Chapter 3
Three
J oe
Joe smiled and nodded as he followed Les out of the office and down the walkway, but he was fixated on the Payton brothers’ proposition.
Me? Joe Judd living in Ayre Valley? Educating America’s youth?
In what reality was that a good idea?
“You’d have housing, a great salary, and the eternal gratitude of the Greenvale community.”
“Housing?”
“Yeah, you remember the cottages on the road coming onto campus?”
Joe snorted. “I remember getting drunk with the former dean after graduation in one of those cottages.” He laughed at Les’s expression. “What? You’re not surprised by that, are you?”
Les shook his head. “At least he waited until you graduated. That old queen had a hard time keeping his hands to himself. Thank goodness there were no scandals.”
“That you knew of,” Joe muttered and Les chuckled.
“You’re trouble.”
“That’s what I’m trying to tell you!”
Les smiled. “You can’t convince me you’re not perfect for the job, so don’t even try. Besides, I need a partner in crime, right?”
Joe cocked his head. The idea of him and Les being partners in crime had been fodder for his fantasies over the years.
He’d occasionally stop moving long enough to contemplate what life would be like if he and Les were in the same place at the same time and trying to make a go of a life together.
Had Les really thought as much about him?
They walked around the campus and Joe was shocked at how small everything seemed.
He’d been a reluctant student there as a freshman, angry that his mother had blackmailed him into going to the Midwest for school.
Okay, she’d given him the choice of staying home or going to Greenvale.
It was her alma mater and the only place she felt safe sending him.
He’d outgrown his hometown and wanted a fresh start, but his mom wanted him to be safe and was sure if he went to a big city, he’d be murdered in the first month.
“And the plan is to expand the training center, add a staff of full-time trainers and interns from the sports medicine program.”
Joe snapped into the present as Les pointed to a board with the drawings for the new center.
“They’re really serious about this.”
Thoughts climbed all over each other in Joe’s mind. He had rehearsals for the next two weeks for a show that was going to run from June through early August. Then there was the new season of Dance Machine …
“Come on. I can see that crease on your forehead trying to dig in. It’s not Broadway or Madison Square Gardens but you’d have a big impact.”
The sound system on the field crackled and they heard applause and shouts.
“It’s time for the expo. Let’s go.”
Joe and Les trotted over to the field and Joe ignored the pain in his knees.
“If this didn’t hurt so damned much, I’d race you. ”
Joe laughed. “And you’d win because my running days are over.
” That was a lie, but he knew Les wouldn’t call him on it.
He’d run out on the quarterback fifteen years ago, setting a precedent.
Maybe it was time to stop running, but then Joe wasn’t sure he was ready to accept the implications of what it would mean to slow down.
Maybe he could consider a year? That thought made him shudder. A year in Smalltown, America with its potentially small-minded ways? In the Midwest with its freezing cold winters and sweaty summers?
They came through the gates and climbed the steps to the bleachers as the music blared through the speakers.
Les waved to several groups of folks before gesturing for Joe to take a seat on the bleachers, but he shook his head and took a seat on the left behind a large group of folks.
Les sat down next to him, obviously confused.
“It will throw them off if I’m seated right in front,” he said by way of explanation.
“Ah,” Les responded. “I could see that. You are quite imposing.” He made a point to look down his nose at Joe and then cracked up. Their size difference was quite comical. “No, I get it. You’re a big deal around here.”
Joe was about to argue but the team trotted out onto the field and got into formation.
He clenched his fists to keep from biting his nails, a terrible habit he had whenever watching something he created.
And he had created this program, if not this particular team.
When he’d shown up on campus in the fall of 2004 a cocky badass in his own mind, he’d thought some time off dancing would do him good.
Then he went to a football game and saw the tiny cheer squad.
They were good dancers, great crowd leaders, but their choreography was dated.
He’d thought, “I could do something with this.” And why not?
His classes had been a breeze to that point, he didn’t know anyone, and he’d been itching to get into some trouble, all signs he needed to find something productive to do with his time.
All it took was crashing their practice, showing them some of his ideas, and they’d been elated.
So many of the area schools had coed teams, but Greenvale didn’t put much stock in their cheerleaders.
