MMF BISEXUAL ROMANCE: Phoenix Running (27 page)

But he breathed a sigh of relief as he realized that by talking about Ashley they were back on solid ground. He could talk about his friendship with the rock star. That was the whole reason he was here.

“Yeah, Ashley Terrence is a close friend of mine. I have friends from all walks of life. I believe in inclusiveness, and I’m secure enough in my identity not to be homophobic. Um, Ashley’s also close friends with my former
girlfriend
, Cora-Lynn Carson. The three of us were inseparable.”

“Aw, your former girlfriend. Yeah, I heard something about the two of you splitting up. That had to be tough for you. Happened right before or after that cruise the three of you went on.”

Phoenix couldn’t hide the sadness that crept into his voice at the mention of the cruise. It didn’t even occur to him that Five Parker shouldn’t know shit about that cruise. What he felt was honest and unmistakable heartache. “W-we broke up recently, but it feels like it was yesterday. Hell, I’m still raw. I’m still kind of shocked by how it all went down. Still, uh, recovering. I don’t think I’ll ever get over them—it. The break up.”

“
D
o you see this
?” Cee-Cee hissed. “He’s floundering! Why is that bastard asking him questions about our break up? I thought this was supposed to be political commentary!” Cee-Cee kept her gaze pointed at the screen, shaking her head at what was being asked. She stole a glance at her uncle, and he looked as perplexed as she felt.

“None of this was on the list of questions we gave him.”

“But are you sure Gina gave him the questions? You never know with her. She had her own agenda going,” Cee-Cee murmured, concerned. She winced as Phoenix took another verbal blow that implied he was gay. “This is a disaster waiting to happen, Uncle Bryan.”

“Let’s see where it goes. Don’t give up hope yet.”

She sighed and leaned back in her chair, arms crossed.

“Well, I’m not gay,” said Phoenix on the screen.

“Now, hang on a second. I’m not calling you gay. I’m just saying. My source is a friend of Ashley’s, and she tells me the two of you, quote, ‘Go out all the time. It’s obvious they are very much in love with one another.’ I’m not one for labels myself, darling.” Five Parker grinned mischievously. “I’m simply trying to figure out how a guy like you can run a town like yours. I mean, do they know?”

Cee-Cee covered her face and dropped her head on the table. “He is going to shit a brick when this interview is over.” Her voice was muffled and distressed.

“He’s going to fire the firm,” Bryan worried. “He’s going to fire the fucking firm after this.”

U
p front
, Phoenix stared at the stage floor. This son of a bitch was trying to goad him into saying something he hadn’t come here to say. And who was his source? Phoenix frowned. There was no getting around this or out of this, other than to end the interview. They still had two minutes to go. He could keep denying and having the same questions thrown back at him in a different way, or he could come clean and really take the wind out of his father’s sails.

Wallace Briton believed the people of this town couldn’t handle having a bisexual man representing them, but deep in his heart Phoenix was sure that wasn’t true. He had his worries and concerns about his image. However, did he really think they’d burn him at the stake?

His mother had told him he deserved to be happy and who he dated was nobody’s business, but she had also told him keeping secrets could make the people he cared about feel he didn’t have any faith in them or himself.

On the other hand, Cee-Cee had broken up with him, and he hadn’t seen or heard from Ashley since the cruise; so he had nothing to gain for saying he had been with them both. He could stick to the plan. He should stick to the plan.

Yet he could picture Ashley and Cee-Cee somewhere watching this and seeing confirmation that he had never really cared about them. Phoenix couldn’t live with that. He opened his mouth to speak and there was nothing left to say but the truth.

“You know what? Five, I do care about Ashley. I love him very much. In fact, I dare say he’s the only man that I have ever fallen in love with. But what does that have to do with my leadership abilities? I’ve been in office and proven my merit, and I’ve advanced my community. I think that matters much more than who I go to bed with.”

The set went quiet as everyone stared at him, stunned. Phoenix’s heart hammered in his chest. What he was doing went against everything he knew about politics, but he was tired. He was tired of hiding. He had lost two of the most important people in life, just as he had feared he would, all because he hadn’t done this in the first place.

