“That’s not how I wanted you to find out. Not at all.” Hugo walked right into Kevin’s house and headed toward the sunroom, not hesitating for a second, as if he knew exactly where he wanted to be. Kevin followed. “And I told you not to come to the art fair because I wasn’t ready to tell you yet. But now you know. I’m a fricking drag queen. And I’m not ashamed of it.” The minute he got to the wall of windows, he stopped talking and looked out toward the trees. He was utterly silent. Kevin didn’t know how to react, still stunned by Hugo’s sudden appearance. Hugo seemed to be calming himself, taking steady breaths. Kevin took in air to speak, to try to let Hugo know how he felt, but Hugo held out a hand—Stop. Give me a minute. Sitting down seemed like the best option, so Kevin tried to relax and just watched Hugo, willing him to feel at ease in the “tree house.” Kevin studied him while he waited. He wore a pair of leaf-green jeans that fit like they were made just for him.
