Page 38 of Everything's Better With You
“Touching your hair?” Les’s voice cracked, making him feel like a young man again. “Can I touch your hair?”
Joe squeezed his hand and licked his lips. “You can touch me wherever you want, Leslie Payton. I know we have to wait to go public, but in private? Let me make it clear that have my permission to touch me however you like.”
Leslie wanted to pull the car over in the middle of the cornfield and take Joe up on his offer, but he’d never been one for brave spontaneity. Instead he squeezed Joe’s hand back and kept driving, his heart racing faster than the car. No, he was too polite to maul Joe in a car in a cornfield. Really, he was. Despite his current salacious thoughts.
He’d been the perfect date for girls in high school, always the gentleman; they always knew they were safe with him. In fact, they sometimes fought over him. Moms approved because the prom pictures would always turn out great and he had a reputation for being “the nicest guy.” He never touched the girls he went out with. Never touchedboyseither, not until college, but he had been focused. Football always came first, so there was no time for dating or carrying on. He used that as an excuse for a long time.
The first time he’d met Joe Judd, it was like the moment their knees touched under the bar it unlocked a desire in Leslie so strong it made him think,football who? And though he wished Joe would have been his first, he made up for lost touching time for a few years. He was careful, but he decided to come out publicly just in case pictures got out or paparazzi caught him with his pants down.
“Oh-kay. I guess I’m going to need to up my game a little,” Joe said with a laugh when Leslie didn’t respond to his offer.
“Sorry, but if you up your game anymore, I’m going to embarrass myself.” Leslie shifted in his car seat. “This is not me resisting you. This is me wishing to have you the way I want you the first time. I’m willing to wait to do right by you. I told you I don’t want to have to sneak around.”
“Oh, but sneaking can be fun, too.”
Suddenly the car emerged from the cornfield and came to an abrupt stop, jarring them both out of theirbanter.
“Where the hell are we?” Joe looked around. “It all looks the same here. How do you know where you are?”
Leslie shrugged, looked both ways, and turned left onto the highway. “I grew up driving these roads with my brother. You’ll get used to it.”
But would Joe? Would he get used to the roads, the weather, the lack of culture?
“We’re here.”
He pulled into the lot and found Tim standing outside with one of his other salespeople, his daughter Tamara.
“Leslie Payton.” Tim’s booming voice rang out and he moved as swiftly as a white man in his fifties with two blown-out knees and a bad back could, and he pounded on Leslie’s back.
“Good to see you, man.” Leslie had always liked Tim. They played for a few years on the 49ers together, then a few years as rivals when Tim went to the Cowboys, and when they retired, they’d both returned to their home state and set down roots. Their families had gathered for cookouts and he and Tim had supported each other through their respective health issues as only brothers in pigskin could do. “Hey, Tamara!”
“Coach, and it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Judd.”
“It’sCoachJudd, Tamara. Joe’s working at Greenvale this year, coaching cheer and teaching dance.” He knew the pride came out in his voice. He couldn’t help it. He could take no credit for Joe’s phenomenal career, but he’d been there in the shadows, watching and cheering Joe on through it all.
“That’s so great! My little sister is starting there this year. She always loved to dance, but she’s too shy to go out for cheer.”
Joe smiled and shook Tamara’s hand. “Tell her it’s not scary. I’d love to have anyone with experience come to fall tryouts.”
“That sounds great,” Tim said. “Now, I hear you’re in need of a vehicle.”
“Yes, I am,” Joe said, sucking in a breath. “I want something that I won’t have to worry about the weather while I’m here. Something that handles well but is fun to drive, too.” He nodded when he finished and then snuck a look at Leslie, who nodded back.Joe was doing just fine.
Tim looked around and leaned closer to Joe, speaking in a low voice. “I might have just the thing for you. It’s kind of a secret. If people knew I had this baby, I’d have to beat them off with a stick. Come on over this way.” He made another covert glance around and guided Joe toward the back of the lot.
“Daddy,” Tamara said. She rolled her eyes and turned to Leslie. “He’s so dramatic.”
“That’s what made him a great tight end, sweetheart.” Leslie squeezed her shoulder and she laughed.
“Now, Coach Judd, what I’m about to show you is—”
“A twenty twenty-two Bronco Outer Banks model, two-door, with a Sasquatch package in Rapid Red,” Tamara said, cutting off any more of Tim’s antics. She launched into a very detailed but not overwhelming spiel about the car before they even laid eyes on it. Once they did, Leslie was in love, but even better, Joe and Tamara carried on a lively conversation. She walked him around the car and pointed out all of the practical features as well as the fun aspects of the car.
“So, how’s it going?” Tim asked Les. Les had told Tim about Joe years ago when it seemed as if nothing would ever come of their correspondence. Tim was his closest friend outside of his family and he trusted his discretion.
“It’s too soon to tell, but I’m trying to be hopeful.”
Tim looked him in the eye and held up a fist, which Leslie bumped and then they joined Tamara and Joe around the front of the car.
