Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 94300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 472(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94300 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 472(@200wpm)___ 377(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“So, this is how Ma is gonna play it?” Ollie asks, unamused. “All of you are sent in to butter me up for her big show? I’m guessing confetti cannons, a big scene in front of the extended family, and embarrassment for all. I’m not in the mood to go through that tonight.”
“Okay, I don’t want to know what you guys were so busy doing in the treehouse that you didn’t hear everyone leaving,” Leo says.
Ollie frowns. “Huh?”
“Well, when you stormed out, everyone was kinda quiet.”
“Ooh,” I cut in. “That’s bad in this household.”
The brothers all break into simultaneous smiles.
Nic nods in my direction. “He catches on quick.”
“Ma asked everyone to leave,” Max says. “Well, after they ate, anyway.”
“Ma’s outside by herself,” Vic adds. “She wants to talk to you alone. Dad’s dropping Grandma back home, and everyone else is gone. It’s just her.”
Ollie’s face morphs into something that looks a hell of a lot like awe—like he can’t believe his mom is finally taking it seriously.
He stands, but he doesn’t let go of my hand. “You’ll be okay for a bit?”
“Is he kidding? I get to hang out and perv on all his hot brothers.”
Ollie laughs. “That was out loud too, babe.”
“Oh. Well, shit. They’re all twice my size too. And two of them are MMA fighters … I might go find somewhere to hide.” When they all continue to stare at me, I realize I’m still talking. “My thoughts are still coming out aloud, aren’t they?”
Ollie leans over and kisses the top of my head. “Yeah, but I promise they won’t touch you.”
“Pot is bad,” I say.
The brothers laugh, and when Ollie makes his way out back and I meet their stares, they’re still smiling at the nerdy guy who yelled at them earlier and then called them hot.
“Sorry,” I say. “For, uh …”
“Calling us on our shit?” Vic asks.
“Someone had to do it,” Leo says. “How are we supposed to know we’re fucking up if no one tells us?”
“Ollie’s lucky to have you, Clark,” Max says.
I narrow my eyes. “Lennon.”
The twins shake their heads and Nic says, “Oh, if you think for one second we’re going to forget you guys totally lied to us for months, you’re higher than we thought.”
Wait, what? “So, you’re saying …”
Max pats me on my shoulder. “Welcome to the family. Clark.”
Chapter Twenty-One
OLLIE
Ma is a lot of things:
A strong woman who raised five boys.
A loving wife.
Protective.
Over the top.
Meddling.
Happy.
The woman sitting in front of me isn’t any of those things. “I’m so, so, sorry, Oliver.” Her voice isn’t her own, either. “You hear about what happens to those who aren’t brought up in a supportive environment, so we wanted to … I don’t know, we always wanted you to know how much you were loved and how much we support you.”
“I know, Ma, but sometimes it feels like you can’t see past the label. That I can’t be anything but gay and hockey holds me back, when the truth is it’s my only escape because it doesn’t matter who or what I am on that ice, and I’m not ready for that to change.”
“I know that now. If it weren’t for Clark, I might not have, and now I can’t believe you let this go on for so long—let us treat you like that.”
“Why do you think I moved to New York?” I joke.
Tears spring from my mother’s eyes.
“Aww, Ma. I was traded. You can’t ask for that shit to happen.”
“I thought I was acing this whole parenting thing.”
I hate that I’m feeling guilty right now when her words are all I’ve wanted to hear for so long.
“This is why I didn’t tell you or, at least, dropped it whenever things got too heated. You’re not doing a shitty job. I think you were so worried about being unsupportive or doing something homophobic that you went too far the other way and didn’t realize that by pressuring me to come out, I became just as isolated. I don’t know when I’ll come out publicly, and I’m okay with that. You need to be okay with me doing it on my own time.”
“It just hurts a parent to see their child struggle, and I know your breakup with Ash was hard on both of you.”
“I had to make a choice, and my focus right now is, and always has been, on hockey.”
“What about Clark?”
“Why do you keep calling him Clark?”
She smiles. “We agreed as a family that he will always be Clark. Even if you get married and—” Her face drops. “Sorry. It’s saying that stuff that you don’t like, right?”
“With Ash, yeah, you kinda pushed it on us like it’d be a Band-Aid for our problems. If I do get married—which I’m not even entirely sure that’s what I’ll ever want—I’d want to be out and do it right. I don’t want a secret marriage. Hell, after Ash, I don’t even know if I want a secret relationship.”