Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
Ollie’s hands trembled slightly as he stepped back to survey Shelf Care Central, the transformation he’d worked until midnight to achieve, finally complete.
Hand-lettered signs declaring Love Lives Here hung from the ceiling, tables groaned under the weight of carefully arranged book displays, and the air hummed with the kind of electric anticipation that only came before something truly special.
Ollie stood behind the counter, surveying the chaos with a mixture of pride and terror.
In two hours, the store would be packed with romance readers from across the region, all eager to meet the mysterious Rhett Wilder, making his first public appearance.
The local newspaper had run a feature yesterday, social media was buzzing, and Finn said pre-orders for Rhett’s books had tripled overnight.
His lucky cardigan—the faded blue one with leather patches—felt like armor this morning. He’d need all the protection he could get.
“Stop fidgeting,” Jules said, appearing at his elbow with a steaming cup of coffee. “You’re making me nervous, and I’m not even the one whose boyfriend is about to out himself to half the county.”
Ollie’s heart raced hearing Jules refer to Finn as his boyfriend. There was no denying they were a couple, but he hadn’t claimed Finn in so many words to anyone until now.
“You have to admit, all of this is something right out of those books you love to read so much. He was an idiot keeping a secret, but not only did he finally tell you the truth, but now he’s about to reveal his deepest secret to the entire town.
That’s peak boyfriend behavior.” Jules squeezed his shoulder. “How are you feeling about all this?”
Ollie considered the question, watching Sam arrange desserts from Sweet & Simple on the refreshment table while Brooklyn tested the microphone setup.
His parents moved through the space with the easy confidence of people who’d spent decades running the store, greeting early arrivals with genuine warmth.
“Proud,” he said finally, the word surprising him with its certainty. “Terrified for him, but proud.”
“Good,” Jules said simply. “That’s exactly how you should feel.”
The next hour passed in a blur of final preparations.
Brooklyn fussed over the lighting for author photos, muttering about shadows and angles with the intensity of a professional photographer.
Maya organized the signing tables with military precision, helping the authors set up their banners without blocking one another or the displays behind them.
The energy in the store built steadily—conversations flowing between strangers bonded by their love of the genre, the rustle of pages as people discovered new authors. Ollie kept looking around to figure out what he’d forgotten, but as far as he could tell, the team had everything ready to go.
Exactly ten minutes before showtime, the back door opened quietly.
Finn stepped inside, and Ollie’s breath caught. He looked polished in a way Ollie had never seen—dark jeans that fit him perfectly, a navy button-down that brought out his eyes, and an air of nervous confidence that made something warm unfurl in Ollie’s chest.
“How do I look?” Finn asked, running a hand through his hair. “Brooklyn spent twenty minutes ironing this shirt. She said there’s a difference between casual and sloppy. Apparently, she felt I was the latter.”
“You look perfect,” Ollie said, meaning it. The words came out rougher than intended, carrying a weight he hadn’t expected. “You look exactly like who you are.”
Something in Finn’s expression softened at the words, vulnerability flickering beneath the polished surface.
“Thank you. I know I’m the one who offered to be here, but I think I need to come out this way.
Everything about going to the ceremony felt wrong, but it wasn’t until I blurted out that suggestion that I realized why.
I need those who love me to know before the rest of the world. ”
“Thank me after you survive the next three hours,” Ollie replied, his smile only slightly strained. “Ready to meet your adoring fans?”
Finn took a deep breath, squaring his shoulders. The transformation was subtle but unmistakable—not into someone else, but into a fuller version of himself. “Ready.”
Jules materialized with a camera, snapping candid shots as Brooklyn appeared to make final adjustments to Finn’s collar. The sight of his chosen family rallying around him made Ollie’s throat tight with emotion. This was right. All of it.
“Ladies, gentlemen, and distinguished readers,” Ollie announced to the packed store, his voice carrying clearly over the excited chatter.
The familiar weight of public speaking settled over him, but today it felt different.
Celebratory. “Please welcome, making his very first public appearance, the author of the Small Town Secrets series and many other beloved novels—Rhett Wilder.”
