Sidelined (17 page)

“Who the fuck is Livy?” Dylan Sunday stood by the window looking out in the late afternoon sun. How the fuck was the sun still up would be the better question.

“Levi, when he’s tired of being Levi. I met him by accident one night when I went to visit him without calling first. He was wearing pink chaps and short shorts. His hair was pink too. He dragged me out to a club he likes, down by the river. You wouldn’t know you were even dancing with the biggest star in New Orleans if he didn’t want you to know. Tabloids had me dating a stripper for a while. He loved that. Our picture made TMZ and still no one figured out it was Levi in drag.” Bo winked at the man standing not far away from him. And reached for his hand. “That was before I knew you were alive. He did everything he could to make life interesting those few months. So, the real question is, when did Coach Wright have the pleasure of meeting my good friend Livy St. Cinq?”

“Halloween, last year.” Tracy couldn’t picture Levi running around New Orleans in nothing but a kilt and body glitter. He couldn’t take his gaze off the lush set of pouty lips that drove him crazy with lust. “Saturday night. It couldn’t have been him. There would have been a game.”

“That was our bye week. And when he called you Sugar Bear, you went white as a sheet. Because you’ve been called that before.” Bo leaned back in the chair, watching them all. Tracy followed his gaze to Dylan Sunday, the dangerous look in his eyes saying more than Tracy wanted to know. “He called all of his pickups by Sugar something or other. Livy St. Cinq was well known on the club scene. And you know, it’s funny as hell because it’s right there. Saint Five. Levi told everybody, and nobody ever figured it out. When the pictures made the tabloids and the team saw them, they wouldn’t let me forget it, and there was Levi keeping his mouth shut when it was his pink or purple or whatever color that damned boa was wrapped around my neck. They didn’t see their own teammate. And stop staring at me like that, Dyl, you did worse in the Marines. I’ve seen some of the pictures. I was screwed already; he wanted to have a good time. So I went with him. And I was here when you came home.”

“I didn’t say anything. I’ve reconciled that time. Levi and I talked yesterday. I apologized. He holds no grudge. And I’m grateful for everything he did for you.”

“He was hurting. That night. Bruised. Badly. Around his neck, like someone choked him. I went home with him, because he didn’t want to be alone.” Tracy took a chance on a suspicion that wouldn’t leave him alone. Bowen Murphy ducked his head, the laughter gone now, the floor suddenly interesting. He looked guilty.

Dylan leaned against the wall, his direct gaze pinning Tracy to his chair. “I did that. I’m not proud of it. But for what it’s worth, it’s probably the wakeup call I needed. In a way, Levi saved us both. If you think about it long enough.”

“He lost football the week after that.” Bo added, leaning forward in his seat, his long arms dangling over his knees. “He shouldn’t have to give up everything. It’s not fair.”

“I can hear you discussing me. I’m not dead.” Levi didn’t open his eyes this time. He tried to roll over, but his arm was wrapped to his chest. Making movement difficult. “I just want to know if anyone got the number of the bus that hit me. Fuck, I hurt.”

“Sorry, Livy, you shouldn’t have pissed the cops off.” Bo answered.

“I am incapable of pissing anyone off. I am innocent as a newborn lamb.” He cracked his eyes open and smiled. “It separated again, I take it?”

“Only a little, you should have mentioned the spinal injury. The docs weren’t too happy about that.”

“I shouldn’t have been dropped on my head as a child either. Shit happens. It’s worse when you play football. I feel like I’m eighty years old sometimes. I have arthritis in my wrist, too many concussions to speak of; the nerve damage is the least of my worries.”

“Well, Humpty Dumpty, they put you back together again. You’re going to have to keep the arm strapped to your chest for the next month, but you should be as good as you were before yesterday.”

He managed to roll onto his hip, looking away from Tracy, just as Tracy’s phone rang. He pulled up the display and winced. “Shit. I have to take this.”

Bo and Dylan nodded, but Levi seemed to be out again. He walked out into the hallway, passing Jude as he went. “Coach Wright,” was all he had a chance to say before his world crashed around him. When it was over, he turned his phone off and stepped back into the room.

Dylan and Jude stood flanking the doorway, neither seemed to be paying any attention to him. Bo leaned over the bed, Levi’s uninjured hand clutched in his. The look of adoration on Levi’s face nearly tore him to shreds. The words didn’t help.

