Page 55 of The Reality of Wanting Him (Love Without Labels #1)

BLAKE

A Few Weeks Later, May

T he final episodes of the show released last week for streaming, and it feels like all of America has seen our love story unfold. I might be biased, but I think our relationship and all the drama that occurred during filming is the reason that the show became so popular.

Sure, when it came out that Jace and Kieran had grown up together and that they hated each other’s guts, there was obviously some interest from the viewers as well, but I still think we had a more captivating story than them.

Everyone who made it through enough of the show to at least meet their partner in person is back tonight for the live filming of the reunion episode.

Andy is seated in the middle of the stage that’s been set up in front of an audience that seems way too big for the soundstage.

The audience is packed. Apparently a lot of people wanted to be here for this.

Jace and Kieran are seated together on a love seat, along with the rest of the couples who are still together to the left of Andy. Those who didn’t say “I do” are all seated in single chairs to the right of Andy.

The show put Liam and I in our own armchairs and explained that it would be more dramatic to start out this way. Then when it’s time, they’ll swap our chairs with a love seat after it’s announced we’re still together.

We’re moments away from starting as the crew gets everyone in the audience to quiet down by holding up signs with instructions. Someone counts down the final moments before we must be live, and Andy’s booming voice rings out across the studio.

“Good evening, fellow romance lovers and reality TV show watchers. We have a very special episode planned for you all tonight! We have brought back the cast of the inaugural season of Love Without Labels to bring you the latest updates and gossip over how life has been since the show stopped filming!”

He pauses to smile and make eye contact with a few of the couples seated on the stage before turning back to face the audience.

“Are they still together? How is life away from the cameras? And the real reason I think most of us were so eager to tune in tonight—what really happened between Liam and Blake?”

I can feel my cheeks heating at the mention of my name, but I try to cover up any nerves with a big smile of my own.

I have no reason to be nervous. Liam and I are better than ever.

We’ve spent the time since the show aired working together to really improve the structures around the farm and prepare to open our pumpkin patch, and I successfully convinced Liam to fill the largest barn on the property with animals for a petting zoo.

The baby highland cows we purchased should be ready to leave their mom any day now, and I can’t wait to see my newest children again.

The goats have been amazing, even if they are a bit destructive, and Lucky has loved spending time with her new siblings, even if she does prefer to spend most of her time with Liam’s dad.

And Liam and I have been looking into the best place we can get alpacas.

I feel like we’re building a great future for ourselves, and I really hope that we can attract other people to come see how special the farm is.

It’s crazy to me just how much the farm feels like home in such a short time.

It feels far more like a home than the city ever did, and I’ve made Chad come experience the farm life twice so far.

I think he finally sees the appeal. Liam’s childhood best friend, John, just ended up moving back home kind of unexpectedly, and it’s been great to spend time with him too.

Andy has a script of questions to run through, starting with some of the contestants who got less screen time, before moving to Jace and Kieran.

Obviously, I’d heard what happened between them on the show when they first met the person behind the anonymous profile, especially since Jace and Liam became close during the process.

But the producers and editors weren’t sure exactly what had gone down between them in the past, so their shift from anonymous dating and picking each other, to hate, to being in love was a little jarring.

They weren’t nearly as good at monologuing to the cameras as Liam and I were.

Andy tries to get more out of them about why they were so opposed to each other initially, but they both give very vague answers, not revealing much, which I can respect.

Even Andy’s bubbly optimism starts to flatten when they give their fourth or fifth nonanswer and it becomes clear that they’re not going to turn this into some tell-all that I’m sure the audience and producers alike were hoping for.

After what feels like forever, Andy finally turns dramatically in his seat to face Liam and I, crossing his legs and folding his hands in his lap like he’s settling in, ready to catch up with old friends. “Hello, boys!”

“Hi, Andy,” I respond conspiratorially.

“Well, I think that we all know you two are the ones everyone was willing to sacrifice their first-born for while trying to secure tickets to tonight’s taping.”

“There does seem to be a lot of people here,” Liam responds casually as he looks out at the audience, playing into the teasing approach the producers wanted us to take.

Sure, we could go the Jace and Kieran route and refuse to give them anything, but Liam and I have talked extensively about the benefits our popularity could bring the farm, so we’re willing to play along.

Plus, it’s kind of fun.

“Blake, I think we have to start with you, did you really think you were straight when you applied for the show? A lot of people online have speculated that you wouldn't have signed up at all if you weren’t at least open to the idea of being with a man.”

“Those people might be smarter than I am,” I joke.

I’ve seen all of the backlash online, so this isn’t news to me.

There were a lot of people, especially when only the first few episodes were released that hated me.

I was called every word for insensitive, biased, ignorant, sexist—you name it and someone was labeling me that way.

Luckily, after the first few episodes, I seemed to win people over with my willingness to adapt once I met Liam and loved him for him, regardless of his gender.

Supporters for my “embraced bi-awakening” rose up to defend me, loudly praising our relationship for setting an example of people realizing their sexuality later in life.

They particularly loved the way I came out to my friends at the hockey game and told them they could get out if they had a problem with me or Liam.

Then when news of the ultimatum came out, the fandom was split again. Some people still believed me saying that there’s no way I faked my feelings for Liam even if money was involved. But a lot of people assumed the worst like Liam initially did, so it will be interesting to see how tonight goes.

There was another group who said I was an actor, planted by the show to boost ratings, and that there was no way someone could go from identifying as straight, to so publicly dating a man as quickly as I did, and the drama of the money only seemed to add fuel to their claims that everything was scripted.

I like to tell Liam that if there had been cameras in our room and those people could have seen the first time he fucked my face, then they would believe me, but he just shakes his head and laughs whenever I suggest it.

