CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
J ason
The interview ends.
There’s silence.
Then, from somewhere off-camera, loud clapping breaks out. I turn to see Jeremy emerging from behind the cameras, applauding enthusiastically.
“Holy shit, Jason!” he calls out, shiny teeth displayed in a wide grin. “That was incredible!”
The cameramen stare at me, then at Jeremy, then back at me.
Cal barks out a laugh. “How did you sneak in, Jeremy?”
Jeremy shrugs. “I have connections.” His gaze darts to Rex who is busy pressing his lips together.
Jesus Christ, I’m out.
Everyone knows everything.
All the parts of me I’ve kept bottled up are now visible to everyone. The cameramen’s gazes study me, incorporating this new information with everything they know about me, and ripping me bare.
Jeremy bounds over, still clapping. “I came to support Cal for his first big interview, but I had no idea what I was getting into. That was...” He shakes his head in amazement. “That was the bravest thing I’ve ever seen on live television. Jason, seriously, that was beautiful.”
The tension in the studio breaks. A few of the crew members clap. The sound engineer gives me a thumbs up. Even the stern producer cracks a smile.
I look at Cal, and the affection in his gaze is so clear, and everything in my body settles.
“What was that?” he asks.
“I believe it’s called a grand gesture,” I say.
Cal snorts.
“Was it too much?” I ask.
He shrugs. “I appreciate it.”
Jeremy bounces between us. “Too much? Are you insane? That was perfect! You came out on live television and declared your love! That’s epic!”
“Jeremy,” Cal warns, but he’s smiling.
“What? I’m allowed to be excited!”
“I didn’t want to do what I want to do now without having done that.”
Cal’s brow furrows.
“Sorry.” I’m pretty sure my face looks sheepish. “I’m not good with words.”
“You’re doing perfectly well.” His eyes are warm and encouraging, and everything in my body settles like it always does when I’m around him.
I take his hands in mine, feeling the familiar way his fingers rub against mine, soothing the nervousness skittering through my veins.
“I love you,” I tell him.
Cal’s eyes round.
“Too much?”
He shakes his head, his eyes bright. “No, Jason. Not too much at all.”
“I want to go on a date with you,” I blurt. “In public.”
“I’ll go anywhere with you. I think I proved that.”
I wrap Cal’s arms around me and lean against his wide, soft torso. I sigh happily.
The cameramen look at us uncertainly.
The producer approaches, her face carefully neutral. “Mr. Larvik? Your family is asking to see you.”
My blood turns to ice. I’d forgotten they were here, forgotten that Dad and Gramps flew in expecting to watch their boy talk about hockey and survival, not... this.
“They’re in the next room,” she continues. “Mr. Tanaka left already. He rushed out.”
Cal squeezes my hand. “You want me to come with you?”
“No.” I force a smile. “This is something I need to do alone.”
The walk down the hall feels longer than it should. I can hear Dad’s voice through the door, but I can’t make out the words.
I take a breath and open the door.
Dad and Gramps are sitting down, both looking shell-shocked.
“Hi,” I say awkwardly.
Dad looks up. His expression isn’t angry—it’s tired. Confused. “Jason.”
“I guess you didn’t expect that.”
“No,” Gramps says.
An uncomfortable silence stretches between us. I sit down across from them, waiting.
“We’re going to fly back tonight,” Dad says finally. “Change our tickets.”
“You don’t have to—”
“Yeah, we do.” Dad runs a hand through his hair.
“It’s still me. I’m still the same person.”
Gramps looks up. “Are you?”
The question hangs in the air. I remember how I used to be—angry, hiding, pushing everyone away. Then I think about who I am now.
“No,” I admit. “I’m happier.”
Dad’s jaw works like he’s chewing on words he doesn’t want to say. “The reporter. Cal. Is this serious?”
“Exceedingly.”
“And you’re... sure? About this?”
“Yes.”
Gramps stands up slowly. “Well. It’s too late to change it now. The whole world knows.”
“I wouldn’t change it anyway.”
Dad nods, but doesn’t meet my eyes. “The neighbors, the guys at work...” He shakes his head. “It’s going to be a lot.”
“I know,” I say.
I don’t apologize.
Dad stands up. “We should go. Gotta get to the airport.”
“Have a safe trip. Tell Mom I said hello.”
He nods.
After they leave, I sit alone, processing what happened. It wasn’t the explosive confrontation I’d feared. He didn’t call Cal a name, he didn’t call me a name. It could have gone far worse.
Still our relationship won’t be the same. But my thoughts and fears hovered on the edge of every conversation anyway, just silently. Now they know.
When I walk back out to find Cal waiting for me, his face anxious and hopeful, I remember why I did this.
“How bad?” he asks.
“They’re flying home early.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I take his hand. “They need time. Maybe they’ll come around, maybe they won’t. It’s done now.”
Cal studies my face. “Are you okay?”
I press my lips together. Am I okay? My family is disappointed, confused, hurt. Tanaka stormed out. But now I’m standing here with Cal, no longer hiding, no longer pretending...
“Totally.”
Finally, Rex strides over.
Cal tenses.
I tense.
Rex appears around the corner. “Everything alright?”
“My family needs some time to adjust.”
“That was brave,” Rex says thoughtfully, glancing toward Jeremy.
I frown. “Wait. Did I do some ethical misdeed?”
Rex’s forehead has more wrinkles than before.
“Put Cal in a bad position? Because we weren’t sure what would happen, and we got closer than we normally would have.
” The words tumble out, but they make my soul writhe, because Jesus, what would have happened if I’d decided to stay in my apartment?
What if I’d slammed the door in Cal’s face and gone about my normal life?
What if he hadn’t followed me onto those jet skis?
Or his jet ski hadn’t broken down? Or Jesus, what if I hadn’t noticed he was missing until it was too late?
What if we hadn’t found the island? What if we’d—
“Everyone thought you two were dead,” Rex says. “I’m happy to hear that’s not the case.”
“I’m happy too,” I say, and he grins back.
“Congratulations to you both,” Rex says .
“You’re not upset?” Cal asks, and I hate the wobble of his voice.
“Well, I’ll continue covering hockey myself. Luckily, you know other sports.”
“I do.”
He smiles. “I’m tolerant of stable relationships.”
“Even gay relationships?” I ask.
“I have a feeling there will be another coming out announcement coming soon,” Rex says, and he walks toward Jeremy.
Cal frowns. “Jeremy is out. Exceedingly out.”
“I don’t think he was referring to Jeremy,” I say. “I think he was referring to...” I stop. That has to be wrong. Is Rex in a same-sex relationship too?
“Referring to whom?” Cal asks.
I take his hand and kiss it. “We’ll have to wait and see.”
Cal nods, but my gaze flicks between Jeremy and Rex. They did go to search for us together. Is it possible something happened between them?
“Let’s get out of here,” I say.
“Deal.”