“I love Ashley Terrence,” said Phoenix Briton. “As much as I’m in love with Cora-Lynn Carson. And if you want to know what I’m doing to make my town as diverse and inclusive as our country should be, well, this is it. I’m an example of the fact that you can come from a small town where everybody knows everybody, where your secrets aren’t safe, and you can come out and be yourself because small town doesn’t mean small-minded. I have confidence in my townspeople. They’re no small-minded people, and I’m proud to call myself their mayor. I hope they’re proud to have me, too.”

The audience erupted with applause. It was unexpected, and the loud outpouring of support made his heart pound fearfully as much as the confession had. These people who didn’t know him felt like he had done something praiseworthy. Five Parker stared at him with a stunned expression and set his cue cards aside, smiling.

“Well, then.” Five gestured with his hands for the audience to calm down, but the cheers got louder. Phoenix sat back and felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulder. “Alright, now!” The jazz ensemble played a tune, and Phoenix chuckled. Five shrugged and grinned. “They love you, man. America loves you right now.”

P
hoenix wanted
to think he had done the right thing. He tapped the floor of the stage restlessly with his foot and interlocked his fingers to keep his hands from shaking. He felt like he had swallowed a handful of fairies who were playing tag on his insides. The hot studio lights beaming down on them from above had him sweating, and he could hardly hear above the thunderous response from the studio audience until finally the crowd was gotten under control.

The studio audience applause died down to the hushed conversations of about a hundred people, still amplified by the fact that they were talking simultaneously. Phoenix tugged on the collar of his shirt and stared at the exit. This was the longest three-minute interview ever. Wasn’t it time for him to leave yet?

Five Parker’s shrewd gaze pinned him to the couch, and Phoenix had a feeling that the talk show host had gotten more out of this interview than he had hoped for. He looked surprised and pleased, but Phoenix suddenly understood that this was supposed to be a crucifixion. Whoever the man’s source was had given Five enough ammo about his relationship with Ashley to nail Phoenix to the cross. So, who was the source?

His jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth. Gina Lafitte didn’t know anything about his relationship with Ashley. No one knew anything about his relationship with Ashley, except Cee-Cee.
She wouldn’t do that to me.
He briefly closed his eyes.
Would she?

“How do you feel right now?” asked Five. “Don’t you feel lighter now that you can be yourself?”

Those were the words that echoed in Phoenix’s head when he finally escaped the lights and cameras, briskly walking back to the greenroom. As soon as he entered backstage, Bryan Friedman stepped out with a troubled expression.

“Mr. Mayor, he broke script, and I take full responsibility. I am so sorry you had to go through that,” Bryan leaned in close to whisper. Phoenix nodded and shook his head at the same time. He clasped Bryan’s hand in a firm shake and patted him on the back.

“We’ll take care of it. Your people can go now. I’m heading out.”

“Phoenix!”

He whipped around at someone calling his name. Ashley pushed past the guard trying to keep him out and rushed to him. Phoenix’s first instinct was to subtly shake his head to let Ashley know to keep it non-intimate, but Phoenix froze as everyone looked from him to Ashley. The world knew.
Don’t you feel lighter now that you can be yourself?
No, he didn’t. He felt like he had been goaded into revealing personal information that really wasn’t anyone else’s business, but now that the world knew, to hell with pretenses.

Ashley grabbed him in a hug, and Phoenix slowly slid his arms around his waist, resting his forehead against the side of his face. The embrace was very brief, but it recharged him. Ashley discreetly brushed his lips over Phoenix’s neck. “Did you hear?” Phoenix asked.

“I got here on the tail end. Phoenix, we need to talk. I think my ex-manager fed Five Parker information about us,” he whispered. He clutched Phoenix by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly. Phoenix nodded, clasping Ashley’s forearm and squeezing comfortingly. He didn’t realize his facial expression was that of a man who was trying to be brave in the most terrifying situation of his life.

So it wasn’t Cee-Cee, thank goodness
, Phoenix thought. It didn’t seem like something she would do. He sighed. It didn’t matter now anyway. It was done. He had done it.

“I was just about to leave. You coming?” Phoenix beckoned for him to follow him to the greenroom. But when Cee-Cee stepped out with the other PR-ISM staff and her eyes locked with his, he held out his hand to her, hoping. Cee-Cee hesitated. “Dinner?” he extended the invitation.

