re fired. Whatever works better.” They both laughed, and it felt good. Real. “Come on, let’s get this fire put out.”

Mason still chuckled as they took care of the fire and then headed inside for some much needed sleep.

***

Gavin’s nerves were on edge as the phone rang. It shouldn’t be like that. He shouldn’t dread and worry about talking to his family, but yet he did. His fault? Their fault? Probably a combination of all of them because he didn’t push, never had, and they hadn’t been willing to let their beliefs evolve out of love for him, either.

“Hello?” The soft voice of his mother drifted through the line.

“Hi. It’s Gavin.”

“Gavin!” The tone excitedly went up a few octaves. “It’s so good to hear from you. How are you?” Gavin settled against the back of the couch. Still gay…

“I’m good. I wanted to let you know that I’m settled into Blackcreek. I’ve already found a job.”

She sighed, and he could tell she wasn’t happy. Wait until she found out what kind of job he’d gotten.

“Did you ask the school to take you back like we spoke about? Apologize for what you did? I’m sure with your record they could excuse you.”

Gavin ignored her question, because what the hell had he done? Nothing wrong. He’d tried to help a kid, that’s all. “It’s at a bar. I’m going to be a bartender.” Guilt slammed into him because he knew this would upset her, yet he said it anyway. It’s probably the reason he did.

“Do you think that’s a good idea? You need to surround yourself with people who follow the Lord, Gavin.”

And people who go into a bar obviously can’t be that kind of person. Why the hell did it have to be that way?

Gavin’s defenses took over, controlled his mouth. Growing up he would have apologized, hidden who he was or completely walked away. Guilt would have eaten through him for his older parents, who tried so hard to have him. Who were stuck in their beliefs and who he did know loved him. Hell, even a few months ago he wouldn’t have shared his plans. He would have kept who he was private. But where had that gotten him? With parents who still worried about his soul, a life alone, and having his career taken away from him.

Now, all he could think about was what he’d lost. The things he didn’t have. The fact that he was thirty years old and didn’t know what he wanted because he always tried to be who they needed him to be.

And right or wrong, it made him angry. “I’m staying at Braden’s house and—”

“I don’t think you’re making wise decisions. You’ve lost your job because of your choices, and that boy, he…”

Was the first person to tell Gavin it was okay to be who he is. Was the first person in his life to accept him without praying for his soul and telling him he would go to hell. “He doesn’t live here anymore. He lives with his husband and their daughter. Even if he didn’t, he’s no different than me. And I didn’t lose my job because of choices I made. It was taken away from me because of ignorance.”

“The bible says—”

“Don’t! I can’t do this.” Gavin shoved to his feet just as the quiet cries started. That was his mom—she got hurt, worried, sad, cried. His dad got angry and preached.