Page 96 of Tough Guy and the Show Off

“Well, yeah, but only because she has no idea…”

“Do you think she’ll be upset?” My chest clenches with nerves. Beau came out to his team, but I haven’t told anyone yet. Not because I’m ashamed or anything, just because there isn’t anyone I thought would care or deserved to know. My family is okay but we don’t talk about deep stuff like that. I think his family will be cool about it, but what if they’re not? What if I’m uninvited from Christmas? What if they say something to Beau that hurts him?

He shakes his head and shrugs one shoulder weakly at the same time, clearly as unsure as I am.

“Do you want to tell her?” I ask.

Beau hesitates again, then nods. I let out a breath, then tangle my fingers with his again.

“Okay, let’s do it, then. Assuming you want me here for it? I can give you some privacy if it’s easier?”

“No,” he says gruffly, tightening his grip on my hand. “Stay.”

He finally hits the button to answer the phone and my heart hammers so hard that it feels like it might actually burst through my chest. I wasn’t this nervous even when Beau took a hit in game three against LA and didn’t get up off the ice for a full thirty seconds.

“Hey, Mom. Yeah, in Boston packing up the last of our stuff and getting ready to finalize things with the realtor.” Beau pauses and laughs at whatever she says. “It was Trav’s idea; you’d have to ask him.”

He’s quiet again, listening to her response. I can hear the bright, chipper sound of her voice coming from the other end of the phone, but I can’t quite make out what she’s saying. Beau nods, even though she obviously can’t see him, and he holds my gaze with nerves shining in his eyes that reflect the tight, fluttery feeling in my chest.

She pauses, and he clears his throat.

“Listen, is Dad around?”

He switches to speaker phone, so this time I hear it loud and clear when his mom calls, “Mark, I’ve got Beau on the phone. He wants to talk to you. Just one second, honey. He was out mowing the lawn and he needs to wash his hands first.”

“No problem, there’s just something I wanted to tell you.” He clears his throat again. “Some news.”

“Oh? Good news, I hope?”

Beau’s lips twitch with a smile and his eyes soften, still lingering on mine. “Great news.”

“Is this about whoever you’ve been seeing?” she asks excitedly.

“Yeah,” he rasps.

“I’m here,” his dad announces, sounding farther away from the phone than his mom. “How are things?”

“Great. I was just telling mom that there’s some news I wanted to tell you both.”

“He’s been seeing someone special,” his mom explains, still sounding giddy.

“Is that right? Where’d you meet her?” his dad asks.

I squeeze Beau’s fingers and give him an encouraging smile.

“Him,” Beau corrects.

“Sorry?” his dad says, sounding like he’s closer to the phone now.

“It’s… um… Travis.”

“What’s Travis, sweetie?” his mom asks.

Beau’s shoulders sag a little and his eyebrows scrunch together in exasperation.

“We’re dating.” I answer for him to save him having to repeat himself.

There’s silence on the other end for a few seconds and we both hold our breath.