Chosen by a former Olympic swimmer to train for the 2016 Games as a pre-teen, Reed’s journey begins. Along the way, he develops feelings for two childhood friends: neighbor Cal and lifelong rival Mathias. Cal’s struggle with his sexuality brings tragedy. Mathias’s wealth makes Reed feel as if they’re from different worlds.<br><br>As Rio approaches, Mathias becomes a gay sports icon, while Reed must hide his sexuality for a lucrative endorsement deal important to his family’s future. Reed’s unresolved desires for both men remain, and so do the things that have kept them apart. Has Reed grown enough to navigate rougher waters, to find truth, pride, victory, and love?

Truth, Pride, Victory, Love

The signal sounded—an air horn—and I pushed myself up and outward with all my might, using mostly my legs. My back arched. I made a mental note to watch the tape Coach always made to see how pretty Mathias probably looked flying backward in much the same way. Shit!After dolphin-kicking to start, I then stroked as hard and forcefully as I could in order to gain momentum, my arms back over my head like boat propellers. The almost forty seconds the race took felt like forever as my arms and legs started to burn almost immediately. It was practically nothing in reality, of course, and the whole thing was over just like that.


Had I touched the wall first? It felt like I had. I was far too jazzed to notice if hehad touched right after, or if someone else had come in second. The scoreboard revealed all with one glance.


“Yes!” I pumped my fist. I had broken my at-home record, coming in quicker than my best practice time.


Chapter 10