It takes a while, but he starts to explain how it went. What was said. I let him talk, only asking questions when I need to.
It’s like a knife to my chest hearing how his father and agent echoed my concerns. I don’t want to agree with that dickbag.
“I can’t believe he’s talking to your agent.”
“I know. I think I need a new one.”
“Can you do that this late?”
He shrugs.
“And isn’t she one of the best ones?”
“I don’t give a fuck.” He growls. “I can’t trust her.”
“What if you get drafted to one of those teams?”
“We’ll deal with it. Will you want to stay in the closet?” He pulls back enough to look at me now. His eyes are red-rimmed.
I’ve been out for fucking ever. I can’t believe that’s even an option. I swore I’d never hide myself again. Could I do a secret relationship?
“Would you want to be out with a team like that?”
“I told you I’m not hiding.”
“But this isn’t what you signed up for. You can back out. You have your whole life ahead of you.”
He looks at me like I’ve grown a second head. “You think I’m just going to leave my best friend behind for any of that?”
“This is more than best friend stuff, and you know it, Atticus.”
“And you’re fucking using my fucking birth name, Wilder.”
I make a face. “It felt right in the moment to get my point across.”
“It’s gross. I don’t identify with it, and that dickbag picked it.”
“Your dad?”
He wrinkles his nose. “No, my mom.”
“You can change it.”
“I just want to be Wolfe.”
“You’re not Prince. You can’t have just one name.”
“No, I’m Wolfe.” He’s got a point. “And why not?”
I don’t really have an argument. “So then what?”
“We don’t hide.” This mother fucker says it like it’s the easiest thing in the world.
“And what if you get hurt again? I won’t be on the bench, and I’m not your next of kin. I won’t have a team. What am I going to do, just move to a random city? How will that even be?”
“We’ll change it. You’ll be on everything, and he won’t be. If the team doesn’t accept it, I’ll marry you so they’ll have to. And you can do whatever you want. Work, don’t work. You don’t need the money. Be a WAG if you want to.”
“I’d be a fucking good WAG.”
