Hot Off the Press Page 14

  “I like it, actually. It’s a different kind of you.”

  Ian’s eyes were filled with affection, and Simon was swimming in them as they finally connected. Here he was, the man he had dreamed of for so long. The one he had thought he would never be good enough for. Here they were together.

  “I’m so proud of you for writing that article. It’s everything I knew you were capable of. You’re a fantastic writer, and that level of honesty isn’t something you see every day. It’s rare to be able to capture people’s hearts and minds with your writing like that. But then again, you had my heart since the start.”

  Simon embraced Ian in a tight hug. He wasn’t going to let him go.

  ***

  They sat on the couch together, having some wine, enjoying the freedom they finally had to share their feelings and to be together as they had wanted for so long.

  Simon again felt the regret of trying to hide his feelings from Ian: “I’m sorry I pushed you away for so long. I’m sorry that I gave you the impression that I didn’t feel the same way you did.”

  Ian responded, “I knew we had a connection, and I wanted to be around you constantly from the first time we worked together at the Weekly. We could have conversations for hours, and I could always trust you and rely on you. I didn’t know yet that I was falling for you. But once I knew, it was all I could think about. That’s why I became so down over the past few months. I couldn’t bear the thought that I couldn’t be with you like I wanted to. That we could only ever be colleagues or friends.”

  Simon frowned, “What I don’t understand is why you decided to give Margeaux the impression that you were interested in her.”

  “I needed to try and distract myself from my feelings for you. I couldn’t deal with the idea of falling for a guy yet. It was all so strange to me. I needed to see if I could make it work with a girl.”

  “But Margeaux, of all people?”

  They both laughed. “Yeah, I could’ve made some better choices there. But it all worked out in the end. I get to be with you now.”

  Ian bent over and kissed Simon again. Who would’ve thought: once this was only a fantasy for Simon, and now he was kissing the man of his dreams.

  Simon took Ian’s hands in his: “Let’s just make a promise not to hide from our feelings for each other ever again. To always be honest. I don’t want to ever lose this.”

  “Deal,” Ian responded. “I don’t either. I’ve never felt this strongly for someone before, tiger. I’ve never been this happy and comfortable with someone before.”

  They sat late into the night, discussing everything, opening up to each other. A few times Simon thought that he must have been dreaming. But it was no dream. He and Ian were together.

  Chapter 26

  The day had finally arrived. Even on such an important day, Simon couldn’t neglect his new duties as editor of the Ridgemont Weekly, so he quickly answered a call from Dennis about the latest edition as he stood outside of the church. It was a magnificent day, the perfect day for such a special occasion, and Simon felt excited and contented. He finished the call with Dennis, who told him to enjoy the day, that he would be able to handle the crisis on his own. Simon decided to take his advice, and walked towards the entrance of the church hall.

  Zuko stood outside, looking incredibly dashing in his blue tuxedo and bow tie. He smiled at Simon and hugged him. “I can’t believe this is happening! It feels so soon!”

  “I know! I’d better be ready at the front of the church. What time is it?”

  “It’s not time yet. Are you nervous?”

  “A little. But mostly excited.”

  Simon felt uncomfortable in the hot suit he was wearing, but he knew that he looked great in it. He had perfectly trimmed his beard and styled his hair, and he wore a red tie that he knew Ian loved to see him in.

  Zuko walked inside to sit next to Jeremy. “I’ll see you in there. Good luck.”

  Simon thanked him and took a deep breath. He was ready to take his place.

  He felt a tap on his shoulder then. He turned around and was taken aback: Ian stood there, smiling his megawatt smile and looking more handsome than Simon had ever seen him. His suit fit him perfectly, and his cheeks were red with excitement.

  “Looking handsome, tiger,” Ian said, winking.

  “You too. But you shouldn’t be here. Shouldn’t you be inside already?”

  “Relax, Olivia is running late, as expected. Poor Justin is a mess of nerves. I’ve been trying to console him.”

  “I’m supposed to be helping Olivia get ready, but her mom chased me away. Said it was no place for a man to be in a bride’s changing room. So I guess I’ll just have to carry out my man of honor duties inside the church. Olivia tried to argue but her mom has had a few already so it was pointless.”

  “She’s lucky to have you,” Ian smiled, and kissed him. They walked into the church hand-in-hand, ready to witness Olivia marry Justin.

  ***

  At the reception, Olivia looked radiant in her long, strapless white dress. She wore her hair up and her makeup was done perfectly to accentuate her soft features. Ian sat with his arm around Simon’s shoulder as they watched Olivia and Justin’s parents make speeches.

  Finally it was time for Simon to say something as Olivia’s man of honor. He stood up in front of the crowd and fought back tears as he spoke.

  “Olivia is my best friend. I’ve known her since we were in school, and she’s always had my back. No one has been as fierce in their support of me. No one has been as kind and giving as we both grew up together.

  “Today she’s marrying the man she loves. The man who makes her so happy. I’m honored to be here to celebrate this day with her.

