Page 139 of On Thin Ice

“You don’t have to ask,” Finn said. “Send him over.”

Jacob skated back and grabbed his water bottle from the top of the net, watching as Morgan did a few additional sets of stretches.

He would probably regret this but he knew he should say it.

“Hey,” he said, lowering his voice and skating over to where Morgan was stretching. “I . . .uh . . .thought you should know. I’m going on a podcast, in a few days. Coming out.”

Morgan looked up. “Yeah?”

“I know you told me about you—”

Morgan’s face totally closed over. “You can’t keep fucking bringing that up.”

Jacob had only brought it uptwice.

“You called me apedophile,” Jacob reminded him.

“And? I was pissed.”

“I’m just saying, you don’t have any room to complain here.” Jacob took a short breath. Knowing Morgan wasn’t going to take this well but believing he should say it anyway. “I just think you should tell Finn.”

“Don’t like keeping secrets from him?”

Jacob didn’t hold back. Figured that he and Morgan had come to a place where he didn’t have to. Not anymore. “About you? Fuck no.”

Morgan sighed. Scrubbed a hand over his sweaty face. “I don’t want to tell him. I don’t want to talk about it. Not at all. Not because of the . . .”

“The queer thing?” Jacob said gently.

Morgan nodded. “It didn’t end well. I . . .I didn’t want it to end that way. I don’t know how else it could’ve ended, honestly, but, I still didn’t like it. Idon’tlike it.”

It suddenly occurred to Jacob that Morgan Reynolds could fall in love. It should’ve occurred to him before this. After all, he’d married Finn’s mom and had him with her, but he’d neverseemed affected by their marriage or frankly by their divorce either.

Not like he was now.

Because that was what he was saying, without saying it, wasn’t he? He’d loved this guy. Jacob didn’t want to feel sorry for Morgan, but it was kind of impossible not to.

“You don’t have to tell Finn any of that.”

“He’s going to ask,” Morgan said bluntly.

“Well, probably. Doesn’t mean you have to talk about that part of it.”

Morgan actually seemed to consider this for a long moment. “Do you think it’s gonna help you to be honest on this podcast?”

Jacob noticed that he didn’t specify what it would help. Jacob already knew it; so did Morgan. They finally understood each other. They’d just had to both retire to get there.

“I don’t think it’s gonna hurt, if that’s what you’re asking.” He’d been so uncertain about doing this, forever, not wanting to make a big deal out of it. Thisstillwouldn’t be a big deal, but Jacob had begun to understand how hard it had been on him to hide forever, and he never wanted to do it again.

“You don’t care about what people are gonna say about you?Thinkabout you?” Morgan wondered.

“I never cared what anyone thought or said about me. Even you,” Jacob said.

Morgan made a face. “That’s so fucking true,” he muttered.

“You don’t have to tell him. I’m not going to tell him. But I think you should.”

“I’ll think about it,” Morgan said, and Jacob actually thought he would. Shockingly.

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