Page 54 of Away Game

“Okay.” He crossed his arms with his gaze firmly set on me. “How do you like him more?”

“Talking, hell, admitting this is the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do, but you’re my best friend.”

He nodded with a smile. “For almost twelve years. It’s been a long damn time, so whatever it is, you can tell me.”

My heart started to race as I looked at my best friend, who sat watching me with an expression that said no matter what I told him, he’d be by my side.

“I don’t like girls,” I rushed out.

“In all actuality, you don’t like many people. You’ve always used girls as a hole to release in.”

Damn, that made me sound like even more of an asshole than I thought I was, but it was true.

“You know how you like Lo?”

Oz’s jaw ticked, and at the same time, he rolled his eyes. He didn’t like to give away how much he cared and wanted her, even with me.

“This isn’t about her,” he growled out.

“I don’t care that you want her. I’m all for it, but I was trying to make a point on how you like Lo.” Oz nodded and let me continue. “I feel like that about West. Well, not exactly like that because I haven’t been pining for him for years, but I’m pretty sure I’m going to be in a relationship before you.”

Gaping like a fish, Oz’s eyes grew wide until he shook his head and was back to his normal self. “Are you saying you want West to be your boyfriend?”

A burst of laughter escaped me. “I’m not sure we’re there, but maybe,” I shrugged.

“How the hell did this happen? I wasn’t even gone for twenty-four hours, and I come back for you to tell me you want to… yeah, how did that happen?”

Moving to sit down on my chair in front of my desk, I turned it until I was facing my long-time friend. “It didn’t happen overnight,” I tried to swallow the rock that was now lodged in my throat. After a few tries, I was finally able to speak. “I’ve been struggling with the way… I feel toward him. It wasn’t something or is something I like.”

“What changed? Why are you telling me now?”

“Until recently, all I could think about is what my dad would say, but I know it doesn’t matter what I do, I’ll always be a disappointment to him. Even if I was going to play in the NFL and make millions of dollars, it wouldn’t matter. I’m never going to make him happy.”

Oz leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “And West makes you happy?”

I couldn’t say West made me happy. I hardly knew him, but I did know I couldn’t fight my attraction to him any longer.

“For over a year, I’ve fought the draw I have to him, and I’m tired.”

Oz’s face turned sad. “And you didn’t feel like you could talk to me?”

“I didn’t want to talk to anyone about it. I was hoping it would go away after a while, but it didn’t.” We stared at each other for a few minutes before I finally broke the silence. “Are you okay with me liking West?”

“As long as you’re happy, I’m happy. But I don’t want to catch either of you sucking the other’s dick.” His face twisted up in disgust.

“Don’t worry. I think we’ll keep the PDA to a minimum.” I laughed. Or more like zero PDA.

“I don’t think anyone will give you any problem,” he said thoughtfully.

“Only Alpha Mu. You missed it last night.” I rubbed at my shoulder, remembering it. It was finally starting to feel a little better after that asshole punched me.

His eyes lit up. “What happened?”

“West and I went to eat at The Bar, and on our way back, those assholes started to give West shit.” I filled him in on everything and giving Coach the video earlier in the day.

“Fucking elitist assholes. I hope the whole fucking house goes down because that is bullshit,” he growled out with an angry glint in his eyes. “I don’t think they want the world to know they’re gay-bashers, but I’ll spread that shit to every news outlet in the United States to get the word out if they even sneer at him.”

“It’s been an eventful weekend, and we’ve still got one more day,” I laughed out. The night had turned out better than I expected it would.

---