“Well, we’re not kissing in the picture. We’re hugging. It’s not like friends don’t do that.”
“Guys don’t hang out together and hug,” Luke spat, picking up the paper once more. He skimmed the article, which claimed that he and Jesse had been carrying on a secret affair for months. Which was true, of course. It also called into question Luke’s relationship with Nikolai, causing Luke to scrunch up the paper and whip it across the room.
All these years he’d been so careful, and it was all falling apart in a heartbeat. One moment of carelessness, and it was over.
“Jeff said he already knew. He was pretty cool about it, you know. Maybe it won’t be as bad—”
“Yes, it will, Jesse. God, don’t be so naïve.”
Jesse didn’t respond, just sat down on the bed, hands twisting in his lap. Luke continued pacing around the room like a caged animal, desperately trying to think of a solution, a way out. But there was nothing.
After a while, Luke turned on the TV with a sense of dread. Sure enough, they were all over the early morning news, the one picture showing up on every network, making tongues wag. Soon the phone in Luke’s room began ringing off the hook. He ignored it.
Finally Jesse said, “So are we just going to hide in here all day?”
“You know the second we open that door, there’s going to be dozens of reporters in our face. You should have just called me. Why did you come to my room?” Luke snapped.
“Because I wanted to tell you in person. Because I wanted to see you. My mistake.” His voice trembled.
Luke sighed. He was being a real bastard. “I’m sorry.” He reached out for Jesse, pulled him into his arms. “I know it’s not your fault. I’m just angry at everyone.” He kissed his forehead.
“So what do we do now? What should I say to everyone?”
“Say it isn’t true. Say we’re friends, and you were upset about something.”
Jesse raised his head from Luke’s neck. “But what?”
“Losing your match.”
“It’s not like I haven’t lost in the first round before. I was playing Riel; it would have been a miracle if I’d won.”
“Well, losing still sucks. We’ll just say that after getting to the quarters in Paris, you had high expectations, blah, blah, blah.”
“I guess.” Jesse shrugged. “But I’m not sure if anyone will buy it.”
“They’ll buy it if we sell it. Stick to the story and deny everything.”
Jesse nodded, and then bolted to his feet. “Oh my god. My parents. They probably already know.”
Checking the clock, Luke said, “They’ve probably just gone to bed. Hopefully no one will call them until it’s morning in California. You can call them first.”
“And tell them what?”
“That you were upset about the Riel match. That there’s nothing going on. Stick to the story, Jesse.”
“But…I don’t want to lie to them.”
“For now it’s the only way. We have no idea how they’ll react, what they might say to the media if they know the truth.”
“I’m sure they wouldn’t say anything I didn’t want them to.”
“These are our careers we’re talking about. We can’t take the chance. What if your father freaks out and disowns you?”
“I’m sure he would never …” He trailed off, eyes wide. “You really think he would do that?”
“I don’t know. That’s the point.” Luke stood and placed his hands on Jesse’s shoulders. “We have to keep the story straight.” He cracked a grim smile. “So to speak.”
Jesse tried to smile back but failed. “Okay.”
Luke leaned in and kissed him softly. He rested their foreheads together and Jesse’s arms snaked around his waist. “It’ll be okay,” Luke whispered. “They can’t prove anything.”
A sharp knock at the door had them jumping apart skittishly. Luke quickly donned a shirt and pulled a pair of jeans on over his underwear as there was another knock.
“It’s Jeff. Open the door.”
Jesse did, closing the door quickly once Jeff was inside. Jeff looked back and forth between them before speaking. “I’ve got hotel security keeping everyone off the floor, except for hotel guests staying on this hallway. Hopefully this way, they won’t see you coming out of the same room.”
Luke nodded. “Thanks, Jeff.”
“No problem. Now what have you decided to do?”
Luke filled him in, Jesse nodding in agreement every so often. Jeff listened quietly. Finally he said, “If that’s the way you want to play it. But you know that you’ll have to watch every step you make from here on out.”
“It’s the way it’ll have to be for now,” Luke agreed.
“No more doubles. It’ll be too nerve-wracking for both of you to be together for long periods of time in public,” Jeff said.
“But…we almost won last week. We’re getting really good.” It was the first thing Jesse had said since Jeff had arrived.
Luke shook his head. “There’s no way we can play together now. It would be like playing in a fishbowl; the British press would have a field day.”