Page 74 of The Quirky Vet

We get up and start walking along the boardwalk. Dusk is settling in, the sky tinged in pastel shades of pink, purple, and orange. I film joggers and cyclists and pedestrians as they pass us, and the city skyline that's starting to glow with the first twinkling lights.

I can't remember the last time I felt so at peace.

Might have something to do with having the best sex of my life back-to-back. It blows my mind that it happens to be with my best mate, but at the same time, something about it feels right.

And even though it's a very recent development, it feels familiar, too. Safe. The way it should in a relationship-ish.

"Would you mind putting the phone away?" Fitz asks, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Huh?"

"Your phone. Put it away, please." He's smiling, but it's not his usual confident smile. This one borders on shy. I'm about to ask what's going on when he says, "I'd like to hold your hand."

"Oh. Of-of course."

I shove my phone into the front pocket of my shorts and meet his extended hand.

"This okay?" he checks.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't it?—?"

I stop talking when a woman approaching us drops her gaze to our joined hands and pulls a face.

A yucky face.

I turn to Fitz. "Did you see her?"

"I did. That's why I'm asking."

I shake my head but keep our hands glued together.

We're in a big city, the third largest in the country, and I can'tbelieve we just had someone give us a look simply for holding hands. Well, fuck that. I'm not going to let them win. This is the twenty-first century. I can hold whosever damn hand I want.

"This is going to sound terrible," I say as we keep walking, lifting my head a little higher because I've got nothing to hide. "But I never gave much thought to how hard LGBTQIA folk have it when it comes to something as simple as holding hands."

"Yeah. I didn't either. Living in Scuttlebutt lulled me into a false sense of security."

"Not everyone's as cool as the folks back home."

"It sucks, hey?"

"Big time."

We stroll past a cluster of schoolgirls in hideous lime-green uniforms. One of them sneaks a glance at us, her eyes widening before quickly turning back to her friends. "Hey, check those guys out."

They all turn to check us out and then start chattering amongst themselves.

"Oh my god, they're so hot."

"Look at that blond guy."

"Hey, I think I know the brown-haired one from TikTok…"

Fitz and I look at each other and silently agree to pick up the pace.

"At least the next generation is more with it," I say since the girls were more interested in our looks and who Fitz was than in the fact we're two dudes walking hand in hand.

"Yeah. Hopefully."