Page 6 of Perfect Storm
“Uh, yeah.Have, I guess.”
Over the years, plenty of players and friends and even vague acquaintances had come out to Levi. He’d always been pretty open about his sexuality, and thus accessible when someone wanted advice, or an opinion, or even just simply to be heard.
But he just sat there, jaw dropped, as Aidan Flynn came out to him.
“Holy shit,” Levi said.
Aidan rolled his eyes. “Somehow I suppose that’s on-brand. You didn’t give me abroor adude, so I guess I should count that as a win.”
“Come on, I’m a little shocked here,” Levi complained. He took a moment, tried to recenter himself. Reorient himself in a world where,holy shit, Aidan Flynn was not straight. “I appreciate you being honest with me, bro.”
“There you are,” Aidan said with a ghost of a grin.
“So you’re with Mo Jeffries. That’s cool.” Levi tried not to be jealous and tried not to picture them together. It was hard, ’cause they’d be hot. Aidan with his broad shoulders and insane abs. Mo with his tall slender body and ripped chest. Soulful brown eyes meeting Aidan’s deep blue. They’d be gorgeous together.
“Uh, no. Not exactly.”
“Not exactly?”
Aidan made a frustrated noise. “Not at all. I . . .I didn’t tell him right away. I thought it might go away. That everything might go back to . . .normal.”
“What’s normal?” Levi asked, because at twelve he’d felt this way, too. Wanting to be normal, hoping for it so fiercely, withsuch pointed intent, but it had never happened. Eventually he’d been forced to acknowledge that he wasn’t going to miraculously become straight. It had taken another ten years for him to realize that even if he was gay, that didn’t mean hewasn’tnormal.
Normal was a construct. Anyone could be normal if they decided they wanted to be.
“Yeah, exactly,” Aidan said. “What the fuck is normal? I guess it means, would they ever go back to the way things were before? And they didn’t. Last week we met up in Vegas, for that charity golf tournament thing? And I . . .” He paused, licking his lips, and Levi saw what was coming, like a car crash, and he couldn’t look away, even if he wanted to. And hewantedto. “And I told him how I felt.”
Aidan didn’t have to say it didn’t go well. If it had, he wouldn’t be trying so fucking hard to mask his heartbreak. Because that was what it was. Aidan Flynn, golden boy of the NFL, didn’t get everything he wanted, after all.
“I’m sorry, dude,” Levi said, heartfelt. Heart crumbling a little, just at the bleak pain in Aidan’s eyes.
Aidan shrugged awkwardly. Like it wasn’t a big deal, even though it very clearly was. “I . . .I shouldn’t have done it. I knew what he’d say. I knew before I even told him. I just thought—ugh, this is so dumb. So fucking dumb.”
“No, it’s not.” Levi moved his chair closer and didn’t even think, just reached out and cupped Aidan’s knee, squeezing it. It was strong and warm under his fingers, the faint brush of Aidan’s wiry hair.
“I thought, even if there was even a tiny chance, it was worth it.” Aidan sighed. “But it wasn’t.”
“Yeah, it was. Now you know everything. Now you can move forward,” Levi argued.
Aidan made a scoffing noise. “How the fuck am I supposed to do that?”
“It’s not gonna be easy, but the world’s your oyster now, bro.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Aidan frowned.
“I mean, you’re free to do anything. If you want it, you can do it.”
Aidan didn’t look particularly happy about that. “I guess so.”
“Okay, how about this. You could hook up withanyone.You’re hot and rich and famous.”
Aidan still looked skeptical, which was ridiculous.
“Please tell me you’re not disputing any of those,” Levi said bluntly.
“No, just none of that fucking matters because it didn’t get me . . .” Aidan cleared his throat. “What if all I want is him?” Aidan squeezed his eyes shut, like he regretted saying it. Regretted baring his soul that completely.
“Maybe now,” Levi said, reaching over and squeezing Aidan’s knee again. “But that won’t always be true. You’re gonna see someone else someday. Maybe a girl. But maybe it’s a guy, and now that you know what this feels like, it’s gonna be different. You’re going to know what you want, and you’re gonna go after him. And because you’re Aidan Flynn, you’re gonna get him.”