She looked down at her feet and glanced away but finally tossed her raven hair out of her face and nodded. “Yeah, dinner sounds great.”

Phoenix collected his things, and the three exited the building in search of dinner and a place for Phoenix to lick his wounds. However, before Phoenix reached his car, he heard footsteps running behind him and turned to investigate. He saw Five Parker in pursuit and paused. Handing his keys to Ashley, he said, “You guys go ahead. I’ll meet you at the car.”

“I drove,” Cee-Cee reminded him. “What about my car? Are we gonna leave it here?”

“Yeah, I drove, too.”

“We’ll come back for your cars. Let me just see what he wants so I can get away from here.”

“Phoenix Briton,” Five called out. Ashley and Cee-Cee reluctantly left him, and Phoenix half-smiled at the talk show host.

“Haven’t you gotten everything you needed from me? I think I left my heart back there on your stage.”

Five pressed a business card into his hand. “Ah, no! That interview was perfect, Phoenix. Can I call you Phoenix? I thought I was gonna have to put the screws to you, but you just opened up and let it all out. I have never seen anyone be so forthright and honest.”

“What can I do for you, Five? I’m kind of in a hurry to leave, and I know you need to finish your show.”

“Listen, aside from hosting this show, for the past five years I’ve traveled worldwide as a motivational speaker and spearheaded a platform called Before Your Last Resort targeted at young adults who may be suicidal as a result of their sexuality.”

“That’s wonderful, Five. What does that have to do with me?”

“Well, I studied up on you ahead of this interview, and I know how much you pour your heart into your causes. This is a worthy cause, Phoenix, and I want to give it my all. But you can imagine how hard it is for me to juggle two demanding careers. So I’m seeking someone, a guy like you who's successful and self-confident, to get people motivated to break the chains of secrecy and shame.”

“Hey, Five, I hope you find your guy, but I’m not him. You think it’s tough being a talk show host? Try running for mayor. And I’m not really interested in being a motivational speaker. There’s something about selling false hope to the hopeless that just doesn’t jibe well with me.”

“I know what you’re thinking. You think, like everyone else, that self-help gurus are the charlatans of this century, but you’re wrong. I don’t operate like that, and that’s part of the reason I want you. I got a feeling you’re genuine. This movement needs genuine people, Phoenix.”

Phoenix eyed his watch. “What sets your deal apart from everybody else out there?”

“We don’t charge for our conventions. Guests only pay for their hotel accommodations. The conferences are free, funded by donations and my own contributions. I know you like that, but dig this. Before Your Last Resort teaches real life tactics that work. We talk about self-care, cognitive retraining, how to get mental healthcare. Your job as speaker would be to relate your experiences as someone in a nontraditional relationship and encourage people to consider how much freer their life will be if they stopped living according to other people’s rules.”

Phoenix chuckled dryly. “You have a lot of faith in me, considering that’s something I’m still learning myself.”

“It could be good for you. All I’m asking is for you to keep it in mind. No firm answer needed today. Take my card and give me a call after the election, and we’ll go from there.”

Phoenix tucked the card into his pocket and nodded noncommittally. “Thanks, Five.” He didn’t intend to call. He jogged over to his car and climbed into the driver’s seat. “Ready to go?”

“What did he want?”

“Something about his project, Before Your Last Resort.”

“Before Your Last Resort? Oh, I’ve heard of them. A couple of my fans went to a convention last year and tagged me to some video footage from it, and I thought it was great. I didn’t know he ran that, though. I always thought of Five Parker as being just a step above a tabloid reporter,” said Ashley. “Guess he has a sensitive side beneath the plastic exterior.”

“Yeah, whatever. All I want to do now is forget this interview ever happened. Let’s get out of here.”

C
ee-Cee clenched
her lower lip between her teeth, staring at him. His large hands gripped the steering wheel as he drove through downtown looking for a place to eat, and his wide shoulders filled out a stylish black suit. She glanced at Ashley and realized what had made the past two weeks the suckiest two weeks of her life. She had missed these guys.

She leaned forward over the center console between them. “Phoenix, what you did tonight was very brave.”