No one had made noise about it, not until Joe Judd showed up.
The team kicked off their routine with coordinated jumps, level changes, and drops and then they moved into their first stunt. So far so good. But the minute they started climbing, Joe’s hand flew to his mouth.
Their technique was terrible.
They didn’t have enough spotters.
“Shit,” Joe exclaimed when one of the flyers fell. “He didn’t have a good grip. They need another set of hands.” He rubbed his hands on his thighs and exhaled through pursed lips.
They got through the rest of the routine with some rudimentary stunts, definitely not the latest skills out there.
Joe was already thinking of little things they could do immediately to improve this routine, even though they’d already taken it to Nationals.
They apparently took fourth in their division, which was pretty good for Greenvale, at least from what Joe had seen over the past few years.
He still kept tabs on college cheer, especially his Jackets.
Since his team won nationals twice, the team had qualified to go eight more times, won twice, and placed four times.
“They’re good,” Les said, clapping when they finished. They both stood up with the crowd as they cheered the cheerleaders, all the while Joe was mentally mapping out what he could do with the team.
“They could add more stunt partners, they’re not using everyone.”
Les elbowed him. “You could make them better.”
Joe’s glance darted his direction. “I see what you’re up to, Payton.”
Les laughed. “I’m not trying to hide my motivations.”
Joe gave him a long look. The chemistry between them fifteen years ago had been off the charts, but fifteen years was a long time. Things change, people change, and Joe had lived a very different life, but he was still the driven guy he’d been back then.
Les…he moved a little stiffer, a little less cocksure.
His blond hair had thinned, a fact that he seemed to ignore considering his mullet.
He maybe had a few more lines on his face.
Under that shirt, Joe was sure the six-pack was less defined…
But Les still had that same warm enthusiasm for life that Joe had initially ridiculed, and then come to admire.
And his smile still lit Joe up like a roman candle.
Differences or not, Joe was damn glad to see Leslie Payton.
Barry was talking over the loudspeaker, something about great plans for the future, but Joe was focused on Leslie.
“Can you honestly see me back in Ayre Valley? Fifty miles from the nearest major airport? A hundred and fifty miles from the nearest theaters and shopping—”
“We’ve got Target fifteen miles away now—”
“Shopping that’s not at a department store.”
“I’ve got a Cessna out at the airstrip. My pilot will take you wherever you want to go.”
Joe laughed. “What about you? Monday Night Football and Postgame Wrap-Up? That’s all over?”
Les shrugged. “Brother Barry needs me, Greenvale needs me, I come. Plus I built that big-ass house for my mom, I might as well live in it. She’s pretty spry for her age, but you know she’s slowing down a little. My brothers keep her entertained, but she’s tired.”
One of the things the two of them had bonded over was being raised by unique moms.
“That’s right. The twins. They live here too?”
Les laughed. “Yeah, they heard I was coming and they decided we’d have a family reunion. They’ve got a new YouTube series they’re going to do, I guess, and they’re joining the coaching staff.”
“Oh yeah? That should be an adventure.”
Les’s twin brothers were twenty years younger than him and the epitome of chaos. They both played baseball and football, a matched set of tight ends, and they did fairly well, but they were also entrepreneurs and more than one of their cockamamie schemes made them a fortune.
“An adventure.” Les turned to Joe. “Come have an adventure with me. What’s the worst that could happen?”
That was a damn good question.
Joe had a lot to think about, but he didn’t want to disappoint Leslie. They’d gone to a lot of trouble to bring him here this weekend, it was the least he could do to give it some thought.
“Ask me again later.”
Les raised his eyebrows and then the crowd was up and moving to the BBQ and they were swallowed up.
There had to be nearly two thousand people at the expo between the students, alumni and townsfolk and there would be twice that here tonight.
A decent turnout, but in the Greenvale heyday they’d easily have double that for Spring Fling.
On the way to the courtyard where there was a band set up to play and giant grills grilling several options, Joe was greeted by a few folks he recognized and many he didn’t. One that he did know chose to make a big scene.
“I’ll catch up with you later,” Les said to Joe as he was called over to some guys in suits.