Chapter 11
Eleven
J oe
“It’s time to put your thinking cap on, Ms. Simmons. We’ve got work to do.”
Joe had left the meeting and immediately called Marti. She’d met him at his apartment. She took one look at his new accommodations and once more offered their spare room.
“It’s fine. It’s bigger than my Hollywood place. We have more serious things to discuss. We are going to out-fundraise the other teams and I have just the idea how to do it.”
He and Marti had been huddled around his laptop ever since, creating spreadsheets, emailing a number of useful people, and scheduling social media posts.
“Okay great! Now, we have a start. What do we have by way of a team?”
“I got the list of students from Barry and did some digging. We’ve got a solid six girls and two boys. Only two of the kids are returning. The others tried out in spring, more than half are incoming freshmen, including my son.”
“So you’re saying we need ten to twelve kids. Easy peasy. Don’t make plans for Friday night.”
Marti frowned at Joe. “What do you mean?”
“We’re going out, hon. Flyers will be open and we’re going scouting. Now—”
“Whoa, Flyers? Scouting? At the club for the college kids?”
“Yes, ma’am. I have a plan. We’re not looking for cheerleaders necessarily, Marti. You’ve seen what I can do with the untrained. I kind of got famous for it.”
No longer was Joe limited by choosing the qualified candidates for a team like he’d done for three years as captain here at Greenvale.
No, he’d spent the last twelve years associated on and off with TV’s longest-running dance reality show, first as a contestant and then as a coach and choreographer.
He’d learned all the styles from the best in their fields, and then he taught B-boys, ballerinas, and bebop dancers how to dance whatever style he wanted them to.
The fans and producers loved him. The dancers thought he was a hard-ass.
They cringed when they were assigned to work with him because they all knew how hard he pushed himself and that he pushed everyone to dance as hard as he did.
“Hold up. So you plan for us to go…dancing?”
“Is there a problem, Coach Simmons?”
She burst out laughing. “Oh, well, I don’t have a problem with it. Terrell isn’t going to like it. His mama at the club?”
“Hmmm, you’re right. Well, we can stick to the shadows. Maybe we should wear disguises.”
The two of them laughed at their options until they were out of breath. Then Marti got serious.
“Am I out of line to ask you about a certain football coach?”
Marti knew they’d kept in touch over the years, but he hadn’t come clean with her about his feelings for Leslie.
“What do you want to know?” She raised her eyebrows and he laughed. “We were going to kind of see what would happen, you know, if we were in the same place.”
“And now? ”
Joe shrugged and wrinkled his nose. “The only thing happening now is that we’re going to beat him at fundraising. He’s promised not to use any of his own funds, I’ve agreed to do the same, and if I win, cheer gets Spring Fling.”
“That’s great!” she said, clapping her hands. “Remember we had it my senior year. So much fun.”
“It was. So that’s our wager. As for anything else between us…”
“I see. Okay then. Let me get to work on this list. I’ll get a few things scheduled. The rest of the kids move in Thursday and Friday and we have our first meeting with the team on Monday.”
“I’ll also recruit kids for the team through my dance classes. Also, I’m going to be teaching a PE class.”
Marti clapped her hands together again and laughed. “I love it. Joe Judd goes legit. This is epic.”
“Hush, now. I’m going to teach some alternative strength-building workouts including barre, Pilates, and light weights. If anything, it will help keep me in shape.”
“Like that’s a concern. Speaking of, what shape is your kitchen in?”
“If you opened one of those cabinets and spoke into it, you’d hear echoes.
I was going to…” Yeah, he wouldn’t be having Leslie take him grocery shopping now.
It wouldn’t do for them to be chummy over in the produce section and then smack-talking each other.
Joe wasn’t sure he trusted himself to do something so domestic with Leslie anyway.
He did need to arrange for Leslie to take him to see his friend the car dealer so he wouldn’t be reliant upon others to get his necessities, but other than that, it was probably best if they kept their interactions on campus.
Not any fun, incredibly frustrating, but probably best. Probably best sucked.
“Let’s go grab you some groceries and…flair. This place is morbid as is. Then we can do some more planning.”
Their shopping trip to Des Moines took five hours round trip as they hit up Target, Bed Bath and Beyond and Mattress Discounters.
