Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 87933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87933 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Blake shakes his head. “One day, those kinds of thoughts won’t fill your head when I have something to say because you’ll believe without even a single doubt that when I tell you I love you too, I mean it. I will always mean it. And I know you’ve probably got statistics and a million failed relationships running through your head at any given time, but I can be certain for the both of us. I love you, Jordan Brooks, and I’ll gladly be stuck with you.”
If possible, I fall for him a little more.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Blake
When we walk back into the living room, all eyes are on us.
I grin. “You all know my boyfriend, Jordan, right?”
Harley’s ex-fiancée, who’s now his manager’s fiancée—it’s not weird, not weird at all—coos. “Aww, that is so cute.”
“What’s in the water with this band?” Gideon asks.
Lyric opens his mouth. “Cu—” Then he glances at Ryder’s daughter. “—Uhhhhhhmmmm … nothing.”
Maggie, Kaylee’s mother, covers Kaylee’s ears. “Subtle. Really subtle. My poor daughter.”
Little Kaylee pulls the most adorable confused expression ever. “I don’t get it.”
Maggie pats Kaylee’s head. “How about we leave Daddy to do some business, and we’ll go get ice cream.”
Quickest sell ever. In a flurry of movement, they’re out the door.
Everyone is still staring at us, waiting for a play-by-play, but I ignore them and drag Jordan over to the recliner chair that’s free and push him down on it. Then I sit on his lap sideways and get back to work.
“Where were we?”
“Umm,” Harley says. “Tour dates. But I have an idea. And you’re all probably not going to like it.”
We all groan because this is Harley. He knows this industry, he knows what he’s doing, but he comes up with these ideas that throw everything we’ve planned into chaos, and we all know it’s happening again.
“Do we take bets on this idea or let him tell us?” I ask.
“Put us out of our misery,” Mason says.
“Gideon and I are anticipating a lot of interview requests after we drop this single and the video. Then with all of us out but none of us giving an actual statement … I thought we could do it all together.”
We glance around at each other because yep, we don’t like that idea. People are always going to say whatever they want, and I don’t think interviews and tell-all exclusives will ever change their opinions.
But then I think about where I was a few months ago, completely unaware that the love of my life was about to turn my world upside down, and I would love to tell that story to anyone who wants to listen. Anyone who might be questioning or doesn’t realize anything can happen if you’re open to it.
Had I not accepted the role in Faking It, I might never have explored my true identity because the opportunity might not have ever presented itself. And the thought of missing out on what Jordan and I have makes me wrap my arms around his shoulders tighter.
“I’m in.” I kiss the top of Jordan’s head. “If that’s okay with Jord.”
He smiles up at me. “I’m prepared for the backlash.”
“I’ll make sure to point out we were both single when we started dating. People probably won’t believe it, but I think we should at least tell our side even if it falls on deaf ears.”
“We’re in too,” Mason says and squeezes Denver’s hand.
All eyes fall to Ryder, who admittedly has a lot riding on this. He has the safety of his daughter to think about. Though, since he came out, Maggie and Kaylee have had security watching over them, and the media has been more insistent on getting photos of Lyric and Ryder than anyone else. This could add fuel to that fire, though.
Lyric squeezes Ryder’s shoulder. “Just because they’re doing it, that doesn’t mean you have to. You coming out at all was a gift I never asked for but love all the same. You don’t have to do more than that if you’re worried about Kaylee.”
Ryder reaches across his chest and lays his hand on top of Lyric’s on his shoulder. “It’s time. And doing it together is probably the best way to nip it in the bud. Instead of speculation, it will all be out then, and we’ll have some idea on how it will affect the tour and album.”
Gideon steps in. “I’ll put feelers out and find the right show for this kind of thing.”
“Think Oprah will come out of retirement like she did with Harry and Meghan?” I’m only half-joking.
Harley holds up his hands, mimicking weighing scales. “Royal family, queer boy band … Hmm, it’s a toss-up.”
“You know, Sean Rushton is rumored to be gay,” Gideon says. “And his late-night talk show is the highest rated recently. He might be interested.”
“He did my first-ever interview,” Lyric says. “He was really sweet and eased me into it. I think he’d be supportive and ask the right questions while being respectful.”