“Lemme guess. ’Cause they’re big and tough and played football.”
“I mean, yeah.”
Rio Durant was a bit younger than me, small for a tight end but quick on his feet. He’d come to the Kings from the Bisons in the Fontaine trade. He had great skills, but his shit-talking on the field and his off-season antics got him numerous warnings from his coaches and the league.
He continued to run his mouth. “Guy-on-guy gay shit…not into it.”
“Then it’s good you’re not gay. Some people are. Fucking learn to deal with it. I’ll be lucky to be as great a player as Dev was, and you too if you racked up as many catches as Brody did. They’re future first-ballot Hall of Famers.”
The locker room grew quiet.
“And you’re right. Iamfriends with them, so I’m setting a rule right now. No shit-talking about anyone’s personal life. Married, single, straight, gay. Whatever the fuck you are. It’s no one’s goddamn business. Got it?” I scanned the locker room, and everyone nodded and shrugged.
“Don’t matter to me.”
“I don’t care.”
“Dev and Brody are cool.”
“Legends, man.”
Perhaps realizing he’d overplayed his hand, Rio cast his eyes downward. “Sorry, bro. I guess I was outta line.”
“You guess?” There was little I had less patience with than bullies. “We’re here to win. That’s the only thing we should be talking about.”
He gave me a quick nod. “See you later?”
“Yeah. Sure.”
Rio walked away, and I finished getting undressed. I took a shower and checked for any bruising or swelling from the hits I’d taken but found none. I entered the physical therapy room, and the masseur, personally recommended by Dev, welcomed me.
“Come, come. Lie down. I have all the magic potions waiting for you.”
I’d been looking forward to this all game—I closed my eyes while his fingers worked their magic. When he probed my shoulder and arm, he tsked.
“You’re very tight.”
“Probably because I haven’t played in two weeks.”
“Okay. I’ll put some heat on it, then in the whirlpool you go for ten minutes.” He fixed the pad on me. “Let me look at the ankle now. That gave you trouble, yes?”
“Not anymore,” I stated, but allowed him to flex my foot. “I have no pain.”
“Good. Sit there for a few minutes and tell me how my friend Devlin is.”
We chatted, and Enzo’s smile was sad. “All those years we worked together, he never said anything to me despite knowing I was gay. I would’ve kept his secret. It’s terrible if you feel you can’t trust even the people closest to you.”
“It’s the nature of the game and the fact that everything we do is publicized. No matter what people say out loud, most still don’t believe gay men can play professional sports, even though that’s a steaming pile of horseshit. Dev and Brody are two of the best to have played the game, yet them being gay is going to take up as much space in the record books as their stats. That’s BS.”
“I’m happy for him. I know the awards don’t matter to him as much as being with Brody. And I believe we are closer than ever to accepting players, no matter who they love.” He checked the pad and took it off, to manipulate my shoulder. “Better?”
“Yeah. Feels great.”
“And you? No girlfriend or wife to keep you in line?”
I grinned. “Nope.”
Enzo helped me off the table and over to the whirlpool. I settled in with a gusty sigh. Instead of leaving me, he folded his arms.
