kiddo. I may be tough when I’m being your coach, but I’d never try to make you feel bad about who you are.”
“So, you’re really okay with it?” Hope lined my tone. “You think it’s okay?”
“It’s not about whether or not I’m okay with it, which I am, 100%,” he continued. “It’s about whether or not you’re okay with it, and if you’re okay with what’s going to happen whenever you’re ready to tell the world.”
“What do you think is going to happen?”
“Honestly, I think you’re going to find a lot of doors that were open start to suddenly slam shut in your face,” he answered. “And I think people are going to give you hell for it, miserable people who could never have the balls to be true to themselves like you just were. And I think it’s going to be hard as hell for a while, but then, it’s going to get a lot better, especially if you’re going through it with the person you love.”
Lou leaned back in his chair before he finished with his thoughts. “It’s like I told you, son. This football shit… it’s nice but it’s not going to last forever. And when all is said and done, you’re going to want someone waiting for you at home. Someone who really gives a shit about you. And if you think whoever this guy is, is really going to give a shit about you… then you should go and get him, kiddo, before it’s too late.”
“Thanks, Coach,” I said while trying my best to fight back tears of joy that threatened to fall down my cheeks.
“Anytime, son.” Lou grinned at me in response, his attention soon going back to the papers on his desk. “Now, get out of here and go live your life, will ya? I’ve got some shit to do.”
18
Patrick
“Five thousand dollars for a night with Tristan!”
“I’ll pay six thousand!”
“Ten thousand is my final offer!”
I stood next to Gretel near the end of the youth center stage as we watched the fundraising auction taking place with the players right in front of our eyes. The auditorium was packed with guests, including a crowd that seemed evenly mixed between women and men, each one of them seemingly more drenched in glamour and prestige than the last.
My arms had been crossed over my chest for what felt like hours as I shook my head, mystified by the bid that Tristan was commanding for the night.
“I can’t believe people are really willing to pay that much just to hang out with a football player,” I murmured in disbelief. “I mean, I know they’re famous, but—”
“But what else is there to say?” Gretel laughed. “They’re not just famous, you know. They’re also recent play-off winners.”
“They won the play-offs?”
“Did you not hear about it in the news?”
“I don’t really follow sports.” I shrugged. “Especially not anything to do with football.”
“Well, that’s strange.” Gretel hummed. “I thought you and Hunter Perry had gotten pretty close.”
“We weren’t close,” I lied. “We were barely even friends. He was just another one of my students.”
“Patrick…” Gretel’s face softened, her gaze locked on my own.
“What?”
“Nothing.” She sighed as she brought a hand to her side. “Although, you should really get ready to walk the catwalk. It’s almost your turn.”
I nodded in understanding as I walked away from Gretel, not stopping until I was in place in line behind yet another football player. I tried my best to pretend like my heart wasn’t racing inside my chest, like I wasn’t terrified at the prospect of somehow bumping into Hunter.
I didn’t want to see him tonight.
Because I didn’t know how I was going to react. We hadn’t spoken to each other in weeks, and a part of me was desperate to keep it that way, to continue our avoidance of each other until one of us moved away for good.
I took a moment to scan the auditorium, looking for any sign of him in the crowd, looking for any sign of Dakota Webster, the woman I assumed would’ve been hanging off his arm for the night.
And when I didn’t see any trace of either of them, I let out a satisfied sigh.
Good.
I wasn’t ready to see Hunter again, and especially not like this. I’d barely gotten to a place where it didn’t feel like my emotions were scattered all over the place, flying off in different directions whenever I imagined our paths crossing again.
But thankfully, it seemed like I wouldn’t have to worry about that