Page 134 of Catching Kyle

“Over the years, there’s been a lot of speculation about me. Specifically, the way that I swing. What my life is like in the bedroom. In short, if I’m straight or gay.”

My stomach jumps to my throat as the noise from the crowd intensifies, cheering or jeering I’m not sure. He’s not doing what I think he is—he can’t be.

“Well,” he says, his voice shaky. He pauses to take a breath.

The poor man. I want to hold his hand. But the guards said to wait until he calls me up. So I remain hidden behind the concrete wall, my eyes just peaking above it.

“My whole life, I’ve tried to make my daddy proud, may he rest in peace,” he says. “And that meant becoming a family man so I could live on the family legacy: marry a woman, have kids. But I couldn’t do it.” He sighs into the microphone. “I just couldn’t do it.”

“Is Kyle Weaver really coming out right now?” One of the security guards asks as the crowd lets out confused cheers. He looks down at me. “Are you his boyfriend or something?”

The question winds me, but I don’t have time to respond.

“So for years, I tried to just put my sexuality in the background. I wasn’t straight or gay. I just played football.” He pulls away from the mic to clear his throat. “Until I met Michael.”

Hearing him say my name for the whole country makes my knees weak, and I hold on to the wall to keep myself standing.

“I met Michael when the Tigers threatened to fire me over my homosexual allegations,” he says with a laugh. “Funny how this whole time I actually was.”

“No shit,” the guard says behind me. “He just came out during the Championship Game half-time show.”

“He did,” I say, unable to believe it.

“Michael let me be who I was,” Kyle says, my stomach turning over itself so much I’m afraid I’ll throw up. “He didn’t take advantage of me when I came out to him. He helped me keep my sexuality secret, even when it came at great personal expense to him.”

My chest tightens, and I feel tears in my eyes.

This is it. This is himreallyapologizing. Instead of just telling me he loves me, he’s showing this love by saying it in front of everyone who couldjudge him for it. This was why he couldn’t tell me he wanted me at the game. He wanted his actions to speak for themselves.

“And most importantly,” Kyle continues. “He showed me how beautiful romance could be. He’s the reason why I’m doing what I am now.”

I grip the lip of the concrete wall. “Jesus,” I mutter.

“You really are his boyfriend,” the guard says.

I shake my head bewildered. “I don’t know what I am.”

“My dad and I had our differences,” Kyle says. “But he did teach me one thing: the importance of integrity.” Kyle sighs again, and by now, the crowd has quieted, listening with rapt attention. “But unfortunately, I didn’t learn how important integrity was until I really hurt Michael. Before, I thought integrity meant living up to the expectations of other people. But now I know the truth: integrity is making your words, beliefs, and actions align. And I knew there was only one thing I could do to make things right, to show Michael I really loved him instead of just saying it. So, tonight, that’s what I’m doing.”

Kyle looks my direction, and I duck under the wall.

“Michael, will you come out?”

The crowd breaks into a deafening roar, and I look back at the guards behind me as if they’ll tell me what to do. They both just shrug.

“Like I said,” the taller one says. “It’s up to you.”

Chapter 48

Kyle Weaver

Myhandisshakingso much that I have to lower the microphone. I asked for Michael to come out, but I don’t see him anywhere near the tunnel where I asked security to keep him. The crowd around me is deafening. The snow has stopped falling, but the lights of the stadium blind me. On the edge of the field, I see some pissed NFO officials. They can’t do anything to stop this, but the half-time show won’t last forever.

Sloane pats me on the shoulder, I lean down to him.

“Don’t worry,” he says in my ear. “Have faith. It’ll work out.”

I nod, only slightly reassured. Because if Michael doesn’t come out, then this whole thing was for naught.