“Tegan forced his hand. She called me and told me she had given Five Parker details about us being together.”

“What I don’t understand is, why would she do that?” Phoenix gripped the steering wheel tighter. His knuckles turned white. Ashley closed his fingers over Phoenix’s hand, and the grip loosened. Cee-Cee slipped behind the driver’s seat and massaged his shoulders. Her fingers kneaded the bunched muscles and she caressed his neck.

Ashley answered, “She thought she was doing me a favor. She said my career needed a scandal to keep me relevant while in hiatus.” Phoenix snorted in disgust.

“Image is everything,” he muttered.

“And there’s something else…Phoenix, those pictures that your father had. Tegan was the one who had them taken. She hired someone to tail me. When I initially found out about the pictures, I tried to erase them. I couldn’t get to the originals, but I had hoped threatening to fire her would stay her hand. Unfortunately, it didn’t. She sold them to your dad.”

Phoenix didn’t say anything. He stared ahead and kept driving, and Ashley and Cee-Cee shared a look. Cee-Cee nodded encouragingly. Ashley was doing the right thing. This was a night for unburdening and doing away with secrets. She had almost said no to coming out to dinner, but now she was glad she had come. The healing could start now.

“I should’ve told you about it sooner,” Ashley replied softly, voice full of regret. “I want you to know that I’ve made sure those pictures never resurface again.”

“What’d you do?” Phoenix asked suspiciously. “I got a call from Wallace saying someone had been in his house. I didn’t know what he was talking about. Was it you?”

Ashley smiled sneakily. “Let’s just say I called in a favor from an old friend.”

“Tam,” Cee-Cee guessed. “Your criminal mastermind best friend. I thought he was in Australia!”

“I flew him out while we were on the cruise so it couldn’t be linked to any of us. He’s a professional thief.”

“That sounds exciting,” Phoenix joked, laughing. “So, let me get this straight. You hired a professional thief to break into my father’s house and steal the pictures? And you did it while we were all out of town? I can’t believe Wallace didn’t figure out the pictures were missing sooner.”

“Just goes to show you how good Tam is. He said the guy wouldn’t even know he had been there. Disconnected the alarm remotely and everything.”

“For the record, if I ever have anything you want, you don’t have to send Tam to my place. I’m more than willing to give it to you without you sending a thief my way,” Phoenix chuckled.

Cee-Cee sighed with relief. “Well, I’m glad that’s over with. I want to meet this Tam character. He sounds like a blast.”

“I hope you get to meet him one day.” Phoenix peered at her in the rear view mirror. “What?” Cee-Cee asked, smiling.

He shrugged. “Are we making amends? Is this us burying the hatchet and trying again?”

She looked down. “I don’t know what this is…but it feels right.”

He killed the car and unlocked the doors, and Cee-Cee stopped staring at the boys long enough to realize they were at one of her favorite restaurants. “They serve great home-style meals here. Laidback atmosphere and it’s never a crowd. Come on, guys. Let’s eat, drink and be merry.”

She giggled and pulled Phoenix’s face down for a kiss. It was meant to be brief, but as soon as her lips touched his, he stopped in his tracks and pulled her into a fierce embrace. It didn’t matter that they were in the parking lot. Cee-Cee flushed with desire as his lips slanted and sucked, licked and nibbled at her mouth. She tingled.

It felt like it had been ages. She missed him so much. The emotions she had been suppressing resurfaced with a vengeance.

He let her go and pulled Ashley to him for the same treatment. “Mm,” Ashley moaned, kissing him back. “You know…” He clasped his face and kissed him harder. “We don’t need to eat. Let’s just get home and...mmm…talk.”

Cee-Cee glanced around but no one paid them any attention. “I’d be all for that idea, but woman cannot live off kisses alone! I’m starving. We spent all evening gearing up for that dang interview. Let’s eat first.” Ashley chuckled, easing Phoenix away. Their fingers locked together and Ashley grabbed Cee-Cee’s hand, too.

They were given a table in a corner near the back where they had some privacy. Ashley juggled his cellphone from hand to hand. “So…now that everyone knows…can I finally show my fans the man of my dreams?” He grinned. Phoenix smiled sheepishly.

