Page 62 of Pucking Strong

My stomach twists in uncomfortable knots. I’ve worked so hard to convince myself this was the right thing to do. But is Poppy right? Have I really done wrong? Have my actions put others in danger?

Ignoring my squirming, Poppy goes on. “What impact do you think that kind of negative press might have on the rest of the team? You have queer teammates, Henrik. We have children too. Families.” Her hands splay wide over her bump, protecting the baby she shares with her two partners. “Try as we might, we are not safe from their hate. Our lives are made of invisible nets of legal protections—adoptions and powers of attorney, civil unions, joint bank accounts, shared assets. But it’s not enough. It will never be enough. We are, at every moment, justonecruel law away from being torn apart. I’d call that pretty darn fragile, wouldn’t you?”

Fuck, I think I’m gonna be sick. “Poppy, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t.” She raises a hand. “Put in your position, I probably would have done the same thing. As I told Henrik at the airport, now we just have to focus on minimizing any potential damage.”

Henrik finally speaks. “You have a plan, yes? You know how to see us through this?”

She looks to him. “I do.”

He nods once, wholly resolved. “I’ll do anything you say. I will protect Karolina and Teddy with my life. My career means nothing to me. Not if it costs them peace or happiness.”

She smiles. “Well, I’m certainly relieved to hear you say that.” Then it’s like she flipped a switch, and all her gloom and doom is gone. “Right then, let’s do this.” She swipes a little remote off the coffee table and clicks it over her shoulder. A projector in the ceiling hums to life, flashing onto the blank white wall behind her. “Welcome to your crisis management orientation session.”

I lean back. “You made a PowerPoint?”

“I did.” She clicks the remote again and the slideshow starts. “I’m calling my PR plan ‘Operation Mighty Oak.’” The slide shows a corporate-looking logo featuring an oak tree. Jesus, she had to take her time to design this. I very much doubt it was Trevor.

Next to me, Henrik stifles a groan.

She glances over her shoulder. “Something wrong, hun?”

I can’t hide my grimace either.

“No,” Henrik mutters.

She glances between us. “Well, don’t be shy now. This is a group project. I want everyone’s input here.”

I dare to say what we’re both thinking. “It’s just … Well, I mean, does it have to sound so …”

Her brows arch. “So what, honey?”

“Gay,” Henrik finishes for me.

Oh god, he said it, not me. “Yeah. I’m sorry, Pop. But it does soundreallygay. And I’m gay,” I add.

Poppy huffs. “Gracious, will you two get your heads out of the gutter? The mighty oak is not a reference to your penises. This is about your marriage. Your loving, committed—if admittedly spontaneous—marriage. Now, what are the essential parts of an oak tree?”

Henrik and I share another glance. “Seriously?” I say. “Like, you want us to just start naming the parts of a tree?” At the same time, Henrik says, “Acorns.”

Poppy beams at him. “Oooh, you’re getting a bit ahead of me there, honey. I was looking forroots.” She clicks the remote, and a new slide pops up featuring the root system of a tree. All around the roots, she’s added in little words and phrases like “friends to lovers” and “inevitable.”

“Now, all good relationships, like strong trees, require roots buried deep. In your case, we need to build the case that you have these roots. So, here’s the spin: yours is a love kindled from nearly a decade of friendship. Henrik, your niece’s unfortunate situation merely sped up the timeline you were both already on. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

I nod up at the words on the screen. “We’re inevitable.”

Now I earn a smile. “Yes, exactly, Teddy.”

“Friends to lovers,” I add, still reading the screen.

“Yes. That’s the story of your roots. You met six years ago when Teddy was an intern. You didn’t pursue anything then, because you were keeping things professional. Also, Henrik, maybe add in something about Teddy being a little too young for you. Maybe a bit too immature.”

Okay, ouch.

Also, accurate.

“But you stayed in touch over the years, and the romance blossomed. Are we tracking with this story? Because you’ll both need to memorize it. Anddon’tdeviate,” she adds, pointing a finger at us. “There’s nothing worse than having Teddy say your first kiss was on a plane when Henrik tells the press scrum it happened on the beach.”

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