Bar Down (Grand Marquee Manticores #2)

Chapter 38

THIRTY-EIGHT

ASH

“Eli?” I ask, looking in the small bathroom and around the room. The apartment is empty and I quickly check my phone in case Eli texted me with an emergency. Nothing.

My first instinct is to give him space, assume that he left or that he didn’t want to be around me, but after last night, there’s no chance Eli would do that.

I’m not abandoning you.

We’re a fucking team now.

I open up his contact and hit call, but the call goes straight to voicemail. After I pace around the apartment, my gaze drifts to the TV that’s turned on. The YouTube channel wasn’t playing anything earlier, but now a video loads, saying a media availability session is starting soon.

A yellow post-it note is stuck to the bottom of the TV and it catches my attention.

The coffee might go cold, but I’ll be back as soon as I can.

Please watch this. I love you,

E

My smile stretches across my face when I read those three little words but it quickly drops as I realize this doesn’t explain anything. Where is he?

Before I can call him again, the video on the screen starts and I see him. He’s freshly shaved and wearing a red Detroit sweatshirt with our white logo on it. My mind doesn’t fully comprehend why he’s there until the first question is asked by one of the reporters.

“Eli, are the rumors true?”

I inhale sharply. Why are they asking him this? Why did he agree to it?

It’s hard to tell, and anyone that doesn’t know Eli wouldn’t notice it, but his features let it show that he’s a little terrified. His shoulders move slightly, and while his arms are blocked by the table he’s sitting at, I can tell he’s nervously wiping his palms on his pants.

“They are,” he says, looking into the camera.

“No, Eli, what are you doing?” I groan, chewing on my thumbnail. This is torture. Pure torture. The reporters all speak at once and Eli rears back in surprise, not knowing which question to take next.

“Um, you in the jumper, what was your question?” Eli says, pointing off to the side.

“Are you dating your teammate and fellow goalie, Juuse Couri?”

Eli smiles and shakes his head. “No, Juuse is my friend.” The room is silent for a beat, and there don’t seem to be any more questions. That is until Eli continues talking. “But the article was partly right; I’m gay, and I’m in love with my best friend, Ashton Meyers.”

The room explodes into questions once again, but Eli stands up and says, “I’ve spent a long time hiding who I truly am, but all that’s ever done is hurt me and those around me. While I needed to set the record straight, I would appreciate everyone’s respect for my privacy. Thank you.”

The live video ends and I sit on the edge of the bed. I’m stunned speechless, but I’m so, so proud of him. This amazing man that’s come so far not just in his career, but in his personal life too. When he gets back, I don’t even let him speak before I jump on him and attack him with my mouth. “I love you, I love you. God, you’re amazing, Eli.”

He holds me tight and says, “I’m never letting you go, Ash. You’re everything to me.”