“H-hang on a second. I just want to know one thing first. Seriously, Cee-Cee, are we still broken up? Cause I suck at this not being with you guys shit. I’ve been lousy to my staff. I’ve been depressed. I haven’t eaten or slept right in days. I miss you. Both of you.”

Ashley interjected, “Well, technically if it was a ‘fake relationship’ like you called it, then it was a fake break-up, and we can totally try again.” Cee-Cee erupted with laughter. She didn’t know what to say. She felt the same. She had missed them. But did they really need to hook back up now of all times? “Squeeze in for a picture, loves!” Ashley ordered.

Phoenix nervously came over to their side of the booth and scooted closer. They leaned together as the camera flashed and captured the picture.

But suddenly from across the restaurant came the sound of tinkling glass as of someone tapping a glass with a fork. The normal buzz of the restaurant died down marginally, and Phoenix glanced over to see who was vying for attention. When he realized it was Buddy Steele standing at the head of a long table of people, his heart dropped.

“I’d like to propose a toast to Mayor Phoenix Briton,” said Buddy to his fawning audience. “Tonight, our mayor did something quite extraordinary. He came out of the closet on live TV. I guess that cancels my ‘What’s he hiding?’ adverts.” Laughter accompanied the weak joke, and Buddy’s jowls shook as he chuckled. He lifted his glass and nodded in Phoenix’s direction.

“Shit,” Phoenix muttered.

“I didn’t even see him when we walked in,” Cee-Cee muttered. “We haven’t ordered yet. Let’s just go.”

“Who is he?” asked Ashley.

“That’s Buddy Steele. He’s an old friend of my dad’s and the reason Wallace Briton asked me to drop out of the running for mayor. Motherfucker! Of all the people I could’ve run into tonight…”

Buddy’s booming voice rang out as he continued his speech. “And even though the Bible makes clear that a man with a woman is the natural order of things, we know that we are also granted free will to choose who we want to be with. Or, hell, even what we want to be these days!” More laughter. Phoenix stiffened angrily but kept his face placid.

“Mayor Briton got on television and announced that this town is okay with the gays. Next thing you know there will be rainbow flags on every other house. Your kids will be telling you they’re not sure if they’re a girl or a boy anymore. Get ready for unisex bathrooms in elementary schools. It’s progressive. It’s hip. Get with the program, people! And it is programming. Don’t be fooled.

“The mayor would have you believe it makes you a better person to be big-minded enough to ignore what you know in your spirit to be right. Well, I say love the sinner, hate the sin.”

Phoenix rose and surveyed the now completely silent restaurant. All eyes were on him. Buddy’s beady eyes glinted with delight at the circumstances. In stark contrast to his reception at the studio, his townspeople weren’t championing him. Phoenix’s brown eyes drifted over each person, making eye contact with some he knew personally. He was pretty sure that the majority of them hadn’t even seen the interview. Buddy was trying to incite hatred where none should be.

Phoenix cleared his throat. “Yes, Buddy Steele, I do believe it makes you a better person to be accepting of others, even if they don’t look like you, don’t worship like you, don’t love like you, because we are all human beings. And if anyone believes there’s something wrong with that assertion, let’s be clear. You didn’t get that feeling from any scripture. You learned it from someone filled with unnecessary fear and hatred.”

Phoenix turned to Cee-Cee and Ashley. “Let’s go,” he murmured. They slid out of the booth and headed to the door.

“So, to Mayor Briton! Looks like he’s heading out, but I just want to say I’m proud of you, son. I’ve always been close with your family, and I’m praying for you, alright? Have a good night and good luck with the election next month!”

Phoenix pushed open the doors and stormed out of the restaurant. “He’s praying for me? More like burning my effigy on an altar, hoping this shit ruins me.”

“I’ll drive. You’re worked up. It’s been a long night,” said Ashley.

“Take me home. Jeez, I think I really fucked up this time. After what we just saw in there, I honestly don’t think my town is going to elect a gay mayor.”

Cee-Cee soothed, “You’re not gay. You’re bisexual. And let this town surprise you. They elected you once. They just need to see that you’re still the same Phoenix Briton they hired to get the job done the first time.”