Free Sidelined by Mercy Celeste Page B

urge prompted him to dry off and dress without making this even more complicated. “So, yeah, if you’re coming, we need to go.”
    Levi moved past him as he located his shirt and pulled it over his head. He dressed in silence, pulling on a pair of clean cargo shorts over briefs this time and a skin-tight New Orleans T-shirt that he tucked into his shorts. A pair of running shoes, no socks. And a stop back in the bathroom to slick something in his hair that kept it tamed and out of his face.
    “We’ll have to stop on the way for a case of Cokes…God, does it have to be Cokes? Tell me there will be adult beverages available.”
    “Not until after the kids all leave. It’s a school rule. Even if it’s not on campus. And I like my job.” Tracy followed him from the bedroom through the house as he searched for his wallet and keys. “Shouldn’t you turn the AC units off? What if—“
    “If the place burns down, then I won’t have to worry about roasting all night. It’s a chance I’m willing to take. Let’s go. I can’t find my keys, so I guess you’re driving.” He stopped in the kitchen and pulled a bottle of wine from the refrigerator and a box from on top. He fished through the box and pulled out cash. “Wallet either. So wine for your mom and cash donation to help with the food costs.” Levi shoved the bills in his hand and walked out the door, carrying the wine.
    Five one hundred dollar bills. And Levi had it just lying around the house. And he’d accused him of squandering all of his millions earlier in the week. “Fuck.” Tracy put three of the bills back in the box and followed Levi out to find him already settled in his Cherokee looking pale under his tan. As if Tracy was driving him to his execution. Somehow Tracy thought it was his own execution, but he drove on anyway.
    * * * * *
    As team cookouts went, this was a pretty good one. Levi had been to worse. Once he got past the meet the parent deal of actually meeting Tracy’s parents, he relaxed and enjoyed himself. The biggest surprise wasn’t the parents at all. Tracy got his blond from his mother and his size from his father. Neither shared his extreme asshole personality. His mother was quite friendly without being suffocating. The father easy with a joke. Tracy was neither witty nor friendly. Yet, Levi couldn’t stop thinking about him or looking at him or fantasizing about him. Or wanting him. It was that last part that kept getting him in trouble.
    The drive up hadn’t taken long. Just ten minutes. The Wrights lived just inside the Hillsborough school district on the county road. “You actually live closer to Summerville than you do to Hillsborough. You should have played for us,” he’d pointed out as they turned into the drive up to the large farm-style house. Two stories with some gingerbread trim and a landscaped yard. Hell of a lot different than the rundown trailer park Levi had grown up in.
    “My folks tried to get me a transfer since we’re borderline. The coaches blocked it. They wanted me to stay put. Anyway, it doesn’t matter; we’re all one big happy family now.” Tracy parked beside a huge red dually, and together they made their way to the back of the house where the noise was the loudest.
    Rock music, laughter, girls, boys, coaches, some school teachers Levi remembered from his time served. This was more than just a team cookout.
    “This sort of turned into an all-inclusive thing—first the cheerleaders, then the soccer team, staff. Boosters handle most of it. It’s a good thing. Helps to make an awkward situation less awkward.” Tracy rested his hand in the middle of Levi’s back. The gesture one that had Levi glancing around to see if anyone spotted the homos in the crowd, but Tracy was quick to move away toward the short blond woman fussing with dishes on the patio. “Mom, you don’t have to do that.”
    “I know.” She swatted his hand away when he tried to take the package of paper plates away from