  “I’m fortunate enough to say that Olivia has inspired me to be a better person. She’s taught me how to go after what I want, fearlessly, and she’s helped me to learn how to love.” Simon looked over at Ian, who wiped away tears from his cheeks. He raised his glass to Olivia and Justin, and felt happy that he could be there on one of the most important days of her life, and share it with the man that he loved.

  ***

  “That was a beautiful speech, tiger,” Ian whispered into Simon’s ear as they slow danced at the reception.

  “Thanks. I meant it.” He looked into Ian’s eyes. “I meant it when I said that I learned how to love. I love you.”

  They embraced and danced like they were the only two people in the room.

  Hot Off the Press

  Ridgemont University Book 1

  Simon & Ian

  Simon and Ian will return in future Ridgemont University novels.

  To get updates as soon as a new book in the series is released, and to stand a chance to receive free copies, sign up for the mailing list at meredithtaylorbooks.com.

  The next book in the series follows the story of Darryn and JP, two swimmers for the Ridgemont University team, whose bitter rivalry in the pool leads to complicated feelings for both of them. Find out more at meredithtaylorbooks.com.

  Did you enjoy this book?

  Please consider leaving a review on Amazon if you enjoyed reading this book. Reviews help other readers find the Ridgemont University series, so that I can continue to deliver these books regularly. Go to getbook.at/hotoffthepress to leave your review now.

  Ridgemont University Book 2

  Against the Tide

  Darryn Fredericks is an 18-year-old swimming wunderkind who has received a scholarship to study at the prestigious Ridgemont University. He comes from the wrong side of the tracks, and he’s determined to work hard to make life better for himself and his family, especially his young brother who suffers from psychological problems and needs special care. He is on track to be recruited for the national swimming team, if he can only stay focused and not let himself get distracted.

  Unfortunately, his rival on the swim team, JP Terreblanche, seems intent on making his life a living hell. JP is one of the rich, privileged students at Ridgemont, and
he sees Darryn as a threat to his own swimming success. JP especially can’t stand the way Darryn judges him because of his wealth, because there is so much more to his life than just his money. Besides, JP’s grandfather puts intense pressure on him to live up to the family name. But Darryn doesn’t seem to see that.

  Their bitter rivalry leads to struggles for both of them, especially when JP’s thuggish friend Peet sets out to ruin Darryn’s life. But in the midst of all of their competitiveness and misunderstandings, feelings start to develop, feelings neither of them could have anticipated…

  Will Darryn be able to overcome the hurdles Peet puts in his way and support his struggling family? Will JP be able to forge his own path and break free from the expectations of his grandfather? And who will be triumphant in the finals of the Ridgemont University swimming championships?

  Chapter 1

  Darryn Fredericks stood at the edge of the Olympic-sized swimming pool in the large swimming stadium of Ridgemont University. He felt his heart racing wildly, and even though the crowd was cheering and excited, he could hardly hear a thing. He was laser-focused on what he had to accomplish. Get to the other side first. Stroke, pause, breathe, stroke, pause, breathe. He mentally went through the race then, and saw himself gliding across the water gracefully. He couldn’t make a single mistake, and in the hours of practice over the past months he had perfected his form and technique. But he was not about to become complacent or think that winning was a sure thing. He had always had to work hard for everything in his life, and it had gotten him onto the Ridgemont University swim team as a first year student, on the path to make the national team in a few months if he could keep on winning. This was the time to be more focused than ever.

  Darryn noticed the stands growing quieter. The moment was approaching. His muscular chest was rising and falling as he breathed deeply. His caramel skin glistened with small beads of nervous perspiration, accentuating his muscled, toned swimmer’s physique. He adjusted his goggles and swimmer’s cap to make sure everything was in place. He bent his bare legs and kicked out some of the tension he was building up. He was as ready as he would ever be.

  The announcer’s voice boomed over the loudspeakers: “Welcome everyone to the Ridgemont University swimming championships quarter-final match 3. The winner of this race will go on to compete in the semi-finals in three weeks’ time, and will be considered for the intervarsity team. We are also happy to welcome the scouts for the South African national team who are in the stands today. Please give them a round of applause!” The crowd responded with a loud roar. There were at least a hundred supporters. Swimming was one of the most popular sports at Ridgemont University, and next to the rugby championships, the swimming finals were the most attended event on the annual sporting calendar. Darryn knew that this was the only reason he received such a sizable scholarship for being a gifted swimmer, as the swimming team was well funded and had many sponsors. The scholarship was almost enough to cover his entire tuition at Ridgemont, and since it was one of the most expensive universities in the country, this was saying a lot. He knew that if he wanted to make the national team and make a career out of swimming, losing was not an option.

  The announcer spoke again when the crowd became calmer: “In a moment we will turn over to the referee who will signal the start of the race. Good luck to the swimmers!”

  Darryn looked into the crowd, seeing the expectant faces and the signs supporting particular swimmers. He wished then that his father and brother could have been there to support him, but he knew that it would not be possible. He felt slightly selfish for not being at home, where he could help his father on such a difficult day, but he knew that he had to be at the race. He had to win and hold on to his scholarship so that he could at least support them with some of the funding that he received. He had to win for them.

