I sat back and spun my glass. What would Asher like? Honestly, a lot of things came to mind, but what would prove, more than anything, how much I wanted him back?
I snapped my fingers, sitting forward, more alive than I’d been in weeks. “The Sweetheart Rose Ball.”
William narrowed his eyes but nodded. “Very public. Very romantic. Very much sponsored by your mother’s philanthropy efforts.”
“Exactly. It’s perfect.”
“What’s your plan?”
“I’ll have to work out the details, but first, I’ve got a few more conversations like this to get through.”
“Mary and Paul?”
I nodded.
“Good. They’ll support you, just maybe keep your sexcapades out of the conversation.”
“You brought it up.”
William smirked and lifted one shoulder. “Eh, whatever. Don’t shame me for living vicariously through you.”
Something no one said ever.
Before we left lunch, I texted both my siblings to meet for dinner this week. The Sweetheart Rose was yet another event for our social circle and held the second Saturday in February every year. A ball where huge donations were negotiated to help children’s hospitals across the southeast.
With just under two weeks to plan, Mary, if she didn’t reject me after my news, would help in preparing a night I hoped Asher would never forget. If it all went well, it would also prove I meant business about being true to myself. And about being all in, completely in love with him,inpublic.
“Are you dying?” Paul asked when I had them seated in a cozy corner at the same—what had Asher called it, bougie?—burger place the night we met.
“No, but you’ll probably end up splitting my inheritance as if I had.”
Mary gripped Paul’s shoulder. “Tell us what this is about.”
Since coming out to William, this was much easier for some reason. Voice even with no hint of how my lungs quivered, I laid my napkin across my lap and said, “I’m gay. I’m in love with a man. Our parents will most definitely disown me, but I hope you two remain my siblings.”
They blinked a few times, but it was Mary who broke the silence with a squeal as she shook Paul’s shoulder.
“This is awesome. I’m so happy for you. Oh my God. I can’t believe this.” She stopped suddenly, her expression falling. “Oh no. I think I’m happier for you than for my own love life. Should I break up with Truman?”
Paul and I jolted at the same time, mostly just startled by her outburst.
“I dunno,” I said. “Should you?”
“I think I should.”
“You both realize you’re making me look like the good child,” Paul said. He was only joking. All three of us had been good children, too brainwashed and manipulated to be otherwise.
“I’m not trying to make either of you do anything crazy,” I said. “I’ve just come to a point where I want to let you both know more about me, and this is a huge part of who I am, but it doesn’t define who I am.”
Mary sighed and batted her long lashes. “It’s so romantic. You’re coming out for him, aren’t you.”
“No.” I cleared my throat and hated how I couldn’t break that habit. “Actually, he broke up with me.”
“And you’re doing this to win him back?” Paul narrowed his eyes.
“No. Well, not exactly. Before he broke it off, I was so close to telling Mother and Father. I didn’t. I chickened out. I walked away from them angry and telling myself not to use my sexuality as a weapon to get back at them.”
“Smart,” Mary said as Paul nodded.
