Page 108 of Better When Shared
"How is our relationship even news?"
"I have no idea. Maybe the royal family hasn't done anything interesting this week." She chuckled, turning up the volume as the perfectly coiffed female reporter on the left half of the screen started to speak. On the right, Tristan appeared to be sitting at his office desk in this hotel, looking bashful but determined. Or maybe that was just me reading too much into his expression.
"Mr. Bancroft," the reporter was saying, her voice carrying the false intimacy of someone who specialized in extracting personal information for public consumption. "Thank you for agreeing to address these rumors directly."
Tristan's jaw worked for a moment before he found his voice, that crisp accent carrying clearly through the hotel suite's premium speakers. "I don't consider my personal life to be anyone's business," he said, each word carefully chosen but carrying underlying steel. "However, given the wild speculation and rather creative interpretations circulating on social media, I decided that I'd rather provide accurate information than allow people to construct their own narratives."
"The photograph that's been circulating," the reporter said, "appears to show you with both a man and a woman in what many observers are describing as an intimate arrangement. Can you confirm the nature of these relationships?"
Heat flooded my face as I thought about the way social media gossip lit up like wildfire. Fooling around in the car had been a mistake. That was what he was about to say. It was all a terrible mistake.
Juniper reached over and grabbed my hand. "Stop overthinking this until you hear what he has to say."
Tristan leaned forward slightly, his green eyes steady despite what must have been enormous pressure. "I'm not at liberty to disclose their identities without their consent," he said, and something warm bloomed in my chest at his protective instincts. "What I will say is that I care for both of them very much. The dynamic we're exploring is... new for me, but incredibly meaningful."
"What?" I whispered, glancing at Juniper.
She beamed. "He's super into us. Just like I said."
On the screen, the reporter spoke, looking positively giddy. "So you're confirming that you're involved with both individuals simultaneously? What are they calling that these days? Polyamory?"
A slight flush crept up Tristan's neck, color betraying the emotion he was working to control. "Relationships can take many forms," he said carefully. "What matters is that all parties involved are consenting adults who treat each other with respect and genuine affection. What we decide to call it isn't the point.Only that we care for each other and wish to be treated with respect."
Juniper's hand found mine, fingers intertwining with a grip that was tight enough to anchor us both.
"And where do you see this relationship going?" the reporter pressed, leaning forward with the intensity of someone who'd found her story. "I hear throuples are all the rage with your generation."
The question hung in the air like a challenge, and I held my breath as Tristan considered his response. This was the moment that mattered. Not the confirmation of our connection, but his vision of its future. Not that I expected him to say everything publicly.
But when he smiled, really smiled with a genuine warmth that reached his eyes, my heart clenched with an emotion that felt too large for my chest.
"It's all new, but I truly hope they'll be open to exploring more," he said simply. "I've never experienced something like what we've shared, and I'd be honored if they'd consider a deeper, more lasting relationship with me."
The words hit like a physical blow, warmth flooding through my system as the full meaning sank in. He wasn't retreating, wasn't treating this as a momentary lapse in judgment.
"Shit, is this bad for his hotel?" Juniper whispered, eyes wide, as the reporter asked him another question, this time about his sexuality.
"Should you really be asking LGBTQ+ people to come out to their families and the world in this format? Not everyone feels safe to admit their sexuality on a public forum." Tristan asked, and the reporter blushed and backed down.
"So sorry. Of course you're right," she said.
"But, since you've brought it up, I don't want to cast my sexuality in a shameful light, or to make anyone think that I'm afraid to admit it. I am bisexual. And polyamorous."
"Ah," the reporter looked flustered now, like she didn't quite know what to say.
"And while we're making announcements, I wanted to let the world know that I've decided to take a leave of absence. My cousin, Gemma Bancroft, will be taking my place as the CEO of Bancroft Hotel Group, effective this week, while I explore these… personal matters and work on the renovation of our most beloved historic property."
"Are you worried about how this might impact your stock values?"
Tristan snorted. "Bancroft Hotel Group is a family-owned company. We are not publicly traded."
The reporter, who had clearly not done her research, looked flustered for a moment, then recovered.
"What about guests?"
"I'm sure we'll recover from the loss of a few homophobes. Perhaps we'll even host some Pride events next summer and embrace what makes us different from all of the other upscale hotels."
"Holy shit," Juniper breathed, echoing my own thoughts perfectly. "Is our perfect boy making impulsive bad choices?"
