Cross’s smile got wider before he ran a hand over his mouth and tamed it. Vail, on the other hand, had an excellent resting-poker-face.
Rusty said into his mic, “Sorry about the feedback.”
Clearing his throat, Cross continued, “When Scott Edison came out publicly before the start of last season, I considered doing the same in support. But I wasn’t dating anyone at the time, and in all honesty, I was still working through my sexuality. It’s much easier to come out with clarity, now I have someone to come out for. But let me be perfectly clear. Me being bi, being with Rusty or not, has no impact on how I play the game. The Norris trophy already has the name of a bi man on it.”
He grinned. “Hey, if I’m really lucky in three weeks, maybe I’ll be there twice. The Rocket Richard trophy will have a gay man’s name this year in Scott Edison. Probably there are a bunch of queer men already on all that hardware that we don’t know about. The people who make a fuss about whether someone is queer are not the people who actually care about hockey. If you love the game, you know that the Rafters without Edzie and me would’ve been a different team, probably not a playoff team, given how many of our goals Edzie scored. You know other NHL teams without their closeted gay and bi men would be lesser. That’s not me blowing my own horn. That’s simple fact.”
Vail leaned into her mic to say, “True.”
Cross folded his arms and raised his chin. “So now you get to ask me questions, but the important ones have been answered. Can a queer man play top caliber hockey? Hell, yeah, Edzie proves that. Is it distracting to have a gay player on the team? Only when bigots in the audience make it that way. Am I bi? Yes. Is hockey a game for everyone? Yes. Yes, it is.”
Vail added, “Do the teams and the league wish this wasn’t newsworthy anymore and we could just keep going about our business when a player comes out? Yes, yes we do.”
Rusty couldn’t help giving her a delighted grin. He hadn’t expected that.Go, Vail.
She added, “We’re going to take a few questions now. Yes, you, sir.” She pointed at a man near the front.
“Cross, how long have you and Rusty been dating?”
“We met last summer,” Cross said, as if that wasn’t a complicated question. “Danced around each other for a while, but we’ve been committed since my injury in early April.”
Rusty decided that was close enough. Heart-committed, yeah— had been since the moment he saw Cross go down on the ice and felt his heart leave his body. The rest was details.
The next reporter asked, “How do you feel about being outed in a tabloid? Were you planning to come out?”
“Anyone who says it’s their dream to have their private life show up online before breakfast is lying. But yes, we were planning to come out eventually. Rusty is already out as a gay ECHL player, but we were trying not to make too big a splash, as a distraction from his playing.”
A woman said, “The story in the tabloid is full of surprising claims and accusations of violence, kidnapping, retribution, and more. Will you address those?”
Before Cross could answer, a woman in a power suit at the back stood up and said, “As Mr. LaCroix’s counsel, I have to advise him not to answer any questions about the events of the last forty-eight hours, or any claims connected to it. A criminal case is ongoing involving the source of that story. Mr. LaCroixand Mr. Dolan cannot legally comment at this time.” Rusty recognized the head lawyer who’d been at the hospital the day before.
There was a disappointed hum from the gathered reporters, and a couple of them called out questions about the kidnapping and Tyler, which the lawyer shot down.
Rusty glanced at Cross who made a face, seeming more resigned than surprised. Obviously, his father had dispatched a lawyer in spite of what Cross said. Maybe not a bad thing, after all.
Vail said into her mic, “Mr. LaCroix and Mr. Dolan are forbidden to discuss the police case. No doubt the Eugene police department will have a statement in due course. Does anyone have an unrelated question?”
A familiar sports reporter from the local station asked, “Mr. Dolan? Can I call you Rusty? What’s it like dating Roger LaCroix, superstar defenseman?”
Rusty cleared his throat. “Fun? And yeah, I go by Rusty.” Good to get that established before “Dodo” made it into public view. “Cross and I get along great, at home and on the ice.”
“On the ice? Have you played together?”
“For fun. That was the first time we met, at the charity game for Scott Edison’s home arena last summer. And since then, just playing around. Cross gives me tips, and I’m improving. It’s, like, a perk of dating him.”
The reporter chuckled and asked, “Are there other perks?”
“His sports car is a sweet drive, since he needs me to chauffeur him right now.”
Cross nudged his knee and said into his mic, “Two more months, then you’re in the passenger seat again.”
A woman asked, “Cross, you’re the son of Pierre LaCroix of LaCroix Technology. What does your family think about your relationship? Are they worried about what you being bisexual will do to the corporate reputation?”
Cross laughed, although Rusty thought it was forced. “We just had breakfast with my parents. They support us a hundred percent. My mother already adores Rusty. My sister Marie got him into the hospital to see me when I was injured. My family originally hails from Canada where same-sex marriage has been legal since before Rusty was born. They’re happy that I’m happy.”
“And what about your family, Rusty?” a man asked.
Rusty froze.Truth, lies, blow it off?Cross pressed hard against his knee under the table.Fuck it,Rusty decided. Better to let everything out now, rather than have “shocking revelations” later. He cleared his throat. “My family are not supportive. At all. A year ago, my younger brother was murdered at sixteen.” The room stilled, listening, and he wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.Get it over with.“While Mike’s death had nothing to do with him being gay—”Or at least, very little.“—he was outed as gay in the aftermath.” He took a breath to steady his voice. “My parents, who are conservatively religious, blew a gasket. And when I told them I was gay too, they threw me out.” Well, he’d left, but staying meant conversion therapy so it wasn’t a real choice. “I had my truck and my hockey gear and not much else. I was lucky Edzie lived nearby, so I had somewhere to go. My parents decided I’m as dead to them as Mike. I haven’t seen my little brothers and sisters in a year. Hey.” An idea occurredto him. “Listen. This conference is going to be online, like, searchable, forever, right? So I have something to say.”
