“We’re getting together for flagfootball.”
Nearly as quickly, his enthusiasm transforms into uneasiness. “I don’t know aboutthat.”
“What do youmean?”
He shakes his head. “Sports and I have never really gone together. I was on a T-ball team when I was little and cried like a baby when it hit me. The whole team made fun of me, so I never playedagain.”
“That doesn’t sound thathorrible.”
“The coach made fun of me too. He called me a littlepansy.”
“That makes him a shitty coach…and an even worse humanbeing.”
“Probably shouldn’t talk about my dad like that,” he says, cringing, as though he’s ashamed to admitit.
“Sorry,” I sayquickly.
“Nah. It’s probably fair of you to say. I tried to play some other stuff too, thinking it would help me bond with my dad. There are plenty of gay guys who are super athletes or Olympians, but that’s not me. I’m the stereotype of the guy who simplycan’t.”
“That’s dumb, and I know some straight guys I guarantee you play betterthan.”
“I sincerely doubt it, but I appreciate you trying to cheer me up. And theinvitation.”
“Well, show me how much you appreciate it by coming down to the field and meeting the guys. You’ll have fun, and it’s only a scrimmage game, nothing serious. Everyone will be welcoming andfriendly.”
“As long as you understand I’m not pretending to be worse than I am. It’s going to be legitawful.”
“It’s more about getting together than beinggood.”
He hesitates, but despite all his objections, something in his manner, in the way he keeps surveying the room, makes me think he really wants this. “Come on, Sam. I can already tell you wantto.”
He makes this overdramatic face like he’s giving it serious consideration. “Are there a lot of hunky straight men on theteam?”
“There are some cute guys,yeah.”
“Some who might be questioning and/orcurious?”
“It’s always possible. There might be some who have tendencies, but really, you should focus on meeting people you aren’t looking to sleep with. You’ve lived here for what, two yearsnow?”
“Three,” he says, sighing. “Yeah, okay, on that depressing note, I’m allin.”
I grin, feelingvictorious.
It might suck for whoever’s team he winds up on, but it’ll be well worth it to make him feel better, and the guys will be happy to have him around, and maybe…just maybe, he’ll get a chance to do something where his sole focus isn’t trying to get someone in hispants.
Our food arrives, and we spend the rest of lunch chatting about projects we’re working on or have coming up soon. Then we head back to the office and finish out our day. He follows me in his Toyota Corolla to Piedmont Park, where we grab some street parking on 8th before walking to the area where I usually meet up with mycrew.
We head down a steep hill to the field where we’ll be practicing, and I can already see Kelly and Ty by a picnic table, throwing a football back and forth. A couple of other guys mingle by the table, some new guys too, which I imagine will help Sam feel less out of hisdepth.
“Do you know them?” Sam asks, pointing to Kelly andTy.
He’s ogling Ty in the most obvious of ways. Hell, he’s liable to drool at any moment. I’m sure it’s in no small part due to the fact that Ty’sshirtless.
“Those are myguys.”
His face flushes red. I figure he’s a little taken by Ty’s chiseled abs and impressively bulky chest. Ty’s body is pretty badass right now. I can tell he’s been hitting the gym a little harder than usual, his typical response to stress, something he has plenty of now between going back to school and trying to train hisreplacement.
“Ty, Kelly!” I call as we approach, and Sam moves a little closer to me. Have I become his personalbodyguard?
