Waiting for Ty by Samantha Ann King Read Free Book Online

crept from his chest up his neck and face and down his arms. His hands shook, and he shoved them in his back pockets so she couldn’t see. If she knew, how many other people had figured it out? It didn’t bother him, but Ty... Landon didn’t think he was ready for the world to know. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again.
    “Don’t worry. I’m not going to tell anyone. I only bring it up because my brother—” She took a deep breath and swallowed hard. Her dark eyes were watery with unshed tears. “It was hard for him. He didn’t think he could talk to anyone. He was afraid of what his family and friends would think. The secret...” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “He killed himself.” Then a little stronger. “I don’t want that to happen to you.”
    “I’m not—I don’t—” His mind was racing so fast—grasping for something, anything—he couldn’t form a coherent thought, much less articulate it.
    She rested her hand lightly on his upper arm. “You can talk to me. I don’t know what your family’s like. I don’t know if they’d understand, but you can always talk to me. I don’t care who you love as long as he treats you right.”
    Landon nodded jerkily.
    “You’re a good man,” she said fiercely. “You deserve good things. Remember that.”

Chapter Seven
    Ty sat in his pickup truck in a parking lot near the lake in Hermann Park. It was emptying out, but there were a few stragglers enjoying the last hour of sunshine on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Mostly couples and groups of teenagers. The couples quiet, the teenagers rowdy. It was warm with his windows up, so he rolled them down to enjoy the cool weather. He rested his left arm on the window frame and grasped the top of the steering wheel with his right hand.
    He caught glimpses of the lake. The sun, low in the west, bounced golden light off the shimmering surface. In the middle of the lake a fountain shot up like water gushing from an oversized, popped sprinkler head.
    The interview had gone well. He’d managed to calm down his source and convince her to open up. She’d even given him emails. She’d also provided names and numbers of people who could corroborate her story. He’d already phoned all three of them. Two had declined to provide any information. But one had agreed to an interview tomorrow. If that went well, he’d be calling on the senator for a comment tomorrow evening.
    Slam dunk. He loved his job.
    Now if he could just figure out what to do about Landon. He needed someone to brainstorm with him. Unfortunately, when it came to personal issues, Landon filled that role. Trouble with a woman, he talked to Landon. Family problems, he called Landon. Confrontations with coworkers, he vented to Landon. Didn’t matter that his friend didn’t say much. Sometimes all he needed was to talk it out. And sometimes, Landon would make one seemingly innocuous comment that would put everything in perspective.
    But now, Landon was the problem, so he couldn’t talk to him. That left him with no one. It was a lonely feeling. He couldn’t call his family—even if they knew he was bi, which they didn’t, and even if they approved, which they wouldn’t. None of his friends knew he was bi. Until last night, he was pretty sure Landon hadn’t known. Hell, he might not know now. He might think Ty was gay.
    Fuck . Why did sexuality have to be so damned complicated? Why couldn’t he just be straight? He liked women, liked having sex with them. But he’d never felt for a woman what he felt for Landon. He’d never experienced the closeness with them that he did with his best friend.
    But anything other than friendship was impossible. There was no question what his family’s reaction would be. Well, one question. Would they spew their Bible verses before casting him out, or would they just turn their backs on him?
    He shook his head. He hated thinking of his family like that, especially his mom. She was gentle, kind.