My gaze darted to Brody, who raised a brow.
“I’m gonna put you on speaker so Brody can hear.” I hit the screen. “So the Rockets approached you?”
“Yeah, and the contract is awesome,” Ezra said with barely restrained glee that promised a smashing deal. “Fifty million per year, five years. Two hundred fifty million, guaranteed.”
“Holy Mother of God,” Brody croaked, growing pale.
Even I, who didn’t care much about salary, to Ezra’s despair, had a hard time wrapping my head around those astronomical figures. I had trusts from my grandparents on both sides that paid me stupid money to live on, so I didn’t need to choose a team based on how much I’d make. It wasn’t anywhere close to this ridiculous amount the Rockets were offering, but more than enough for me, so I didn’t have to worry about anything and could buy whatever I wanted.
Unlike me, Brody still watched every penny he spent and didn’t believe in frivolous purchases. He didn’t own a car because he thought the price for parking in the city was a sin. One of the reasons I fell for him was his innate goodness and levelheadedness, which he’d carried with him from home to here. He made me a better man.
“Damn, Ezra. That’s some serious money.”
“Ya think?” He chuckled. “This last Super Bowl shot your star to the moon.”
“Yeah, well, it’s still a team effort. I’m not out there playing on my own.” While in college I could be a bit of a hot dog, once I hit the pros, I knew there was no way to win if I didn’t have the respect of all the players, and I worked damn hard to get it.
“You see? That’s why you’re a natural leader and such an asset to your team. You never take full credit. And I know it’s a team effort because I have an offer for Brody as well.”
“From the Rockets? I wouldn’t mind another team if we go together.”
Ezra cleared his throat. “Uh, well, no. For the Spokane Stars. Twelve million a year, three-year contract. I know it’s a lot less, but tight ends never get as much as quarterbacks.”
Cocoa Beach and Spokane? That didn’t bear thinking about. Not even waiting for Brody to answer, I said, “Count me out, Ezra,” shaking my head as if he could see me.
“But, Dev. That’s a ton of money to walk away from,” Ezra argued. “And it’s only five years.”
Struggling to control my temper, I rubbed my face and took a deep breath. “Only? Brody and I have been sneaking around for almost double that now. We’re finally in the same city, and I refuse to go back to seeing him only on the off-season or on the slim chance the leagues have us playing against each other. I’m tired of a piecemeal love affair, when we deserve a seat at the whole damn dinner table, like everyone else.”
“Yeah, Ezra,” Brody added. “I understand it’s a good opportunity, but I’d rather stay where I am.”
Ezra’s long-suffering sigh filled the room. “I hear you, and I figured you’d both feel this way, but I had to bring you the offers. And Dev? You know that’s not the only one. I’m getting calls from other teams as well.”
Over the years, I’d become more and more dissatisfied with having to hide our relationship, and it sometimes made me angry at the game for stealing my other joy.
“And you can give them the same answer. Unless Brody and I go together, I wouldn’t be interested, and I know you can’t say that without the rumor mill exploding, so please, let’s just keep the status quo. See what the Kings offer me, make it a little better for Brody too, and we’ll stay.”
Ezra hummed his disappointment. “Well, be prepared to have an answer for the press. They’ll come calling as to why you’re rejecting such a lucrative contract.”
“Maybe I should just tell them I got married, and I’m keeping it private, and that we don’t want to leave New York,” I mused.
“Talk about setting off a shit storm. You’d have every gossip rag coming after you to find out who, and don’t think they won’t speculate about your relationship with Brody, being as close as you are.”
“What do you mean? We’re discreet. We go out separately plenty of times.” I grimaced. “Including plenty of dates with women. It’s something we’re aware we need to do.”
“Hey, I’m not lecturing you guys. Listen, I feel for you. I can’t imagine how hard it must be to have to hide your love, and I know how deeply invested you are in your relationship. But you know the personal lives of athletes and celebrities have always been fodder for the gossip mills. Just be careful, is all I’m saying.”
It wasn’t Ezra’s fault the world sucked. “We are. And I didn’t mean to take it out on you. I’m not planning on playing football forever, and if it gets to the point where it becomes too much, I’ll retire. I’ve already accomplished my professional dream. I have no problem giving way to someone else to achieve theirs.”
“You’re a pretty special guy, Dev,” Ezra remarked.
I winked at Brody. “I know. Talk to you soon.”
Brody stared hard at me after I ended the call.
“What? You disagree with my decision?”
“No, of course not, but like Ezra said, that’s a hell of a lot of money to give up.”
