Luke swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. “No.”
“Then just think about what I’ve said. All right?”
He nodded and she pulled him into her arms. He stood stiffly at first, then gave in, lowering his head to her shoulder and letting her murmur comfort as she rubbed his back. He closed his eyes and breathed in her perfume.
The next tournament Luke was playing was in LA., much to his relief. He could go home at night and not have to sleep in yet another in the endless line of hotel rooms.
Luke had barely pushed the locker room door open when he heard the word “faggot” and raucous laughter.
Great.
As the door closed behind him, he realized that he wasn’t the object of their scorn. Jesse was by a bench, his head down as he tied his shoes and ignored the taunts coming from the other players in the room.
Stein Koehler came around the corner from the shower, a towel slung around his hips. He gazed at Jesse scornfully. “I’m amazed you can hold up your racquet with such a limp wrist.”
There was a chorus of laughter from some of the others, including the Stiffler brothers, to Luke’s dismay. Anger roared through him and the next thing Luke knew, he had Koehler slammed up against the wall.
Their faces were inches apart and Luke practically growled, “Watch your mouth, you son of a bitch.” He itched to wipe the smile off the bastard’s face.
Snickering, Koehler said, “Finally got me where you want me, Luke?”
Luke swore and backed away. The day he’d want to touch that piece of shit was never coming.
Koehler adjusted his towel and made a theatrical sigh. “Jesse, your boyfriend just can’t keep his hands off me. How jealous you must be.”
Closing his locker, Jesse smiled. “Painfully jealous, Stein. I just don’t know what I shall do.” He walked out, his laughter trailing in his wake. Some of the players looked around at each other in uncertainty.
Luke shook his head and tried to follow Jesse’s lead. He laughed and ignored Koehler and his cronies. Mike came in and stopped short when he saw Luke. “Hey. How’s it going?”
Luke swallowed the retort he wanted to make. “Fine. Is Tara feeling better?”
“Huh?”
“Tara. You said she’s been sick the past couple of weeks.”
He could see the blush creep up Mike’s neck. “Oh, right. She’s much better now, thanks.”
“Want to go hit some shots?” Luke’s heart was in his throat as he waited for Mike’s answer. Please say yes.
He smiled. “Sure thing.”
After practice with Mike, who was quiet and didn’t bring up anything more controversial than the weather, Luke played his first match. It was an easy victory, claimed just as the sun started to set. The smog was thick and Luke could see it clearly in the distance, high over the city as the sun started its downward arc.
He packed up his gear and headed back inside. It was late, and the building was pretty deserted. He was almost to the locker room when he heard his name hissed from a doorway.
Jesse stuck his head out. “Get in here,” he said, backing up into an empty, windowless office. Luke complied, shutting the door behind him.
“What the hell was that?” Jesse demanded.
“What?”
“Your little performance in the locker room,” he seethed.
“You can’t let that asshole Koehler talk to you like that! I was standing up for you.” Luke dropped his bag with a thunk and his hands found his hips.
“By acting like an overprotective boyfriend?” Jesse was incredulous. “Yeah, that’ll really diffuse those rumors, Luke.”
“What was I supposed to do? Nothing?”
“Yes. Nothing. Laugh it off. Ignore it. But when you let people like that get under your skin, you’re just giving them new stuff to gossip about.”
Luke knew he was right, but he didn’t want to admit it. “Well, excuse me for standing up for you.”
Rubbing his face, Jesse sighed. “Luke, this is your secret. I’m keeping it for your sake. If it was just me they were calling queer, I’d get up on a table and announce to everyone that they were right. Because eventually, they’d get over it.”
“Maybe. But in the meantime, your life would be hell.”
“Yeah, probably. At least it would all be out there. There’d be no more bullshit.”
“Jesse…”
“I know, I know. Look, I’m not trying to convince you. That’s obviously a lost cause. You do what you need to do.” He tried to smile, and Luke hated the sadness he saw. “But just try to think twice before you get into fights with jerks like Stein Koehler.”
“You’re right.” They stood in silence for a few seconds, eyes locked. “I just hate the thought of anyone hurting you.” Luke took a step and ran his fingers over Jesse’s cheek. He could see Jesse fighting himself, fighting the urge to draw closer. All at once, he moved into Luke’s arms, warm and pliant.