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

Holy fuck! Oh. Sorry, Mrs. Smeckler.The most recent post was from her. She wrote how she’d been keeping up with things online. There was one from Caryn, and also Beth and Julius, who’d stayed back in New York with the kids. Devon and Cal did a great job monitoring the site. I rarely saw any negative posts. Of course I got some. I knew I got some, but Cal usually deleted them before I could see. There was one that day—a fresh thread only minutes old. It started off tearing into someone other than me.


I hope you beat that faggot, Mathi-ass-fucking Webber.


Clever troll. The post had three dozen comments below it.


They probably all fuck each other that way.


It went on that way for a while but took a serious turn by the last one.


I wish Reed Watson was gay. He’s hot.


That wasn’t the poignant one, but the one that followed tugged at my heart.


Chapter 120