Page 56 of The Callahan Effect

"Especially not telling Coach." I turned to face him. "I spent half the night convincing myself he'd think I'd betrayed his trust. Instead he thanked us for being honest. I don't think I've ever been happier to be wrong."

I wasn't sure how he'd react either.

"Really?"

He shrugged.

"I assumed the two of you told each other everything."

He gave a tiny shake of his head.

Not this. I kept finding reasons to wait. Then waiting became a habit.

I understood that better than he probably realized.

"I've done exactly the same thing."

He frowned slightly.

"I kept telling myself there'd be a better time to tell my family and Corey." I stared toward the ceiling for a brief second before looking back at him. "Then one season became another. Another became another year. Eventually it felt easier to stay silent than risk changing the way people saw me."

Jack reached across the narrow space between us and threaded his fingers through mine.

One conversation at a time.

"Yeah."

For years I'd imagined coming out as one enormous conversation that would define the rest of my life. Instead, it had begun with Coach that morning, and somehow the world hadn't fallen apart. Mom and Dad still didn't know. Neither did Emma or Corey. Even so, the fear I'd carried for years no longer seemed quite so overwhelming. For the first time, telling them felt possible instead of impossible.

Almost as though the universe had been waiting for me to reach that conclusion, my phone vibrated on the bedside table.

I reached for it, expecting another message from one of the guys asking whether I wanted to meet them on campus.

Instead, Emma's name appeared across the screen.

Home until tomorrow morning. No classes until tomorrow afternoon. You alive?

I grinned as I read the message.

Jack recognized the change in my expression immediately.

"Emma," I explained.

I showed Jack and while he read, a thought struck me so hard I actually sat up a little straighter.

"They're all together."

Jack held my gaze.

"Mom, Dad and Emma." I looked down at the phone again. "I don't think I'm going to get a better chance than this to tell them."

Jack's attention never left me. He didn't hurry me, didn't reach for his own phone, and didn't try to convince me one way or the other. He simply waited.

"I think..." I exhaled slowly. "I think this is the opportunity I've been waiting for."

Only then did he pick up his phone.

Are you ready?