Chapter 44
Colton
The locker room, the whole practice facility, brimmed with vibrant energy.
In what felt like the blink of an eye, the football season had flown by and was nearing its end.
And after a tough, tense playoff run, the Niners were headed to the championship game next weekend.
Preparing for the biggest game of the year, practices were grueling, but the team buzzed with excitement.
This was their year to win it all. The entire team could feel it.
Colton sat in front of his locker, getting dressed after practice. He realized he was humming. He never hummed. And on top of that, he was humming one of Dean’s songs.
Dean is a bad influence. He thought with a smile.
“Merrick! Coach wants to see you!” an assistant coach bellowed from across the locker room.
Colton quickly closed his locker and trotted upstairs to Coach Shepherd’s office.
“You wanted to see me, Coach?” Colton rapped his knuckles on the door frame. Coach Shepherd sat at his desk, looking through images of practice on his tablet.
“Come in, Merrick. Have a seat…and close the door.”
Colton swallowed hard.
Fuck.
Closed-door meetings were never good. He dropped into one of the leather club chairs in front of the desk and waited for Coach Shepherd to speak.
“I’m afraid I have some bad news, Colton.” Coach Shepherd began, dropping his tablet onto his desk. Colton nervously shifted in his chair, immediately thinking he was going to be traded or cut from the team.
“I was just on the phone with the commissioner. The board of trustees has decided that you can’t bring Dean to the awards ceremony.”
Colton felt a lump form in his throat. Suddenly, he could hardly swallow or breathe. “What?”
“They said you can’t bring Dean to the awards ceremony. They feel it would be a distraction.” Coach sighed. “I tried to reason with them, but they would not budge.” Coach Shepherd stood and walked over to Colton, placing his hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, kid. I know this must be hard for you.”
“How would Dean be a distraction at the ceremony?” Colton furrowed his brows. “I don’t understand, Coach.”
“Honestly, I don’t understand it either, Colton.
” Coach leaned against his desk in front of him.
“I mean, none of the other wives or dates were ever a distraction. And there have been some crazy bitches at that ceremony. I said as much to the commissioner, but he said this was different,” Coach explained.
Colton squeezed the arms of the chair hard enough that the leather groaned and squeaked underneath his hands.
“Yeah, it’s different because he’s a man, and they’re a bunch of fucking homophobic pricks!” Colton shouted, feeling the blood rushing to his temples.
“I know, son, I know. But there was no reasoning with them. I’m really, really sorry Colton.” Coach scowled, his sorrow for the situation apparent.
“Can I go now, Coach?” Colton steamed in his chair, doing his level best to not lose his shit in front of his coach.
“Yes, Colton…dismissed.”
Colton returned to the locker room, which was practically empty by that point. He sat in front of his locker, buried his face in his towel, and struggled in vain to control his sobs.
How am I going to tell Dean?
Colton couldn’t believe this was happening. He hoped this was just a bad dream. Any minute he’d wake up in Dean’s arms and this nightmare would be over.
But he didn’t wake up. The nightmare was real, and he had to break the news to Dean.
Colton gathered his things and drove home slowly, working through the best way to tell Dean.
He entered the loft with his heart in his throat. Dean milled around the kitchen, working on dinner, singing to himself.
Cocoa scampered over with an excited yip, welcoming him home and looking for some love. Colton smiled half-heartedly and gave her an ear scratch. “Hey, little lady.”
“Oh, good!” Dean scurried over to Colton, wiping his hands on a small towel. “I can’t wait to show you the suit I got for the MVP awards.”
Colton heaved a heavy sigh. “Dean.”
Dean scooped up a garment bag draped over a chair at the dining table with an excited smile. “It’s Tom Ford, and it will look great next to your suit.”
“Dean, I have to tell you something.” He felt as if his heart was being ripped from his chest.
Dean began unzipping the garment bag to show Colton, not really listening. “I saw it this morning and just knew this was perfect for the ceremony.”
Colton grabbed his hand. “Dean! You can’t come to the ceremony.”
“Wait…what?” Dean’s face dropped. “Why not?”
“The Commissioner and the Board of Trustees said I can’t bring you, because you’ll be 'a distraction'.” He could see the disappointment crossing Dean’s face.
Dean paused, clearly dejected, then slowly began to zip up the garment bag. “Well, I still like the suit. I think I’ll keep it.”
