Ollie’s laugh was edged with hysteria. “A week before the event? Most authors are booked months in advance. Add in that we’re coming into the holidays, and it’d take a miracle to fill her slot.” He picked up his phone, scrolling frantically. “I’ve contacted everyone who might know someone. Nobody’s available—at least nobody with enough name recognition to keep people from demanding refunds.”
Watching Ollie pace behind the counter, stress radiating from him in waves, Finn felt something shift inside his chest. This mattered to Ollie, not just financially, but personally. A chance to give romance novels the respect they deserve, to bring the community together around stories of love and hope.
Tell him,Brooklyn’s voice echoed in his mind.Before someone else does.
“What if I could help?” The words escaped before Finn could overthink them.
Ollie paused, looking up with desperate hope. “You know an author who might be available?”
Finn cleared his throat. “What if I could get you another author? Someone readers would recognize and you’d kill to have at one of your events?”
“Unless you’ve got Nora Roberts on speed dial, I’m not sure it’ll help,” Ollie said, his skepticism tinged with the grasping desperation of someone drowning.
Finn’s mouth went dry. “Not her, but… What about Rhett Wilder?”
Ollie laughed—sharp, stressed. “Right. Because the most reclusive author in romance is just going to show up at my little bookstore.” He shook his head, turning back to his phone. “I appreciate the attempt at humor, Finn, but I’m kind of in crisis mode here.”
“I’m not joking,” Finn said quietly.
Something in his tone made Ollie stop, really look at him. Finn held his gaze, letting the truth show in his eyes.
“What do you mean?” Ollie’s voice was barely above a whisper.
“I mean, I could get Rhett Wilder to come.” Finn took a breath that felt like stepping off a cliff. “Because I’m Rhett Wilder.”
The silence was absolute. Ollie stared, unblinking, his face cycling through disbelief and dawning comprehension.
“Again, not funny.” His brows were pinched as he scowled, anxiety and anger swirling in his expression.
“It’s not meant to be.” Finn’s voice stayed steady despite the chaos in his chest. “I’ve been writing as Rhett Wilder for years. The books you recommend, the ones you talk about…they’re mine.”
Ollie sank onto the stool behind the counter as if his legs had given out. “You’re Rhett Wilder.” Not a question—a realization. “The author I’ve been raving about. The books I’ve hand-sold to hundreds of customers.” His eyes narrowed. “The books I recommended to you.”
Finn winced. “Yes.”
“And you didn’t think to mention this?” Ollie’s voice rose. “In all our conversations about books, about writing—you never thought to say, ‘Oh, by the way, I’m that author you keep talking about’?”
The hurt in his voice cut through Finn like a blade. “I wanted to tell you. I’ve been trying to find the right moment.”
“The right moment,” Ollie echoed, his laugh hollow. “Like when I was literally gushing about your books? Or explaining to customers why Rhett Wilder’s work resonates so deeply?” He shook his head. “Those weren’t the right moments?”
“I know how it sounds?—”
“Do you?” Ollie interrupted, his eyes bright with hurt. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you were deliberately keeping it from me.”
“It wasn’t about you,” Finn said desperately. “It was about keeping that part of my life separate. Protected.”
“Protected from who? From me?”
“From everyone.” Finn ran a hand through his hair. “Once the stories started taking off online and I published the first book, I realized this was a way for me to supplement my incomeanddo something I really love. But it’s not exactly a genre straight-presenting guys write in, and I wasn’t ready to come out. Notas Finn the bisexual single dad, much less as Rhett the erotic romance author. Can’t you see what that would’ve done to Brooklyn? Kids are assholes, and I couldn’t let this hurt her.”
Ollie’s expression softened fractionally. “Of course I get that. But there’s a difference between privacy and secrecy, Finn.”
The truth hit like a physical blow. He’d told himself he was being private, but with Ollie—with someone he was falling for—it had become deception. There had been so many opportunities, and Finn had ignored all of them.
“You’re right,” he said quietly. “I should have told you sooner.”
Ollie was silent, his gaze dropping to the event flyers spread across the counter. When he looked up, his expression was carefully neutral.
