“Maybe we should all have dinner sometime,” Julian suggests.
“We’re not there yet,” Leo replies. “But maybe someday,” he adds. I can hear the relief in Julian’s silence. “You’re always welcome, though,” Leo continues.
“What’s new with you two?” Julian asks next. “Besides the situation with Zane’s girlfriend. I saw you’ve got your team on her, Leo. Smart move,” he adds, his tone shifting back to the sharp, confident Julian we used to know, the one who always had a handle on social media.
“I missed you, man,” I say quietly.
“Tell me about it,” Julian replies. “It’s fun dating a businessman, but sometimes the business talk gets so boring,” he complains, making me laugh.
“Maybe you should talk to Tess. She seems to be an expert at avoiding boring business talk,” I joke.
“I saw you and Tess at the party, Leo. You two make a great couple. I’m glad it worked out,” Julian says, and I can practically see Leo’s guard soften.
“Thanks, man. Look, we’ve got to go for now, but don’t be a stranger, ok? Come by the apartment, the bakery, the office, anywhere,” Leo suggests.
“I will. See you guys soon,” Julian says before hanging up.
“I’m not that surprised Julian is gay. I feel like he might’ve even told me one night when we were drunk, but I definitely didn’t expect him to be dating Rex,” Leo sighs, leaning back in his chair. “He never even seemed to like Rex. He was always annoyed whenever Rex came around while we were hanging out.”
“Do you think you’ll ever be able to have a friendly dinner with Rex after everything?” I ask. “Now that he’s Julian’s boyfriend and all.”
“I’d like to think so. My girlfriend is teaching me the importance of forgiveness. I might not have a choice,” Leo says, and I laugh. “Let’s get out of here.”
Chapter 19
Gwen
“This is going to be fun,” I whisper to myself as I look in the mirror.
I’m wearing more makeup than usual, but I actually like how it looks. I followed a video Tess sent me because, according to her, the girl had the same skin tone and hair color as me.
Leo should be here any minute to pick me up, so I head downstairs. A strange feeling settles in my stomach, nervousness I can’t quite place. I’m anxious for Zane, hoping he wins the game and performs well. I’m also nervous about watching him play; from what I’ve seen, ice hockey looks intense, and I don’t want him getting hurt. On top of that, I feel uneasy about being out in public, especially with everything surrounding the article.
I drop my keys into my purse after locking the door and step outside.
The moment I do, it feels like the universe is sending me some kind of quiet sign. A girl wearing a Grizzlies jersey walks past me. She smiles politely, not like she recognizes me, just a simple, kind gesture. It feels oddly comforting.
I’m about to reach for my phone to check for messages when Leo pulls up.
“Go Grizzlies!” Leo shouts as he rolls down the window, making me laugh.
“He’s been like this all morning,” Tess sighs from the passenger seat.
“Did you expect anything else?” I laugh as I climb into the backseat.
Cardigan by Taylor Swift is playing on the radio, and somehow it always has a calming effect on me. Maybe it’s another small sign that today will be ok.
“There’s a bit of traffic, but we should be there soon,” Leo says from the front.
“How are you doing?” Tess asks, turning in her seat to face me. She’s dressed in orange and blue, just like I am.
“I’m a little nervous, but also excited,” I admit honestly. “I never thought I’d actually care about an ice hockey game.”
“Me neither,” Tess laughs. “I’m just glad the other team has a clearly different color so I can root for the right players,” she adds with a chuckle.
“I’m signing you two up for a beginner ice hockey course,” Leo sighs, sounding mildly disappointed.
“As much as I like Gwen’s boyfriend, I’ll pass,” Tess replies with a smile. She rests her hand on Leo’s knee, and something about the gesture softens me. Seeing them together like this fills me with a kind of quiet happiness that still feels new.
