She asked it innocently, waving a hand toward the men. “What’s going on here?”
The guys were focused on their task, not noticing us as they disappeared into the house with the headboard.
“Clay’s friend is moving in.”
The smile on her face hung. “His ‘friend?’” Her gaze flew to the open door, her eyes narrowed, and she didn’t bother to hide her disgust. “I didn’t know he was gay. I thought he was dating you.”
For a moment, I got so angry, my vision blurred. She wasn’t just judgmental—she was a huge bigot.
It didn’t surprise me she thought we were dating. I’d been going over to his house nearly every day for months. I turned and gave the darkest grin I possessed, while keeping my tone sugary sweet. “Yes, he’s my boyfriend. Not that it’s any of your fucking business who he chooses to date, Judy.”
She reared back in shock. I’d stunned her speechless, but I watched the thought in her head play out on her face. Well, I never.
The guys reappeared and I waved at them. “Travis, come here. There’s someone you should meet.”
She couldn’t move. Her strict manners said it wouldn’t be polite to walk away, even when I’d been rude to her. As Travis approached, she was locked in place.
He sensed something was off and his confused look bounced between us.
“This is Dr. Travis Eckhart,” I said. “My boyfriend.”
She was captivated by his looks, and probably the title of doctor too, but then her mind tangled over the last part. “Boyfriend? I thought Clay was—”
My tone was plain. “They both are.”
Travis held out his hand in an offered handshake, but she stared at it like if she accepted, she’d go straight to hell.
I gestured to her. “Travis, this is Judy Maligner, the homophobic president of the HOA, who probably wakes up every morning thinking about how she’s going to ruin Dr. Lowe’s day, all because she disapproves of his relationship with Cassidy.” I tilted my head and smiled brighter at her. “Which, once again, really isn’t your fucking business, is it?”
She gasped. “I’m not going to stand here and let you talk to me like that!”
“Okay.” I waved and said it in a sing-song voice. “Bye!”
She scoffed again, and when she realized she was going to have to carry out her threat of leaving, she turned on her heel and marched away in a huff.
“What was that?” Travis asked.
I looped my arm around his waist, and we walked toward Clay, who’d climbed into the bed of his truck to undo the rachet straps on the footboard.
“Sorry,” I said. “I thought I’d give Judy a new target to aim for, instead of Greg and Cassidy.”
“Us?” he said.
Well, shit. I hadn’t thought it all the way through. I was fine taking the heat, but Clay and Travis might feel otherwise. “Well, hopefully she just fixates on me.” I pointed to the house across the street and a few doors down. “See that ‘for sale’ sign? It just went up. The O’Briens would rather move than put up with any more of Judy’s bullshit.”
“She’s the worst,” Clay said. “Even worse than carrying all this stuff upstairs is going to be.”
I used a sultry voice. “Mm, but you’re a bunch of big, strapping men, and the faster you finish, the faster we can go downstairs.”
Lord, I couldn’t have given them better motivation.
Greg’s house was decorated for Christmas, and there were touches of Cassidy visible. For instance, three stockings hung on the mantle, and the one with the C initial had to be hers. I expected it wouldn’t be long before he asked her to move in. Probably as soon as her spring semester was over. She spent most of her free time over at his house anyway, and like it was for me and my boyfriends—schedules were tough. Living together maximized chances of seeing each other.
I stood by the window at the back of the house, which overlooked the pool. It was covered for the winter, and the patio furniture had been put away. It’d been four months since I’d been down there, celebrating Cassidy’s birthday. God, so much had changed.
It was so much better than I could have imagined.
I sipped my wine while other people began to arrive for the meeting. Most people already knew each other, but there had been some introductions, and a few people had mentally stumbled when I explained Clay, Travis, and I were a throuple. I was glad how instead of judgmental looks, we received mostly curious ones.
Travis and I fielded any questions we got. It’s not that Clay was embarrassed of our relationship, but he was private with strangers, so it became a fun game to see how fast I could steer the conversation in a new direction if someone began to pry.
The furniture in Greg’s living room had been pushed to one side and folding chairs set up, but most of the folks were still in the kitchen, hovering around the table where the fruit and cheese platters were.
Did Judy know what was happening?
A vengeful smile twitched on my lips. I hoped so. She thought she had all the power, but she’d be powerless to stop us.
Starting a recall petition had been my idea, but Greg fully supported it and had offered his house as the meeting space. I’d scoured the association bylaws, learning what percentage of homeowners we’d need for a quorum and then how many signatures it’d take to remove Judy from the board.
Clay, Greg, his neighbor Erika, and me as my parents’ proxy made four, but we’d need twenty-eight more. Looking around, I was encouraged. Not everyone could make the meeting tonight, but there were a lot of people here and once folks got to talking to their neighbors . . .
It was only a matter of time.
Clay had been standing beside me, and we watched as Travis strode toward us, a fresh glass of wine in hand and an