“I love you, you know that, more than anyone I’ve ever been with.”

“I know,” Bo held Levi’s hand to his lips. Tears glistened in his eyes. “I know. We can make it work, I don’t know how.”

Tracy didn’t stay around to hear anymore. He’d lost his job. Both jobs. For not a God damned thing. Just jousting at windmills. Nothing about that would ever change. He made his way to the elevator, and when it didn’t come fast enough, he found the stairs. He didn’t know where he was going; Mobile was too fucking far away for him to walk home. He just knew he couldn’t stay here and watch as his world finished disintegrating around him.

Chapter Thirteen

“Have you called Levi yet?” His mother breezed through her kitchen, her voice way too loud for a Friday afternoon.

“Not today, Mom.” He rubbed his temples, wishing the Tylenol would kick in and kill the bass drum pounding in his skull. Mighty morphing power pills did nothing for a hangover. He contemplated going to the fridge to see if there were any beers left, but that would mean getting up. Food would be good too. But he’d lost interest in that. Drink was better.

“As in don’t bother me today, Mom, because I’m busy wallowing in self-pity. Or not today, Mom, because he’s not answering, and I’ve tried until I can’t take the heartache anymore. Because one will get you pity, the other not so much.” And she was out of the room again, bustling around as if she didn’t have anything better to do than slam cabinets and yell for his father to come in for lunch. “Tracy, I love you—“

The doorbell cut off the
but
he was about to hear. He knew he was letting this go on too long, but dammit, he’d lost his team and his boyfriend in one day. “How nice of you to drop by, Mr. Brody. No, now is a good time. I’ll just take lunch out to my husband and let you and Tracy talk in private.”

His heart did that flip-flop thing in his chest that it did every time he thought about Levi. How in the hell did he let himself fall in love? He half rose from the chair when his mother and the wrong Brody brother entered the kitchen. Disappointment welled in that place that was just flipping all over the place. He sat back down and buried his face in his hands. Because Jude Brody was the spitting goddamned image of Levi.

“Play nice,” his mother patted him on the shoulder as she left the kitchen, carrying a plate of food. “And offer Mr. Brody some lunch, Tracy.”

He waved at the other side of the table. “You may as well sit down, I have a feeling this isn’t a social call.”

Jude sat across from him, laying a black portfolio on the table. “It isn’t. Not really. I have a few last minute questions, and I’ll get out of your hair.”

Tracy nodded, his headache subsided, but not enough to eat something yet. He sat up straight and tried to pretend that he was a functioning something. He wouldn’t jump right to adult, because it was Friday, and he felt the urge to take his show on the road later tonight. He needed to purge the memory at the very least, and since the whole fucking world now knew that he was gay, why not go whole hog.

“The charges against Levi have been dropped, entirely,” the lawyer started before Tracy could even think of something to say, which of course, gave him plenty of things to think about. Too many to formulate more than a stupid expression on his face. “The girl admitted that she had sex that night and was ashamed of the boy, so she bragged to her friends that Levi had asked her to go for a ride. The rest escalated before she could control the lie. Her name is being withheld from the media, but I believe the town knows.”

“And her parents are the ones who went to the cops?” Tracy looked at the table in disgust. “I bet they thought they’d get some big payout to keep it quiet.”

“Probably, but in this climate, they underestimated the police…I’m still astounded at the seemingly vicious way this was handled. I won’t lie to you, good ole boy politics are alive and well, but usually they play in favor of someone like Levi. He’s a god damned town hero.”

“Just goes to show that our culture loves to build up their heroes, and absofuckinglutely relish tearing them down.” Bitterness entered his voice. He could hear it. He just couldn’t stop it.

“I’ve filed false arrest charges as well as police brutality charges. Levi won’t let me bring charges against the family. He’s considering setting up a college fund for the young woman. Something she can only use for school, and not for cash, and something her parents can’t touch. This is a mess, and it’s going to ruin her life if it does get out who accused him. He remembers how badly he wanted to escape here. And he was worshipped. It’ll be worse to be vilified.”

Tracy nodded. He had a good idea which girl it was. As a teacher, he heard the gossip. And some of them were just desperate enough they’d do anything. He didn’t understand that mentality. What happened to working hard for a college scholarship and getting an education?

