Page 102 of Take the Plunge

Jett looks a little wary. “Except having sex in public.”

I snigger. “Don’t worry. I’m not into exhibitionism.” I rest my head on his shoulder. “I just want to enjoy being with you without having to worry or think about uni or work. Can we do that?”

“Absolutely.”

“Great. Oh, there is one thing I had to mention.”

“What?”

“My parents are holding their famous barbecue in a couple of weeks. You and your family are invited. Obviously.” When Jett stays quiet, I lift my head. “Will you come?”

“Yes.”

“We don’t need to be couply if you’re not ready.”

I take a breath. “I’m ready.”

I squeeze his hand. “I’ll follow your lead,” I whisper. “If you want to tell them about us, great. If not, it’s no big deal.”

He strokes the back of my hand. “It sucks.”

“What does?”

“Having to come out constantly. Telling Rufus, kissing and holding hands in front of some of my co-workers. Now having to tell our parents. How many more times will I have to come out?” He sighs. “Maybe I should have taken an ad out in the paper to tell everyone at once.”

“If it helps, once our parents know, I think that’s everyone major out of the way.”

My parents won’t bat an eyelid that Jett is bi. They were nothing but accepting when I told them I was gay in my teens. I don’t know Jett’s parents all that well, but I can’t imagine they’d have a problem with it. They love him.

“Decide on the day,” I say. “If it feels right to tell our parents, do it. If not, we’ll act like we always have done around each other.”

“It shouldn’t be a big deal. Telling them, I mean.”

“But it is?”

He nods.

“I get that. I really do.”

“I know.” He inhales deeply. “We were going to enjoy the rest of my lunch break without worrying about this sort of thing.”

I put my head on his shoulder again. “Let’s do that. Oh, look, ducks.” I point at three ducks swimming along the canal. “Let’s play I Spy.”

Jett laughs. “You’re crazy.”

“I’ll go first.” I look around until I spot something that will be hard for Jett to guess. “I spy, with my little eye, something beginning with P.”

Chapter23

Jett

Kian and Rufus’s parents have had a summer barbecue every year that I’ve known them. And for the last thirteen years, they’ve invited my parents and me to it. This year is no exception. It’s one of those ‘starts at lunchtime and goes on until everyone leaves’ types of events. Guests will come and go through the afternoon, so there’s no set time to arrive.

When I get there around one, around twenty people are already in the garden, ranging from two to eighty. My parents are sitting on a garden swing, speaking to a similarly aged couple I vaguely recognise, but only because they’ve been coming to the barbecue for several years too.

Rufus is showing Halle his mum’s fishpond, which is behind a fence with a padlocked gate. When we were kids, we put a couple of goldfish in there to see how long they’d live. They’re still there, but now they’re about one hundred times the size. At this point, we’ve decided they’re immortal.

Rufus spies me and beckons me over. “Hey, Jett. Kian’s been put to work in the kitchen if you want to go and find him.”