JFH, page 15
“Thank you. Seriously, thank you for your time. I have a lot to consider.”
They all shook his hand, and he made the call when he left. He met Coach Richardson at a burger joint and explained what the other team had offered.
Richardson chewed his food and wiped his mouth. “We can establish there is a media issue that concerns you, and all you’re asking is for us to match the promise they made?”
“Yes, sir. I’m all in as I’ve said, but they knew what to dangle in front of me.”
The coach contemplated this for what seemed like a long time. “And the QB spot puts so much more attention on you,” he said, indicating he’d come to some conclusion.
“And I have no interest in being in a particular spotlight.”
“You’ve pulled it off for the last three years. We had no clue.”
“I just want to keep it that way and play ball.”
“In six months, am I going to be dealing with some picture of you in a bathroom at a club?”
“No sir, I don’t party or drink; I rarely go out.” Justin chewed on his lip for a moment. “I’m in a committed relationship. Just over a year now.”
“I see,” the coach said, his eyes widening. “We can swing the approved questions and no off-script. We’ll work with our media department and promise support. This is why you don’t have an agent?”
Justin nodded.
“Yes,” the coach finally said. “But we don’t bring anyone else in on this, only you and I. And you’ll play for me until we reach a point where we know the gig is up. I’m investing far more into you than you giving me two years.”
So apparently, they did know a few things about him that he hadn’t revealed. Justin closed his eyes and blew out a breath.
“Ah, tough sell,” the OC said. “You’d have the same problem with them.”
Justin prayed briefly Ethan would forgive him for this. He opened his eyes, decision made. “Yes, sir, I accept. If you still want me—knowing what you do. And if you don’t, then I’ll sign with them. You have an easy out.”
“Oh, no. I want you, and I don’t know shit,” he said, reaching across the table.
“Thank you, Coach,” Justin said and shook his hand. “I’m yours.”
“I’ve never had a prospect whose coach was so proud of his player as yours. Just thought you should know that. I have a lot of respect for your coach. And if you play for me like you’ve played for him, I promise to look out for you as he clearly has done for you the last three years.”
“Thank you, I will. I love ball, and yeah.” Justin smiled. “If you’re half the coach he is, I’ll still give you my all. He’s special.”
His coordinator nodded. “You want McReedy then?”
“Definitely.”
Richardson smiled too. “You two seem to already have a close bond.”
“Yeah, great guy,” Justin said.
“I’ll let you know if anything changes, but I feel like this is a done deal,” he said, and Justin agreed, getting a box for his uneaten food.
“Good, then I can tell you. Matt’s my son. Thanks for how you treated him.”
“You’ve got a great kid; tell him I said hi.”
They parted ways with another handshake, and Justin took his box and grabbed a taxi back to his hotel. He couldn’t wait to tell McReedy. His stomach churned over telling Ethan.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ethan
ETHAN WAS PRETTY proud of himself. When Justin was out of town, he’d started spending more time at the rink. His stick handling had improved. His shot was more accurate, and though he’d always been a good skater, even he had to admit his speed, stops, and transitions had impressed their coach enough to move him up to the second line. Ethan had always been a third-line hobby player, too busy to put in the true time. They’d won a game, and Ethan had scored a goal.
You’d have thought he was competing in the Olympics and not Wednesday night beer league with the way Justin had acted after he scored, yelling like some beast in the stands, pumping his arms, and high-fiving with people he didn’t even know. Ethan had tapped the glass with his stick in an all-for-you baby celly before skating down the line for team glove bumps.
After the game, Justin held out his hand and wiggled his fingers expectantly. Sighing, Ethan had dragged back to the equipment room, snagged a puck from the bucket, and returned with his man’s prize. It was ridiculous. But the puck sat on a shelf next to a bowl game football, Justin’s plaque, and Ethan’s cross-country trophy.
Justin’s visits were finally over, and they tried to relax as much as possible during the countdown to the draft. ESPN and the NFL Network were a constant back and forth as they watched the coverage and listened to the experts weigh in with draft predictions.
“Do you want to go?” Justin asked for the tenth time.
“I don’t think I should,” Ethan repeated.
They’d already been over the many reasons. Ethan knew it disappointed Justin, but he honestly thought Justin would blow it. He couldn’t ignore Ethan, and there was entirely too much press at the draft.
*
ETHAN THOUGHT THE draft would be a bigger deal. He knew it was huge, but he watched with his father in their living room as Justin walked on stage, put on a team hat, and was presented with a jersey.
Ethan pointed at the screen. “He kept his number.”
“Sure did,” his father said.
Then things moved along at a clipped pace as Justin’s five seconds of fame ended, and they waited to see if McReedy got snatched or if Florida could pull it off.
“Think I was wrong for not going?” Ethan asked as he chewed on a nail nervously.
“Nope. He asked, and you told him how you felt about it. He respected your decision and agreed with your reasons.”
“I’m not hiding,” Ethan said.
“I know. You are protecting the person you love, Ethan.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
*
“I’M KIND OF sad. I feel like we just moved in,” Ethan said, frowning at the boxes.
