Page 54 of Wilde About You

I nodded. The way he asked it proved how much he already knew me and my feelings.

"I'm sorry, sprite. You'll get another life-changing photo. I'm sure of it."

I sighed deeply and then let the tears smash through the frail barrier I'd been holding onto. The tears flowed and I fell into his arms.

Iopened the envelope and pulled out the picture just to make sure it was real. I'd almost talked myself into thinking that I never really had anything significant in my possession. The bank teller was waiting outside the safe deposit box vault, giving me privacy. I stared at the photo, and my heart broke. I was giving up something that would have made me a name and some good money, but all at the cost of my soul. These two men were in love, and that love was taboo in their big, masculine world. Now that I'd found that same level of passion with someone, I realized just how heartbreaking it would be to deny that love.

I pushed the photo back into the envelope, along with its negative. If I'd taken it with my digital camera, the whole debacle would have ended back when Gregor smashed that camera. I don't think a digital image would have captured the true devotion I'd caught with the 35mm. Something about using a camera with film always made me feel like I wasn't just shooting a photo. I was capturing a moment in time and all the raw emotion that went with it. If it hadn't been the cause of so much trouble, I would have considered it one of my best photos. I really could have made a name for myself with it. And on that dreary thought, I closed up the box and let the banker know I was done.

I walked out to the truck. Colin was parked in Nate's SUV a few blocks down. I looked around, then I smiled briefly in his direction. My family had always pretended to be protective and worried about me, but it always felt like an act. They were more worried that I'd somehow ruin the family's reputation by doing something scandalous. I guess now some of that had come true. But this would put an end to the problem … and the photo. I was actually relieved to be handing it off.

I drove to the coffee shop. Buck Finch was sitting in a booth in back, looking tense and paranoid as if we were about to do a drug transaction rather than me handing over a photo. He smiled politely and pointed to a cup of coffee sitting across from him at the table.

"I ordered you a latte, but I won't be insulted if you don't drink it." His appearance, the shaved head and mosaic of tattoos, was such a contradiction to his gentle demeanor. I sensed that a few people in the shop recognized him. They stared at him and talked quietly behind their coffee cups. He didn't exactly fit in with the rest of the coffee shop vibe.

I glanced around, then smiled at him. "I'll bet you grab attention wherever you go."

"Unfortunately." Buck sipped his coffee. He couldn't stop looking at the envelope in my hand, as if it was some kind of bomb or explosive. I suppose, in a way, to him, it was exactly that.

"I can give you some money," he said. "I know this is a big sacrifice for you."

I shook my head. "That would make me a blackmailer. You've been decent enough that I don't want anything. If you'd behaved like Gregor, then I'd have already sold it to a tabloid. He's a piece of shit."

"Yeah, I know but …"

"But you love him."

Buck sank back against the vinyl seat. "I'm an idiot when it comes to love."

"I think we all are." I handed him the envelope.

His hands trembled as he opened it and slid out the photo. His expression turned to one of pure heartbreak.

"He broke it off with you," I said. "I'm sorry if the picture caused it."

"No, it wasn't the photo, though that did put a big strain between us. I think it showed him that we couldn't possibly be together. I'm leaving fighting. My doctor told me many more concussions and injuries, and I'd be a blubbering fool by the time I reached fifty. Not worth it. I hate the whole fucking thing."

"Your dad?" I looked down, slightly embarrassed. "I was in the locker room. Sorry, I had no choice but to eavesdrop. He reminded me of my dad, and that is definitely not a compliment."

"Yeah, I haven't told him yet, but I'm just gonna drop it all on him at once, the gay thing, too. Then he can decide if he still wants me in his life. Either way, I'm good. I'm going to start living the life I want."

"Good. I'm happy for you, Buck. It's nice when you find your way in life. I think I'm on the same train. I've been sort of scattered with no anchor to hold me down, but recently, I think I found that person." It was the first time I'd admitted out loud that I wanted Colin in my life. I'd never felt that way about anyone. I'd had relationships, but all of them faded away with boredom or relationship fatigue, a syndrome I'd made up for my chaotic love life.

"Sounds like we're both finding our way," he said. Something had caught his eye and his breath behind me. His face flushed, and he was suddenly flustered.

"It's Gregor," I said plainly.

A massive shadow fell over the table. I looked at Buck. "Did you tell him?"

"He didn't need to. I've been following you," Gregor admitted without a tiny bit of shame. "Is that it? The negative too?"

Buck set it down on his lap. "Yes, it's all there. You need to leave her alone."

"How do we know she hasn't already sold copies or the story to some crappy news site?"

"Because she hasn't," a deep, taut voice said from behind.

Colin had promised to stay in the car. I raised a brow at him. He shrugged. "Sorry, I saw this loser walking into the shop."