Alexis and Eric finally disappeared from my view, and the tug in my chest loosened a little. I opened the camera on my phone and covertly checked my appearance. My eyeliner was smudged from the heat, my cheeks as flushed as my sister’s had been. But my dress was short and I didn’t smell too sweaty, so it would have to do.

I was very briefly home. Newly single. And very much ready to mingle. Talk about the ingredients for a perfect summer fling.

I’d been fifteen when I came out to my sister and told her I was bisexual. A week later, with my permission, she threw me a little coming out party in our backyard, with pizza and cupcakes, for friends and family who wanted to celebrate with me.

When I told my dad—right after my sister—he’d been heading off to work, apron in hand, and I’d blurted out, “Hey, Dad, guess what? I’m bisexual.”

He’d paused at the front door. “I don’t know what bisexual means yet, but if that’s what you are it must mean I love it, right?”

I’d flashed him a watery smile. “It means I’m attracted to genders like mine and genders that are different than mine. It’s who I am, on the inside.”

He hugged me then, smelling of kitchen grease and the aftershave he still used. “I love you, Tabitha. I love who you are on the inside. And I can’t wait to see who you fall in love with.”

Unfortunately, my mom and new stepfamily hadn’t been as accepting.

I ran a hand through my hair as I stood up, taking my beer with me. The night was young and I was on the happy side of tipsy. I brushed past a group of excited baseball fans and one extremely loud older dude who was flailing his arms at the TV, yelling about the score. He was blocking the cramped space between the bar and a tiny table, where another man sat with his back facing me. While I waited for Flailing Guy to calm down, my eyes skated over to the man.

I admired the elegant lines of his broad back and the lean muscles of his arms. The hand gripping the glass in front of him was large, the fingers thick, the knuckles a little swollen. I could see the veins in his forearm flexing every time Flailing Guy bellowed. His head turned slightly, revealing a crooked nose, a heavy brow, and a strong jaw clenched tight.

My brain said huh with a flicker of recognition.