Dirty Laundry: A Tucker Springs Novel #3

thing was, Adam wasn’t in the mood to be saved, not today. Not by anyone but himself, anyway.
    Sig had coached him through just such an exercise, and so had Louisa. Louisa had also dragged him to several self-defense classes, which was empowering but likely wouldn’t be an issue right now, not in broad daylight. This was standard oral bullying, and this, actually, was more traumatic for Adam, the verbal war. This was something he was working hard on learning to deal with all by himself.
    Adam decided now was as good a time as any to put his lessons to the test.
    Step one was to remain unengaged while also preparing himself for what was, given how many of them were heading his way, almost guaranteed to be an amplified altercation. No way six young men insecure in their masculinity could take an effeminate-looking man ignoring their joint attempt to step on him. Their incredibly fragile honor was at stake.
    They formed a crescent around Adam, deliberately cutting off escape, trying to make him feel threatened and trapped. Boy, did it work too. Adam’s anxiety began to whine, and his heart rate kicked up to a healthy pre-panic level. Adam imagined the horses and reins again, and he concentrated on soothing the beasts.
    It’s just like Sig said , he reminded them. They’re the insecure ones, ten times more anxious than I’ve ever been. And they don’t have guardians like you to keep them safe . He mentally stroked the wild beasts, feeling a thrill of power as they responded to the compliment, no longer his enemies but his allies. His wild horses.
    Adam lifted his gaze and regarded his bullies as if he’d just noticed they were there. “Oh. Hello. Sorry, I was lost in thought. Can I help you, gentlemen?”
    That was Sig’s trick, one Adam was still unsure about but was game to try: keep giving the bullies an out. “They don’t actually want to fight,” Sig said. “They want to win. They want to look big. If you keep giving them opportunities to turn away without being shamed or beaten, eventually they’re likely to take it, or at least they’re more likely to do so than if you fight.” It was a strategy with a hell of a lot of maybe in it, to Adam’s eye. But he could understand the logic.
    It wasn’t quite working yet, but it did seem to throw the bullies, at least for a minute. They stood staring at Adam uncertainly. Then one of the larger, drunker ones said, “You’re a faggot.”
    Adam blinked and hesitated, using the pause to calm his anxiety again. It’s just words. They’re trying to scare you, and if you let them, it will only feed them. Stick to Sig’s plan. But go ahead and keep your finger on that half-composed text to Denver all the same.
    “Is there something you need?” he said again at last, as if they hadn’t insulted him, as if he truly still thought they were nice young men who were in need instead of a group of thugs.
    “Yeah.” One of them stepped forward, eyes bloodshot. He glared at Adam with hate. “This is a faggot-free zone. We need you to clear out.”
    Panic, panic, panic! The horses reared, and Adam clutched his phone until his knuckles were white. “Ah. Well, if you’ll let me pass, I’ll go across the street to the gym.”
    “No faggots at the gym,” another one of them said, then giggled at his own joke.
    Adam felt a bit ill, and he was starting to wish he hadn’t started this. He was going to have to take a Xanax when this was done, that was for sure. His finger hovered over the button, and the horses were ready to bolt and take him with them.
    Just one more try , he promised them. One more, and then we go.
    “Actually,” he said, his voice only wavering a little, “a gay man owns the gym, and my boyfriend works there. So I’m pretty sure I can go there too.” He cleared his throat and drew a breath. “How about you step aside, I’ll cross the street, and you can congratulate yourself on how it took half a dozen of you to bully a gay man minding his own business in a public park?”
    The horses and every other part of Adam froze. Holy shit, did I just say that?
    Panic! Panic! Panic!
    He went still, and he pushed the goddamned SEND button.
    “Wait.” This came from a boy who hadn’t spoken yet, and he was looking back and forth between Tiny’s and Adam as if he were just putting two and two together and realizing it truly was four. “Hold on. I had this guy as a TA last year. If he’s dating the same guy now as he was then, we want to get the