Chapter 4
Four
L eslie
Leslie fought to keep his composure. He wanted to grab Joe and find the first private space, even if it was under the damn bleachers.
It had been agony to be so close to him but surrounded by people.
He’d thought about this moment since the first conversation he’d had with his brother about this plan to revamp the athletic department.
Fifteen years ago, he’d become infatuated over the course of one night and he’d spent the time since trying to tell himself he wasn’t falling in love. One look at Joe Judd in the parking lot earlier that afternoon had confirmed his suspicions.
Joe Judd was the man for him and Leslie needed to handle this right. Joe was easily spooked, resistant to Les’s power of persuasion, and still as irresistible as ever.
Oh, they’d been at the same events several times over the years in New York and Hollywood.
Les had conned him out of his phone number early on and they would text from time to time, especially if they were going to be in the others’ hometown, but their schedules rarely matched up, nor did opportunities for one-on-one time crop up.
It was like Fate was determined to keep them apart, so they resorted to texting random thoughts or funny pictures and videos…
Les wanted Joe to know that he was still invested, still attracted, and that he was still hopeful one day their separate paths would converge.
God , he wanted this to be that time. He’d waited long enough.
The rest of the game was dramatic. The cheerleaders actually got close to winning, but the football team pulled out an interception at the last minute.
Thank goodness . Sure, the flag football rules evened the playing field a bit, but still.
Football players trained all year for their sport.
They ate, slept, and breathed it. To be bested by athletes who didn’t, even if they were just as fit? Shameful.
Les made the rounds and caught up to his twin brothers Sandy and Randy, who were serving drinks at the snack bar while entertaining the college girls.
The twins were twenty-six and had only been out of college a few years themselves, but they could be a menace.
Barry was constantly having to remind them to behave.
“You ready for the after-party?” Sandy asked, handing him a can of water.
One of their companies sold canned water as an alternative to single-use plastic, and they donated a portion of the proceeds to recycling programs. They prided themselves on making sure all of their businesses were moving toward sustainability.
Sometimes it drove Les nuts the lengths they’d go to, but then he’d turned around and invested a shit-ton of money into their endeavors.
They’d all made a fortune and he was proud of the whippersnappers.
“I’ll catch up with you later. I’ve got something I’ve gotta do first.”
“Or someone you’ve gotta do,” Randy stage-whispered and then he and Sandy did a complicated high-five/fist bump thing and Sandy nearly knocked over the nacho cheese machine.
Les shot them a stern look and they acted contrite. For a minute.
“We’re sorry. We promise not to say a word about Operation: Twinkle Toes.”
Les rolled his eyes and cracked open his water. “Give me another one of these, would you?”
“Right, right. You two might work up a thirst— ”
“Randy!”
“I’m just kidding, but I’m not. Have fun. We’ll see you at the Goalpost later?”
“Yeah, yeah. Maybe.” If things don’t go well.
Les made his way over to Barry and spoke close to his ear. “Keep an eye on Tweedle Dork and his sidekick Tweedle Dweeb. I don’t trust them.”
“Me neither.” He turned to face him. “How’d it go with—”
“I’m going to Phase Two.”
Barry nodded and fought a smile. “Well, good luck, brother. Just...don’t be disappointed.”
“What? Why?”
Barry looked around and waved to some people before moving closer. “I don’t want to see you hurt. I know how much you want this to work, but don’t get your hopes up.”
Leslie had been forced to admit his obsession with Joe Judd to his family a couple of years after he and Joe met.
He’d gotten attached to his phone, and would sneak off to text.
Then he’d come home after a trip to LA in which he hoped to connect with Joe only to be disappointed when Joe had let him know he’d injured himself at that night’s performance and needed to go to the ER.
Leslie had offered to take him, but Joe was proud—read stubborn—and he said he didn’t want Leslie to have to take care of him.
Leslie was a caregiver by nature and that had hurt.
He’d wanted to nurse Joe back to health…
His family didn’t understand his behavior, so he confessed.
He was smitten with a dancer.
And he’d heard about it ever since.
“I’ll be fine.”
“Uh-huh.”
Leslie rolled his eyes and left the stadium, walking briskly toward the parking lot, hoping he wasn’t going to be waylaid any longer.
And boy did his heart go pitter-patter when he saw Joe standing by his rental car, laughing with Marti. Oh, Les had wanted to kiss her when she’d taken his side on the fight to win Joe’s commitment to coach. It would be a major victory for Greenvale and a dream come true for Les.
A chance to spend quality time with Joe and show him that settling down with the right person wasn’t settling.
“Hey,” Marti said. “I was just giving one last plug for Joe to come here.”
