Page 65 of The Callahan Effect

"So...you've been into guys all this time?"

"I've been trying to work that out myself for a long time."

"You never told me."

He looked genuinely shaken.

"I didn't tell anyone."

"We've known each other since we were kids, Mason."

"I know."

His voice tightened.

"I thought there wasn't anything we didn't tell each other."

The disappointment behind those words landed like a punch.

"It wasn't about not trusting you."

"Really?" He gave a short shake of his head. "Because that's exactly what it feels like."

"I wasn't ready to tell anybody."

"You could've told me."

"I couldn't."

He frowned.

"Why not?"

"Because until recently I couldn't even admit it to myself." I held his gaze, refusing to look away. "You remember every time people asked why I never had a girlfriend. Every joke. Every question. Every time somebody assumed I'd eventually meet the right girl." I let out a slow breath. "I kept hoping they were right."

Corey's expression remained unreadable.

"I thought if I ignored it long enough it'd disappear."

"And then?"

"Then I met Jack and everything made sense."

The words hung between us.

"I stopped pretending."

Corey looked down and dragged a hand through his hair.

"I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything."

"No." His voice sounded distant now. "I think I do."

He looked directly at me again.

"I just...I honestly thought I knew everything about you."