Page 159 of The Locker Room
“Xander, how long after practice was that?”
“Well, I came home and practiced too,” Xander told him. “God, it"s
good to hear your voice. You get used to someone, you know? I kept
expecting to hear your voice. All day, I kept expecting to hear it. It"s a
good voice. Your words are short, because they"re always tumbling, one
on top of the other, because you have so much to say. I like that. The
house is never quiet when you"re talking.”
There was a digestive silence on the other end. “Um, Xan?”
“Um, Christian?”
“Can I talk to Leo for a minute?”
“No,” Xander said perversely. He was sort of cramped, having his
leg extended over the coffee table that way. He rolled over on his side
and grabbed the throw pillow on the end to tuck under his head, and
realized with a little surge of happiness that he was not going to have to
go into their bedroom this night. No. He"d fall asleep on the couch, and
avoid that big empty bed altogether.
“No?” Chris asked. He was clearly surprised, and Xander wished
he could cuddle the phone to his chest while he was talking on it.
“You"re on the phone with me. Leo will be back. He takes care of
us. I mean, I know we pay him, but is it wrong to think that he"s really
Uncle Leo? "Cause your family is the only family I"ve got, and you need
them.” Oh, God. Chris was here on the phone, and the shitty day and the
ball thrown at Coach"s head and the halo that clearly wasnotaround
Chris on the television—it could all slide under the fall of Chris"s words.
The Locker Room 137
“No, Xan,” Chris said hoarsely. “I think Leo likes us for real too.
Are you sleepy yet?”
“Yeah—you"re not. You"re all wired after the game, aren"t you?”
Xander heaved a big sigh. “You"re usually pretty horny too. Damn. We
had thebestsex after a win.”