Colton felt a knot in his stomach. There’s no way he could go to the ceremony and sit there looking happy knowing that Dean wasn’t allowed to attend. He grabbed Dean tightly. “I’m so sorry, baby. I’m not going if I can’t bring you with me.”
“The fuck you aren't!” Dean stepped back. "You’re going to win the MVP award, and you’re going to be there to accept it. I won’t be the reason you don’t get to accept your award.”
Colton rapidly shook his head. “I don’t want to go without you. I can’t go without you.”
“Well, you are,” Dean snapped and pressed a finger into his chest. “You deserve this award, and you’re going to accept it. Just know I’ll be watching you on TV, undressing you with my eyes.”
Colton laughed and pulled Dean into a hug. How did he get so lucky? Even in the face of bigotry, Dean was still a shining light of positivity, and he still made him laugh. “I love you so fucking much!”
“I love you too.” Dean squeezed him closer. “Now, let’s pull your outfit together. You’ve got to be the best dressed MVP ever.”
***
Award shows were fucking boring! Why did anyone watch them?
Colton shifted in his seat, trying to maintain comfort through this seemingly endless ceremony. If Colton wasn’t nominated for MVP, there was no way in hell Dean would be watching this crap on TV. And that made Colton smile, just a little.
Throughout the broadcast, the camera showed Colton, morose, sitting alone amongst his teammates and their wives and dates.
Occasionally, the cameras showed Taylor and Travis, looking all lovey dovey, and the epitome of a proper, straight power couple.
Finally, after way too much fluff and bullshit, the time came for the biggest award of the evening, the MVP award. There was a video montage of footage of all the nominated players.
After the montage, the Commissioner walked on stage to present the award…
“And the award for the Most Valuable Player goes to…Colton Merrick.”
Colton stood with a half-hearted smile, shook a few of his teammates’ hands, and made his way to the stage.
As he slowly ascended the stairs, with the Commissioner waiting to present his trophy, he remembered a much happier time.
He had been the number one overall pick in his draft class three years ago.
He was bursting with pride as he walked down the tunnel and took the stage, not because he was the number one pick, but the fact that he'd been picked at all.
The Commissioner had presented his team jersey with a warm smile, gave him a bone-crushing hug, and welcomed him to the league.
It was one of his most cherished memories.
But this time was different. The Commissioner barely had any expression at all.
Colton should be filled with joy. Sadly, the Commissioner had ruined this moment, and there was no way in hell Colton would just suck it up and let it slide.
He glared as he approached and refused to shake his hand, which seemed to rattle the man.
He snatched the trophy out of the Commissioner's hand, approached the podium, and began his acceptance speech.
“Thank you. I’d like to thank my team, and my coaches and trainers, who help improve my game every day.
Winning this award has been my dream since I was a little boy, playing in my first pee-wee game.
It’s an honor. Unfortunately, this award means nothing if you can’t share it with the person you love.
Dean, who many of you know as DJ DVLN, is not here tonight to celebrate this award with me.
He’s not here because a bunch of old men with small minds, and even smaller dicks, told him he couldn’t come… because he would be a distraction.”
Members of the audience began to murmur.
“I wanted him by my side when I received this award. But sadly, he’s watching at home.”
Colton paused for a breath.
“This reminds me of a line from an iconic 80’s movie.
In the last scene of the movie, which takes place on a football field, of course, the line famously says, ‘You see us as you want to see us.’ I suppose that’s what’s happened here.
When you hear the word ‘gay’, you immediately conjure a picture in your head of what a gay man is supposed to look like, or how he’s supposed to act.
And usually, it’s not the most flattering image.
The league can’t possibly have a gay couple in our midst, and certainly not at our biggest awards show.
What would the fans think? But no matter how you see yourself or how you see me, each one of us is a dancer, an entertainer, an artist… and an athlete."
Colton looked directly into the camera and smiled.
“Dean. You are the coolest, funniest, most interesting person I’ve ever met.
If it weren’t for you, I would not be standing here receiving this award.
You inspire me, you push me to work harder and reach levels I could never dream of on my own.
You make me a better person. I wish you could be here with me, and maybe one day you will be, but I will be home soon, baby, and we will celebrate this award together, the way it should be. I love you. Thank you.”