“So you wanna tell me what’s going on and why you’re here, Sutton’s there, and why by morning everyone’s going to think you’ve been up to no good behind Sutton’s back?”
When I hesitated, Mark reached out and squeezed my arm. “We can do this as a whole session or simply as me as a friend. Either way, I will not say a word if you don’t want me to, but it’s clear you’re unhappy, and you need to talk.”
I bobbed my head and eyed an empty corner booth; nobody was in the ones close by. “Okay. Best go and get comfy and grab a fresh beer too. You’re going to need it when you hear about the mess I’ve got myself in.”
CHAPTER20
SUTTON
Damage control was never pretty,and since my visit to Australia, it seemed to be one thing after another. Since coming out, Jayden and I had pretty much ducked for cover, doing the bare minimum to squash the rumors. On top of that, any official statement had been about respecting our privacy, us confirming our support for the LGBTQ+ community, and our excitement about joining the summer program at Montview.
So while damage control had been sporadic and half-assed, we’d made sure we didn’t confirm or deny anything. Nor did we lie in any statement we made.
Sure, it pissed off our agents and didn’t make the PR team’s lives exactly easy, but gut deep I’d figured something like this would happen.
It was the only lifeline we had.
“I’m catching the next flight out. I’ve booked a suite at the Sentinel. Meet me there.”
“Why not just come here?” I asked Max.
“In the next couple of hours, the academy is going to be swarmed. Between your explosive coming out, Jayden’s injury, the two of you being honestly shady about the whole thing.” I winced as he took a breath, not even being able to deny it. “You know they’re going to be lapping this up. Only a few weeks ago there was a leak that you’re getting married, and now, just a few weeks later, there’s trouble in paradise, and Jayden’s caught—”
“He wasn’t cheating on me.”
A heavy sigh ricocheted around the line. “Okay, if you say he didn’t, he didn’t, but we need to get you out of there before it becomes a circus. My job is to support you. Let me do this, okay?”
Max sounded tired. A sliver of guilt—another one to join the many—hit my chest. Both in Australia and when I’d returned Stateside, I hadn’t let him do his job. The fuck had I been thinking?
“Okay,” I agreed in defeat.
There was no holding back his exhale of relief. “Great. Just get yourself there and behind the locked doors of the suite. I’ll be there as soon as I can, okay?”
“Okay.”
There was a beat of hesitation before Max asked, “You doing all right?”
“Not really.”
“Just hang in there, okay?”
The call disconnected, and I looked across at Jayden’s empty side of the bed. A pang of regret made it difficult to get my head straight. Even more reason to lean on Max. He hadn’t steered me wrong yet.
The bucketload of regrets weren’t going anywhere. It meant I had to get out of here after giving my apologies to Coach, then try to work out what to do.
Two things I knew. Jayden being the bad guy was not acceptable. In my panic, I’d been an asshole to him. He deserved better from me. And also there was no way I’d allow the program, either the training or the new LGBTQ+ initiative, to be affected. The thought was deplorable.
Knowing those were the main goals of my next move, I grabbed my small carry-on and packed a few things. I made sure some of my remaining clothes were visible as I did so. The thought of Jayden returning and thinking I’d skipped out on him was not okay.
I tugged out my phone, ordered a cab, and then hesitated to call Jayden. Too chickenshit to call him without a plan, I shot off a text.
Me: I’m sorry.
I’d clear up the rest when I worked a way out of this.
Bag in hand, I sought out Coach. He frowned when he saw me with my bag.
“What can I do?”