“Great.” Les beamed. “I’ll get your Venmo link later.” He winked and Joe barked out a laugh.
“The honorable Leslie Payton isn’t above bribery. Good to know.”
Joe hugged and kissed Marti on the cheek, and she shook Les’s hand before saying goodbye.
“Her husband is a physical therapist who specializes in sports medicine and her son is coming here next year. You know, if you’re still trying to build your dream team or whatever.”
“Will it help me convince you to take the job?”
Joe sighed, but he was smiling. “What are we doing here, Les?”
“You mean, at this very moment? Barry wanted me to get you set up for the night.”
“Uh-huh, and after that?”
Les shuddered at the possibility of after that.
“After that, there’s always the after-party at the Goalpost—”
Joe frowned.
“And,” Les added quickly. “I’m supposed to answer any further questions you might have.
” He slid his hands into his back pockets to avoid reaching for Joe.
They were still in public, and he certainly wasn’t about to make any moves without consent.
He’d learned that lesson watching his fellow NFL colleagues make countless missteps that ruined their careers.
“Hmmm, questions. All right. I’ll follow you?”
Les did a mental fist pump and end-zone dance. “Yes, sir. Right this way.”
They got into their vehicles and Les drove out of the parking lot, down the main road into campus, and then turned left onto the road facing Jackets Pond and he parked in front of the second to last of the six cottages owned by the college.
Currently three of them were vacant after several retirements this year.
Many of the long-term employees had purchased houses in town, and one of the cottages was always left vacant for visiting professors, but Barry and the board had approved the one most recently remodeled for Joe.
Leslie hopped down from the truck and reached back in for the cans of water. Joe climbed out of his rental and rested an elbow on the roof.
“What are we doing here?”
Les approached and held out the can of water. “This, I hope, is your new home.”
Joe had been in the process of opening the can, which sloshed onto his shirt.
“Are you serious?”
“Come on,” Les said, holding up the keys. “Let me give you a tour.”
Joe stood staring at the house as if it might swallow him whole. He didn’t speak. Leslie couldn’t tell if that was a good sign. He went ahead and climbed the steps and had the key in the lock when he heard Joe’s car door slam. He smiled to himself and opened the door.
Yeah, he’d come over earlier and cleaned up, dusted, and changed the bedding. He put out towels and set up a Keurig and coffee cups, put creamer in the refrigerator… He even brought over a collection of teas in case Joe preferred that in the morning.
He wished he would have had the opportunity at some point over the past fifteen years to find out Joe’s morning preference for himself.
Les remained on the covered porch and watched as Joe climbed the steps.
“You should have everything you need, but if you don’t, you can let me know. I can run out and—”
“I’m sure everything’s fine.”
Joe walked in the door and Les flipped on the light. He wanted to see Joe’s face. Maybe it would give him a clue whether or not he was impressed, whether he was thinking positively about the—
“Aren’t you coming in?”
Joe wasn’t looking at the house. He was looking at Leslie.
Leslie was still standing outside. Stepping across the threshold would require an invitation.
“My intention was to show you to your room and say goodnight. I don’t want to crowd you. ”
“Get in here, Les. It’s obvious you came here to do more than open a door for me. Come in.”
Les stepped inside and closed the door.
“Wow, this is nice,” Joe said, finally taking it all in. “This all looks new.”
“Yeah, uh, Barry had the vacant cottages renovated. New kitchen, new appliances including a stackable washer—”
“Aw, you mean no more lugging fifty pounds of laundry two miles to the laundromat? How would I survive?”
Les laughed. “Yeah, I made that trek myself when I lived off-campus, but I borrowed a car.”
“I didn’t have that luxury, thank you very much. I didn’t get my license until later,” Joe said. He strolled around and peeked in the kitchen and then into the hallway where the bathroom and two bedrooms were. “Nice place. I could have just stayed at Motel 6, you know.”
Les cleared his throat. “I know, but I wanted you to see this, see where you could be living if you take the job.”
Joe turned to face him. “Is that all?”
Leslie’s heart pounded. He hadn’t been nervous like this since his last Super Bowl performance, or maybe his first championship game as head coach at University of Kansas City several years ago.
As a rule, Leslie wasn’t unsure of himself.
He knew his strengths and he knew his limits, but when it came to relationships, he’d always felt awkward.
And after years of pining after Joe Judd, to be here with him now, he didn’t know how to proceed.
“Joe…”
“It’s been a long time since we started this dance, Leslie.” Joe moved to stand in front of Les and held out his hand. “What are we going to do about it?”
Les hesitated a moment, wondering if he should pinch himself. Was this really happening after all this time?