Page 86 of The Callahan Effect

"Neither was I," Ethan added.

Oscar looked from one face to another.

"So...none of you actually knew?"

Ryan shook his head.

"Not for sure."

"We suspected from the way they looked at each other," Ben clarified. "Big difference."

Ryan glanced toward me.

"We weren't about to ask."

Caleb nodded.

"It wasn't any of our business."

Hunter folded his arms.

"We all knew if you wanted us to know, you'd tell us."

"And if you didn't," Luca added, "that was fine too."

Oscar looked back at Jack.

"I honestly thought you were just reacting the same way as the rest of us."

I wasn't.

Ryan laughed.

"I don’t usually hold a teammates hand if they’re hurt."

I wasn't thinking about who was watching, I just needed to hold him.

The room became noticeably quieter.

Nobody joked.

Nobody laughed.

For a moment every one of them simply absorbed what Jack had admitted.

Ben finally broke the silence.

"Well..."

He glanced between us.

"I'm happy for you both."

"So am I," Caleb said.

Hunter nodded.

"About time one of us found somebody worth keeping."