Chapter 22
“Have a seat.” Gideon gestured to the cushioned chair before his desk as he closed the study door. Katt sat and waited for Gideon to return to his desk. “So,” Gideon asked once he was settled. “How are you feeling?”
Katt shifted. “Okay,” he said. “Better… I think.”
“And Franco? Have you decided if he’s your friend?”
Katt smiled small. “He is.”
“That’s good to hear.” Gideon gazed warmly at the young man. “We could all use good, loyal friends in our lives.”
Katt nodded.
“I asked to speak with you because I want to offer you a choice.”
“About what?”
“You signed up for this segment fully aware that the video footage would be released to our viewers.”
“Yeah,” Katt murmured.
“Well, despite the popularity of this series among our viewers, my first and foremost concern is for the young men who come here in good faith, trusting they are in a safe space.” Gideon leaned forward in his chair.
“Since you weren’t technically curious when you signed up, and considering everything surrounding your being here, I’m willing to give you the choice whether the film is released to our viewers. ”
“What?”
“I would understand if you don’t want it to go public. Even though I’m legally free to release the video, I won’t ever put someone in the public eye who isn’t ready to be there. So, I will leave it up to you.”
Katt lowered his eyes to the floor, his hands tense against his thighs. “I…” He looked up. “I think… I’m okay with it.”
“Keep in mind,” Gideon said. “Once it’s out there, there’s no taking it back.”
“I know,” Katt whispered. “I think I’ve been hiding from myself since I was thirteen. I don’t want to hide anymore.” His eyes warmed. “And I for sure don’t want to hide my feelings for Franco.”
Gideon smiled. “That’s brave of you. No one should have to hide that way.” His smile stretched. “So, these feelings… are they mutual?”
“Yeah,” Katt laughed softly, ducking his head.
“That’s great.” Gideon cleared his throat, took an envelope from his desk, and handed it to Katt. “Your payment for the segment.”
Katt stared at the envelope, then tucked it into his leather jacket. “Thank you. This will help. Franco and I are gonna get an apartment together while we figure out what to do. Neither of us wants to go to the same college as Todd.”
“Understandable.” Gideon stood and moved from behind his desk to lean against the front.
“You and Franco are welcome to stay here for a while if you want time to process everything. It’s a safe space.
” He smiled. “No pressure, though. It’s simply an invitation.
No obligation on your part to accept it. ”
Katt seemed pleased by the offer. “I’ll talk to Franco.”
When Katt returned to the rec room, where Franco hung out with the other guys, Samson approached Katt. “Can we talk for a minute?”
“Yeah.”
They stepped outside the room. Samson asked, “Are you doing okay?”
“Yeah, I’m okay,” Katt said quietly.
“Is Franco going to be all right with everything that happened here?”
“I hope so,” Katt murmured. “He hasn’t really said anything about it yet. But he seems okay.”
Samson nodded. “Do you regret any of it?” he asked. “Now that you know how Franco feels about you? Do you wish you hadn’t done it?”
Katt had been asking himself the same thing.
“No,” he whispered. “I think maybe I… I needed to do it. I’m not sure I would have really accepted I was gay if I hadn’t experienced the…
reality of it.” He looked up at the man, feeling a kind of bond with him now.
“I’ll never be sorry for this experience with the twins…
and you. You helped me figure out who I was, all of you did, and I’ll always be grateful for that.
” He smiled, rubbing the back of his neck. “And you three were just… wow.”
Samson chuckled and hugged Katt, kissing his head. “I’m glad I didn’t break you.”
“You kind of did,” Katt laughed softly. “But I’m not complaining.”
“It’s nice here.” Franco and Katt walked along the path from the spacious backyard into the trees.
“We can stay for a while,” Katt said. “Gideon invited us.”
“Hm.” Franco glanced up at the boughs overhead, where afternoon sunlight cut through, streaking the path before them.
“Hm, what?” Katt smiled uncertainly. Maybe Franco didn’t want to stick around. Could Katt blame him? He’d seen Samson plowing Katt’s ass and knew about the twins, too.
“Nothing.” Franco looked at him and smiled. “Just, hm. Something to think about.”
Katt cleared his throat. “If you don’t want to, I understand.”
“Do you want to stay?”
“I…” Katt shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. You know, to process things before I go back out… there.” He added quickly, “But if you’re not comfortable, we can leave.”
Franco looked forward. “They seem like nice guys.”
Katt waited for him to mention what he saw in the studio. He didn’t. So Katt did. “About what you saw…”
“We don’t have to talk about it.”
“Maybe we should.”
Franco stopped. “You want to know if it bothers me, right?”
“Well… yeah.”
“Not gonna lie,” Franco said. “I wasn’t thrilled to see another man having a go at you. Especially one that size.” He shook his head, a small smile on his face. “Pretty sure I won’t measure up to that.”
Katt laughed low. “You don’t have to. Anyway, I don’t know if I could survive that every day.” He met Franco’s eyes. “I think if you have real feelings for someone, then that’s what really makes it good.”
A smile tugged the corner of Franco’s mouth. “I really like you, Katt.”
“I really like you, too.” Katt’s heart fluttered, making it hard to breathe.
“Can I kiss you?”
“You never have to ask.”
Franco rubbed his lips together. “That’s something to know.” He lightly gripped Katt’s waist and pulled him closer until their bodies touched. “But be forewarned, though…” He tilted his head and brushed a soft kiss on Katt’s mouth. “… I might abuse this freedom to kiss you whenever I want.”
Katt pushed into the kiss, sliding his arms around Franco as their bodies pressed tightly together. “You will…” he panted when their lips parted. “And I’m good with that.”
“That’s good,” Franco whispered against his mouth. “Because I couldn’t have stopped myself.” He smiled, kissed Katt again, then drew back, took Katt’s hand, and started walking again.
Their fingers threaded, and it felt surreal to Katt that after almost a month of him and Franco being “straight” friends, they were suddenly holding hands and kissing.
They walked in silence for a few minutes before Katt spoke in a quiet voice, “I can’t believe Todd planted that magazine back then, just to… test me. Then ghost me afterward. It really hurt. I thought we’d be best friends our entire lives.”
“I’m sorry he did that to you,” Franco murmured, squeezing his hand. “He didn’t deserve you as a best friend.”
“I could’ve forgiven him for that,” Katt admitted. “He was a kid, and he probably didn’t understand what was happening, and it scared him.” He sighed. “But what he did now…” Katt shook his head.
“The kid behavior? Yes, that was forgivable, but this? No. He’s a grown-ass adult. What he did was inexcusable.”
“Though he didn’t mean it for good,” Katt said, “I think it was a blessing in disguise, him sending me here.” He looked at Franco. “Who knows how long it would have taken me to figure out who I was if I hadn’t come here? Maybe years.”
“No.” Franco smiled. “I couldn’t have waited years. I would’ve coaxed the gay boy out of you one way or another.” He winked.
Katt chuckled. “I don’t doubt it.”
“Still,” Franco nodded. “I agree. It was good you came here.” He looked Katt up and down. “Though I don’t know how in God’s name you’re walking after…” He arched his brow and grinned.
Katt bumped against him, laughing. “I am sore as fuck.”
“I noticed you were walking funny.”
“Shut up.” Katt rolled his eyes, laughing again.
Clearing his throat, Franco chewed his lower lip. “I was kind of thinking that maybe tonight… You and I could…” He shrugged, squinting devilishly. “But if you’re too sore…”
Katt tugged him to a halt and kissed him hard, then cupped his face. “A couple of sweet boys told me that a little pain makes it better.” He sucked another kiss from Franco’s lips. “I’ll push through it.”