“I know, but staying with your parents until we find a house and putting all this in storage until then is the best plan,” Justin said for the tenth time. “It’s a cool apartment; I’ll miss it too. And then you’ll start your new school, and we’ll have a little time to spend at the beach. We’ll have to check out the league teams your coach told you about.”
Ethan nodded and taped the last box. “I want a dog after we find a house.”
“I will get you a dog,” Justin agreed at once. “And you get to pick the houses, top three, and then we decide together.”
Ethan pointed at the last box expectantly, giving Justin a hopeful look.
Justin laughed. “Oh my God, I’ve spoiled you.” Then, he picked up the heavy box with a roll of his eyes.
Ethan, pleased, followed him out to the parking lot, giving a little whistle at Justin’s muscular arms as he loaded the books into the U-Haul.
“Stop. I’m all sweaty,” Justin said.
“Hot,” Ethan teased.
And then they were on the road. Ethan rode shotgun as Justin drove. Ethan watched their city disappear in the sideview mirror, then focused on the road ahead.
“It’s really happening.”
Justin glanced over. “Yeah, babe, our dreams are happening.”
“Scary,” Ethan said.
“Is this too much change?”
“Absolutely, but I think the all-at-once approach is going to be easier to handle, honestly. I haven’t had time to let my brain kick into overdrive. I do think going to my parents as a transition will be good for me.”
“We’ll take our time and find the perfect house, a house you love and feel safe at.”
“I know. Spoiled, remember?” Ethan knew he was a lucky man with a partner who treated him like he was the most important person in the world.
“Well, if we’re diving in headfirst…” Justin started, exhibiting a few of his nervous tells as he drove.
“Yes?”
“What if we, uh, I mean… I know we can’t do it for real yet, but what if we could do something private, just us, and go ahead and get married?”
“Oh my God, Justin, we’re in a U-Haul, and we stink,” Ethan said, outraged.
Justin laughed. “I already asked you to marry me. This isn’t that; this is just wondering out loud. Couldn’t we do something special for now?”
Ethan chewed on a nail, thinking. “Sure, Justin. On top of finding our dream house and an ice rink in sunny Florida, I’ll plan our fake wedding.” He waited while Justin lost it, then added affectionately, “You really are ridiculous.”
“Nah, I really love you, and there are five rinks in Tampa.”
“Fine,” Ethan said, resigned. “I’ll look into it.”
“That’s a yes.”
“Yes, it’s a yes.” And Ethan relaxed, contented, as Justin drove on, wearing an unerasable smile for miles.
“Are there really five?”
“Sure are.”
*
A WEEK LATER, after getting temporarily settled with his parents, Ethan clapped gleefully as Justin held up the two giant ferns. “Yes, those are perfect.”
It had been their last stop. They’d already been by the party rental place where they picked up the white arbor. His parents’ backyard was the setting. Simple, the arbor and two ferns. His mother had already bought enough flowers and candles to decorate with. Justin’s parents were coming down for the private ceremony. Surprisingly, his father asked to officiate, and Justin and Ethan had both instantly agreed.
Justin was excited since part of their plan was to lay out all the houses they’d found and see what everyone thought while they were all there. He’d said something about some legal matters he had to handle with his father and Ethan’s.
“Okay, after this, I’ll drop you off. I need to run an errand,” Ethan said.
“Oh, what do you need? I’ll take you,” Justin said.
“Nope.”
“No?”
“I know you aren’t used to that word,” Ethan said playfully, “but I have a plan that doesn’t involve you.”
“Ohh,” Justin said, stretching out the word. “We really should come up with a code word for those situations.”
“I’ve got one we can say. ‘Golf game.’”
“Why?”
“Because never in my life will I ever play golf; well, I’d play Putt-Putt, but real golf? Never. And I’ve never even heard you mention it, but I have seen you flip past it on the TV.”
“‘Golf game.’ All right, that works,” Justin agreed. “So, you have a golf game?”
“Exactly.”
Justin frowned.
“What?”
“Well, now I really don’t like golf,” Justin said with disappointment.
“I’ll be gone for, like, an hour,” Ethan soothed. “You’ll survive.”
“I might not.”
“Now, who is spoiled?”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Justin
THEY’D FINALLY FOUND the house in a gated beach community farther north than they’d imagined but closer to Ethan’s parents. Though Justin would have a commute, the house was their dream. The privacy alone ensured they could keep their heads down but still breathe. And the team would provide Justin with a small apartment close to their facilities. He’d stay there, just as he had in the football dorm during practices and game days, then drive back home to Ethan when he could. There just weren’t any houses in the Bay that worked for what they needed, and Justin agreed with John. Having Ethan closer to them in case something happened was also better.
The upscale neighborhood had many wealthy retirees with large, well-built houses, which were older than some of the more modern beach homes farther south. It was quiet, safe, and gated, with security walls and 24/7 security guards. Ethan felt good about it and was aware of Justin’s relief that Ethan would be ultra-safe there alone. And while there was only one local rink, Ethan liked it, affectionately calling it “retro,” letting Justin know it would do.