Joe would be getting a new bed delivered the next day because his body was his temple and if he was going to be a prima donna about anything it was that he needed a good mattress.
He’d be of no use to anyone if he couldn’t move.
Marti dropped him off and helped him carry all of his goods into the dorm, pestering him to join them for a real dinner.
“I’m sure whatever the Buzz is cooking is going to be fabulous.
” He didn’t have the energy to meal prep tonight so Buzz food it was.
He got there just as they were starting to put away the food, but they dropped everything to help him.
There was a way about the staff, how they rushed around, hushed voices, making sure they fawned all over him.
He didn’t want to be treated like that. He didn’t like that part of being a celebrity, especially not here.
Here, he wanted to be Coach Judd, and, well, someday Coach Payton’s plus one.
But what would that even look like? Could Joe see himself doing this college gig forever? Staying in Ayre Valley?
Joe brought his dinner back to his apartment and scarfed it down before flopping down on the surprisingly comfortable couch a previous resident had left behind. He closed his eyes and let his mind drift to that place he’d go when he imagined his future.
For the longest time that place was filled with all of the items on his bucket list. Winning an Emmy for Dance Machine , having one of his Broadway appearances lead to Tony recognition, being head choreographer for a film or Broadway show…
well, one of the shows had won a Tony, although he hadn’t been a lead, and he’d been nominated for an Emmy.
All of that had been great, but the more he got to know Les, the more the man invaded his daydreams. He began picturing Les being his plus one to the Hollywood parties, having Les accompany him to Europe, and the two of them doing some of Les’s favorite activities, which always made Joe laugh to think about; he couldn’t really picture himself going hunting or snowmobiling, but he’d been willing to try them if it meant being with Les.
But when Les had invited him to spend time with him in Hawaii…
things had changed in that daydream. Then he was picturing what their house would look like and where, having drinks on the beach, hiking the ruins in South America, all things they talked about wanting to do someday.
Had someday really arrived? Joe was a little jumpy thinking along those lines.
Someday was someday. He was too young for someday to be now. Right?
Joe knew once he had that kind of someday with Leslie, he wouldn’t want to leave. But he was terrified that he’d hurt the man who’d come to mean so much to him.
As if he’d sensed Joe’s thoughts, Leslie texted him.
I’m sorry I didn’t text earlier. Did you eat?
I did. Buzz food is mmm mmm good.
Stop it. Can I get you anything?
A date for our car shopping trip. Marti took me to Des Moines and I’ve got all the basics but I need my own wheels, and ones with GPS. I still don’t know how y’all navigate around here with all of these random roads.
Let’s go tomorrow. I have time after morning practice. We’ll be doing double days, but practicing in the evening at the high school field. Without the weight room, I’m going to have to get creative.
Mmm creative. Let me know if you need ideas.
I like your ideas.
Joe watched the three dots floating for several minutes and then he laughed.
Let me come pick you up. You can show me your ideas.
A thrill ran through Joe’s chest. They’d be sneaking around, it could be fun, but he was a little old for that, wasn’t he?
I need beauty rest tonight but tomorrow would be great. You can show me what I should be driving.
You did that on purpose.
Joe covered his mouth. I can’t help it. You’re so easy.
I could be. For you, I’d be anything.
Joe rubbed at his chest. How was it that with just a few words Leslie made him feel cherished, special. Important.
You are too good for me.
I could be bad for you.
Joe barked out a laugh and his skin heated.
Oh, I’d like to see you try. Text me when you’re ready tomorrow. I’m going to take a cold shower now, thanks. I’m glad I’m here, Leslie. Closer to you. Soon, okay?
Soon. See you tomorrow.
Joe did exactly what he’d said. Took a cold shower and allowed himself more of those daydreams where he went to bed with Leslie every night, shared morning routines, went to school functions. Could that be his someday?
Joe climbed onto his soon-to-be-replaced bed and checked his email.
His agent wanted updates on everything and let him know that he’d gotten several calls about him.
There were still opportunities for him, which made his current situation feel all the more temporary.
If the right show came along, could he resist temptation to hit the road again?
No, he’d made a commitment and he needed to fulfill it. He’d always wanted to be a part of something bigger, to do something that meant something. He had a chance to do that here.