Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99399 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99399 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 497(@200wpm)___ 398(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
I could hear the excited whispers and see the local media scrambling to get good coverage, to broadcast this breaking news around the world.
But as I stood there listening to Wolfe sing about not being able to keep me, all I could think was that he was singing about the beginning of our story. A story that had begun a long time ago.
A story the two of us would get to keep writing, forever.
When he got to the end, he changed the lyrics noticeably.
Yeah, he shines brighter than the sun,
And I can’t look too long.
So I ask for every reckless thing I want.
All the glances, all the dreams,
No more reaching since he’s next to me—
He still burns bright in my heart…
And he’ll always be mine.
My eyes stung and heart thudded as the final note faded across the crowd, and they began to roar. Meanwhile, Jude and Derek were full-on crying, clapping like the proudest parents at the kindergarten graduation.
I wanted to move forward through the crowd, to reach up and pull Wolfe into my arms, to tell him how fucking proud I was of him.
But I knew Wolfe had been holding back for a long time, and he had more to say.
He squared his shoulders and took a breath before speaking into the mic again. “This next one is for my fathers, who have shown me what love looks like when it’s imperfect and real. Papa, thank you for showing me that you can have a life full of love and adventure, family and wonder, while also being the Jude Marian and sharing your love of music with the world. Dad, thank you for reminding me that fierce protection is an act of love.”
He turned to me and winked, then smiled so wide, my chest ached with it.
The short song he sang next was faster-paced and fun. My head was too buzzy from the whole experience to catch all the lyrics, but the chorus repeated a line that imprinted itself on my memory.
You showed me—love is the brave part.
I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt like this, like the world was a wide-open promise, and I could finally let myself have everything I’d ever wanted. It was too much, too good to be true. But I was going to squeeze it close and hang on to it forever.
When he finally finished strumming the guitar with a flourish and shouted a thank you and good night to the crowd, I let myself push to the side of the stage.
The crowd screamed for more, and phone cameras followed his every move.
It was clear that this was only the beginning. The Fletcher Coe revelation would have far-reaching consequences. Wolfe’s decision to claim the persona would forever shove him deeper into the spotlight and make him a curiosity in the entertainment industry.
But maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if I could convince him to move here to Legacy, where he would always be Wolfe Marian first and Fletcher Coe second.
I lost sight of him as I got closer. He’d moved off into the wing behind a tall banner advertising some kind of seltzer drink. My neck stretched from side to side as I searched. Finally, a woman in all black with a headset came bustling over. “You! Come with me.”
I followed her without question and let her pull me behind the banner, through a small makeshift curtain, to a cordoned-off area behind the stage.
And then Wolfe was on me, sweat-damp shirt pressed against my chest, arms clinging desperately. I wrapped my arms around him and realized he was trembling.
“You were amazing,” I said into the damp hair at his temple before pressing a kiss there. “I’m so fucking proud of you.”
“You’re not mad?”
“Mad?”
“That I didn’t tell you. About Fletcher.”
I pulled back to meet his eyes, pushing a tendril of hair out of his eyelashes. “I figured it out—in Hush—and I didn’t tell you either.”
His eyebrows dipped toward each other. “You did? How?”
“Long story. I’ll tell you later. I was hoping you’d tell me yourself, but I understand why you didn’t. I figured you needed a little time before you could trust me. Trust… us.”
“Trace Bishop, I’ve trusted you for decades. It was me I didn’t trust. I’ve spent so long hiding parts of myself away, I lost myself a little.” He lifted his hand to my face. “But you tracked me down. You helped me find myself again.”
“Wolfe—”
He leaned his head against my shoulder and let out a long exhale. “You should know, I talked to Gabe. He deleted all Jake’s pictures. I came here tonight and announced to all of Legacy—and probably a couple million people online—that I’m Fletcher Coe because I wanted to. Because I chose to. Because loving you helps me remember that I’m brave and capable. But… fuck, please tell me you’re okay with it, Trace. Being out as Fletcher is going to be hard. And I don’t want—”