The applause was immediate and enthusiastic, but Ollie barely heard it. His attention was fixed on Finn as he stepped forward, watching in fascination as something shifted in his posture—not a transformation exactly, but a settling into himself, into this role he’d kept hidden for so long.
“Thank you,” Finn said, his voice warm and steady, carrying easily over the crowd. “I have to admit, this is terrifying and wonderful all at once. For years, Rhett Wilder has existed only on the page, and now, here I am, standing in front of you, hoping I live up to whatever you imagined.”
A ripple of laughter moved through the crowd, and Ollie felt his own tension ease.
This was Finn at his best—genuine, self-deprecating, utterly himself.
The same man who enjoyed quiet nights at home watching movies, who remembered Ollie hated crowds but loved watching him get excited about new releases.
“I thought I’d read from my upcoming release,” Finn continued, opening his laptop. “It’s about second chances, about the courage it takes to let someone see all of you, even the parts you’re not sure they’ll love.”
As Finn began to read, his voice taking on the rhythm and cadence of his prose, Ollie was transported. The passage was beautiful—a scene between two men learning to trust each other with their vulnerabilities—but what struck him most was how much of Finn lived in the words.
“What would you do,” Wyatt asked, “if you weren’t afraid?”
Finn’s eyes found Ollie’s across the crowded room, and the world seemed to narrow to just the two of them.
“I’d tell you the truth,” Eli answered. “All of it. Even the parts that might change how you see me. Because hiding from you is worse than any rejection could be.”
The words hung in the air, charged with meaning that went far beyond the fictional conversation.
Ollie felt his throat tighten with emotion, with the recognition of their own story reflected back at him through Finn’s art.
This was why he’d fallen for Rhett Wilder’s books in the first place—not just the craft, but the truth beneath it.
When the reading ended, the applause was thunderous. As Finn settled at the signing table, a line of eager readers formed immediately, each clutching books and wearing expressions of barely contained excitement.
Ollie threw his focus into the logistics of the event—directing traffic, restocking displays, handling the steady stream of purchases—but found his attention constantly drawn to the signing table.
He watched Finn chat easily with each reader, asking about their favorite characters, listening intently to their stories about how his books had affected them.
There was a warmth to these interactions that Ollie had never seen before—Finn in his element, sharing the part of himself he’d kept most protected. The careful reserve that usually marked his interactions with strangers had melted away, replaced by genuine interest and connection.
“Excuse me,” an older woman approached the counter, clutching a stack of Rhett Wilder novels to her chest. “I just wanted to say thank you for bringing him here. His books…” Her voice caught slightly.
“They helped me understand my son better. When he came out last year, I didn’t know how to show him I still loved him just the same. These stories taught me the words.”
Ollie felt tears prick his eyes. “I’ll make sure he knows that. It’ll mean the world to him.”
The woman nodded, pressing his hand briefly before disappearing back into the crowd. Ollie stood there for a moment, overwhelmed by the weight of what Finn’s work meant to people, what his courage in stepping forward today represented.
As the afternoon wore on, the success of the event became undeniable.
They sold out of every Rhett Wilder title and were doing brisk business in the other romance novels as well.
But more than the sales, it was the atmosphere—the joy, the community, the celebration of love in all its forms—that made Ollie’s heart swell with pride.
“You look like a proud boyfriend.” Jules appeared at his side, grinning. “You’re practically glowing.”
Ollie laughed. The entire day had been amazing, and as much as he loved seeing the sales on the register, he loved watching Finn break out of his shell even more. “Maybe I am.”
“Good,” Jules said, bumping his shoulder. “It suits you. Both of you, actually. He keeps looking over here like he needs to be sure you’re doing okay, even though he’s still not comfortable with the attention being on him.”
Ollie followed Jules’s gaze to find Finn’s eyes on him, even as he signed another book. The look they shared was brief but loaded with meaning—gratitude, affection, and something deeper that made Ollie’s chest warm.
As the signing wound down, Finn caught Ollie’s eye and nodded toward the back of the store. They slipped away from the crowd, finding refuge in the quiet corner among the poetry shelves where they’d shared their first real conversation about books.