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opened his eyes and stared at his brother’s profile in the mirror.
    “I’m gay, Jude. I’ve never actually slept with a woman. Fooled around with them so that no one would think something was wrong with me, yes. But there it is. The great big secret that I’ve never told anyone.”
    Jude started to say something. Levi could hear his mouth open, the small hint of sound in the dead silent trailer as his mouth closed. He knocked on the counter, once, twice. Then turned and walked out of the room. Levi didn’t follow him. He ducked his head and tried not to look too closely at the man in the mirror. The one who let everyone down. Didn’t matter who.
    “You should probably worry about that little secret. If you can’t even remember the guy, he’s probably spreading the word all over town that Levi Brody is a cocksucker and a bad lay.” The trailer shook when the door slammed closed.
    Fear replaced shame, and Levi slammed his fist through the mirror.
     

 
    Chapter Four
    He heard the rumble before he saw the car. The slick black Challenger pulled up beside his Cherokee and parked. Most of the coaching staff was already here and a few of the kids. A few parents sat in the stands. Practice was always open. The sound of people talking was something they worked on ignoring. Just another part of the whole game. Later the cheerleaders would come in and work on routines on the sidelines. After the sun went down and the temperature dropped a whole five degrees. He knew everything and everyone who set foot on his practice field. And this car didn’t belong here. Any more than the man inside belonged here.
    “He’s only a week and one practice late.” Tracy muttered as the set of very tan legs appeared, thighs encased in hot weather practice shorts that hugged every muscle exposed under the lightweight nylon over-shorts. He wore an old Pirate Football T-shirt and a pair of expensive wraparound sunglasses that probably cost more than one month of Tracy’s teaching salary.
    “Coach?” The freshman quarterback said as he walked past Tracy. “I didn’t think I was late. Should I take laps or something?” The kid wore a look of terror on his incredibly young face. God, he didn’t remember ever being that green.
    “No, kid, you’ve got about a half hour. Go warm up.” Tracy sent him out into the late afternoon heat and stepped back into the cool of the field house to watch as Brody approached his assistant coach, holding out his hand. He could see the speculation on the curious faces out on the field. The way they tapped each other on the arm and leaned in to whisper. Even the parents up in the stands started putting their heads together. “And this just became a goddamned circus.”
    Tracy walked back to his office just as the defense coach pointed to the door. He’d meet the man in private. After Friday night, he didn’t know what to do or say. Being called another man’s name—especially THAT name—had left him shaken. Knowing that Brody had passed out after orgasm made him feel like slime on the bottom of the mill pond. The sooner he faced the man and sent him on his way, the better.
    Levi Brody filled up his small office. Not his size, there were a couple of seniors on the team bigger than Brody. His presence. The way Tracy could feel him Friday night from across the bar. The same way Tracy felt him all those years ago. In his memories, it was just him and Brody on the field. No one else existed. And right then, the entire world could go to fuck and Tracy wouldn’t notice or care. The realization was like a punch to the gut.
    “Coach Wright?” Brody tilted his head to the side, a glimmer of something potent swam in those damned wicked eyes.
    “That would be me. What can I do for you, Mr. Brody?” Tracy took the hand he offered. The texture dry, rough, a working man’s hands. Or a football player who preferred not to wear gloves. Brody’s gaze dropped to their clasped hands, a look of shock on his face.