The Boyfriend Gamble (Love in Mission City)

Prologue

Tanner

Sometimes, love comes on slowly. Gradually. Like a summer rain.

Other times, it slams you like a baseball to your nuts.

Yeah, that was how it happened to me.

With Kade Nelson, my best friend Nita’s older brother.

Nita and I were twelve years old, and we sat in the stands at the field behind Mission City Collegiate. Our football team was playing the team from Abbotsford—and beating them badly.

Cameron, Kade’s best friend, was the quarterback.

Kade was the kicker.

There might be a different name for it, but all I knew was he came out and kicked the ball. He was lining up a shot when some guy from the opposing team yelled fag.

Kade missed the kick.

Nita stood and started yelling at the ref.

Cameron launched himself from the sidelines at the other player.

Kade’s coach ran onto the field.

The two teams started fighting.

I cowered.

I knew.

I knew what that word meant. I knew I was a fag. That I liked boys and wasn’t interested in girls. What I hadn’t known until that moment was that Kade was gay. And, apparently, not just gay, but that he’d told other people.

Nita didn’t appear surprised. She was just plain angry. Now she yelled at the top of her lungs.

One kid near us jeered, and she turned on him.

Wisely, he decided now was the perfect time to beat a hasty retreat.

Within a few minutes, the mayhem on the field ceased.

The boy, the one who’d yelled the slur, was sent packing.

After a few minutes, the play was reset.

Kade kicked the most amazing field goal.

My heart constricted, and I saw my best friend’s brother in a whole new light. My life was never the same.