Page 131 of Role Model

“Because I don’t want you here. You’re a bigot and a shitty father.”

“Troy, what the hell are you—”

“Leave before I get security,” he said between gritted teeth.

Curtis looked at Harris, as if he was going to help him, then back at Troy. “Are you serious? You wouldn’t be in the NHL if it weren’t for me. I paid for all your hockey growing up, all those elite teams and camps. Taught you everything I knew. You’d be nothing without me.”

“I’m happy without you,” Troy said steadily. “You never cared about me or Mom. You only care about yourself.”

Curtis huffed. “Your mother. Figured this had something to do with her. What ideas has she put in your head?”

Troy raised his chin. “That I can be myself, and she’ll still love me.”

“The fuck is that supposed to mean?”

Troy could say nothing. He could get Remy and have Curtis escorted out of the arena right now. This could be over. But instead, he reached for Harris’s hand.

Harris gave him a questioning look, and when Troy nodded, he took his hand, tangling their fingers together and squeezing.

The color drained from Curtis’s face.

“Harris is my boyfriend, Dad. I’m gay.”

Troy took comfort from Harris’s warm hand as he braced himself for Dad’s response to that bombshell.

Curtis just gaped a moment, then said in the quietest voice Troy had ever heard him use, “What?”

“I’m gay,” Troy repeated, refusing to cower. He held his father’s gaze with his shoulders back and his head high.

“You—” Dad said. Then he shook his head, clenched his jaw, and turned away.

He didn’t look back, and Troy felt a chill run through him as he watched him exit the arena. An adrenaline drop, probably.

“Come on,” Harris said quietly, and gently tugged on Troy’s hand. “Back to my office.”

Troy had no memory of how he got from the security desk to Harris’s office, but suddenly he was safely behind a closed door, alone with his boyfriend.

And then he collapsed to the floor, curled up with his head on his bent knees. He was crying, but he didn’t even know why. It was over. He’d never have to be afraid of his father again.

Harris was beside him instantly with an arm over Troy’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry, Troy. That was awful.”

Troy couldn’t speak. He just nodded against his knees.

“But I’m proud of you. God that was brave.”

He let Troy cry for a few minutes, rubbing his back and murmuring reassuring things. By the time Troy got himself under control and raised his head, he was sure his face was a mess.

“I’m relieved, mostly,” he said in a small, battered voice. “I think I’m just letting some pent-up emotion go.” He sniffed. “This is good.”

Harris grabbed a box of tissues off his desk and handed them to him. “I think so too.”

Troy used the tissues to get himself cleaned up a bit. He felt calm now, like he’d released a million burdens at once. He’d let so much bullshit, so many toxic people, guide him in the past. He’d made so many terrible decisions, and valued all the wrong things.

But somehow it had all led to this moment, sitting on the floor of a drab office while his wonderful boyfriend handed him tissues.

“I love you,” Troy said.

It was terrible timing; he had red eyes, a snotty nose, a hoarse voice, and they were both at work, but he couldn’t help it. He loved Harris, and he needed him to know.

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