“You have everything under control, so what do you need from me?” He wouldn’t ask about Levi. He didn’t want to know how Murphy convinced the Marine to let him keep his boy toy. Maybe Livy was right where he wanted to be, two hot men were better than one.

“I’m here for you, Coach Wright. You’re the one who is getting the shaft on this one. And I want to help you get your job back.” Jude opened his portfolio and took out a recorder and a notepad. “Gratis. Because despite what Levi thinks, I’m not sure I could have gotten the case dropped by now. If you hadn’t come forward with the alibi, he’d still be in jail.”

“I appreciate the offer, Jude, but I doubt there’s anything that can be done. I’m not tenured. They can do anything they want. Last I checked, Alabama doesn’t protect homosexuals from discrimination.” Tracy rubbed his forehead as the headache returned full force.

“Let me ask you this, did they out and out say that they were letting you go due to your sexual preferences? I suspect they’d want to avoid that at all costs, because the world is changing.” Jude turned on his recorder, pretty much ignoring anything Tracy had to say to the contrary.

“Not exactly,” Tracy sighed, he couldn’t remember exactly the wording before 'voiding your contract' came up. “Something about comportment in public. And bringing unnecessary scrutiny on my position as head coach. Basically, it was the behavior clause, and by admitting that Levi and I left the party to drink and have sex…yeah, that would be what they said but not in those words.”

Jude tapped his pen on the notepad. Tracy offered him a glass of iced tea, but Jude shook his head. “Thank you, no.” And went back to tapping. “The television crews lined up at the school that afternoon would most likely push them to make that decision. This became a three ring circus complete with clowns and trapeze act. I can see what motivated them. But that wasn’t your doing.”

“I’m not interested in making this situation into even more of a circus.” Tracy sat back down with a glass of tea and a cold bottle of water for Jude who accepted it with a nod.

“At this point, I don’t see how that can be avoided. You can roll over and accept the firing. I wouldn’t. And you shouldn’t.” Jude continued to tap the note pad. Waiting for Tracy to give him something to take notes on, or so Tracy assumed.

“Even if I could get my teaching job back, do you honestly think I’d be welcomed? Seriously, Jude, the people I work with…I’ve deceived everyone, hell, my own sister didn’t know until Saturday night. None of my other siblings knew until the news Monday. My preacher brother called and condemned me to hell. It’ll be a hostile work environment at best.”

“Tracy, you should at least consider that you’ve been wronged here. Your reputation as a coach was growing. It’s a shame when we can do something about it.”

“And people will think I’m looking for a payday. No, thanks. It’s not like I’m going to go broke. I’ll still have my share of the farm. My car is paid for. My house was left to me by my grandparents. I’ll find another coaching job somewhere else. Or not at all.” The phone on the wall rang, but Tracy ignored it. Probably one of his mother’s friends calling to discuss the Sunday potluck. It stopped ringing mid-ring.

Jude leaned back in the seat, his amber eyes never wavering as he watched Tracy. “You haven’t asked about him.”

“I haven’t.”

“Do you want to know how he is?”

Tracy leaned his arms on the table. What good would it do to know he was happy with Bowen Murphy?

“Tracy, pick up the phone. Now.” His mother shouted from the back of the house.

Saved by the bell. Literally. “Excuse me.” He picked up the kitchen extension. “Coach…I mean, Tracy…”

“Tracy, you’ve got to get to the stadium. Now.” His sister shouted into the phone. He could hear a loud roar that sounded like a Friday night game in the background. An air horn sounded not far away, Britney screamed in his ear. “Mom said there’s a lawyer with you, you might want to bring him along.”

Tracy hung up just as his mother walked in, looking anxious. “What’s going on?”

“I have no idea, Brit just said I need to get to the stadium. And that I should bring Jude. And then the line went dead. It sounded like all hell was breaking loose behind her.”

Jude began gathering up his things. “I’ll meet you there,” he paused to stare at Tracy with that
lawyer sizing him up for the death chamber
type of look that Jude was good at. “He is in New Orleans, at his townhouse. Alone. Since you asked.”

Tracy didn’t remind him that he didn’t ask. He didn’t want to know. Alone? Why was Levi alone? The lawyer was out the front door before Tracy found his keys. And then he followed.