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“Like accepting a date with me,” Jesse said.

“I told my parents I was gay. Before I left for basic training.”

“From what I’ve heard of your family, that was very brave,” Jesse told him.

“I sort if did it out of spite,” Lake admitted. “Just to see the look on my father’s face. For the first time in my life, he was proud of me. For something that I didn’t even want to do. So, I ruined it.”

“My wicked boy.” The words sounded like praise.

“My father told me to keep my mouth shut about it. My mom cried and started to pray. They must have told my brothers, because when I returned home after I completed basic, they’d started to treat me different. A push here, a shove there…the name-calling was often.”

“And your parents never stopped them?”

“My dad had his own way to get the digs in. My mom ignored it all,” Lake shared. “Well, that isn’t fair to everyone. Justice,my oldest brother, wasn’t even there. He’s still serving. The longest tenure. He’s career-military. Over the years he’s tried to get them to stop but with Dad leading the way and Justice not around a lot it just was what it was.”

“Family sucks,” Jesse said after Lake stopped talking.

Lake snorted. “Some do. I’m quite happy with my family of choice.”

“I have my brother,” Jesse said. “He was all the family I ever needed.”

There was a pause filled with anticipation. Lake knew Jesse was going to share something big with him. He waited, trying to force his body to remain relaxed.

“You asked about my tattoos?”

“Yes, if you want to tell me,” Lake replied.

Jesse’s fingers went back to stroking his hair. “We grew up in Texas. Jacob, me, my mom, and dad. My mom lost her parents after she had us and we never met my dad’s family. He was an asshole. They didn’t want anything to do with him or us.”

“I’m not going to like this story, am I?” Lake asked.

Leaning forward, Jesse kissed Lake’s forehead. “No, baby, you’re not. And no one knows most of what I’m going to tell you. Other than me and Jacob. I don’t talk about this. Never talk about my family in interviews.”

“I noticed.”

“Did you Google me, baby?” Jesse teased.

“I might have. I told you I wanted to know more about you!” Lake justified. It was kind of creepy to Google a boyfriend, right?

“It’s alright,” Jesse said. “I probably would have done the same.”

“I didn’t find anything good. Nothing that gave me any insight on how to surprise you.”

“It was Jacob’s idea to keep things quiet when we started making money and getting noticed. He was afraid my father’s family might try to find us, looking for a handout or something.”

“Okay,” Lake whispered. “That makes sense.”

“Anyway, it’s not really a big deal. Our father was a bastard that liked to take out his frustrations on his family. He was a failure at everything he did. Couldn’t keep a job because of his drinking. He sent my mom out to the streets to make money for us.”

“He…he…”

“Pimped out his own wife,” Jesse finished for him.

“Jesus!” Lake gasped out.

“When she came home with money, he would beat her for her trouble,” Jesse said. “If she came home with no money, then he beat her more.”

“And you and Jacob,” Lake said.