“Still…”
“Yeah, I know! So you’re saying I should stay in the closet?”
“I think I’m saying you should be discreet. Does this person you’ve met live in Colby?”
“No, she’s in Toledo.”
“Well, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be together when your jobs let you. I know you’ll hate it that you can’t tell the world how you feel about each other. She does feel the same way about you, I hope.”
“Oh, yes!”
“Then why not take it slow? See her in Toledo. If she comes here once in a while, no problem. Just no PDAs.”
She nodded again, staring at her beer glass.
Ray looked beyond her at the table where Jesse had been sitting. He was gone. Ray felt something, he couldn’t exactly say what. Loss, perhaps?
“I know you’re giving me good advice, Ray. I just hoped you’d suggest something that would m
