Page 28 of Broken Halos
“How is Milo?” Mamma asked.
“In love.”
“Maybe it’s in the air.”
I snorted. “I don’t think love is contagious.”
“No, but seeing others find happy, healthy relationships gives us hope and opens our eyes to opportunities.”
Us.It reminded me that my mom had never experienced the epic love she hoped I’d find. She thought she was too old to find her happily ever after, but I didn’t think so. My mom was vibrant, beautiful, and warm. She knew how to make people feel welcomed and loved. It reminded me of the way Ollie reacted to her kindness when they met, and the thought led me to images of a young, homeless Ollie doing whatever it took to get by. My heart squeezed painfully in my chest, and I struggled to reconcile that image of Ollie with the smiling, healthy, and happy adult version of him.
“That’s right,” I said to my mom. “There’s hope for both of us.”
This was where she normally argued with me just like I did when she made a fuss over my running Ryan’s Place. Instead, she said, “Thank you, Archie.”
“That’s more like it,” I said, repeating her words to me.
“I’m sure you have many things to do before you get ready for the show tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow morning even if you don’t come with us. I love you, Son.”
“I love you too, Mamma.”
After we disconnected, I sprawled in the center of my bed and watchedRear Window, admiring Grace Kelly’s beauty and gracefulness. It was one of my favorite movies, and I knew every word by heart. Those black-and-white movies felt like old friends, and I often turned to them for comfort when I was stressed or my mind felt chaotic. I wouldn’t say being with Ollie was stressful, but my brain was busy trying to process all the things I learned about him and how it made me want to know more. It was safer to get lost in my favorite movie than allow my brain to spin and possibly create issues where there were none.
It was while watching my favorite actress that I got the idea to dust off Lady Bea Trix’s wardrobe and have a little fun. I stopped performing drag when Ryan fell ill, and afterward, creating a legacy from the home he left to me became my focus. There were times I missed transforming into a sexy, sultry queen who wore satin and lace. Milo had been after me to at least dress as Bea when I emceed the charity events each week, but I was hesitant to do it. I felt like I’d lost the connection to Bea and worried it would be too hard to get her back. I’d never know unless I tried. And, if it also tested Ollie’s commitment to liking all the sides of me, it was a bonus.
“Check you out,” Milo said when he arrived at QCD to get ready for the night. I was already dressed in an off-the-shoulder, full-length pink satin dress with a slit up to mid-thigh and touching up my lipstick when he walked into the shared dressing room with a garment bag folded over his arm. “What’s the special occasion? I’ve asked you to invite Bea to the party since you returned to emcee the weekly events, but you’ve declined each time.”
I shrugged casually, but even I could see how tight my expression was. “I just thought it was time.” I was bracing myself for Ollie’s rejection with every layer of lace, satin, and makeup I put on.
“Time to test Ollie?”
“No.” I’d be damned if I admitted it to anyone. I clasped a string of pearls around my neck then started putting on the snug, satin gloves that would end at mid-bicep.
“Uh-huh,” Milo said, not buying it. “I don’t blame you for being cautious with your heart, but I’m warning you now I’m looking forward to saying ‘I told you so.’”
“You’re starting to sound like Mamma.”
“Maria is a wise woman, so I’ll take it as a compliment.”
“Lady Bea, the show starts in five minutes,” Tony, the stage manager, yelled through the closed door. “Are you ready?”
“Be right there, Tony.” Then I focused on Milo once more and found him smiling indulgently at me, and I had to fight the urge to roll my eyes. “Break a nail, Peach,” I said to him before leaving the room.
I channeled my inner Hollywood starlet and put an extra sway into my hips when I walked onto the stage. “Hello, boys,” I said in a breathy voice. “Miss me?” Whistles, catcalls, and howling abounded as I made my way toward the front of the stage, but I only cared about one man’s reaction. I knew exactly where I’d find him too—sitting front and center. The spotlight followed me as I sassily walked, hips rocking from side to side. The dress, clothes, and wig made me feel powerful and sexy. When I reached the end of the stage, I stuck my left leg out, showcasing the white stockings ending at mid-thigh. More whistles and catcalls, but those weren’t what made me shimmy my shoulders in delight; it was the desire and adoration rolling off Ollie as his eyes raked over me from head to toe. No, seeing me in drag for the first time didn’t disgust him one bit.
I introduced the first act, Lady Vava Voom, then went backstage to watch the performance and wait to introduce the next act. The air around me felt charged suddenly, and I could almost hear the crackle of electricity. My hair stood up all over my body, and my skin tingled like it did when Ollie touched me. I turned and found him standing directly behind me. He wore a dark, feverish look in his eyes which promised he wanted to do delicious things to my body.
“Golden Boy, please don’t give me an erection while my dick is tucked and taped. It’s the most unpleasant experience.”
Ollie’s lips turned up in a crooked smile. “I just need to know one thing for now then I can go back out there and behave for the rest of the night.”
“What’s that?”
Ollie cupped the back of my neck and kissed me. He only let his lips linger for a few seconds before he pulled back and licked his lips. “Mmmm. Cherry.”
ITOOK TWO STEPS SLOWLYbackward, wiggling my fingers. “I’ll see you in a few hours, Trix.” Archie looked stunned, aroused, and a little bit confused as if maybe he wasn’t sure if he wanted me to leave or stay. I made the decision for him because I knew he needed space to accept the growing feelings between us and time to believe it was real. I would give him both as long as I had hope in my heart something amazing could develop between us.
“How’s Archie?” Brent asked when I returned to the table.