Deke (Fake Boyfriend, #3)

by Eden Finley

It didn’t happen when Matt Jackson came out in the NFL a few months ago, and I have no delusion it’ll happen for hockey when my time comes. I followed Matt’s story, and it wasn’t pretty.

She’s a meddler through and through, but I get the brunt of it. I’m her baby—the youngest—and also the gayest. My whole family has been overprotective of me ever since my mom outed me to myself when I was fifteen.

“Hasn’t Ollie ever told you what it’s like for him? Hasn’t he ever told you about what happens in locker rooms? Let’s just say the word fa—” I glance at the kids, who’ve now turned their attention to me too. “Not nice F-words are thrown around like candy. When the guys screw up on the ice, they’re called ladies, and the whole sporting industry thinks anyone who’s gay isn’t man enough to play sports.”

Nic pipes up to defend his brother. “No one’s truly that ignorant anymore about that kinda stuff, are they?” I scoff. “How can you be this ignorant?”