John had officiated a private, off-the-record ceremony in their backyard, and Ethan had gotten Justin a ring. They said their vows, everyone cried, and they signed a certificate John found somewhere. None of it legal because that would be too easily discovered. Still, they felt married, and this would do until Justin left the NFL, when they could do it legally.
Justin had also hired a lawyer, written out a will and trust for Ethan with his father’s and John’s help, and put everything in Ethan’s name. He authorized a living will, giving Ethan power of attorney over any decisions should something happen to him. He paid for Ethan’s insurance since he couldn’t add him to his policy, and they worked through other legal issues as best they could for now. Ethan knew some of it, not all, but Justin wanted to ensure Ethan was taken care of. He worried that telling Ethan all of this would cause anxiety he didn’t need. His father and John had promised to make sure all his wishes for Ethan were fulfilled, but both hoped they’d never have to keep those promises.
“You never know,” Justin had told them both, and they’d witnessed everything without any arguments.
Justin was spending the day with his parents and looked down at the list Ethan had made out for him.
“Two lamps, and we are in the clear,” Justin said, and they headed to the new house.
“I think we got off easy,” his dad said.
“Ethan knows shopping isn’t my favorite pastime.”
“They’re handling the kitchen and living room, and we’ve only got the master bedroom and game room,” his father confirmed, rubbing his hands together over the game room.
Justin enjoyed the rest of the day with his parents and later, as his and Ethan’s parents worked together to help them create a home. He still couldn’t get over his signing bonus and the whirlwind of the draft.
“We have a pool and a hot tub,” Ethan whispered as they stood next to them.
“And not a single patio chair. You left out a room.”
“I got you something,” Ethan said.
Justin grinned. “Give it to me.”
Ethan pointed to the far corner of the pool deck, just past where it ended and within a few trees and foliage. “See the top of it, just through those palm things?”
“Palm things,” Justin repeated. “Wait, is that a chiminea?” Justin busted out laughing.
“It was Dad’s idea.”
“That’s great,” Justin said as they walked over to look at it. “We need an outdoor area here and then the chairs for the pool deck. I think I want a grill too.”
“I agree. I’m glad I forgot it. It’ll give me a project when everyone leaves.”
They headed back inside to help their parents and do all they could to get everything settled. With two spare bedrooms, their parents could stay over when they came for visits and football games. Justin’s parents were already looking for something in the same area. Coach and Bethany had debated it, but Coach just couldn’t leave his team yet. Justin and Ethan both understood that. So, they had a bedroom at Justin and Ethan’s house. Bethany planned a short visit for the first week when Justin left. Ethan wanted to learn his way around town and check out the touristy side of things with her.
Justin had worked hard to get everything out of storage and moved into the new house. They no longer had a rented space but now had a mortgage. They still had some boxes needing to be unpacked, but Ethan didn’t seem to be in a rush to do everything all at once. Their parents had left to give them time alone before Justin had to go for training.
JUSTIN STOOD IN their driveway in front of his open garage and just stared at the empty space. Ethan’s new compact barely occupied any room, and Justin had no intention of parking his truck inside. He considered the area, deciding it would be an excellent place for all the toys he planned to buy for himself and Ethan. Kayaks and bikes. Maybe an air hockey table for Ethan’s strange obsession with that game. Their meager camping gear currently sat on one of the lonely shelves. There wasn’t even a single tool. The Home Depot beat theme song faintly played in Justin’s mind, Josh Lucas, beckoning him to fill the space.
Ethan had already designated the room next to the garage as their home gym, so this was up for grabs. Justin turned, gazed out at the lush lawn and tropical beds, and realized they had no lawnmower. Justin laughed as he studied the pristine yard with a more suspicious eye.
“Hey there.” A man waved from across the street.
Justin waved back.
“I gotta know what’s so funny,” the man asked, motioning at Justin’s lawn.
“I just realized we don’t have a lawnmower,” he admitted to the guy.
He crossed the street toward Justin. “Most people around here use a service. I think you might just be the youngest person in this neighborhood. I’m Frank Fortner.” He stuck out his hand.
“Justin. Nice to meet you,” Justin said and shook his hand.
“Welcome to the neighborhood; a nice place you’ve bought,” Frank said. “The last neighbor was a doctor, but he got transferred to a hospital in another state.”
Justin knew what was coming, but he and Ethan had decided there wasn’t much hiding from neighbors, and they’d just wing it with Justin using Ethan’s last name and hoping no one recognized him.
“Fat chance,” Ethan had said at the idea.
“Well, I hope we’ll be even better neighbors than your last,” Justin said. “You like your service?”
“Oh, yeah, they come once weekly and do about six yards in a row on a schedule. I’ll bring you their card. They did this lawn for the previous owner, so you really can’t go wrong with them. I want to say they did the pool, but don’t hold me to that.”
Justin said with amusement, “I may use them for the lawn, but I’ve got a pool guy.”