Universally though, my mother is hated by all. According to my father, she was livid when she found out there had been cameras in the room when she talked to Liam. That episode led to my parents separating, so I haven’t gotten many updates on her since then, which is perfectly fine with me.

“Well, Andy, can I be honest with you?” I ask sincerely, like there aren’t hundreds of people staring at us right now and cameras shooting from five different angles.

“Of course, Blake, we’re all friends here.”

“Absolutely,” I respond, just as cheesy, really getting into it now.

“Well, the truth is, yes, I did believe I was straight. Maybe on some level, I was cool with the possibility of being with a man, but I wasn’t lying when I labeled myself that way.

It’s what I believed to be true at the time.

But the real motivator for me signing up for the show was the ultimatum my parents gave me.

They threatened to cut me off, so I needed to be married, and I wasn’t particular about who I would be tying myself to.

I just wanted to keep living my expensive life in the city the same way I always had. ”

“We’ll come back to the ultimatum in a moment, but can you tell us a little more about when things changed for you? I think we all saw how heartbroken you were when Liam told you he couldn’t go through with the wedding.”

“Well, I think before I even met Liam, I was excited about the possibility of actually liking the person I could marry, which might sound like a basic requirement for a spouse, but when I tell you I went into this show with minimal expectations about my partner, that’s the truth.”

Andy laughs at my response, and I try my best to avoid looking over at Liam. I know I won’t be able to hold back the way I feel about him from my expression, and we want to keep people interested as I continue.

“When we met, obviously I had the moment of shock, realizing how stupid I’d been with my assumptions, but there was still that part of me that was really excited to see where things could go with the person I’d been talking to.

I had to reevaluate some assumptions I’d made about myself as well, and at the end of the day, I’m actually really glad that I had the ultimatum as that initial excuse to keep seeing him. ”

“So the ultimatum—I think everyone knows about it by now—luckily our dedicated camera crew caught the confrontation with your parents, as well as your mother’s conversation with Liam.

Did you watch that part?” He pauses for me to nod before continuing.

“Well, your dad made it seem like you were never really at risk of losing your money. Have there been any problems there?”

“No, I still have access to everything. I just have a much better purpose for spending it now,” I assure him with a huge grin, still avoiding looking at Liam.

“And do you still talk to your parents? You had some choice words to say about your mother.”

“My dad and I are working on a more honest and open style of communication. My mother and I haven’t spoken since what should have been my wedding day,” I answer honestly.

Andy nods solemnly. “Well, I’m happy to hear things seem to be improving with your father.” Then he sits up a bit straighter to dramatically look back and forth between Liam and I before pointing a finger at each of us and crossing to the other.

“Okay, okay, I think the real question we’ve all been dying to ask, is what the hell happened after Liam left?

Have you two spoken before today? Was the truth about the ultimatum really enough to tear you apart forever?

” Obviously Andy already knows we’re back together, but his voice cracks at his final question, really selling how emotionally invested he seems to be in our relationship.

“We’ve talked before today,” I say with a smirk.

“Aaaaaand?” Andy prompts desperately.

“And apparently I wasn’t clear enough when I tried to end things with Blake,” Liam says lightly, one corner of his mouth turned up as he holds in a laugh.

“He showed up on my farm a few days later with his dog and all his packed bags, ready to move in with my dad. He said that I never actually broke things off with him, that I just told him I couldn’t marry him that day.

I said something about needing to be with someone who chose me.

So, he was choosing me and the life we had planned, and he promised to give me the time and space I needed to trust him again before we officially got back together. ”

“Well… did it work?”

Liam finally shifts his gaze to meet mine, both of us smiling as we finally get to tell the crowd we’re together.

“It did,” is all Liam has to say for the audience to erupt.

People are cheering and clapping, someone shouts out that Liam shouldn’t have forgiven me, and someone else yells that they’ll marry me instead.

It’s chaos for a few minutes while the show’s staff tries to calm the audience down.

They must cut to commercial, because a two-person couch is brought out and exchanged for Liam’s and my seats so that we can sit together at last. We weave our fingers together, placing them on Liam’s thigh, and eventually Andy is able to continue.

“People certainly have strong opinions about you two. Has that made it difficult to navigate resuming your relationship?”

I nod at Liam to answer. “To be honest, we’ve been able to get to a point where we don’t care what anyone outside of our relationship has to say about it.

We’re grateful for all the support that we’ve seen online and on all our social media.

We’re actually planning to open the farm up as a family destination this fall, so we’re hoping that our new followers will help to spread the word, and maybe some will even come meet us to support the farm and all the new animals Blake has insisted on adopting,” he teases.

“That sounds fantastic, I know I’ll visit!”

“Thanks, Andy.”

“Alright, final question. Now that we’ve confirmed you two are together again, can you tell us what that actually means? Are you two still planning to get married? Are you no longer engaged but dating? What did that conversation look like?”

“Oh, Liam is absolutely still my future husband,” I assure them, and Liam smiles indulgently at me.

“I agree. But we’ve also decided that rushing into a marriage didn’t make sense for us.

We’ve had parents and producers telling us why we need to get married for so long, that we lost sight of why we’d want to be married in the first place.

We’re in love, and I’m confident that Blake is my person, the one epic love I had always hoped to find.

” Liam squeezes my hand as he brings it up to his mouth, leaving a kiss on the knuckle.

“We want to wait until getting married feels like something we’re doing only for us,” I add to clarify. “We’re committed to each other, which is all I need.” Liam leans in for a quick kiss, and the audience “awwws” along with Andy.

We might not have had the picture-book ending that the show planned for us, but I think what we have now is so much better.