Apparently he and the actor from that CW show got engaged.”
“And I care because…?”
Luke shrugged. “I don’t know. In case you thought you were the only aquatics athlete who could snag gossipy headlines.”
“Apparently not.”
“Jealous?”
“Not even a little.” He pointed at the anti-doping guy. “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”
TIM SLID into the shimmery silk robe. It felt strange on his skin, not like the old terry cloth robe he wore at home. “Are you sure about this?”
“Of course, babe,” said Pat, who wore a pair of pajama pants made from the same fabric.
Tim didn’t know how to articulate how deeply uncomfortable this whole production made him. He’d never been a big fan of having his picture taken, let alone in these ridiculous clothes. And he didn’t like that everyone on set was staring at him, and the whole boudoir theme made it feel like they were inviting the entire world into their bedroom. On top of that, he was missing practice—crucial with the Olympic Trials just a few months away—in order to do this dumb photo shoot.
“It’s romantic!” Pat insisted.
Tim sighed. He didn’t think there was anything romantic about a froufrou photo shoot for an LGBT magazine. He tugged on the cuffs of the robe. “I feel so naked.”
“Really, Timmy? There are literally hundreds of photos of you on the internet wearing nothing but a tiny Speedo. You’re more covered up now than you are when you compete.”
Tim wanted to make an argument about context, but he knew it would be futile. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”
They were on a set dressed to look like a bedroom, and everything was gray. The photographer had insisted all the gray made the bright green color of their silky pajamas pop.
“This is good visibility for us,” Pat insisted, positioning himself on the bed. He motioned for Tim to sit next to him.
Tim crossed his arms over his chest. “Who cares? Whether or not people know my name won’t affect my chances of winning a gold medal. It won’t help me do three and a half somersaults off the platform.”
Pat rolled his eyes. “Don’t be a pill. Come here.”
It all felt like a mistake. Just a week ago Pat had come to him with a ring box containing two platinum bands, and Tim had felt so overwhelmed by the gesture that he’d said yes. Every time he looked at the ring on his hand now, though, all he felt was uncertainty. Tim was only twenty-four. Pat was his first boyfriend. He loved Pat, but it felt like this was happening too fast. He needed more time to live his life, to work on his diving, and he wanted to do that outside of the spotlight. Marriage felt like a period at the end of a sentence Tim wasn’t ready to finish—a sentence in giant type on a billboard on a major highway that everyone saw on their way to work. And now Pat wanted to do this splashy photo shoot, showing off their love to the world, but Tim only wanted to vomit.
Still, he slid onto the bed next to Pat and let Pat hug him from behind. He closed his eyes, savoring Pat’s touch, his big hands, his warm skin.
Then he saw the flash from behind his eyelids.
“That’s beautiful,” said the photographer.
Tim barely managed to stop himself from running away.
June, two months before the Olympics
Transcript from TBC broadcast of USA Swimming Olympic Trials
DAVIS: I’ll tell you, Jim, I never expected to see Isaac Flood again, at least not in a pool.
O’TOOLE: I agree, and yet here we are. For the last eighteen months, Flood has been working with coach Adam Vreeland at the Southeast Aquatic Center in North Carolina. He’s coming out of retirement, but I gotta say, he looks better than ever. His strokes are cleaner, he’s in great shape. I think he’s got a solid shot at making this team.
DAVIS: All right. Well, here we are at the start of the 400-meter freestyle final. There’s Flood in Lane Three.
O’TOOLE: And they’re off. Flood is off to a little bit of a slow start. There’s Reggie Stevens in Lane Eight. He’s always fast out of the gate. And then in Lane Four, right next to Flood, is Luke Rogers. Luke is the favorite to win this event at the Olympics. He’s the reigning world champion and has been swimming at world-record pace all season. There, Rogers is pulling ahead. Here they are at the turn. And… Rogers is ahead with