love with him.”
“Fuck!”
“I know,” Jody whispered, shaking his head. “I’m fucking crazy about him.”
Lil sat back in his chair and gaped at his best friend.
“What? Don’t tell me you’re all out of advice.”
“I’m astonished at your eagerness to get your heart broken again,” Lil remarked. “You’ve always had a penchant for lost causes, but this is too much.
“You’re overreacting, Lil.”
“Sweetie, you really need to think this through. He’s not only in the closet; he’s got a father who’s demented, according to the rags.”
“I know he’s sort of an ass, but demented?”
“You know how I love football.”
“Yeah, yeah, you jerk off to the pictures.”
“Really, Jodes, give me some credit. I actually watch the games and read all the commentaries. Then I jerk off.” His queen-voice returned.
Jody grinned. “And the point of this is?”
“Many articles about Clark have mentioned his father. They say he’s controlling and rules his son’s life. A lot of teams who would normally be interested in signing him up are shying away from him.”
“That sucks.”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong. There are still a lot of people interested and willing to overlook his dad. However, I don’t think they’ll overlook daddy and the gay factor—that would be a lethal combination.”
“Lil, this is 2003, not the eighteenth century. Gay is very fashionable right now.”
“Not in football, and not in his dad’s world. You’re opening yourself up for a massive dose of heartache.”
“Don’t exaggerate.”
“Oh my God! Has he even talked about coming out? Did he say he loves you?”
“No!” Jody snarled. “It’s way too soon. I haven’t even told him how I feel.”
Lil shook his head. “Jody, get away from him while your heart is still in one piece. It’s taken you years to get over Rick. I don’t think I have the strength to do that again.”
“It won’t be like that. Now, stop being a drama queen and ask for the check. I need to go.”
“Wait,” Lil reached out and stopped Jody from leaving. “Throw me a bone at least?”
“What?”
“You know…. How was it? Is he hung?”
Jody paused for several minutes, knowing the suspense was killing Lil.
“Let’s just say that he’s… magnificent.”
“That good?” Lil asked almost reverently.
“Better.”
C USTOMERS filled thetavern to capacity tonight, including Nikki and her cheerleading buddies. They were at a table, empty beer bottles lined up like soldiers on parade. The girls were loud and flirtatious, calling out lewd commentaries to some of my teammates who played pool on the other side of the room.
“Clark!” Nikki yelled, waving to get my attention. Soon the chanting started, the singsong voices going, “He’s here! It’s Clark! Hey, Clark!”
I walked to their table and couldn’t keep the smile off my face. “You guys are shit-faced. How long have you been here?”
“Many, many hours,” Nikki replied with a goofy look on her face. I hadn’t seen her much since our meeting at Round Table even though she’d called several times trying to set something up.
“I think you’ve had enough to drink. Why don’t you let me take you ladies home?”
“That’s so nice of you,” one of the girls said, and the chanting started again, the “Go, Clark” reverberating in the room.
“Come on.” I pulled Nikki from the chair, and she latched onto my neck, pressing tightly against me. I gathered the group together while my teammates hooted and hollered, asking to share the wealth. I flipped them the bird and hustled everyone out of the bar.
We piled into the Volvo, four in the back and Nikki up front with me. She struggled with the latch of her seat belt so I reached over to help, accidentally brushing her breasts with my arm.
“Oh, sweetie, don’t try and cop a feel. These boobs are all yours, if you want them.”
“Shut up, Nik. You’re wasted.”
“She’s wasted…
“Fuck!”
“I know,” Jody whispered, shaking his head. “I’m fucking crazy about him.”
Lil sat back in his chair and gaped at his best friend.
“What? Don’t tell me you’re all out of advice.”
“I’m astonished at your eagerness to get your heart broken again,” Lil remarked. “You’ve always had a penchant for lost causes, but this is too much.
“You’re overreacting, Lil.”
“Sweetie, you really need to think this through. He’s not only in the closet; he’s got a father who’s demented, according to the rags.”
“I know he’s sort of an ass, but demented?”
“You know how I love football.”
“Yeah, yeah, you jerk off to the pictures.”
“Really, Jodes, give me some credit. I actually watch the games and read all the commentaries. Then I jerk off.” His queen-voice returned.
Jody grinned. “And the point of this is?”
“Many articles about Clark have mentioned his father. They say he’s controlling and rules his son’s life. A lot of teams who would normally be interested in signing him up are shying away from him.”
“That sucks.”
“Oh, don’t get me wrong. There are still a lot of people interested and willing to overlook his dad. However, I don’t think they’ll overlook daddy and the gay factor—that would be a lethal combination.”
“Lil, this is 2003, not the eighteenth century. Gay is very fashionable right now.”
“Not in football, and not in his dad’s world. You’re opening yourself up for a massive dose of heartache.”
“Don’t exaggerate.”
“Oh my God! Has he even talked about coming out? Did he say he loves you?”
“No!” Jody snarled. “It’s way too soon. I haven’t even told him how I feel.”
Lil shook his head. “Jody, get away from him while your heart is still in one piece. It’s taken you years to get over Rick. I don’t think I have the strength to do that again.”
“It won’t be like that. Now, stop being a drama queen and ask for the check. I need to go.”
“Wait,” Lil reached out and stopped Jody from leaving. “Throw me a bone at least?”
“What?”
“You know…. How was it? Is he hung?”
Jody paused for several minutes, knowing the suspense was killing Lil.
“Let’s just say that he’s… magnificent.”
“That good?” Lil asked almost reverently.
“Better.”
C USTOMERS filled thetavern to capacity tonight, including Nikki and her cheerleading buddies. They were at a table, empty beer bottles lined up like soldiers on parade. The girls were loud and flirtatious, calling out lewd commentaries to some of my teammates who played pool on the other side of the room.
“Clark!” Nikki yelled, waving to get my attention. Soon the chanting started, the singsong voices going, “He’s here! It’s Clark! Hey, Clark!”
I walked to their table and couldn’t keep the smile off my face. “You guys are shit-faced. How long have you been here?”
“Many, many hours,” Nikki replied with a goofy look on her face. I hadn’t seen her much since our meeting at Round Table even though she’d called several times trying to set something up.
“I think you’ve had enough to drink. Why don’t you let me take you ladies home?”
“That’s so nice of you,” one of the girls said, and the chanting started again, the “Go, Clark” reverberating in the room.
“Come on.” I pulled Nikki from the chair, and she latched onto my neck, pressing tightly against me. I gathered the group together while my teammates hooted and hollered, asking to share the wealth. I flipped them the bird and hustled everyone out of the bar.
We piled into the Volvo, four in the back and Nikki up front with me. She struggled with the latch of her seat belt so I reached over to help, accidentally brushing her breasts with my arm.
“Oh, sweetie, don’t try and cop a feel. These boobs are all yours, if you want them.”
“Shut up, Nik. You’re wasted.”
“She’s wasted…
Similar Books