  He noticed his coach and the rest of the swim team at their spot on the benches. Coach Tyson was chewing his nicotine gum furiously, making it look like the veins in his neck were about to explode from stress. He nervously gave Darryn a thumbs-up and managed a smile that looked more like a grimace. Coach Tyson was the reason that Darryn’s swimming had improved so much in the few months that he had been on the swimming team, and Darryn respected him immensely. He returned his coach’s gesture, and saw that he was being leered at by a particular set of piercing blue eyes that stirred immediate anger in him.

  JP Terreblanche was giving Darryn a smug look, his eyebrow raised. He had his short blond hair styled in a spiky, boyish style, and his sharp jaw and heavy mouth gave him a look of mischief that only fueled Darryn’s distrust of him. JP adjusted his Ridge U jacket, but his gaze did not move from Darryn. Even though Darryn knew that JP was good looking, with his high cheekbones and strong jaw, the arrogance that went along with it made Darryn’s blood boil. JP was one of the best swimmers on the team, but Darryn knew that he was definitely better. JP, however, acted like he was God’s gift to swimming, and he walked and talked with an air of importance that only the spoiled Ridgemont elite could pull off. Unfortunately, JP had won his quarter-final race earlier that morning, only adding to his arrogance. Darryn knew that he would enjoy beating JP in the finals if both of them made it, and a smile crossed his lips at the thought that JP would have to watch him win. Beating JP would be one of the most satisfying parts of his swimming career at Ridgemont, Darryn thought.

  He stepped to his mark at the very edge of the pool, and bent down to be ready for his starting dive. He trained his eyes on the water in front of him, rehearsing his movements in his head again. He could do this, he reminded himself, and held his breath as he waited for the sound of the gun that spelled the start of the race. Everything was quiet, and Darryn’s mind was blocking out even the stray thoughts of JP’s arrogant stare which was surely still trained on him like a laser. Suddenly, the bang of the starting gun sounded, and Darryn was in the water. He found his rhythm perfectly as he hit the surface. Stroke, pause, breathe, stroke, pause, breathe. He felt his movements echo the months of training and mental preparation that he had done. He knew that he was doing everything right. He knew that the stakes couldn’t be higher, and he pushed himself even harder than he thought possible.

  The thrill and discipline of swimming were intoxicating for Darryn. This was where he was happiest, and where he felt most in control. He loved the feeling of moving so swiftly and powerfully in the pool, his large arms and shoulders sliding through the water and propelling him forward, his legs finding exactly the right rhythm to facilitate his propulsion, all combining to make his movement through the water like that of an eagle swooping through the air. Coach Tyson had looked at him in amazement the first time he had seen Darryn swim, and told him that he had a rare talent. Darryn knew that he had to put his talent to use and go as far as he could with his swimming career. He had had too late a start at swimming to compete internationally earlier in his life, but he could still make the intervarsity and national college teams. He knew he had it in him.

  Suddenly he felt his fingers touch the opposite edge of the pool. It was over. He emerged from the water and saw on the scoreboard that he had completed the race in a new personal record time. He had won, and the crowd was cheering in elation. Darryn raised his fist proudly and smiled. He saw his coach and the rest of his team standing and applauding. Coach Tyson looked especially jubilant. But one face was smirking between the rest of the team. JP was still sitting even though the rest of the team were standing in applause. He was not cheering at all, but merely staring at Darryn. Darryn decided to ignore him; it wasn’t worth letting JP ruin his proud moment.

  He was eager to let his father and brother know that he had won, that he would be progressing to the semi-finals in a few weeks. He got out of the pool and found his towel, and his coach was immediately next to him, tapping his shoulder. “Well done, Darryn! That was excellent, exactly as we practised it. You did an amazing job. Now you just need to keep it up at the semis and you can make the first team. It’s bee
n years since we’ve had a first-year student on the first team. Keep it up!”

  “Thanks, coach,” Darryn said, with a bashful smile. He knew that his coach favored him over many of the other swimmers, and that he was secretly rooting for Darryn to do well. Maybe it was because Darryn was one of only two mixed-race students on the swim team, or “coloured” as they were called in South Africa. The rest of the team were all white, often from wealthy backgrounds. Darryn knew that he had a lot to prove, and Coach Tyson seemed to be determined to help him in any way he could.

  Coach Tyson moved in closer to him and said, “Just remember to try and make it to the get-together this afternoon once the last races are done. I invited the national scouts and it would be good for you to meet them.” Darryn was thrilled at the prospect of meeting the national scouts, even if it meant attending a party with the rest of the team.

  Darryn’s best friend on the swim team, Mario, came over to him and enthusiastically shook his hand in congratulations. Mario was the other coloured student on the team, who had come second in his quarter-final race as he had participated in the race that JP had won that morning. Mario was always optimistic and merely shrugged off his second-place finish, saying that he would do better the following year, and that he didn’t need to make the intervarsity team just yet. He was one of Darryn’s most ardent supporters, and was always ready to tell Darryn how much he admired his technique. “You know you’re the best swimmer on the team, and in a year’s time you’ll definitely be captain,” Mario often said to Darryn.