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

“I bickered with most of them at one point or another and then just up and split without a good-bye when Coach Keller called me out on my shit. I bicker with everyone…until I drive them away…so I won’t be hurt when they up and leave on their own. I test people, as if you didn’t know that. As if you didn’t know that whole wild-oats speech was all about that. I wanted you to stop me. I wanted Keller to come begging for me to come back and…” Now he looked at me. “I wanted you to.”


“Don’t you dare take the blame, because what if coming out at that news conference was just to grab the spotlight away from you, and then not calling when I was two hours late was just more of the same? When will I stop doing it, Reed? Cloverton, Dover Plains, Schenectady, Russia, I’m a globetrotting asshole.”


“You’re not.” I pried his hand away from his heart and brought it to my lips.


“Unplug it,” I told him. “Who cares? Keep talking.”


Chapter 99