“And how did you meet this woman online? And how is she the same person you’ve been seeing in person?” Ledger said, his questions coming at me as fast as Ridge’s. “I thought you’ve been spending time with Livvi.”
I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck. “Exactly.”
Ledger whistled softly. “Wait, wait. She’s the same woman? The online one and the in-person one?”
Ridge’s mouth hung open like this was all too much for him to digest.
I didn’t have much time to explain myself beforeCoach started yelling at us to start warming up, so I tried to answer their questions as succinctly as I could.
I cleared my throat. “I didn’t tell you guys about the writing because I wanted to see if I could actually do it first, before I told anyone about it. And then once I started getting readers and fans, I didn’t want anything to ruin it. I didn’t want anyone telling me it was something I couldn’t do—or shouldn’t do.” I paused for a second and then went head-first into explaining how everything came to be with Livvi. “Then one day a reader,ReadToLiv, messaged me about my book, and we just clicked. We started messaging every day. She’s the one I told you about a month ago.” I hadn’t mentioned her to them since the day they’d found me stuck in my own head outside of the pool deck. “But almost at exactly the same time, I met Livvi. And you guys know all about that. But it wasn’t until she said something almost word for word thatReadToLivhad said in a text exchange that everything started to add up.”
“Does she know?” Ridge asked.
“I don’t think so,” I said. “I found out right before I left for Austin, and …” I rubbed the water droplets off my face. “Livvi … she’s … amazing. But now I have this knowledge, and I don’t know how to navigate it. I haven’t told her because I don’t know what to say. And I don’t want to mess it up.”
Ridge dropped down and sat on the edge of the pool, his legs in the water. “Talon … that’s a lot. And honestly? It sounds like you’ve been carrying it alone for too long. You don’t have to do that.”
Ledger gave me a reassuring smile. “He’s right, man. Even if it’s complicated, we’re here. We’re like the kings of figuring out complicated.”
I rolled my eyes at him, a smile tugging my lips.
Ledger joined me in the pool. “But also—writing? That’s huge. Own it, man. You’re a pro swimmer and an author. Don’t hide it. It sounds like you’ve worked hard for both.”
I let their words sink in, the familiar comfort of them grounding me. “Yeah … thanks. I think I needed to hear that.”
Ridge grinned. “Now you just need to be brave enough to show it.”
Ledger clapped me on the shoulder. “And don’t forget, Livvi’s the real deal. She’s worth being brave for.” He splashed me with water. “You’ll figure it out.”
I exhaled, falling back into a float as I let the water support me. After countless days, it felt like the weight was lifting a little—not from the swimming, not from the upcoming Olympic Trials, not even from my dad—but from holding all this inside, alone. I had allies. So maybe it was time to stop hiding, in more ways than one.
CHAPTER 22
LIVVI
The room was quiet except for the faint hum of my air conditioner kicking on and off. I should’ve been asleep an hour ago, but every time I closed my eyes, I saw Talon’s grin from the other night at the arcade. The way he’d leaned closer when he’d teased me about my aim, the warmth in his laugh when I’d managed to beat him at basketball—it all looped in my mind like a song I couldn’t shake.
I hugged my pillow tighter and groaned.
This was a problem.
Because I wasn’t supposed to feel this way. Right? I had work. And it was finally May—I was also about to graduate with two majors. I had a successful career ahead of me. Not to mention there was alsoTheWriteGuy, who I still couldn’t quite stop thinking about. Over the last few months, he’d become someone I trusted, someone I confided in. Sure, we’d never met inperson, but that didn’t make what we had feel any less real.
And now … now there was Talon. Real, complicated, right in front of me Talon.
I rolled over, grabbed my phone, and told myself I was just going to check the time. But the little notification bubble on my screen betrayed me.
TheWriteGuy
You awake?
My thumb hovered over the screen. I should ignore it, pretend I was asleep. But I didn’t want to. I wanted to talk to him. Maybe he’d help me sort through this confusing mess in my head.
I tapped open the chat.
ReadToLiv
Can’t sleep.