Page 10 of Everything's Better With You
If there was to be someone in his life… Perhaps he had kept the smiling blond football god in the back of his mind. Leslie Payton was incomparable and no one Joe had dated over the years had ever come close to being the complete package like him.
And now, he wanted Joe. Well, he at least wanted him as a colleague. Joe couldn’t wait to find out if there was more to Leslie’s proposition.
Four
Leslie
Leslie fought to keep his composure. He wanted to grab Joe and find the first private space, even if it was under the damn bleachers. It had been agony to be so close to him but surrounded by people. He’d thought about this moment since the first conversation he’d had with his brother about this plan to revamp the athletic department.
Fifteen years ago, he’d become infatuated over the course of one night and he’d spent the time since trying to tell himself he wasn’t falling in love. One look at Joe Judd in the parking lot earlier that afternoon had confirmed his suspicions.
Joe Judd was the man for him and Leslie needed to handle this right. Joe was easily spooked, resistant to Les’s power of persuasion, and still as irresistible as ever.
Oh, they’d been at the same events several times over the years in New York and Hollywood. Les had conned him out of his phone number early on and they would text from time to time, especially ifthey were going to be in the others’ hometown, but their schedules rarely matched up, nor did opportunities for one-on-one time crop up. It was like Fate was determined to keep them apart, so they resorted to texting random thoughts or funny pictures and videos…Les wanted Joe to know that he was still invested, still attracted, and that he was still hopeful one day their separate paths would converge.
God, he wanted this to be that time. He’d waited long enough.
The rest of the game was dramatic. The cheerleaders actually got close to winning, but the football team pulled out an interception at the last minute.Thank goodness. Sure, the flag football rules evened the playing field a bit, but still. Football players trained all year for their sport. They ate, slept, and breathed it. To be bested by athletes who didn’t, even if they were just as fit? Shameful.
Les made the rounds and caught up to his twin brothers Sandy and Randy, who were serving drinks at the snack bar while entertaining the college girls. The twins were twenty-six and had only been out of college a few years themselves, but they could be a menace. Barry was constantly having to remind them to behave.
“You ready for the after-party?” Sandy asked, handing him a can of water. One of their companies sold canned water as an alternative to single-use plastic, and they donated a portion of the proceeds to recycling programs. They prided themselves on making sure all of their businesses were moving toward sustainability. Sometimes it drove Les nuts the lengths they’d go to, but then he’d turned around and invested a shit-ton of money into their endeavors. They’d all made a fortune and he was proud of the whippersnappers.
“I’ll catch up with you later. I’ve got something I’ve gotta do first.”
“Orsomeoneyou’ve gotta do,” Randy stage-whispered and then he and Sandy did a complicated high-five/fist bump thing and Sandy nearly knocked over the nacho cheese machine.
Les shot them a stern look and they acted contrite. For a minute.
“We’re sorry. We promise not to say a word about Operation: Twinkle Toes.”
Les rolled his eyes and cracked open his water. “Give me another one of these, would you?”
“Right, right. You two might work up a thirst—”
“Randy!”
“I’m just kidding, but I’m not. Have fun. We’ll see you at the Goalpost later?”
“Yeah, yeah. Maybe.”If things don’t go well.
Les made his way over to Barry and spoke close to his ear. “Keep an eye on Tweedle Dork and his sidekick Tweedle Dweeb. I don’t trust them.”
“Me neither.” He turned to face him. “How’d it go with—”
“I’m going to Phase Two.”
Barry nodded and fought a smile. “Well, good luck, brother. Just...don’t be disappointed.”
“What? Why?”
Barry looked around and waved to some people before moving closer. “I don’t want to see you hurt. I know how much you want this to work, but don’t get your hopes up.”
Leslie had been forced to admit his obsession with Joe Judd to his family a couple of years after he and Joe met. He’d gotten attached to his phone, and would sneak off to text. Then he’d come home after a trip to LA in which he hoped to connect with Joe only to be disappointed when Joe had let him know he’d injured himself at that night’s performance and needed to go to the ER. Leslie had offered to take him, but Joe was proud—read stubborn—and he said he didn’t want Leslie to have to take care of him. Leslie was a caregiver by nature and that had hurt. He’dwantedto nurse Joe back to health… His family didn’t understand his behavior, so he confessed.
He was smitten with a dancer.
And he’d heard about it ever since.
